TAS600 Systems and ADS-B - Replacing TAS605 with a TAS605A

Replacing TAS605 with a TAS605A

Printed From: Avidyne
Category: Avidyne General
Forum Name: TAS600 Systems and ADS-B
Forum Description: Topics related to the Avidyne TAS600 Traffic Advisory Systems and ADS-B
URL: http://forums.avidyne.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2714
Printed Date: 05 Apr 2025 at 2:32pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Replacing TAS605 with a TAS605A

Posted By: peterh337
Subject: Replacing TAS605 with a TAS605A
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2024 at 5:28pm

Has anyone here done this?

Comparing the two IMs raises all kinds of interesting and subtle issues.

The 605 has no documented "laptop" config (although obviously it must contain a microprocessor etc). The 605A has extensive config, and is obviously a PC board (even has a USB port, although it is undocumented).

Other subtle things are e.g. why P2 (the big 78 way connector) has been provided when in most installations all the required signals are duplicated on the old P1 (25 way). In an upgrade situation it would be silly to rewire the P1 plug to the P2 plug (which is probably a really pricey Positronic job, with $1 each for the crimp pins, FWIW :) ).

Another curious one is that the micro appears to be scanning all the RS232 ports for the string "command" on a continuous basis, and when it sees this, that port becomes the config port. This is fine but (I am an embedded system hardware/software dev, industrial electronics) is really quite unusual! They sort of try to steer you to using P4 though.

I currently have a 605, installed in 2012. The upgrade is avionics shop performed but they are just wiremen really.

Another Q is more complicated, and may be nonsense in the USA context: does anyone here have direct experience with whether a 605A shows targets with SIL=0 on your display device and what is that display device? I am pretty sure (from Support) the 605A will pick these up but some display devices (probably Garmin, fed via RS232) will strip them out. ARINC429-fed displays cannot strip them out because the packets don't carry that info. SIL=0 is "uncertified" ADS-B OUT but is widely used in Europe; there is a ton of oddball boxes, Raspberry PI based, which people fly with, with their Mode C/S transponder firmly turned off :)

Thank you for any info.

Replies:

Posted By: Gring
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2024 at 6:30pm

I sent my TAS620 in for the /A upgrade. I don't believe there was any additional wiring added at the time. I did notice that my traffic which was really only reliable 10-15NM is now good to 25-30NM. I don't see any obvious other differences.

Posted By: peterh337
Date Posted: 29 Dec 2024 at 11:27pm

They must have added the WAAS GPS input - without that you get no ADS-B IN.

Posted By: Gring
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2024 at 12:21am

You’re right. I had that added as part of a larger avionics upgrade about 6months later.

Posted By: peterh337
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2025 at 1:31pm

I can see how somebody pulled out your 620 and put in a 620A, and the only change was adding the RS232 WAAS GPS wiring.

But reading the combined IM for the two boxes, you would never wire it up that way.

One can literally do the above and merely add the GPS input via the 78 way connector, not even touching the other cabling.