RF Board Progress

[brinzlee]

Hi Lee
It was an article in Octobers Aircraft Owner & Pilot by Bob Darby as you say referring to a Low Power ADS-B transceiver (LPAT). They produced some nice fancy polar diagrams showing solid all round relative bearing reception up to 8nm and further to 16nm range.

[rg]

I saw this as well.  Interesting that it's a battery operated, carry - on device and not requiring externally mounted antenna.  There must be hope that PAW can do this as well...

[SteveN]

Unfortunately LPAT cannot be used in any aircraft that is operating a transponder.  Non transponder aircraft only.

That stupid restriction is why I am here!

[Admin]

To be fair, i think the issue is LPAT out cannot be used in conjunction with a transponder. Although that said, its a pretty bulky and expensive system for simply wanting adsb in 😕

[SteveN]

The problem is LPAT without a transponder won't respond to TCAS making the aircraft invisible to commercial traffic. NATS have stated they do not wish aircraft to fly with transponders turned off.

NATS stated plan was (is?) to publish LPAT's RF spec and ADS-B out message sequencing so third parties could produce their own devices.  Even if they do I doubt there is a commercial market for fitting only to non transponder aircraft.

It's currently a pigs breakfast.
 

[AlanB]

wasnt the brief for LPAT for a low powered transponder that could be fitted to aircraft without an electrical system and therefore battery powered.

How has that turned into a device to be taken onboard existing transponder fitted aircraft?

During the trials, and I have done many, we are asked to switch of our existing Transponder so the trial results are about the LPAT and not confused with the response from the aircraft transponder.

[SteveN]

I can assure you the f.u.n.k.e rep at Friedrichshafen was unaware it could not be fitted to transponding aircraft. And it was displayed on their stand.