ADS-B & weather buying help

Frequently Asked Questions

Do ADS-B receivers require a subscription, and is ADS-B weather free?

ADS-B In weather and traffic are subscription-free. A portable ADS-B receiver pulls FIS-B weather and traffic directly off the FAA's nationwide ground-station network, which the FAA broadcasts at no charge. You buy the receiver once and pay nothing recurring, unlike SiriusXM aviation weather, which needs a paid subscription.

Do you need ADS-B Out to receive ADS-B weather and traffic?

No. You do not need ADS-B Out to receive ADS-B In weather and traffic. A portable receiver listens to the FAA broadcast and works on its own. ADS-B Out, which transmits your position, is the separate rule-airspace mandate handled by a certified panel install such as the uAvionix tailBeacon.

What is the difference between ADS-B In and ADS-B Out?

ADS-B In receives data, bringing free traffic and FIS-B weather to your EFB, and it is optional. ADS-B Out transmits your aircraft's GPS position to ATC and other aircraft, and it is the regulatory requirement for flying in most controlled airspace. A portable receiver gives you In; a certified installation provides Out.

Can you get weather on 1090 MHz, or only on 978 MHz?

FIS-B weather is broadcast only on 978 MHz UAT, not on 1090 MHz ES. A dual-band receiver listens on both 978 and 1090, so it gets the free weather and sees all traffic. A 1090-only receiver still shows traffic on that band but misses 978 UAT targets and receives no ADS-B weather.

What is the difference between ADS-B weather and SiriusXM aviation weather?

ADS-B FIS-B weather is free but line-of-sight, so reception can drop at low altitude, on the ground, or near terrain, and a single ground station reaches roughly 200 nautical miles. SiriusXM is satellite-delivered, works at any altitude, and offers higher-resolution radar at greater range, but requires a paid subscription.

What is dual-band ADS-B and why does it matter for seeing all traffic?

Dual-band ADS-B means the receiver listens on both 978 MHz UAT and 1090 MHz ES, the two frequencies U.S. aircraft transmit on. Because traffic is split across both bands, a dual-band receiver shows you every nearby aircraft, while a single-band 1090 unit misses 978 UAT targets and gets no FIS-B weather.