---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 11/07/22: 8 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 0. 01:14 AM - [PLEASE READ] Why I Have A Fund Raiser... (Matt Dralle) 1. 09:07 AM - Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Davidcripps) 2. 09:27 AM - Re: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Alan Burrill) 3. 09:44 AM - Re: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Alan Burrill) 4. 10:43 AM - Re: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Dpc) 5. 11:15 AM - Re: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Alan Burrill) 6. 02:29 PM - Re: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Dpc) 7. 03:17 PM - Re: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz (Rowland Carson) ________________________________ Message 0 _____________________________________ Time: 01:14:53 AM PST US From: Matt Dralle Subject: Europa-List: [PLEASE READ] Why I Have A Fund Raiser... Since the beginning, the Matronics List and Forum experience has been free from advertising. I have been approached by fair number of vendors wanting to tap into the large volume of activity across the various lists hosted here, but have always flatly refused. Everywhere you go on the Internet these days, a user is pummeled with flashing banners and videos and ads for crap that they don't want. Yahoo, Google and that elk are not "free". The user must constantly endure their barrage of commercialism thrust into their face at an ever increasing rate. Enough is enough, and the Lists at Matronics choose not to succumb to that. That being said, running a service of this size is not "free". 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Won't you please take a minute to make your Contribution today and support these Lists? https://matronics.com/contribution Or, drop a personal check in the mail to: Matt Dralle / Matronics 581 Jeannie Way Livermore CA 94550 USA Thank you for your support! Matt Dralle Email List Admin. ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 09:07:12 AM PST US Subject: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz From: "Davidcripps" 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 ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 09:27:13 AM PST US From: Alan Burrill Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz 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 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 > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 09:44:43 AM PST US From: Alan Burrill Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz David, this is a link to the Garmin GPS18x if you have not already seen it: https://static.garmin.com/pumac/GPS_18x_Tech_Specs.pdf The device only outputs the RMC position message and not the RMB tracking message. There are also three variants and the 18x 5Hz according to the manual is a 0-12v signal output where as standard RS232 is +/- 12v swing. Bottom line - not sure I can help further. Alan > On 7 Nov 2022, at 17:06, Davidcripps 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 > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 10:43:40 AM PST US From: Dpc Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz 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 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 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 >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 11:15:48 AM PST US From: Alan Burrill Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz 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 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 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 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 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 02:29:49 PM PST US From: Dpc Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz Thanks Alan and Peter. Seems from what Peter has said in his reply, the Skymap III would work. I was only thinking that I would manually input the track required into the AP in order to avoid having to program another GPS device with my intended route (since the primary route plot is on SD). I dont think there is yet an easy way to take a route from SD on an iPad and then load it into a Garmin handheld device. Even if I dont use a preprogrammed route, but instead manually enter the track required, would it fly more accurately with a constant GPS feed of what track its actually on rather than getting its reference from a magnetic sensor (due to influence of other electrical devices on magnetometer)? Alan, I might well take you up on your offer of helping with the set up when I get to that point (AP installation is a winter project back at home) and your 196 might be a better use of space than the Skymap (which is no longer in the panel). Brimpton is not far from the IOW. Many thanks for all the advice. David G-BWJH > On 7 Nov 2022, at 19:18, Alan Burrill 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 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 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 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 > > ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 03:17:06 PM PST US From: Rowland Carson Subject: Re: Europa-List: Trutrak AP with Garmin GPS 18x 5Hz On 2022-11-07, at 22:29, Dpc wrote: > I dont think there is yet an easy way to take a route from SD on an iPad and then load it into a Garmin handheld device. David - I agree with your conclusion, that there is no way to get GPS routes from an iPad to a Garmin handheld. There may be another possibility for you. My setup (not yet tested in flight!) is also a TruTrak wing leveller, driven from a Garmin GPSmap 296. I run the SkyDemon app on my Mac Mini with an M1 chip, which allows me to install and run (some) iPad apps. I can plan a route on the Mac and export a GPS file (.GPX) from SkyDemon, and then transfer it to the 296 using the LoadMyTracks app and a USB-serial adaptor. If youre not a Mac person, I understand that there is a SkyDemon app for Windows but know nothing about it. in friendship Rowland | Rowland Carson ... that's Rowland with a 'w' ... | http://www.rowlandcarson.org.uk | Skype, Twitter: rowland_carson Facebook: Rowland Carson ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message europa-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Europa-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/europa-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/europa-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.