In the Name of Saftey

Being I fly what I call a slow mover something a step above ultralight. Also have no electric system or radio nor transponder. I watch close for what I call fast movers, anything 90+. Also being that I fly from a small grass strip that offers a fuel stop for the local air-e-vac team I worry about, seen and being seen.
I fly what is more like a razer back style plane. Meaning I can not look behind me. So a fast mover from behind has my concerns as do any.

So I installed a Monroy ATD 300 traffic watch system. I can not say enough about this product. I mounted it using the stock antenna and it works great. It has made me aware more then a few times of traffic coming on my 6 or near 6 at not much higher then I was flying or right at my altitude.

Since I have no electric I power this with a 2650 Mil amp 14.8 volt Lipo battery. I have yet to use over 300 mil amp out of this battery and that was flying with it three days at 1 hr a day so 3 hrs use total.

Now I would not fly without it. A fellow pilot friend was on the ground with me when this unit went off. He said I want one of those, at first I thought it was just another toy but I really like that. I said...Me too.

Anyone else use this or anything like this? I am speaking to all non-electric style airplanes.

Do they work by picking up transponder signals?

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Originally Posted by Downs

Do they work by picking up transponder signals?

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Yes it does. It picks up all the different modes of transponders. I really like it. Keeps me alert of the fast movers coming through my area. I had a helicopter pass through that did not belong here. I picked it up right after take off. He was coming across the field at a 45 degree angle and I would have crossed his path but this warned me as soon as he was 4 nm out at 1100'. I banked around and came up behind him as he scooted through.

After having a crop duster buzz under me at about 500' doing what looked like around 130 or so, I knew something like this would be nice and was I right. I will never fly without one again.

If I would have a transponder it would read my Transponder Alt. and not show Volts. It would then show if the traffic was so many feet above or below the on board transponder. But since I have no transponder it shows the what Alt the Traffic I am picking up is at. It will track 5 targets at a time, jumping from each showing closest first.

Tony

Nice I may have to look at picking up one of those. My field is directly under San Diego International airspace and we also get a lot of military traffic to boot including F-18s, C-130s, V-22s, Hueys, Cobras, Seahawks, ect ect. Can make for some interesting airspace for an ultralight.

I was using a radio to keep track of traffic. After flying for a year and having helicopters buzz in and out and not hearing a word from any of them, I new something had to change. I asked one of the pilots what channel they monitor when coming in. He said Capitol airport. Well no wonder I heard nothing. I monitor none towered or 122.900 channel. When he told me this I wanted to throw my radio in the trash. I have not use it since.

Now with this unit I see them coming from 5 nm out. The radio is a joke, to many channels to monitor and one has no idea just what channel anyone is on. Now I do not worry about it. This announces over my headset and gets my attention quick.

When that crop duster buzzed under me, think he announced, if he did it was to capitol airport and not to me. Now I see him coming. I had my radio on and when he buzzed under me I thought to myself, just what good is this radio, I hear no one. Then I find everyone monitors capitol and not none towered airstrips this close to class c airspace. Radio is useless in this case for I will not monitor capitol when flying out of a non-towered airfield.

Maybe I should have titled this....TAS for the EAB or HB.

When I first ordered this over the winter I thought, how cool of a toy. But after using it, its a tool and not a toy at all. I looked at the AD-200 but wanted a little more info then what the 200 offers.

Its nice knowing when a fast mover is coming and going. If I always flew under them or below them I would not worry. But to many times I have seen them under me and I only fly at 1000' but helicopters and crop dusters are a little different then your normal traffic.

Tony