I recently encountered a problem that was entirely self induced and re-affirmed the motto "no good deed goes unpunished."
At the airport a few weeks back, I offered to help a new owner debug his ADSB-In issue; he had a similar configuration as mine - Dual G3Xs, GTN 750xi, GTX 345R, etc.
During the course of checking configurations, we posited that a firmware upgrade for the GTX 345R was in order. Unfortunately, his aircraft did not have the USB connector wired in. Solution - swap out my GTX 345 for his GTX 345R. We installed the 345R in my panel, put the G3X into configuration mode and entered all the correct settings for his setup and powered up the rest of the system. Connected the PC with the GTX tool, updated the ADSB, Mainboard, etc. software, rebooted - all looked great. Installed his unit back in his airplane and....it didn't fix his issue.
A couple more moments of head scratching, and we decided to look at the J3452, and lo and behold pin 7 was not seated in the connector (Ethernet Out 1A, aka HSDB). Presto - problem solved...
...Now the rest of the story...
A few weeks after this exercise, I went flying and saw all kinds of failure messages pertaining to Traffic/Adsb etc. on G3X, GTN and GTX. Knowing that nothing electrical had changed, I figured it was in the configuration information. My GTX doesn't have a configuration module, instead it relies on the RS-232/Connext interface to the G3X to retrieve some/all configuration information.
edit: maybe it does -- heading back to airport to verify this...
When I changed the Transponder type in the G3X from GTX 345 to GTX 345R and back, this configuration data still got stuffed into the GTX. The GTX Interfaces, Sensors, etc. were all incorrect. I struggled reconfiguring the GTX and it still wouldn't stick.
I ended up going in the G3X setup transponder type option, selecting GTX 345R and erasing every setting, saving/rebooting, going back into setup and selecting GTX 345, saving/rebooting. Then I was able to update the GTX settings with the correct RS-232 settings, HSDB, and Sensor settings (NAV src, 1E-07, etc.). Flight today was uneventful - passing PAPRs as well...
So -- I am not entirely sure I encountered a bug in the G3X system where de-selected configuration data was "sticking" or I was just tired/hot/frustrated. Given that my GTX 345 settings were "lost", I really suspect the G3X had a hand in the failure...
Findings:
1. If it did work, then it stopped working, it's probably configuration settings.
2. Check the pins first -- especially the High Density D-SUB ones.
3. Keep a copy of ALL the configuration data/settings.
Cheers!
At the airport a few weeks back, I offered to help a new owner debug his ADSB-In issue; he had a similar configuration as mine - Dual G3Xs, GTN 750xi, GTX 345R, etc.
During the course of checking configurations, we posited that a firmware upgrade for the GTX 345R was in order. Unfortunately, his aircraft did not have the USB connector wired in. Solution - swap out my GTX 345 for his GTX 345R. We installed the 345R in my panel, put the G3X into configuration mode and entered all the correct settings for his setup and powered up the rest of the system. Connected the PC with the GTX tool, updated the ADSB, Mainboard, etc. software, rebooted - all looked great. Installed his unit back in his airplane and....it didn't fix his issue.
A couple more moments of head scratching, and we decided to look at the J3452, and lo and behold pin 7 was not seated in the connector (Ethernet Out 1A, aka HSDB). Presto - problem solved...
...Now the rest of the story...
A few weeks after this exercise, I went flying and saw all kinds of failure messages pertaining to Traffic/Adsb etc. on G3X, GTN and GTX. Knowing that nothing electrical had changed, I figured it was in the configuration information. My GTX doesn't have a configuration module, instead it relies on the RS-232/Connext interface to the G3X to retrieve some/all configuration information.
edit: maybe it does -- heading back to airport to verify this...
When I changed the Transponder type in the G3X from GTX 345 to GTX 345R and back, this configuration data still got stuffed into the GTX. The GTX Interfaces, Sensors, etc. were all incorrect. I struggled reconfiguring the GTX and it still wouldn't stick.
I ended up going in the G3X setup transponder type option, selecting GTX 345R and erasing every setting, saving/rebooting, going back into setup and selecting GTX 345, saving/rebooting. Then I was able to update the GTX settings with the correct RS-232 settings, HSDB, and Sensor settings (NAV src, 1E-07, etc.). Flight today was uneventful - passing PAPRs as well...
So -- I am not entirely sure I encountered a bug in the G3X system where de-selected configuration data was "sticking" or I was just tired/hot/frustrated. Given that my GTX 345 settings were "lost", I really suspect the G3X had a hand in the failure...
Findings:
1. If it did work, then it stopped working, it's probably configuration settings.
2. Check the pins first -- especially the High Density D-SUB ones.
3. Keep a copy of ALL the configuration data/settings.
Cheers!
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