Lost $200 on a portable ADS-B tester that couldn't hold calibration past two weeks

Bought a no-name portable ADS-B tester off an aviation surplus site in July, thought I was saving money over the $800 unit from the usual supplier. After the third time it gave me false fail readings on a King radio install, I had to rent a proper tester from a shop in Oshkosh to finish the job. Anyone else get burned by cheap test gear that just ends up costing more in the long run?

2 comments

2 Comments

wesley_grant3320d ago

Read something from an A&P buddy about this exact issue. Said cheap ADS-B testers are basically gambling your time.

faithbaker19d ago

Oh man, that is 100% true. I learned this the HARD way last year. Bought a cheap tester online because I figured it's the same tech, right? Spent a WHOLE Saturday fighting with it, finally got a plane signed off, and the first flight the thing was squawking errors like crazy. Had to redo ALL the work with a borrowed proper unit. That cheap tester basically just lied to me the whole time. It's like buying a $20 multimeter and trusting it with your life support. Not worth the headache or the rework, seriously.