Opinions on Xaon XRX System?

[irish seaplane]

Just wanted to see has anyone bought or used the XAON XRX pcas system? Watched a video of it on youtube and seeing how it interfaces into Garmin portables, it seems like a good buy, if it works as advertised over here.

Anyone able to recommend it?

Irish

[S-Works]

Works very well. Especially linked to the Garmin.

[The Grim EPR]

Brilliant system. I use it linked to a Garmin 496.

[dublinpilot]

General opinion seems to be that they work well PROVIDED you follow the instructions in calibrating the unit correctly.

Some people have also reported problems with their old transponders giving out false reading...new antenna seems to sort that.

dp

[SeaMoss]

I have one fitted in an R44 and interfaced to a Garmin 495. It works very well and has helped me out quite a few times in the busy VFR areas around Sydney. I even had it work ~200nm south of Alice Springs in the middle of nowhere. Couldn't figure it till I realized that an accompanying EC-120's TCAS was triggering the transponders of the other helos around us (quite a few on that trip). Poor man's TCAS, commensurate with the R44 :). I have it mounted top, right console with a vibration dampening (piece of foam) velcro mount. Seems to be pretty spot on in terms of locating traffic.

[philipnz]

I have one in my Remos and very pleased with it. Every little bit helps when you fly out of NZ's busiest airport, Ardmore

[flybymike]

I think "Flyer" magazine did a road test on two of these units and found them to be incredibly unreliable giving out many spurious readings ( mainly from one's own transponder) However, as shown here, many people love 'em to bits.

[dublinpilot]

The Flyer review was done by Ian Segar if I remember correctly. I posts here from time to time too, so may comment himself.

I understand from Ian's postings on the Flyer forum, that he's now happy with the unit.

[giloc]

The review in LOOP is here: ZAON XRX (http://www.loop.aero/Flightgear-50/421/ZAON+XRX+.aspx)

[englishal]

I'm happy with it interfaced to the G496. I was flying yesterday and had a traffic alert right behind me, same altitude. Seemed to be following me so I thought it could be a false alert, so I turned my transpoder off. Still there and then it started descending to 500 below so I guess it was real. When I flew over Bourenmouth a few weeks ago it spotted ever bit of traffic that I saw in the right location.

[IO540]

I wish there was a way to install the top-end Zaon unit neatly. Currently, it looks a dreadful hack, stuck to the top of the dash and with the power lead going down to the cigar lighter.

If they did something with a remote antenna, one could do a reasonably clean "officially removable" job, wired to the intercom. One can do that with a GPS in the yoke.

[englishal]

That would be nice, then you could hide it under the seat and have just the RS232 cable running to the GPS. I don't see why a remote antenna (or two) couldn't be produced cheaply and hull mounted. There's a job for your company IO - manufacture Aviation electronics ;)

[dublinpilot]

Is this what you are talking about IO? (http://www.zaon.aero/content/view/44/46/)

Seems to be awhile since they updated progress....

[Rod1]

If you have a look at the forum on the Xaon site the company states all development on a remote solution is on indefinite hold. I contacted them 6 months ago and asked if there was going to be a remote solution and was told no.

Rod1

[IO540]

Shame because they would sell loads and loads. The cheapest installed version is an active Avidyne 600 TCAS system which costs at least £10k to install.

[BackPacker]

Couldn't figure it till I realized that an accompanying EC-120's TCAS was triggering the transponders of the other helos around us

In case you are in the outback with no "official" radar or TCAS in sight, how hard would it be (both legally and physically) to generate your own "radar" pulse to trigger transponders all around you and show up on a Zaon or similar?

Not really relevant where I fly, but just wondering.

[SeaMoss]

Yeh, funny, had the same thought. I doubt that it would be legal as you are now transmitting. You just have to fly in company with a "big bird".

[MadamBreakneck]

The other way around question - would it work in a non-transponder-equipped aircraft such as my microlight or does it need the host aircraft to be squawking?

Edit: silly question, it says in here (http://www.zaon.aero/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,4/Itemid,33/)that it does.:O

Rephrase the question: has anybody experience of using one in a microlight or similar, especially in a busy area? What do you think? Is it worth a grand?
MB

[bonniejack]

Madambreakneck - I think the XRX rerquires power from aircraft. Smaller MRX is battery powered and I don't see why it shouldn't work. It has built in altitude sensing but height difference to target may not be as accurate without the information from your own transponder.

[liam548]

Just wanted to see has anyone bought or used the XAON XRX pcas system? Watched a video of it on youtube and seeing how it interfaces into Garmin portables, it seems like a good buy, if it works as advertised over here.

Anyone able to recommend it?

Irish

whats the link for the youtube vid?

[irish seaplane]

Here is the link:

YouTube - Zaon XRX PCAS, Aviation Consumer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlRoVcOnFM4)

Irish

[tdbristol]

If have used an XRX (without a 496) for 18 months and found it works very well, alerting me to unseen traffic a number of times which might have otherwise got too close for comfort.
I have generally been able to plug into the dash on a rental aircraft but where not I have used a portable battery pack Tekkeon myPowerAll.
It is a bit of a brick but does give a good 8-10 hours plus power to the XRX so it makes it feasible to use the XRX in aircraft without a cigarette lighter socket. (In order to connect the myPowerAll I bought a female cigarette lighter socket from Maplin and made up a cable, although Tekkeon offer one as well but I could not find where to get it in the UK.)

[bilhar]

I have got one today and tried it out in car works great picked out helicopter over head

it has high pitch whine is this normal ?

[Heliplane]

The direction and height indications seem pretty accurate but I've found that it overstates distances by a fair bit. For example, if it says an aircraft is 3nm away, it is more like 1 mile.

[2high2fastagain]

Had the Zaon for a few months and I wouldn't be without it. You do have to remember that it doesn't pick up non-transponding traffic, so you have to keep looking out of the window at all times. In other words it's an extra pair of eyes, not a replacement for the Mk 1 eyeball.

The only thing that keeps catching me out is the lady's voice that gives the audible warnings without fail always cuts in when I'm talking to ATC. She seems to wait until that transmit button is pressed... And you can also be blizzarded with warnings in a busy circuit, so be ready for it.

As for the comment about the power lead dangling into the cig lighter (IO540). Yes, it is irritating, but P6 of the manual tells you how you can hardwire the power to the avionics bus or other power source. A conversation with your friendly engineer and yet more of the green folding stuff will sort that out.