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ADSB diversity upgrade?


Flash

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N315L went into the shop today for its first avionics improvement in my 23 years of ownership other than the previous addition of a Lynx NGT-9000 ADSB-compliant transponder. It's getting an IFD 540 and dual GI-275s and an EDM 900. My question for the wise members of Mooneyspace: While it's in the shop, should I upgrade the ADSB capability of my transponder?

I like to fly in Canada, and Canada has announced an ADSB diversity requirement for flight in certain airspace. The latest timeline: "The mandate will come into effect in Class A Canadian airspace [flight levels, essentially] on Aug. 10, 2023; in Class B Canadian airspace [above 12,500 feet, essentially, and not at all like US Class B] on May 16, 2024; and Class C, D, and E no sooner than 2026 — essentially affecting private owners and operators at all flight levels. Nav Canada said it will confirm the timeline for Class C, D, and E 'pending further assessment.'” More here.

Do I need to be above 12,500? Rarely. Is the Class C, D, and E timing likely to be pushed back? I would think that's likely, perhaps except for Class C.

But given how rarely I get avionics installed, doing something now because of a requirement that might not be in effect for five years or more doesn't seem like an unreasonable choice.

So, should I go for antenna diversity? If you have done so, which choice did you make, and what did it cost?

Also, while we're on the subject of ADSB upgrades, I chose not to get active traffic when I bought my transponder. I think it's a simple software unlock. It's the sort of thing that only has to save you once to be worth whatever it costs, but given the extremely low incidence of mid-airs and the extremely low percentage of my flight time spent outside of an environment where active traffic would make a difference, I still feel the way I did when I made my initial purchase. But for those of you who have gotten active traffic, please consider this an invitation to convince me I'm wrong. 

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We upgraded to a diversity Mode S transponder several years ago by swapping out the remote GTX33ES for a GTX33DES and adding a second antenna on top of the fuselage. 
We did so for the same reason, Nav Canada requirements, which were subsequently delayed. 
The only wiring change was the addition of the coaxial cable to the upper antenna.  
An additional benefit is the ability of the Aerion satellite network to locate your plane precisely should it disappear.  Much more reliable than an ELT, in my opinion, for search and rescue. 

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I had the NGT9000 installed a few years ago for the purpose of having active traffic. I didn't initially have the diversity activated as I knew that it was simply a software unlock as the active traffic requires the top antenna. Last year I decided to get the diversity turned on, even though it's not yet required here in Canada, for two reasons. 1. As @Jerry 5TJ mentions it's better than an ELT should the unthinkable happen, and 2. I felt that broadcasting out the top as well would better allow other ads-b in aircraft to see me when they are above me and shielded from my bottom antenna (no TIS-B here). 

Since you're already in the shop and have everything pulled apart, have the top antenna put in now rather than pull it all apart again later. You can put off activating the diversity if you don't want to spend that money now, or since the diversity software unlock isn't that much compared with what you're spending on everything else, get that done now for the above reasons.

my 2 cents

Steve

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