Sentry or Stratus ADS-B In

[bill98]

This weird phenomenon know as rain finally came back to DFW this weekend. 

I want a portable ADS-B in solution by the end of the week. 

 

Thoughts on the Sentry and Thoughts of the Stratus 3. 

 

(If someone knows of a good deal let me know)!

i know the Stratus 3 is being offered with “$200 off”

 

the sentry intrigues me though. Plus the new tail beacon ADS-B looks kind of cool. 

 

@gsxrpilot this will help me navigate down to Bastrop to say hello and buy you some beer for all your help!

[neilpilot]

If you act fast, Seattle Avionics still has an Oshkosh price on their Merlin.  I've been using it for a year coupled to FlyQ, and it works great.  Stratus-like performance at a fraction of the price.  Currently the Merlin dual-channel battery-powered ADS-B, WAAS GPS, AHRS receiver is $199.99 + $14.95 US shipping and handling. 

[RobertGary1]

You can also built your own. I use the stratux (with an X). Just a raspberry pi with a software defined radio receiver and some shareware code  

-Robert 

[RobertGary1]

1 hour ago, neilpilot said:

If you act fast, Seattle Avionics still has an Oshkosh price on their Merlin.  I've been using it for a year coupled to FlyQ, and it works great.  Stratus-like performance at a fraction of the price.  Currently the Merlin dual-channel battery-powered ADS-B, WAAS GPS, AHRS receiver is $199.99 + $14.95 US shipping and handling. 

Merlin is just someone else assembling a stratux unit for you; which if you’re not handy is a great deal. 

-Robert

[bill98]

Specifically looking at the Stratus or Sentry!

[Bryan]

I have a buddy with the StratuX. He is constantly rebooting it and seems to never lock on the first time and is too “project” to save a $100 or $200 on the better designed Stratus and Sentry all in one units.

All accounts show them to work very well but. I am thinking about one as a backup to my GTX 345 which gives me the awesome ADS-B in. I would go with the newer Sentry as the AHRS seems cool to have but just doesn’t justify it for me having used it.

[Skates97]

6 minutes ago, Bryan said:

I have a buddy with the StratuX. He is constantly rebooting it and seems to never lock on the first time and is too “project” to save a $100 or $200 on the better designed Stratus and Sentry all in one units.

All accounts show them to work very well but. I am thinking about one as a backup to my GTX 345 which gives me the awesome ADS-B in. I would go with the newer Sentry as the AHRS seems cool to have but just doesn’t justify it for me having used it.

Something seems odd there. I have over 200 hours with my Stratux and have had it twice stop sending out the wifi signal because the SD card got corrupted. After the first time I started carrying a spare card with the image loaded on it so I could just swap it out which only takes a couple of minutes. Reformatting and reloading the image is easy to do as well to repair the bad card for the next time it's needed. (In fairness to the system if I took the time to shut it down with the app instead of just turning off the power to it I probably wouldn't have it getting corrupted.) 

I've never had it reboot or fail to lock on. 

[Bryan]

I hear you, something is wrong, but for the headache he has had and the cost difference I’d rather have the Sentry with all the features and a CO monitor; it is also supported by a company that I can call or replace if it is broken or doesn’t work as advertised or supposed to instead of remoting into the device to reinstall firmware.

[nfonville]

I have both a Stratux and the new Sentry. I'm very happy with the Sentry and find it works as well as my Stratux. Knowing what I know now, I would go Sentry.

[CharlesHuddleston]

Bought a Sentry a couple weeks ago before we picked up our plane. Very pleased with it, and has a great price. Its small, comes with a Ram suction mount, and charging cord. Uses WiFi, and works flawlessly with ForeFlight. You can connect up to 5 devices at the same time. Will work on iPhone, but Synthetic Vision part only works on the iPad version of FF.

[carusoam]

http://flywithsentry.com/

Not sure how they handle the CO sensor aging... or calibration...

https://www.appareo.com/stratus-adsb-in/

Buy on price, make sure your favorite E charts are compatible...

WingX works with all...

Foreflight May prefer Stratus...

Best regards,

-a-

[carusoam]

Andrew,

they only mention... 

• Stratus 3 comes with charging cable and 110V wall plug; charging cable works with all 2.0 amp cigarette lighter plugs as well. Also includes a gel dash mount and Stratus Pilot’s Guide.

 

-a-

[Shadrach]

11 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

STOP PRESS

The UK is waking up and is trialing ADS-B as a situation aware source and appears to be trialling weather on the UAT link as well (well in southern UK where i am anyway.).  

So now I can buy USA products like the Stratus 3 and get ADSB in and weather.  I am about to move to foreflight as well as they now have CAA charts on there.  

My only concern is how does the Stratus charge, as your mains power is different to ours.  Does it use USB like most of these devices?  

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

I believe all Stratus use USB C.  I don’t bother to charge my Stratus II in the air because the battery life exceeds my needs many times over. They claim 8 hrs and I’d bet that’s conservative.

 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by Shadrach

[kpaul]

3 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

My only concern is how does the Stratus charge, as your mains power is different to ours.  Does it use USB like most of these devices?  

It uses a USB C cable, the plug that comes with it is rated 110-240V so with an adapter you can plug it in there in the UK.  

[jaylw314]

12 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

STOP PRESS

The UK is waking up and is trialing ADS-B as a situation aware source and appears to be trialling weather on the UAT link as well (well in southern UK where i am anyway.).  

So now I can buy USA products like the Stratus 3 and get ADSB in and weather.  I am about to move to foreflight as well as they now have CAA charts on there.  

My only concern is how does the Stratus charge, as your mains power is different to ours.  Does it use USB like most of these devices?  

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

Wow!  I didn't think any other country would consider using the UAT concept...

Have fun!

P.S.  Don't forget the Stratux as a cheaper alternative.  about $200 and you're up and running...

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, jaylw314 said:

Wow!  I didn't think any other country would consider using the UAT concept...

Have fun!

P.S.  Don't forget the Stratux as a cheaper alternative.  about $200 and you're up and running...

Yep, been using my Stratux for a couple of years now and very happy with it, and the price tag. I think it cost me about $120 in parts to build it back then.

[Ned Gravel]

FWIW:  I had a Stratus 2 and I sold it for the Sentry.  Time was ripe to buy the Stratus 3, but the Sentry has a smaller footprint on my side window - so that is the one I got.

[Ned Gravel]

14 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

STOP PRESS

The UK is waking up and is trialing ADS-B as a situation aware source and appears to be trialling weather on the UAT link as well (well in southern UK where i am anyway.).  

So now I can buy USA products like the Stratus 3 and get ADSB in and weather.  I am about to move to foreflight as well as they now have CAA charts on there.  

My only concern is how does the Stratus charge, as your mains power is different to ours.  Does it use USB like most of these devices?  

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

Andrew:  I would love a PIREP on how your Stratus/Stratux/Sentry receives the space-based ADS-B signals.  We are about to have one of our Flight Information Regions here Canada go live with it.

[amillet]

How much did you get for the Stratus2, Ned?  Where did you sell it?

[DXB]

12 minutes ago, Ned Gravel said:

FWIW:  I had a Stratus 2 and I sold it for the Sentry.  Time was ripe to buy the Stratus 3, but the Sentry has a smaller footprint on my side window - so that is the one I got.

I'm still quite content with the function of my aging Stratus 2, but maybe ignorance is bliss. Do you notice a major performance improvement with the Sentry?  The CO monitor on the Sentry is nice but not enough to make me switch, so a bought a separate monitor. 

[jaylw314]

10 minutes ago, Ned Gravel said:

Andrew:  I would love a PIREP on how your Stratus/Stratux/Sentry receives the space-based ADS-B signals.  We are about to have one of our Flight Information Regions here Canada go live with it.

I have to imagine for ADS-B In, it has the potential to be better than ground-based transmitters, since most of us put antennas on the glareshield or windows.  On the other hand, for ADS-B Out, it might be more of an issue since most of us have transponder antennas under the plane.

Has anyone heard if the UK is planning on implanting ADS-B In and Out over UAT, or just ADS-B In?  I suspect the latter is more likely

[MBDiagMan]

I had Stratux Tablet IN long before putting a 345 in the Mooney.  I used the Stratux in both the Mooney and the Cessna until a couple of months ago until putting a Stratus ESG and 3i in the panel.  I flew both planes a good bit with the Stratux and found it to be quite reliable.  It is so much cheaper than a Stratus I really don’t know how they sell the Stratus for so much more.  Since getting Panel IN in both planes I gave the Stratux to a friend and it has worked perfectly for him.

[Ned Gravel]

3 hours ago, DXB said:

I'm still quite content with the function of my aging Stratus 2, but maybe ignorance is bliss. Do you notice a major performance improvement with the Sentry?  The CO monitor on the Sentry is nice but not enough to make me switch, so a bought a separate monitor. 

No change in performance at all.  Both provide good service.  Speed of ForeFlight was determined by the iPad, not the ads ADS-B receiver.  And for that I had to toss my iPad mini 2 for a 4.  Reason for change was to get it further from my head, in the event....  Already have a Sensorcon..  

[EricJ]

7 hours ago, jaylw314 said:

P.S.  Don't forget the Stratux as a cheaper alternative.  about $200 and you're up and running...

 

6 hours ago, Skates97 said:

Yep, been using my Stratux for a couple of years now and very happy with it, and the price tag. I think it cost me about $120 in parts to build it back then.

+1 on the Stratux, especially for somebody with an IT pro in the household.   Plus the Raspberry Pi has UK heritage, so there's that... 

[neilpilot]

9 hours ago, EricJ said:

+1 on the Stratux, especially for somebody with an IT pro in the household.   Plus the Raspberry Pi has UK heritage

or simply buy a commercially assembled Stratux.  I've been using the Merlin, acquired for $199 during their Black Friday intro.  It lists for $250.....https://seattleavionics.com/merlin.aspx

While I know that a few have had issues with this unit, it's works flawlessly for me.  I strongly favor XM weather over ADSB, but that's another issue.