The ADS-B requirement is merely 6+  years away.  Consider that when you make any avionics replacement/addition decisions.

 

1. ADS-B Out will be required where Mode-C transponders are now required.

2. ADS-B Out can be achieved by either Extended Squitter (ES) sent out at the transponder frequency (1090 MHz) or by a transceiver at 978 MHz.

3. If you fly above FL18, you must at least transmit ADS-B Out on the 1090 MHz frequency (ES).

4. The Out signal info must have the location/speed data derived from an approved WAAS GPS.

5. The ground stations will transmit weather data (FIS-B) and all collected position information (however collected) on the transceiver frequency of 978.  1090 is just too overloaded.  The traffic data (TIS-B) is limited to a hockey puck shaped space around the aircraft that is transmitting its position (thousands of feet thick and 30 NM diameter ?).  Thus, if you are not transmitting your own position (ES or transceiver with WAAS data), you can only pick up traffic that was generated for airplanes that were transmitting and your impinging traffic info may not be the complete picture if you are near the edge of somebody else's puck.

6. The best transceivers will be dual frequency and receive data from other aircraft (either 1090 or 978) and the ground stations (978). 

7. Transponder/navigation equipment like the Garmin 430/530 and GTx330 can display only limited weather and traffic info.  The FAA doesn't care what is used to display received traffic/weather info. I.E. see http://skyvisionxtreme.com/ and others (Dynon, etc.).

8. About 525 of the final configuration of 800 ground station transmitters are operational now and the rest should be operational by the end of this year (or so).  Thus, all the benefits are achievable now over most of the country.  See http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/flashMap/index.cfm and click on BEGIN and then ADS-B. 

 

Don't cheap out!  Do your research.

 

Scott Krueger

 

PS  With onboard weather, pilots will choose the flexibility of VFR flights and the traffic around storms will be in more congested corridors.

 

PPS  Checking on whether Drones, UAVs and military traffic will be Outing via ADS-B.