How do you know the skybeacon is on? If the transponder light is flashing and no red light in the unit? correct? Or do you have to log into the app and check it?

feded wrote:How do you know the skybeacon is on? If the transponder light is flashing and no red light in the unit? correct? Or do you have to log into the app and check it?

The transponder light will flash if the TRANSPONDER is transmitting. The Skybeacon just attaches a signal ONTO the transponder's signal.

MTV

Don't know about the Skybeacon, but the tailbeacon has a red "pilot light".
It comes on for a oittle while when the unit is first powered up, then goes out if everything is working.
If it stay on or blinks, there's a problem.
So I guess the only way to see if it's working is to:
1) use the app
2) check via an ADSB in device
3) fly, then get a performance report
https://adsbperformance.faa.gov/paprrequest.aspx

My tailbeacon occasionally is picked up by my stratus and shows up in ForeFlight as traffic less than 1/2mile away at my 6. Annoying AF - doesn’t happen all the time but I know my beacon is working.

The other interesting thing is that I can sometimes bump the switch for my Nav lights - and turn the tailbeacon off.

I think the app is the best way to verify its working. There is the little red light but it requires exiting the plane - hard to do in flight and a PIA in a pre-flight. So far I turn on my master and all my lights and check them including the tailbeacon but then I shut it down again to finish the rest of my pre-flight. When I start it up I just pray it works.

Does the app pick up the Tailbeacon when the phone is in the plane? Or should it? Mine does not seem to connect from cockpit.

If you are in range it should. Mine on the wing does. I thought I had read somewhere that the wifi remains available for 5 minutes after power up, but they told me it is available until airborne. That seems to be my experience.


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[quote="soyAnarchisto'] ..... I can sometimes bump the switch for my Nav lights - and turn the tailbeacon off. ......
I think the app is the best way to verify its working......[/quote]

What I did when I installed my Tailbeacon, was to wire my aft nav light to it's own circuit breaker, connected to the avionics master switch.
Very little chance of forgetting to turn it on, or accidently bumping it off.
I just leave the nav light set to on via the app -- it's LED so should supposedly last forever.

Like I said before, I think the best way to verify it's working properly is to get a PAPR after a flight.
Do that a few times-- if it passes every time I wouldn't worry about it.
I get a PAPR check once every month or two just to verify it's still working right.
You can also check with other pilots to see if their ADSB-in is seeing you.

hotrod180 wrote:[quote="soyAnarchisto'] ..... I can sometimes bump the switch for my Nav lights - and turn the tailbeacon off. ......
I think the app is the best way to verify its working......[/quote]

What I did when I installed my Tailbeacon, was to wire my aft nav light to it's own circuit breaker, connected to the avionics master switch.
Very little chance of forgetting to turn it on, or accidently bumping it off.
I just leave the nav light set to on via the app -- it's LED so should supposedly last forever.

Like I said before, I think the best way to verify it's working properly is to get a PAPR after a flight.
Do that a few times-- if it passes every time I wouldn't worry about it.
I get a PAPR check once every month or two just to verify it's still working right.
You can also check with other pilots to see if their ADSB-in is seeing you.[/quote]

Not to worry, the FAA will be in touch if your ADS-B is intermittent.....trust me.

MTV

Just because other aircraft are picking up your ADS-b, does not mean that it is working to the FAA standard. I live and fly in the mountains of western Colorado, radar coverage is intermittent. Intermittent radar coverage will cause the tail beacon to fail the PAPR.
I spent 6 months trying to diagnose and fix a tail beacon ADS-b system. It took many many hours of working on the airplane, calls to customer service, numerous flights, numerous PAPR's. What finally solved the problem was a new tail beacon, which Uavionix was reluctant to give me. It wasn't until after I had changed the wiring connectors, drilled a new hole in the 67 year old airframe for a new ground, replaced the breaker, replaced the transponder, and hours checking wiring and connections, that they finally said it was an internal problem in the beacon itself. I was quite unhappy with Uavionix customer support at times.

I still fail frequently, but the FAA quit bothering me. They said it was lack of radar coverage that is causing a failed PAPR. If I fly into and out of airports with ground radar coverage, I pass. As soon as I land back at home, the PAPR shows a failure.