IFD 5 Series & IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM

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IFD & Sirius/XM weather

Printed From: Avidyne
Category: Avidyne General
Forum Name: IFD 5 Series & IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
Forum Description: Topics on Avidyne's IFD 5 Series and IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
URL: https://avidynelive.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1107
Printed Date: 26 Mar 2026 at 1:01pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: IFD & Sirius/XM weather

Posted By: oskrypuch
Subject: IFD & Sirius/XM weather
Date Posted: 18 Jul 2016 at 5:36am

I realize that Sirius/XM weather is not in the hearts and minds of most US pilots anymore, but for those that prefer to have the additional features and in particular who fly outside of the US FIS-B areas, it is very much de rigueur.

The old Garmin GDL-69 would serve that purpose, but apparently the latest shipping GDL-69A's are no longer compatible. This I heard from my avionics shop, who is generally very reliable with information and in fact is Avidyne friendly.

What options are there now for the IFD, vis a vis satellite weather?

* Orest

Replies:

Posted By: Apiaguy
Date Posted: 18 Jul 2016 at 5:43pm

MLB700 They are available all over the place used and cheap.

Posted By: 310pilot
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2016 at 5:18am

I am a big fan of WSI weather as my primary datalink source. I had an in depth conversation with the GM of WSI when I was putting in my IFD, as I wanted to figure out the best set up going forward. At that time (18 months ago) he told me that XM had awarded the contract to WSI, so XM weather will actually be provided by WSI. So irregardless which box you find it probably has the same weather provider. Now here's the kicker though...at that time (as part of the XM contract) the agreement was to only maintain the WSI boxes through 2016. I have the AV-300 but believe it is pretty much the same thing as the MLB700 (made by same people)....
I do not know the current status of this however and whether that will get extended or they will make a new box etc....so if you find something out please let me know ....
Also, as I stated in a previous post, Avidyne has chosen to only use 4 colors in displaying datalink which sells the WSI feed short.

Posted By: oskrypuch
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2016 at 9:36am

That is quite the kicker.

* Orest

Posted By: TangoCharlie
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2016 at 10:43am

It is a shame about the new GDL-69A. We had ours installed early this year with an IFD540, and according to what we were told, we got one of the new units (Sirius) that replaces the old (XM). It turns out the weather portion does display, but the audio section is not usable--the IFD540 keeps turning the unit back to channel 1. (If we turn the IFD540 off, we can tune the audio and listen, but that kind of defeats the purpose.)

I hope this can be made to work in the near future.

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--Mark M

Posted By: 310pilot
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2016 at 12:31pm

Just spoke with WSI. The latest is that WSI will no longer support its inflight weather system after March 2017. At that time the support will be taken over by Sirius/XM. No one knows or is sharing whether that means we will need new hardware at that point!!

Posted By: Apiaguy
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2016 at 12:56pm

Can you be more specific? Are you talking about the xm weather boxes from wsi or the newer sirius boxes? Is your current subscription thru avidyne?

Posted By: bellanca1730a
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2016 at 3:11pm

We installed a GDL-69A as well because it was the only unit specifically called out in the 540 Pilot Guide as compatible. Concur that this is important to get figured out.

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Sean Andrews
Bellanca Super Viking

Posted By: 310pilot
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2016 at 2:57am

They said it should only affect AV and MLB series receivers and that when they get more details they will pass them along.