ADS-B not transmitting

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CFIDave
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by CFIDave »

Now that it's 2020, I found it surprising that much (most?) of ATC in the US is still not using ADS-B.

Here in the Washington, DC area, Potomac TRACON has ADS-B turned OFF, and is still relying exclusively on transponder squawk codes to identify IFR and flight following aircraft. That's one of the reasons why they still ask you to IDENT right after takeoff (the other is that it makes your plane's target flash on their screens).

I was told that the primary reason ADS-B is turned off is that too many aircraft equipped with ADS-B are still mis-configured, and it would add too much to controller workloads to deal with these malfunctioning aircraft. (it is possible for a controller to determine a plane's ADS-B tail number broadcast, but it requires some additional keystrokes to see it.) I read somewhere that about 10% of the 200K or so GA planes in the US that are ADS-B-equipped are flying around mis-configured, with the FAA now attempting to contact owners for a fix.

Diamond is part of this problem, since they've been known to deliver new aircraft with ADS-B Out broadcast IDs that don't match the plane's registered tail number. Not only did this happen to Russ's new DA40NG last year (discovered by ATC as we flew across Kansas), but last week I learned that a brand new DA62 also has this problem. To change the transponder's ADS-B Out ID requires not only going into G1000 maintenance mode, but also accessing G1000 software off of an installer SDcard (which is not supplied by Diamond, and is accessible only to Garmin dealers with password access to Garmin's protected website.)
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Rich
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by Rich »

Interesting numbers:

https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/i ... ge_levels/

NPE = non-performing emitters. A variety of problems.

Integrity & Accuracy Note: If using an uncertified GPS (or portable transmitter) the system must report as SIL = 0 (zero). SIL=0 transmitters do not meet the requirements to become a TIS-B Service Client.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Rich
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by Rich »

I do note around here, where we have lots of ADS-B out aircraft, that I sometimes see the bit about transmitting that they are airborne when they are immobile on the ramp, taxiing, and in the runup area. Other have the ADS-B completely turn off when on the ground and it comes on during takeoff. Only the former is annoying, because I'll get traffic warnings from this first case when I'm in the pattern and should not get these warnings.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Charles
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by Charles »

You can see what your airplane is transmitting with a simple ADS-B receiver like this one: https://www.amazon.com/NooElec-1090ES-U ... 09&sr=8-10

Plug that into a PC and run the dump1090 program (https://www.rtl-sdr.com/ads-b-decoder-d ... e-windows/). You will see everything your transponder transmits as well as any other aircraft up to 100nm within line of sight.

You can also see what data is associated with your hex address on the Open Sky database: https://opensky-network.org/aircraft-database I’m not sure it’s an authoritative source though.

By the way, I used that little ADS-B receiver to build a traffic display with a 3.5 inch touchscreen, just for fun, but it’s turning out to be quite useful.

Image
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dwurfel
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by dwurfel »

Here is the report I pulled yesterday on Saturday's flight. From all indications and the input from the folks on this posting it looks ok.
PAPR_20200208_A6DFFB_420307577.pdf
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dwurfel
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by dwurfel »

Charles, very cool set-up and cheap. Gonna look into that.
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Rich
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by Rich »

dwurfel wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 2:25 pm Here is the report I pulled yesterday on Saturday's flight. From all indications and the input from the folks on this posting it looks ok.

PAPR_202002https://www.diamondaviators.net/forum/download/ ... 307577.pdf
These reports are important in that they not only show your ADS-B is working but they also what the towers were seeing during the flight. So they report not only on your plane's performance but the system's ability to follow you.

Start Time, End Time, Duration, and Mod are worth looking at. They show a 4-3/4 hr. time span of detection and about 12 minutes total where there were gaps in reception that were at least 36 seconds. This can happen when you're out of tower range, blocked by terrain, or a tower problem. this could have been all in one block of time. I don't know what to make of the 75% for TIS Client. The explanation isn't clear if it means the percentage of time it detected that you were a valid client, or the times when it had something to send you.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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dwurfel
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by dwurfel »

Rich, thanks alot for the review. The area I was flying in is fairly devoid of other aircraft so maybe the TIS number is relatable. Going flying this week in/over/under Las Vegas airspace. We will see what happens. What I am curious about is whether Vegas approach would allow me to enter if they were not detecting an ADS-B signal.
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Rich
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by Rich »

There's an interactive layer available for Google Earth that shows ADS-B and Radar coverage in various areas and altitudes AGL. At lower levels AGL (3000 ft and below) there do appear a couple of documented blind spots for both in NE Arizona.

https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/r ... /airspace/

Not necessarily intuitive to use, but the video is pretty clear.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Tim H
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Re: ADS-B not transmitting

Post by Tim H »

Charles-

Could you share your parts list to build the traffic display set-up?

Thanks!!
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