Lowest weight method to achieve transponder and ADS-B compliance

[PeterNSteinmetz]

My quest for a suitable 7GCBC continues.

I am presently looking at a 1966 with wooden spars. It has a high useful load which can meet my needs but has absolutely no radios. It was always flown in a rural environment.

I need to fly from a towered field under the PHX mode C veil and thus require a comm radio, transponder and ADS-B out.

What equipment combinations do people think can meet this with the minimum additional weight?

 

[Bob Turner]

Not sure about the transponder, but typical comm units do not weigh much. I think if you use, say, a small Garmin comm, an early King transponder and light encoder, and a tail beacon you are adding a total of about six pounds.

I think I have half of this on the bench, and could weigh them?

Actually, AI seems to have the answer:
KT76A transponder and rack - 3.1 lbs
GTR-200 comm - 1.95 lbs
Encoder - 5 oz
uAvionics tail beacon - 70 grams
Add about a pound of wires and jacks, and you are right at my guess above?

 

[Sjohn116]

Spot on AI, real world measurements of a Garmin327 with rack is just shy of 3lbs, just over 3lbs when you add the ACK encoder.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

It does look like I could put in a nice Garmin com/nav/intercom, Garmin transponder, and a SkyBeacon for about 6 pounds. Cool.

 

[Bob Turner]

I just had a problem with a Garmin xpdr. Techs couldn't figure it out.

I would skip the nav - all you need VFR is a handheld GPS. My favorite is the 296/496, programmed with a row of four on the right of the map: Ground speed
Distance
Track
Bearing.
Way, way better than VOR/DME.

I have VOR/GS in the Decathlon. Only time I ever use it is backup for the handheld when practicing ILS. The handheld has glide slope, and a horizontal flight director - makes an ILS trivial!

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Good point Bob. Mostly I will just fly it around in very familiar areas. And otherwise I use a Sentry with Foreflight in any case.