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Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz
From: Alan Burrill <alanb@dpy01.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2022 18:36:49

Weve had three inches of rain this month plus about four inches in last week of
October.

Going down tomorrow to check on aircraft and airfield.

I routinely fly with a track set in AP without a route on GPS but have to pull
it (gps) out of panel inflight to check failure mode.

Alan

Sent from my iPad

> On 9 Nov 2022, at 18:30, Dpc <dpc@knightonweb.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Thanks, Alan. It will be interesting to see what happens!
> 
> Assuming the magnetometer is not affected too badly by electronics around it,
then using it to fly a simple, manually inputted magnetic track, without it 
requiring
any further GPS input, would make life very simple, especially as in
the U.K. at the moment magnetic and true tracks are virtually interchangeable.
> 
> Is Brimpton waterlogged at the moment?
> 
> David
> 
>> On 9 Nov 2022, at 16:14, Alan Burrill <alanb@dpy01.co.uk> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> According to the manual after calibration - I have just recalibrated mine- it
will then continue to use the internal magnetometer when the GPS is 
disconnected/failed.

>> 
>> I need to test that concept when the Wx and the state of the strip lets me 
>> fly
again. 
>> 
>> Alan
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>>> On 9 Nov 2022, at 15:53, Dpc <dpc@knightonweb.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Alan
>>> 
>>> Just so I am clear, does the Trutrak need the GPS track data that it uses to
set up the compass cardinals every time it is switched on or is this just a
one-off requirementduring initial commissioning?
>>> 
>>> If the latter then that would mean I wouldnt have to have the GPS 
>>> permanently
installed?
>>> 
>>> Maybe thats too much to hope for!
>>> 
>>> David
>>> 
>>>>> On 7 Nov 2022, at 19:18, Alan Burrill <alanb@dpy01.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Not familiar with the Skymap but worth checking if it has a srail port and
the ability to send the NEMA message set then worth investigating. 
>>>> 
>>>> If that doesnt work then borrow a Garmin 196 or 295 with a data cable and
that will certainly get you the data you need to set up the AP so it can then
default to the internal magnetometer. 
>>>> 
>>>> The internal magnometer needs the initial GPS output, with the track data,
to allow it to set up the compass cardinals after which it will then allow AP
to follow input track on front panel without the need for the GPS data   If you
follow the setting up in the manual you dont need a route in the GPS. 
>>>> 
>>>> One of the many reasons I dont use a tablet GPS inflight is that I have the
ability to display traffic, Drive the AP and also input frequencies direct into
the Com without fiddling though the 8.33 knob twiddling. 
>>>> 
>>>> You could just buy a second hand GPS to replace the skymap which would at
least let you use the AP how you want. Plenty old Garmin stuff around at not 
much
money. 
>>>> 
>>>> When you have it fitted let me know and I could fly over and assist, I have
an old 196 which would get you sorted if you cannot find one.  I fly out of
Brimpton. 
>>>> 
>>>> Alan
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> 
>>>>>> On 7 Nov 2022, at 18:48, Dpc <dpc@knightonweb.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Alan. 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thank you very much for the detailed reply. You clearly know a lot about
this!
>>>>> 
>>>>> I was not planning to link the AP to follow a flight track which I had 
>>>>> pre-programmed
into a GPS as I only use SkyDemon on an iPad for GPS navigation,
and that has no output capability (as far as I know). However I was planning to
use the APs controller display to manually input the GPS track I wanted and
for the AP to get its reference about whether to turn or not, from a dedicated
GPS feed, which is where the idea of the puck came in (since the pucks looked
small and neat). I hadnt planned to get it to follow a magnetic heading using
the APs own magnetometer (unless Im missing something here - why would it then
need a GPS if its just controlling to a magnetic heading that it senses itself
?) 
>>>>> 
>>>>> However, it seems that the pucks wont (easily) give me what the AP needs
to steer a manually inputted GPS track. 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Do you think my not-currently-used-and-rather-clunky Skymap IIIC might 
>>>>> give
the GPS output required for the AP to follow a manually inputted desired track?

>>>>> 
>>>>> Many thanks for all your advice.
>>>>> 
>>>>> David 
>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 7 Nov 2022, at 17:29, Alan Burrill <alanb@dpy01.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I think its more fundamental than that.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I have a DigiTrack TruTrack fitted to mine and connected to a Garmin 796,
previously a AVMAP EKP V, and it needed the RMB and RMC data from these to work.
Id have to check but I dont think the GPS Pucks give out those messages.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> If you have the manual then the 4800 baud is recommended so as not to 
>>>>>> overrun
the input processing of messages and giving false steering.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The Pucks can be programmed as you say but you need to make sure that the
new settings are retained, usually with an internal battery which if not 
retaining
its change will lose the almanac and any changes over time as the battery
deteriorates.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> The TrueTrack needs RS232 at +/- 12v most pucks are 5v logic levels and
wont drive it.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> f you are only using a puck I guess you are not using the track following
---From a GPS mode but wish to use the internal Magnetometer to steer a magnetic
track and you will need the RMB and RMS messages from the GPS to set it up to
start with after that it should just work from the internal magnetometer.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Alan
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On 7 Nov 2022, at 17:06, Davidcripps <dpc@knightonweb.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I have a pre-used Digitrak Trutrak AP that I plan to fit to our Europa.
Are there any experts out there that can tell me whether the Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz
puck that I have been offered, will work as a feed to it? As far as I can 
understand
---From the various manuals, the Trutrak can only be set up to 9600 baud,
whereas the default baud in the 18x 5Hz is 19200. It seems possible to reprogram
the 18x 5Hz to 9600 baud but the process looks very complicated for those
of us not used to Garmin code (and who also don't have a PC with serial port!)!
Alternatively, are there any simpler 'plug and play' GPS 'pucks' that have
been found to work well with the Trutrak? Thanks!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Read this topic online here:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=508531#508531
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>>> 
>>>> 
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