Anyone ever panel mounted a PCAS MRX?

On Apr 3, 11:50*am, Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Apr 3, 11:26*am, Andy wrote:



On Apr 3, 9:17*am, kd6veb wrote:

PS Although the MRX will enhance safety I want to make it clear that
it should come after the installation of a transponder. The single
most important safety item is a transponder.

I strongly disgree with that position. *A PCAS offers the host
aircraft pilot increased awareness of all promimate transponder
equipped aircraft. *A transponder offers the host aircraft pilot no
increased awareness of proximate aircraft unless receiving ATC
services. *It also provides pilots of proximate aircraft no increased
awareness or protection unless they are either TCAS or PCAS equipped ,
or are receiving ATC services.

Off all the near misses I have had in 30 years of flying gliders I
estimate that none would have been avoided by my having a transponder
and nearly all of them would have been mitigated by PCAS.

Please note that I am not arguing against transponders, only about the
relative merits of PCAS and transponders.

I only have one MRX but it is portable and I seldom fly anything
without it.

Andy

Many of us are impressed by the Zaon MRX as a tool to improve traffic
awareness. However I think Dave is talking locations like near Reno
where the concern is avoiding fast jets and commercial aircraft. In
which case we need pilots to install transponders, ATC will see you
(they often can't see primary radar returns) and TCAS in (almost all)
of the fast Jets and all of the airliners will do a much better job of
avoiding you than PCAS can in helping you avoid an airliner. The
relatively short range of PCAS type solution, a short delay in
identifying the threat aircraft, and the potential high closure rate
of a jet (above 10,000') may not provide much useful warning. ATC
Radar and TCAS as the ultimate backup is going to be much more
effective.

We had a near miss recently (this year) between an airliner and a
glider at Reno. We had a collision between a Hawker 800 and an ASG-29
a few years ago. Neither glider were using transponders or in
communication with Reno approach. If you fly near Reno its transponder
first please, follow the PASCO radio procedures and be in
communications with Reno approach (seehttp://www.pacificsoaring.org/safety.html#transponder)
and then maybe think about having a PCAS for enhancing your traffic
awareness. Going for a PCAS before a transponder in a Reno traffic
like environment would be a bad choice.

Darryl

And I forgot to add I really do like the MRX - the reason I got one
was a close call with a Cessna 172/182. He was tracking inbound to a
VOR and popped out of some cloud scud. Flew right through my thermal
circle. I had my head out of the cockpit, I should have seen him, was
not that close to the clouds etc. Just may have been he was head on an
appeared stationary and hard to see against a jumbled background. He
never saw me and just kept going.

Darryl

FWIW, I agree that the PCAS should come first. If nothing else, it
will teach you how to do a better scan. Airplanes are sometimes very
hard to see in flight, but if you absolutely know something is out
there you'll quickly learn how to look harder and better.

After two years with the MRX, I realized that while I was alerted to
other traffic (carrying transponders) they might be unaware of me. So
I installed a Becker ATC-4401-175. I have seen aircraft change their
course slightly to avoid me since the transponder went in, thus
proving its value.

I mounted my Zaon MRX in my ASW-19s panel, just under the top arch.
It's protected from the sun by the overhang of the glare shield, is
right in my field of vision, and is powered by the ship's battery. I
have no problem hearing its advisory or alert beeps, and there is no
radio interference.

Again FWIW, I use an 18" length of cable to extend the (stock) antenna
forward of the instrument panel. The antenna is midway between the
panel and the rudder pedals, right under the glare shield. It seems to
work just fine. The reason I moved it away from the MRX is because I
didn't want to poke it through the glare shield.

-John