What would a cheap ADS-B base cost?
To put in ADS-B coverage to ground level at places like Ballina or Wagga must be at a very low cost compared to the $1 billion Airservices budget. Surely there must be low cost ADS-B transceivers that can be installed at airports.
Of course, we have ADS-B at places like Birdsville to give the high level coverage above 30,000 feet – and these are expensive because I understand they require dual satellite communication links. However at places like Ballina or Wagga, couldn’t the ADS-B connection be done via the normal Airservices ground based links? Surely they exist in these areas for communications?
Can anyone give me a budgetary price of a low cost ADS-B unit that could be used at a place like this?
Of course, it doesn’t have to be 110% reliable, because if the ADS-B fails, (just as a communication link fails) pilots are trained on what to do.
There has been a lot of talk about the multi-lateration system in Tasmania, however there is not much talk about why there simply can’t be an ADS-B transceiver at Launceston, and one at Hobart airport, that would give coverage to ground level.
Is there anyone who reads PPRuNe who has communication with the suppliers of ADS-B ground stations? I feel sure by now there must be units available – possibly $10,000 each. How could they be that much more expensive? They are so bloody simple. The position accuracy comes from the certified GPS in the aircraft, so all the ground station is doing it interrogating and retransmitting a message.
It can’t be rocket science and can’t require huge cost.
I look forward to any useful advice.