HYFIX Hardware FAQ
Summary
HYFIX devices are all-in-one units that will need to be mounted outside and which only require connecting power and ethernet (unless using wifi). As with any ADS-B station, clear line of sight to the sky/horizon is important to maximize contributions and rewards.
Below you will find a collection of information we have gathered including datasheets and frequently asked questions about the HYFIX Wingbits stations.
Datasheets
HYFIX WB200 (Wingbits)
HYFIX MGW310 (Wingbits and GEODNET)
Externals
What type of connectors are used for the top and side antenna ports?
The antenna connector on the top of each unit is TNC female.
The two antenna connectors on the side of each unit (labeled ADS-B/Auxiliary) are also both TNC female.
NOTE: As we know that many users will already have cables with N-type or SMA connectors on them, HYFIX will include a TNC male to N-type male adapter and a TNC male to SMA female adapter in the box for your convenience.
What power and ethernet connectors do the HYFIX devices use and what length are they?
The HYFIX devices use a proprietary cable that combines both power and Ethernet into a single cable.
On the device side, the cable uses an M16 14 pin connector.
On the "wall end" of the cable there is a DC jack socket (female) that accepts a 5.5x2.5mm DC jack input (male).
The DC jack is center positive and can accept a voltage range of 9-16V. The recommended power output of any power supply is 12W.
The Ethernet portion uses a male RJ45 plug.
The cable is 10m in length, but the bundled 12V power supply has a ~1.5m cable as well.
What is the specification of the power supply included with the devices?
The bundled power supply is a 12V DC adapter with a 5.5x2.5mm male DC jack, centre positive.
The power supply includes multi-country exchangeable plugs (AUS, EU, UK, US).
The cable length of the AC-DC adapter is ~1.5m.
Internals
What is the specification of the ADS-B radio receiver?
The ADS-B portion of the device uses an mPCIe module which contains an RTL2838U w/ R820T2 mPCIe module. R8202T is now also known as R860.
There is 1090MHz filtering and LNA on the main board but these can be bypassed, only as a pair, by moving a cable internally.
What GPS chipset do these units use?
We are confirming this with HYFIX and will post the answer here when we get it.
What LTE modules are compatible with the devices?
On the underside of the devices you will see a slot marked LTE/AUX. This can accept an LTE card either as a backup internet connection, or as your main backhaul.
We recommend using either the Quectel EG25-G mPCIe or Quectel EC25-x mPCIe. Both of these mPCIe modules come in two variants - one equipped with a SIM card slots, and one without a SIM card slot on board.
Either of these types will work, as there is an onboard SIM slot on the HYFIX devices as well.
The EG25-G is a global module so will work in most of the world, whereas the EC25 comes in a number of variants for specific areas (for example EC25-A, EC25-E etc). The EC25 tends to be a little bit cheaper than the EG25-G, however if you use the EC25, you need to be careful to get the correct variant that works where you are deploying the devices.
I have seen AIS and RemoteID are "future upgrades" - what does this mean and how do I get these features?
As Wingbits expands we expect to add other features to the network. We do not have any fixed plans for this yet, and when we do we will add them to our Wingbits Roadmap.
We have included, in the hardware, the ability to later use the same hardware for RemoteID (drone tracking) via a simple software update.
Supporting other radio-frequency tracking like AIS (ships) or UAT (978 MHz plane tracking for general aviation in North America) is also possible in the future via the purchase of an add-on mPCIe module that would slot into the LTE/AUX slot.
Please be aware that we make no guarantees that we will definitely add these in the future, but we wanted to make sure that the hardware was futureproofed.
Miscellaneous
What are the dimensions and weight?
Dimensions - 94.17 x 159.64 x 159.64 mm without the antenna on top (WB200 and MGW310)
Weights
WB200 approximately 736g
MGW310 approximately 746g
What is the specification of the mounting pole?
5/8"-11 threaded rod screws directly into flanged base of unit.
You can then attach this rod directly to a wall using the included mounting bracket or clamp it to a pole or similar.
What is the IP rating of these devices?
Both units are rated as IP6x (pending testing, but will be IP67 or IP68).
What is the temperature rating of these devices?
Both units are rated for storage temperature of -40 to +85 degrees Celsius and operating temperature of -20 to +70 degrees Celsius.
Do the devices have a warranty?
HYFIX provides a 12 month manufacturer warranty. As Wingbits are not directly manufacturing these devices, for more details on the specifics of the warranty you will need to contact HYFIX via their details on the Wingbits Approved Distributors page.
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