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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
 Posted - 25/06/2017 : 19:44:47
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Hi Guys,
Looking for an upgrade of my electrical vario system (very old Avionic GS500) to reduce to power demand a bit and clean up the glider instrument panel. Right now thinking about a LXNAV S80. This is a nice digital vario with electronic TE compensation, accelerometers G-force meters and AHRS capability ("Attitude and Heading Reference System") and GPS/Flarm and PDA connectivity.
I wonder if someone has already successfully connected the S80 with LK8000 and has two way connectivity... Or should the development team first make a driver for it?
Right now I have it set up that the Redbox is wired with a BT module from Glidertools, which allows two way communication with the Flarm. declaring a task in LK8000 via BT is no problem at all. Via the second GPS port on the BT module, a GPS wire runs to a GPS filterbox, FLARM IN port, which acts as a splitter and a filter for the transponder .. it has a transponder out port with 4800 baud and only the GPS sentences, so the transponder now also acts as a ADS-B transmitter.. beside this special transponder out port it also has two GPS/Flarm splitter ports, one of which is now connected to the Flarm display, and the other one is not used at the moment.
So I wonder if connecting the S80 to this free GPS port on the filterbox would work.. I expect that the signal TO the S80 would work fine, but I wonder if the signal FROM the S80 would reach the PDA or Smartphone via the BT module...
But this is something to figure out later..
FIRST, I need to know if the S80 would work anyways with LK8000 and if two way communication works with one of the available drivers, or that a driver should be developed.. If you need an S80, I am prepared to buy one in about two weeks time (I will be gliding the next two weeks :-) ) and send it to you, because I do not need to install it in my glider till coming winter, this would give you many months to tinker with it...
Ok, let me know if this sounds like a plan to you guys..
Kind regards,
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Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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AlphaLima
Moderator
Germany
1978 Posts |
Posted - 25/06/2017 : 20:42:08
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Hi Marco,
not sure but I think the S80 has a V7 compatible command set. If so, it is already one of the best integrated device with LK8000.
If not I need the device for about 4 weeks to implement a ne driver. |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 25/06/2017 : 21:54:11
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Thanks Alphalima, that sounds good!
I think best is to do the following:
I will buy the unit, build it into my glider at the end of the season, and then test it if the V7 driver works, if not, it is easy to take out the unit and send it to you for developing a driver.
Another question, what should I expect from two way communication? what parameters/data is send back and forth between LK8000 and the S80? I know about Mcready setting, bugs and ballast, but is it also transferring the Automatic mcready? and what about navigation? will a task be transferred to the S80 as well? |
Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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AlphaLima
Moderator
Germany
1978 Posts |
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ernst-dieter
Aquilotto
Germany
203 Posts |
Posted - 26/06/2017 : 11:49:44
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.... it works, I have one and Ulli made a great S7 driver which also works for the SXX.
BUT...... lots of informations you can get from the SXXX is also on LK and there are better available. So far I have the impression ... a nice device, but you probably use only a pint of its possibilities (e.g. Sollfahrt) BECAUSE LK is better .... . To be fair, the SXXX gives addtionally also FLARM warnings and for ~830€ also a horizon. |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2017 : 22:03:48
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Thanks Ernst Dieter, good to know that the S80 will work fine!
About your remarks, true, but I expect that the S80 is more accurate, and calculates speed and wind much better, then in turn of course LK8000 will work better as well...
But the main reason is the Avionic GS500 is long time overdue for an upgrade, it drains my batteries (2x 9Ah brand new!) too quickly now, I can fly only 04:30 before it starts to misbehave.
So what would you buy right now if you need an e-vario upgrade? Because I have LK8000 and an IGC approved Red Box flarm, I do not need the S10 which has its own GPS and Flarm module. Also the navigation possibilities of the S80 I will probably not use very often, it is pure for the accurate sensors, nice presentation of the (vario) data, reduction of power requirements and clean up of the instrument panel.
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Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2017 : 23:14:52
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In the mean time I received back answers about the S80 from the dutch LXNAV dealer.
The S80 PDA port allows two way communication with the flarm AND S80 (!), in case the FLARM is connected to the S80 GPS port. It is a bit unclear to me if I have to attach the FLARM as a separate device in LK8000 or if all FLARM commands and data (like task declaration) run over the S80 (S7 driver) device. If anyone could clear that up here, that would be nice, but I also asked the question to the LXNAV dealer.
Installation Scheme would be as follows:
A bit different from my current installation, de addition of the splitter is required because port A of the BT module must be connected with the S80 PDA port and the FLARM Red Box must be connected with the S80 GPS port.
[EDIT 3] removed the scheme without the splitter and removed the previous confusing edits. In the end the splitter was required anyways, because from the PDA port on the S80 no power is provided to the Bt module and so also the filterbox did not receive power, so the scheme without the splitter did not work at all.
I have it now all working as planned.
From now on the wifi radio connectivity discussion you can follow in the project forum thread Radioactivity. |
Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
Edited by - Marco from Hangar 5 on 31/03/2018 11:38:27 |
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Alessandro_1978
Pulcino
18 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2017 : 13:01:52
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Hi
just for info, saturday i did a flight with a new Lxnav S100 linked via BT with Oudie2 and LK8000 installed (last version, 6.1I).
i did used the driver LXV7_EXP on LK8000, and the communication is bi-directional! i mean i can send command from LK8000 to S100 (waypoint, McCready, ....) and vice versa.
the only point still to check is if the wind calculated by S100 can be sent to LK8000.
how can I check if the NMEA data has even these info?
is the driver used the correct one?
about the hardware setup, the S100 has been connected to a "Flarm F5" (to the Flarm port) via a "K6 Team" splitter to use a butterfly display.
the only thing that could be improved would be using a separate power cable for Flarm, but everything works flawlessly!!!!
Alessandro
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 26/07/2017 : 11:18:05
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Perfect Alessandro!
S100 is the same as S80, but without the build in GPS, bluetooth, ENL logger and build in battery... Software is as far as I know the same. But I do not need these extra features of the S100, and safe myself a few hundred euro's.
I will order the S80 soon!
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Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2017 : 22:29:26
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Yeah! S80 arrived today :-D
Looking forward in building my new panel this winter!
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Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 22/03/2018 : 17:24:11
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Hi guys,
Yesterday I finally put my completely new built panel in the aircraft and for the first time:
Turned everything on.. fingers crossed... no smoke, no smell!
Already played with the connection with LK8000, I do get data in, checked with the terminal feature of LK8000, but was not able to declare a task from within LK8000. Is there a simple way to check if the data out is properly working?
The difficulty is the cable between the PDA port on the S80 and the Bluetooh module, the data wires need to switch positions, because the RS232 data lines have the same positions on the BT port A as on the PDA port on the S80..When connecting RX to RX, will not work of course so these positions need to switch at one side of the cable. It required some fiddling to get the cable crimped correctly and now I suspect that the data out wire is broken or something.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qhruo1ra1vlc5t0/BT-S80PDA%20port%20layouts.jpg?dl=0
I wonder if someone knows a way to make such a cable more sturdy and easier to make correctly. I think of just soldering the two cable end correctly together and secure with crimp socks, but there might be better tricks.
Second issue:
I made a thinking error, because the PDA port on the S80 misses the 3.3V power, the flarm display does not work using the scheme without the splitter. The Bt Module does NOT provide the 3.3V, it simply passes the 3.3V though to port B, IF it comes in at port A.. but in this case there is no power on Port A. So I have ordered a simple and cheap RJ45/12/11 splitter and install everything as in the scheme WITH the splitter, because that resembles my old situation the most and I am sure that will work.
OK, still have to make some pictures from the panel in the cockpit and everything lighted up :-) will post here, maybe coming weekend.
To Be Continued!
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Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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BravoLima
Aquilotto
Netherlands
276 Posts |
Posted - 23/03/2018 : 08:40:17
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Hi Marco,
A very nice instrument panel, but next time use a smaller size image.
These are a bit too big for my laptop ;-) |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 24/03/2018 : 22:18:38
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Today performed the anual inspection, and able to sit in my cockpit with everthing turned on.
On the right the Ram mount X-grip for mounting my phone, works very well!
I made a new RJ12 cable for between the PDA port on the S80 and the Blue Tooth module. I stripped the outer mantle from the flat RJ12 cable about 6-7 cm from the end, and made the yellow and green wire position switch about 6cm from the end, secured with some crimp sock. Then slide on the outer mantle with the wires at the correct position. Of course now it is impossible to completely enclose the wires in the outer matle so I have put on multiple layers of crimp sock... and then crimped a RJ12 plug at the end just as you normally would. Much better cable now, I am sure this one will work just fine.
Also received the RJ12 splitter today and the placards, so I have some small jobs to do tomorrow :-)
To be continued! |
Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
Edited by - Marco from Hangar 5 on 25/03/2018 21:15:19 |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2018 : 21:00:21
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owkeee
Installed the data cables with the splitter and the special home made S80-PDA to Bt-Port A cable as shown in my previous post.
The home made cable works fine! I have two way communication via bluetooth with the S80.. I can set the Mc on the S80 from LK8000 and visa versa, I have flarm data in LK000.
BUT, after installing the splitter, I cannot declare a task from LK8000 to the red box (via the S80), and also the S80 itself cant declare a task... declaring a task from the S80 to the red box DID work yesterday, without the splitter.. So the bits attached to the third port on the splitter, the GPS filterbox and via this box the flarm display, must interfere with the declaration.
I suspect that the display interferes with the declaration, because the splitter is fully wired of course.. data sent from the display will also go to the S80 and then it goes wrong.
To prevent this I have made a cable as shown below. The wire that sends data back to the flarm is as far as I know pin number 2 on the RJ12 plug, I have cut this wire #2 in the cable between the splitter and the GPS filterbox, and removed about 2cm and then put it back together again. This makes sure no data is sent from the flarm display back to the flarm..
This is also consistent with the NMEA Out port B on the Bt module, which I have used to connect the GPS filterbox in my old situation and in that situation I was able to declare a task to the red box and the display worked just fine!
I am pretty sure this will work now as planned :-) But will keep you guys posted
And a picture of the completed cockpit, including the placards.
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Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 29/03/2018 : 20:34:33
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Yeah!
With the cable as described in my previous post (wire #2 in the IGC RJ12 cable cut) I can now declare a task to the FLARM, just like before, like the S80 is not there. After declaration, the Red Box restarts (flashing power led in the flarm display) and takes a while before it operates again, in the old situation that did not happen, only the com ports were reset, which was a matter of seconds. Now declaration takes just a second, but restarting the flarm may take a few minutes.
It is not required to setup the FLARM as a seperate device in LK8000, everything runs via the S80 ( I have set up with device LXV7_EXP).. very nice it works like this, very happy with the end result. |
Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
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Marco from Hangar 5
Pterodattilo
Netherlands
886 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2018 : 07:43:18
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For you information, below the final data scheme. I hope this may help others to install their LXNAV vario's
EDIT: corrected the scheme with the correct LK8000 device and port setting. As said before, there is no need to setup a seperate device for the FLARM. also made the picture a bit smaller to show up better in the forum. |
Marco
BU (PH-588)
Mini Nimbus HS7, s/n 039
http://www.zweef.nl/
Zweefvliegcentrum Noordkop, NETHERLANDS |
Edited by - Marco from Hangar 5 on 31/03/2018 17:04:34 |
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Topic |
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LXNAV S80 with LK8000,