GRT Avionics Safefly GPS

jgbmo · #1 11-30-2019, 10:56 AM

I have an older GRT Avionics Horizon HX dual EFIS system that I'm going to install in the RV7 I'm building. A few months ago I ordered the GRT Safefly GPS and EchoUAT package from GRT to go with the EFIS. I finally got around to trying to interface it with my EFIS a couple of weeks ago, and I've had nothing but frustration since. I finally sent it back to GRT to see if they could fix it. To their credit the returned it to me promptly. Before attempting to connect it to the EFIS, I took it outside and connected it to a battery, then launched the app on my phone (after connecting to it via wifi). The monitor display showed GPS lat, lon, and altitude (where it hadn't shown anything before). Success!

Next I connected it to my EFIS, and I could see that data was flowing to the EFIS via a serial port. Unfortunately I did not have any GPS coordinates. So I launched the app and now it's not showing GPS lat, lon, or altitude. I disconnected it from the EFIS to see if the EFIS was somehow interfering with the operation of the GPS, and still no GPS data.

Have any of you had any experience with the Safefly GPS--especially interfacing to one of their EFIS? If so, were you able to get it to work? I'm totally frustrated with this situation and I've reached out to GRT again. Hopefully there's something simple that I'm missing.

DGlaeser · #2 11-30-2019, 12:19 PM

I have a Sport WS (the original model they made). GRT had to configure the GPS/uAvionix unit because I can?t do it on the Sport. Mine works perfectly.

Sounds to me like a configuration issue. But I have no experience doing the config since my Sport can?t do it

Have you played with the config at all?
GRT support is excellent, I?m sure they will get you working soon.

jgbmo · #3 11-30-2019, 01:16 PM

Yes, I've made numerous attempts at changing the configuration per their user manual--all have failed. I've been going back and forth with them for about two weeks and am getting very frustrated. I've told them that I think that this unit is defective, but they don't think so. I'll believe it's OK when I get it to work. Glad yours worked out, though! Hopefully mine will, too.

RV3bpilot · #4 11-30-2019, 01:52 PM

I purchased a Safefly GPS to give location and altitude to my transponder so I could have ADS-b out. It works great.
With the ADS-b out my wife can track me on her computer as I fly out to Colorado and back to Minnesota.

BobTurner · #5 11-30-2019, 03:12 PM

It so happens that at this moment, right below your post, is one entitled ?Wiring echo UAT to GTX327?. This has a lot of useful info in it.

jgbmo · #6 11-30-2019, 04:11 PM

I wish I could get that far. This GPS/UAT combo is supposed to work standalone with no connection to the EFIS. It did when I got it out of the packaging yesterday. Now the Echo UAT communicates with the app on my phone, but no GPS data is displayed. My goal now is simply to get the darn thing to display GPS data on my phone, and then I'll take another shot at interfacing it with the EFIS.

BH1166 · #7 11-30-2019, 04:14 PM

Installed per the online documentation and it works. Receives traffic and weather in, and pushes my out data via King KT76a. BUT .... I was directed by GRT to physically disconnect the internal GPS eg: open up the unit and disconnect the data ribbon cable. Easy to do, was required to get the SafeFly be primary for all navigation. Since it is WAAS , it is superior to what is in the Sport SX. Hang tight and get this from tech support guy?s before venturing in this direction.

gyoung · #8 12-01-2019, 04:39 PM

I installed the Safefly 2020/Echo hooked to my older dual HX's. I spent a lot of time noodling the X-in/out, Y-in/out and what serial in/out they should connect to. It wasn't intuitive but after enough study I hooked it up and it works. At least I know the in works. I'm not flying yet but can sit in the hangar and watch targets landing on my screen. Writing this made me realize I haven't checked the out yet. I need to light up both the RV and Navion and see if the RV shows on the Navion display.

Lars · #9 12-02-2019, 10:48 PM

If you ordered it as a standalone unit, it should be wired per the diagram on page 21 of the installation manual. Assuming GRT configured it correctly, the SafeFly should be ok. Configured that way, the Echo will receive GPS data on pin 6, which should be connected to pin 1 or 2 on the SafeFly. But... while pin 1 and 2 on the SafeFly are supposed to be connected internally and thus interchangeable, I have seen one where the connection didn't exist. The Echo pin 6 was connected to pin 2 on the SafeFly and had no GPS info. Moving the wire to pin 1 solved the problem.

That said, the HX can control a (properly configured) SafeFly directly, which means you can use the serial port expander capabilities and program it per your needs. If it's configured appropriately, you can wire it per page 20 of the install manual and program the thing from the HX setup menu. Assuming yours is set up for standalone use, that would require sending it back to GRT, but it's a simple update.

jgbmo · #10 12-04-2019, 08:17 AM

Good News! Jeff from GRT got back to me, and the problem was that I had skipped a section of the setup that was labeled "TT22/EchoUAT Settings". Because I'm not using a Trig TT22, I incorrectly thought this section was irrelevant. Once I completed that section of the settings, the GPS came to life.