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  #21  
Old 08-04-2012, 09:59 AM
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g3xpert g3xpert is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Bugs66 View Post
One question I have is how to use the "second serial port" of the GDL 39? I have a fuel flow gauge that takes GPS data but had to disconnect because the new harness only has the connector for the GDL 39. Before I start splicing into my new harness, would like to know how the second serial port is used. I don't see a second connector on the GDL. Also, is there a revised manual for the Aero 5xx series with the new features? Thanks!
Hello Bugs,

To use the second serial port in a semi-permanently-wired installation of this type, you will need the GDL 39 Bare Wire Power/Data Cable (part number 010-11686-40). Many dealers will include this cable with the GDL 39 (in place of the standard GDL 39 cable that connects directly to a GPS unit) if you tell them in advance how you plan to hook it up.

Take a look at pages 3-5 and 3-6 of the the GDL 39 User's Guide to see how it is connected. In your case, you will connect the TxA (green) and RxA (white/green) wires on the GDL 39 cable to the RS-232 RX (yellow) and TX (blue) wires on your existing aera 5xx cable, and connect the GDL 39's TxB (orange) wire to wherever the TX (blue) wire on your aera 5xx was previously connected. Don't forget to hook up power and ground, of course.

I'm told that a updated aera 5xx manual will be forthcoming soon. In the meantime, you can use Appendix D in the current version of the pilot's guide to reference the wiring colors for your existing cable harness.

- Matt
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  #22  
Old 08-04-2012, 09:49 PM
Bugs66 Bugs66 is offline
 
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Thanks Matt. Since I already have the cable for Aera 500, I think I will splice into mine and put a serial out pigtail. I assume the orange and orange/white wires are in there to tap into?

Last edited by Bugs66 : 08-04-2012 at 09:51 PM.
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  #23  
Old 08-05-2012, 07:11 AM
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Brantel Brantel is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Bugs66 View Post
Thanks Matt. Since I already have the cable for Aera 500, I think I will splice into mine and put a serial out pigtail. I assume the orange and orange/white wires are in there to tap into?
Don't assume they are. I cut open a pre-made Garmin cable once to get at some wires that I assumed would be in there. They were not.....
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  #24  
Old 08-12-2012, 11:23 PM
mcattell mcattell is offline
 
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Default GDL-39 to Autopilot Issue

G3Xpert Steve,

I have more questions for you. I connected the GDL as a permanent installation yesterday but can't get the serial port B to drive my autopilot. I wired it all up with the hardwire cable and all the ADS-B stuff works. I then took the serial port B from the GDL to where the 696 used to connect to autopilot with no luck. I even tried reversing polarity. If I connect serial port A from the GDL in parallel it will work fine if I change the 696 output to Nema. Of course then the Wx and traffic no longer works. Previously I had the serial port on the 696 connected to the Trio autopilot, 330 transponder, ADI and ELT. Lots of connections but it seemed to work fine. Really the only thing I could disconnect would be the 330 since I'm not using the TIS any longer. So is there anything else I need to do with the GDL to configure it for Nema and make it work with my autopilot and other devices?

I also have a 430W in my panel. I currently have it connected via ARNIC to the 330. If I upgrade the 330 to ES am I all set with the GPS signal to the 330 to make it work correctly?

Thanks,

Mark
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  #25  
Old 08-13-2012, 06:01 AM
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g3xpert g3xpert is offline
 
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Originally Posted by mcattell View Post
G3Xpert Steve,

I have more questions for you. I connected the GDL as a permanent installation yesterday but can't get the serial port B to drive my autopilot. I wired it all up with the hardwire cable and all the ADS-B stuff works. I then took the serial port B from the GDL to where the 696 used to connect to autopilot with no luck. I even tried reversing polarity. If I connect serial port A from the GDL in parallel it will work fine if I change the 696 output to Nema. Of course then the Wx and traffic no longer works. Previously I had the serial port on the 696 connected to the Trio autopilot, 330 transponder, ADI and ELT. Lots of connections but it seemed to work fine. Really the only thing I could disconnect would be the 330 since I'm not using the TIS any longer. So is there anything else I need to do with the GDL to configure it for Nema and make it work with my autopilot and other devices?

I also have a 430W in my panel. I currently have it connected via ARNIC to the 330. If I upgrade the 330 to ES am I all set with the GPS signal to the 330 to make it work correctly?

Thanks,

Mark
Hello Mark,

First, I tried to respond to your private message yesterday, but your message box was full. We recently disabled our private message support on VAF because of the limitations of private messaging and because it is generally easier for us to provide support via the G3Xpert@garmin.com inbox (or respond to postings like this).

Did you try connecting just 1 of the serial devices to the orange wire coming out of the GDL39? It would be good to return to basics and establish that the GDL39 port B output is indeed working. As you probably know, RS-232 is a point-to-point interface and not guaranteed to work with more than one connected device, but we recognize that many are doing this and it generally works.

Also, did you try both of the configurable speed choices on the GDL39 output?

We know you already have a 696 and it is a great unit if you need a portable, but something else to consider given this installation. It is pretty common for many of us to purchase a GPSMAP 696, mount it in a panel, then connect a handful of RS-232 devices to the single serial output. The GDU 375 is designed to be panel mounted, has a front mounted SD card slot, and has 3 serial ports instead of 1.

With a GDU 375 you can connect a GDL39 to one of the serial ports, still have 2 free serial ports for connecting other devices, and not be dependent on the GDL39 to forward data to your other RS-232 devices. Just something for those reading this to keep in mind.

With regard to your last question, the answer is Yes. As mentioned in other posts, the software in the GTX330 and GNS430W will require updating later this year to be fully "V2" ADS-B compliant for 2020, but you will immediately receive the benefits of ADS-B traffic and weather with the current "V1" software if you upgrade to add "ES". You could either wait on your "ES" upgrade until the "V2" software is available, or get the "ES" upgrade now and upgrade the software to be fully V2 compliant later this year. Those of us currently using V1 software with GTX330ES or GTX23ES extended squitter transponders can certainly vouch for the vastly improved traffic support you will receive from that upgrade.

Let us know if you have additional questions.

Thanks,
Steve
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  #26  
Old 08-13-2012, 09:28 AM
mcattell mcattell is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g3xpert View Post
Hello Mark,

First, I tried to respond to your private message yesterday, but your message box was full. We recently disabled our private message support on VAF because of the limitations of private messaging and because it is generally easier for us to provide support via the G3Xpert@garmin.com inbox (or respond to postings like this).

Did you try connecting just 1 of the serial devices to the orange wire coming out of the GDL39? It would be good to return to basics and establish that the GDL39 port B output is indeed working. As you probably know, RS-232 is a point-to-point interface and not guaranteed to work with more than one connected device, but we recognize that many are doing this and it generally works.

Also, did you try both of the configurable speed choices on the GDL39 output?

We know you already have a 696 and it is a great unit if you need a portable, but something else to consider given this installation. It is pretty common for many of us to purchase a GPSMAP 696, mount it in a panel, then connect a handful of RS-232 devices to the single serial output. The GDU 375 is designed to be panel mounted, has a front mounted SD card slot, and has 3 serial ports instead of 1.

With a GDU 375 you can connect a GDL39 to one of the serial ports, still have 2 free serial ports for connecting other devices, and not be dependent on the GDL39 to forward data to your other RS-232 devices. Just something for those reading this to keep in mind.

With regard to your last question, the answer is Yes. As mentioned in other posts, the software in the GTX330 and GNS430W will require updating later this year to be fully "V2" ADS-B compliant for 2020, but you will immediately receive the benefits of ADS-B traffic and weather with the current "V1" software if you upgrade to add "ES". You could either wait on your "ES" upgrade until the "V2" software is available, or get the "ES" upgrade now and upgrade the software to be fully V2 compliant later this year. Those of us currently using V1 software with GTX330ES or GTX23ES extended squitter transponders can certainly vouch for the vastly improved traffic support you will receive from that upgrade.

Let us know if you have additional questions.

Thanks,
Steve

Steve,

Thanks for the reply. I noticed after I cleaned my mailbox that yours went to private and posted here. Probably a good group discussion anyway.

I have not tried Port B on a single device. I was hoping it would work since Port A would drive all the devices fine when 696 set to Nema. Of course at this point I have to lay on my back and figure out how to gain access to a rats nest of wiring. Perhaps I can just pull plugs on other units for test. So I'll give that a try tonight and let you know the results. I was hoping for a simple answer like a setting I may have missed but it doesn't look like it.

I would love to have a GDU-375 but unfortunately it didn't come out until after I installed my 696.

We are going to the open house at the Garmin factory in Salem on Thursday afternoon for their open house so I can talk to the guys there about the 330 upgrade. Thanks for the info.

Mark
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  #27  
Old 08-14-2012, 04:50 PM
pboyce pboyce is offline
 
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For years I have flown with the GPSMAP 696 driving a Trutrak autopilot. Worked great. Now with the GDL 39 connected to the 696 (and getting great free weather!) I cannot get the autopilot to work properly.

I connected the orange wire from the GDL 39 bare wire harness to my Trutrak autopilot, updated the firmware of the 696 to v6.1 and still no luck with getting the autopilot to work. Frank from Garmin technical support said he will look into it further and let me know tomorrow what the problem is. I'm not an electrical engineer but it appears to me that the GDL 39 is not passing thru NMEA data to the autopilot. Hopefully a new firmware update will fix this situation.
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  #28  
Old 08-14-2012, 06:13 PM
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schristo@mac.com schristo@mac.com is offline
 
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Default status of additional comm data?

Steve, do you have an update on getting the additional communication data to drive the SL30/40 radio frequency (along with NMEA data for autopilot)?
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  #29  
Old 08-14-2012, 07:16 PM
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g3xpert g3xpert is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pboyce View Post
For years I have flown with the GPSMAP 696 driving a Trutrak autopilot. Worked great. Now with the GDL 39 connected to the 696 (and getting great free weather!) I cannot get the autopilot to work properly.

I connected the orange wire from the GDL 39 bare wire harness to my Trutrak autopilot, updated the firmware of the 696 to v6.1 and still no luck with getting the autopilot to work. Frank from Garmin technical support said he will look into it further and let me know tomorrow what the problem is. I'm not an electrical engineer but it appears to me that the GDL 39 is not passing thru NMEA data to the autopilot. Hopefully a new firmware update will fix this situation.
Hello Pboyce,

Sorry that you and Mark are having trouble. Thanks for letting us know.

We suspected the GDL39 output might not have tolerated the triple loads in Mark's installation, but now that you are also reporting problems using port B on the GDL39 with just a single external device, we are going to re-test this in the morning and make sure everything looks ok.

Since NMEA Out is ASCII, it is easy to connect the GDL39 output to a PC serial port and see the data in a terminal program. We have to make sure there is a common data ground reference between the GDL39 and any receiving device (we can't just connect the orange wire), but I am sure you are already doing this with your autopilot and GDL39.

We will test both of the selectable speeds for this port and report back.

Thanks,
Steve
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  #30  
Old 08-14-2012, 09:14 PM
jetdriven jetdriven is offline
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Houston tx
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bugs66 View Post
I put a report of my first experience using the GDL 39 with my Aera 510 on my regular hangout:
http://www.supercub.org/forum/showth...9-XM-WX-killer

One question I have is how to use the "second serial port" of the GDL 39? I have a fuel flow gauge that takes GPS data but had to disconnect because the new harness only has the connector for the GDL 39. Before I start splicing into my new harness, would like to know how the second serial port is used. I don't see a second connector on the GDL. Also, is there a revised manual for the Aero 5xx series with the new features? Thanks!
we just used our aera 500/GDL39 today and is blows me away. I owned a Slyradar and the GDL is far superior. It recieves stations 200 nm away and has all weather.
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