GRT avionics - HXR General question

Bcone1381 · #1 01-27-2018, 07:16 PM

Greetings;

You guys are a great source to the entire experimental world and I hope you will give me permission ask for some information.I am building a Non-Vans 2 place STOL aircraft, and am considering GRT products.

This week I visited GRT in Grand Rapids, MI. I would like some feed back on the GRT HXR, specifically if you like and use the feature to tune a remote mounted COMM radio and transponder. I am kind of leaning away from this product towards another of there EFIS products but if its very useful in the real world I'd like to know. Instrument panel real estate is always precious.

Do you have any other feedback on there products. I also like there Sport SE EFIS.

Bavafa · #2 01-27-2018, 11:13 PM

My experience with GRT is only with the HS and HX and absolutely love it, the company support is top notch should you ever need it and their product and features in my opinion is to of the line.

BobTurner · #3 01-27-2018, 11:26 PM

I have an Hx with a remote mounted Trig TT22 transponder. My preference is to directly see and directly control avionics, but as you said, panel real estate is precious. I did put a remote ident switch on the stick.
Love the HX.

Isaac · #4 01-28-2018, 08:36 AM

I have dual GRT Sport HS displays, and one (the PFD) is wired to my Garmin SL-30's NAV/COM RS-232 serial port. I use the GRT to remote tune the SL 30 almost every flight. There are other radios for example the GTR 200 that can also use this remote tune feature.

It is very convenient to bring up the "Nearest" airports page on the MAP display on the MFD. In addition to the airports specific data, any and all (AWOS, ATIS, CTAF, Twr Center, etc.) frequencies associated with the airport are displayed. The SET COM button press lets me select and transfer any of the Com frequencies to the SL 30's standby freq. The NAV radio frequency can also be set using the same procedure. I have a freq flip-flop switch on the stick grip to transfer the standby freq to the active freq but I rarely use it because the SL 30 is mounted just below the Sport HS and my hand is close and I am already pushing buttons on the Sport HS. At any rate, I find this GRT feature is way more convenient than having to unfurl a sectional and get the info from the chart.

I was curious how GRT implemented entering the squawk code on a remote mounted Trig mode S transponder, with displays like the Hx and Sport Sx which don't have touch screen capability. Reading thru the GRT pilot guide for remote tuning it looks to be very simple and straight forward to enter the code. Rotate knob to select a number, press the knob to select and move to the next number. Do this four times and your done. With the touch screen Hxr displays it is even easier. If I were building again or doing an avionics upgrade I would definitely be remote mounting the transponder because I very seldom have to enter a squawk code other than 1200 on the transponder. With a remote mounted xpndr, I would want to have a switch on the stick grip (or ins panel) to make it quick and easy to activate the xpndr's IDENT mode. Like Bob T said though, I would still want a dedicated control panel display for the things that get used a lot.

lr172 · #5 01-29-2018, 08:15 AM

I have an HXr and also used the HX for a month or two (a loaner while waiting for the HXr production to complete). I never really used the Comm tuning, but do use transponder tuning (remote transponder). However, the UI of the HXr is MUCH better than the HX in many different ways, especially if you fly IFR.

I really like my GRT setup. I had legacy Dynon gear before upgrading and don't regret the decision. I likely would have been just as happy with a Skyview upgrade, but it would have been several thousand more that I didn't want to spend.

Larry

Maverick972 · #6 02-04-2018, 07:36 AM

My new RV7 has a GRT HXr in it and will GRT publish a HRx manual? They have said for some time ?coming soon?.

I have never flown the system and the user guide is for HX... I have found the documents to be lacking and support / training poor. The tips here are much better than what I have.

It has the trig remote transposonder and I get how it works. I am thinking about tearing it out and going Garmin. Maybe I am just frustrated because I heave not spent as much time with it as I should.

Lars · #7 02-04-2018, 11:33 AM

I have a Sport SX in my RV-7 along with GRT's EIS engine monitor and most recently, the SafeFly/EchoUAT combo. I am very happy with the products and their phone support has been good.

But, as others have noted here, their documentation is probably the worst in the industry. Having written technical documentation myself I understand that it's a lot of work. Still... there are lots of undocumented features in the operating system(s) that I've learned about only because I was having problems and didn't realize that the solution was only a few (undocumented) button clicks away. Not sure why they are so resistant.

They also have a user forum, but as best as I can tell, there isn't even a link to it from their website- you have to know it exists. GRT, are you reading this?

330drvr · #8 02-04-2018, 01:13 PM

www.grtavionics.com/forum/

Not sure why they don't have a button for it on the home page.

Bavafa · #9 02-04-2018, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maverick972

My new RV7 has a GRT HXr in it and will GRT publish a HRx manual? They have said for some time ?coming soon?.

I have never flown the system and the user guide is for HX... I have found the documents to be lacking and support / training poor. The tips here are much better than what I have.

It has the trig remote transposonder and I get how it works. I am thinking about tearing it out and going Garmin. Maybe I am just frustrated because I heave not spent as much time with it as I should.

If you ever decide to pull yours out and sell it as used parts, please let me know as I maybe interested. GRT makes great product.

BobTurner · #10 02-04-2018, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maverick972

Maybe I am just frustrated because I heave not spent as much time with it as I should.

The grt documentation is not all that great. But whether it?s a GRT HXr or a Garmin 650, it?s a mistake to think you can just hop in and figure it out in 30 minutes. These new avionics have tremendous capabilites, but the price is that it takes hours to master them.