Best 'out of the box' combo for skyecho2?

[danny_galaga]

5 hours ago, Kyle Communications said:

If you look back quite a few years ago in my original savannah build blog you will see the multi outout one I made. it uses the LM338  its a great device so simple to use but heatsink is a big must. I first used tem some 20 years ago in glow plug drivers for RC aircraft. Set the voltage out and it would auto regulate the current for the glowplug...I made literally 50 for the guys in the model clubs. I keep LM338's always in the drawer at the workshopg

Heatsink isn't huge, but is designed around this fan, which mounts on posts. That should make it lighter than just a big passive sink I imagine. The kit has things I don't need so I'll leave those out. I just thought it would be easier to get something already designed than try and work out what sort of heat sink I need 🙂

[danny_galaga]

Ok, so ive charged it up using a genuine phone charger (as opposed to a $2 jobbie from eBay). Now what 😄

 

The instructions say it will need an ICAO number. I've emailed casa about that but I guess in the meantime, since my plane isn't even airworthy yet, I can still play with it and see other aircraft in an efb?

Edited January 26, 2023 by danny_galaga

[danny_galaga]

Oh, that was easy

 

😃

 

Thanks kgwilson for the heads up on Enroute Flight Navigator. This gives me a free way to fiddle, and maybe even just stick with that, although I guess ozplan etc have ersa etc  built in. 

Edited January 26, 2023 by danny_galaga

[kgwilson]

Ersa & airspace are built in to Enroute. It doesn't have live weather overlays or Notams but does have TAFs & Metars. Long press on the map will bring up all the airspace data with the ERSA info if you long press on the aerodrome.

 

Download the manual. It is well written & easy to understand. You can open it in a browser from your phone or PC or download it. Available in the menu from the App.

Edited January 26, 2023 by kgwilson

[kgwilson]

1 hour ago, danny_galaga said:

Ok, so ive charged it up using a genuine phone charger (as opposed to a $2 jobbie from eBay). Now what 😄

 

The instructions say it will need an ICAO number. I've emailed casa about that but I guess in the meantime, since my plane isn't even airworthy yet, I can still play with it and see other aircraft in an efb?

CASA will issue you with a 6 character hexadecimal code that is unique to your SE2. They need the unit serial number & manufacturer name & whether your aircraft is RA or GA. They will advise RAA of the code when they send it to you. You can swap the unit from aircraft to aircraft & just change the Rego number in the SE2. If the aircraft already has ADSB out you disable this is the SE2. You also change the stall speed for different aircraft. It is all in the manual. Just follow the setup carefully & you will not have any problems.

[coljones]

3 hours ago, danny_galaga said:

Ok, so ive charged it up using a genuine phone charger (as opposed to a $2 jobbie from eBay). Now what 😄

 

The instructions say it will need an ICAO number. I've emailed casa about that but I guess in the meantime, since my plane isn't even airworthy yet, I can still play with it and see other aircraft in an efb?

 

In this case "unregistered refers to a nonVH plane eg RAA.  Most VH aircraft will already have an ICAO number on their rego papers and this must be embedded into their transponder &/or their EC device.

 

 

From CASA Publication ADVISORY CIRCULAR AC 91-23v1.0

 

 

"8.2.5 24-bit address for EC devices used in unregistered aircraft
8.2.5.1 If you are using an EC device on an unregistered aircraft, you need to contact the Civil Aircraft Register <https://www.casa.gov.au/aircraft/civil-aircraft-register/contact-civil-
aircraft-register> and provide the following:
− Your contact details
− If applicable:
o Your aircraft's registration number
o Aircraft Manufacturer
o Aircraft Model
o Aircraft Serial Number
− The details for your EC device, including: 
o Make
o Model
o Serial number.

8.2.5.2 CASA will allocate the EC device a unique ICAO 24-bit binary address to enable it to be used on multiple unregistered aircraft without re-programming. As mentioned in paragraph 8.3.2, CASA provides 24-bit binary addresses in several formats. If necessary consult the equipment manufacturer's documentation for the current format 
to use for your equipment when converting the 24-bit address to the correct format.

 

8.2.6 Selling portable ADS-B devices
8.2.6.1 If you sell or dispose of a portable ADS-B device such as an EC device, you should ensure that the 24-bit address is cleared before it leaves your possession."

Edited January 26, 2023 by coljones
Update

[coljones]

If you intend to use the SE2 in a range of aircraft (or will in the future) mention this in your email and they will register the SE2 without the need to list the planes.  Remember, if you fly a VH it will already have a ICAO code allocated and this should be entered into the SE2 along with the VH (XYZ) code.

 

Transponders if in RAAus planes will also have an ICAO code which should be entered in both the transponder and SE2.

 

Correct coding is important because it can confuse the world if not. 

 

I had been flying in a VH plane and had the SE2 correctly and transmitting ADSB.  I then moved it to a Jab, changed the R1234 code but forgot the ICAO. 

I got a call from my mate about the dirty weekend his plane was supposedly having in Coffs Harbour.   

Flight Radar24 picked up the ICAO code in my ADSB transmission and rendered his VH- XYZ code.  He thought it was funny.

 

Being accurate is important.

 

[danny_galaga]

I'm only ra-aus now, and probably just using it in the one plane. Looks like I left some important details when I emailed casa so I'll just wait for them to respond and give them serial numbers etc then.

[Kyle Communications]

When I did my SE2. it took 4 hrs for CASA to come back with my codes

 

[kgwilson]

Yes same day for me too. They have probably all taken a long weekend so you can expect a response on Monday. 

[danny_galaga]

As good a reason as any to get the skyecho2 if it at least reduces the risk of this 😲

 

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/drone-collision-report-issued/

 

Imagine if that had hit the windscreen 

[danny_galaga]

Just to be clear on the tablets - they need a SIM to navigate, right? 

[kgwilson]

Don't know about Avplan & Ozrunways but others just need GPS access. If you needed a SIM for navigation then it would not work when you were out of cellular range.

[Blueadventures]

10 minutes ago, danny_galaga said:

Just to be clear on the tablets - they need a SIM to navigate, right? 

Need GPS, I link my mini Ipad to phone wifi to get traffic, rain etc.  Just to save extra data charge (save 150 to 180 per year, better in my pocket) Works good.  I did have a $150 data sim first up but did not last 12 months; about 8 months.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Blueadventures

[Thruster88]

3 hours ago, danny_galaga said:

Just to be clear on the tablets - they need a SIM to navigate, right? 

If you download all the required maps and ERSA at home then no network access is required. 

[Old Koreelah]

Although a tablet with only GPS might do the job, experts have explained to me that your device makes use of data from mobile towers to help it more quickly locate the most useful satellites.

[danny_galaga]

Ok, so built in GPS, but not necessarily phone. I guess it won't use the skyecho2 GPS in the same way? 

[danny_galaga]

And one more thing. I think on a phone nowadays 64gb is the bare minimum, since the OS is over 20gb just on its own. What sizes are you guys at, on tablets a year or so old or less? Bearing in mind I won't be using it for anything else...

 

And was that about gdl90 again? Is that something any modern tablet can use, or has, or whatever?

Edited January 29, 2023 by danny_galaga

[coljones]

4 hours ago, danny_galaga said:

Just to be clear on the tablets - they need a SIM to navigate, right? 

I'm not sure if the GPS in SE2 is used by OzRunways or RWY or AvPlan or it is just used by the ADSB Out part of SE2.

 

Android tablets have built in GPS, both WiFi only and WiFi + mobile (sim).

 

I understand that Apple WiFi only doesn't have a GPS.

 

An onboard GPS doesn't need a SIM to operate.

 

You can hotspot to the mobile network on a phone via WiFi or bluetooth but that increases the operational complexity. 

 

Having mobile data coverage on your tablet improves your operation capability- buy a tablet with mobile/4g or 5g/LTE included.

 

You can get away with 32Gb of storage but aim for 64Gb or better.  If you want music, videos, manuals you could put these onto an addon memory chip.

[kgwilson]

1 hour ago, Old Koreelah said:

Although a tablet with only GPS might do the job, experts have explained to me that your device makes use of data from mobile towers to help it more quickly locate the most useful satellites.

That is called AGPS (assisted GPS) Cheaper phones only have this and will be quite inaccurate when there is no mobile network present. GPS chips are cheap as chips now so there is really no excuse not to have decent GPS positioning. Download a programs like GPSfix which will let you know how many satellites your mobile device is receiving data from. The programs usually also have a map of the sky & can show where the satellites are.

[danny_galaga]

On 24/01/2023 at 10:41 AM, Kyle Communications said:

If you look back quite a few years ago in my original savannah build blog you will see the multi outout one I made. it uses the LM338  its a great device so simple to use but heatsink is a big must. I first used tem some 20 years ago in glow plug drivers for RC aircraft. Set the voltage out and it would auto regulate the current for the glowplug...I made literally 50 for the guys in the model clubs. I keep LM338's always in the drawer at the workshopg

Just put together the little kit, leaving out the bits I didn't think I needed (rectifier, voltage display etc) . Worked. Tried to put a load on it by connecting a USB powered desk lamp. Weird performance but I put it down to the fact I was getting a 12v supply from a 240v switch mode supply. Then I did something and I think I killed it. Are lm338 easy to kill?

Edited February 11, 2023 by danny_galaga

[Kyle Communications]

The 338 is a pretty hardy device...from memory you need a capacitor and 2 resistors. or at least 1 resistor to set the output voltage.  thats it but remember 12v in and 5V out you are dropping 7 V across the regulator. So using ohms law you want 2amps to charge your Ipad or whatever thats now 14Watt of wasted power all done in heat. if anything will kill the 338 is not enough heatsinking

 

Oh the capacitor is very important. it stops self oscillation and maybe some lower value 10nf or 100nf ceramic bypass caps would be a good thing too

 

Mark

 

[Kyle Communications]

Here is a circuit..this is all you need. Even powering from a SM supply wont be a issue

Use a pot to set the volts then remove the pot and measure it and then put a fixed resistor of the same value in that spot..will be more stable

 

 

[danny_galaga]

Yep, already wired the supplied pot remotely with a view to measuring and replacing with a fixed value. Great minds eh 😃

 

Cooling will be fine. It's why I bought a kit. I looked at how to work out what sized heat sink I would need and the maths didn't look fun 😄

Note that there are more caps than needed. The kit covers a few bases, including an LCD voltage meter. I left out what I KNEW I didn't need, and left in what I wasn't sure about. The fan was powered by a lm7812 to give it a constant 12v . Since I'm only feeding it 12v I just left it out and bridged it. Fan wails like a banshee though, I'm sure it doesn't need to be THAT fast! So might put in a 1-5 ohm resistor to take the edge off it...

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by danny_galaga

[danny_galaga]

I ended up getting  a Lenovo m8. Some of my geeky friends recommended it as really good value for money. And googling around, I found at least one pilot using one. And air Norway or something use fancier Lenovo's exclusively for their EFG 😃

 

I live somewhere between Archerfield and Brisbane, so that's been handy for testing! @coljones

Edited February 13, 2023 by danny_galaga