JPI flight path feature

[Cruiser]

According to the main page on JPIs website https://www.jpinstruments.com/flight-path-edm-830/ you can now log ground speed, altitude and Lat/Long position and show your flight path in Google Earth.

 

Is anyone using this? 

 

I have an EDM830 with v3.39 firmware and the data for this is not being logged. Is there a setting that needs to be turned on to gather the data? The latest EzTrends software does have Google Earth setting and buttons but they don't do anything that I can see.

[N601RX]

What is the current version of firmware?  I don't remember the exact version, but I was thinking I put 3.41 on several months ago.  I have not checked to see if I'm logging data.  It seems like they release new firmware at least once a month.

[Steve Dawson]

I believe the JPI pamphlet mentions that it's a app that you pay for.

[Bob_Belville]

I loaded Google Earth a few weeks ago when I noticed the button on the EZTreads screen. I have not tried to figure out why the plot gets lost. This actually looks like the path from the previous flight from MRN to SBY with the wrong starting point. 

[carusoam]

There is an app called.......

CloudAhoy that does this on the iPad. Like having a flight recorder and performance monitor...

Use the skyradar GPS for good accuracy.

Remember to turn it on prior to flight...if you know my challenges!

Best regards,

-a-

[Cruiser]

What is the current version of firmware?  I don't remember the exact version, but I was thinking I put 3.41 on several months ago.  I have not checked to see if I'm logging data.  It seems like they release new firmware at least once a month.

 

I have EDM_Update_1304051101.pkg is there a more recent one? I can't find any updates at all on the JPI website.

[N601RX]

I have EDM_Update_1304051101.pkg is there a more recent one? I can't find any updates at all on the JPI website.

I just looked and they have took the page that has the updates down. I had a old link to it, but the only version for download is 3.35 which is pretty old. The original link you provided says call for a RMA to return your unit for a update, so my guess is that they are going to start charging for them. I will e-mail them tomorrow and ask where the update page went to. Might better hold on to any update files we have.

[Bob_Belville]

I loaded Google Earth a few weeks ago when I noticed the button on the EZTreads screen. I have not tried to figure out why the plot gets lost. This actually looks like the path from the previous flight from MRN to SBY with the wrong starting point. 

I did a little checking to see why the flight path didn't match and discovered that the latitude longitude values posted to the JPI data is off set from actual. I looked at a HKY-MRH flight:

HKY is at N35:44 W81:24 but the JPI shows N39:04 W94:54 the difference is 3:20 & 13:30

MRH is at N34:44 W 76:40 but the JPI shows N38:04 W90:10 the difference is 3:20 & 13:30

 

I will check a couple of other data but I wonder if anyone know why the JPI would show a different location than the GPS that it is communicating with?   

[N601RX]

I did a little checking to see why the flight path didn't match and discovered that the latitude longitude values posted to the JPI data is off set from actual. I looked at a HKY-MRH flight:

HKY is at N35:44 W81:24 but the JPI shows N39:04 W94:54 the difference is 3:20 & 13:30

MRH is at N34:44 W 76:40 but the JPI shows N38:04 W90:10 the difference is 3:20 & 13:30

 

I will check a couple of other data but I wonder if anyone know why the JPI would show a different location than the GPS that it is communicating with?

Check the data format. There is hr:minutes:seconds and hr: minutes: Decimal. If it is not the same on both, it will create the offset you are seeing.

[Bob_Belville]

Check the data format. There is hr:minutes:seconds and hr: minutes: Decimal. If it is not the same on both, it will create the offset you are seeing.

The JPI displays deg.min.decmin. e.g. N42.41.92 W71.06.76 which is the same convention used in the GTN750 manual but how would that make a 13 deg difference if the GPS were deg.min.sec? (I'm still looking at data but it appears the offset is not the same flight to flight, i.e. the starting point is not correct but the relative position is consistent for that flight.)

[Bob_Belville]

Here's a flight, my last one, for which the lat/lon was correct at start up. KIWI-6B6. Puzzle.

[Marauder]

The JPI displays deg.min.decmin. e.g. N42.41.92 W71.06.76 which is the same convention used in the GTN750 manual but how would that make a 13 deg difference if the GPS were deg.min.sec? (I'm still looking at data but it appears the offset is not the same flight to flight, i.e. the starting point is not correct but the relative position is consistent for that flight.)

 

Bob -- Magnetic variation is 15 to 16 degrees W in the area that you were flying. Could this have anything to do with it?  

[Bob_Belville]

Bob -- Magnetic variation is 15 to 16 degrees W in the area that you were flying. Could this have anything to do with it?  

No, I've gone through the data from 20 or 30 flights and what I've found is that the issue is whether the EDM gets the right coordinates on start up. If the lat-lng matches the departure airport the flight path is fine but sometimes those coordinates are wrong, as much as 20 deg,, when that happens the flight path is correct in length and direction but it is offset by the initial error. 

 

The EDM must get it's GPS info from the GTN750 so I'm thinking the problem has something to do with startup initialization. The EDM starts ups with the Master Switch, it has a self test sequence to go through which includes a couple of pauses for the user to "clear" "AMP" and confirm fuel on board. I am going to let the JPI go through that process before engaging Avionics Master turning on the GPS and see if that's the issue. I'll going to call JPI as well.

 

I loaded several flight at once into EZTrends. Amusing. I made fuel stop or brief stops to pick up or drop off passengers and on engine startup the plane has moved several hundred miles while sitting on the ramp for 15 minutes.

[N601RX]

The problem may be JPI's file format then.  They don't store the complete number.  In order to save space they only save the change from one data point to the next.  For example if an egt 80deg at startup and at the next sample it is at 82 they would store a +2 in the data file which would only need a few bits of space. 

 

If their doing the same thing with GPS coordinates and the 1st one is off, then all the others will be off by the same amount.  One thing you could try is to turn the JPI off and back on after the GPS is up and running and had acquired its position.

[Bob_Belville]

The problem may be JPI's file format then.  They don't store the complete number.  In order to save space they only save the change from one data point to the next.  For example if an egt 80deg at startup and at the next sample it is at 82 they would store a +2 in the data file which would only need a few bits of space. 

 

If their doing the same thing with GPS coordinates and the 1st one is off, then all the others will be off by the same amount.  One thing you could try is to turn the JPI off and back on after the GPS is up and running and had acquired its position.

Makes sense with my data. But the 930 includes primary instruments and comes on with the Master. SOP would be to start engine w/o turning on GPS (Avionics Master). There is a CB for the EDM but I would hope I don't have to routinely recycle the EDM after  starting the engine on every flight. The GPS position stored in the 930 is not visible so I could know if it is correct until after downloading the data and viewing it.

[N601RX]

Try recycling it after the GPS is up and running.  Although I have the 830 sometimes  I will cycle power  just to force it to start a new data file.  I'll usually do this if I'm doing some playing around and want to make it easy to find that particular spot in the data.

[Bob_Belville]

Try recycling it after the GPS is up and running.  Although I have the 830 sometimes  I will cycle power  just to force it to start a new data file.  I'll usually do this if I doing some playing around and want to make it easy to find that particular spot in the data.

Sound like a good idea. Did you ever discuss this with JPI? I've had a couple of opportunities to call their tech people and usually I've gotten to talk to someone knowledgeable. 

[Oscar Avalle]

well I just contacted JPI and you have to pull out the unit and send it in to upgrade the software. cost about US$ 170. Not going to happen...

[Bob_Belville]

The problem may be JPI's file format then.  They don't store the complete number.  In order to save space they only save the change from one data point to the next.  For example if an egt 80deg at startup and at the next sample it is at 82 they would store a +2 in the data file which would only need a few bits of space. 

 

If their doing the same thing with GPS coordinates and the 1st one is off, then all the others will be off by the same amount.  One thing you could try is to turn the JPI off and back on after the GPS is up and running and had acquired its position.

I talk to JPI a little while ago. "Jack" said they do not massage the data coming in via the RS232 connection. I tried to get him to confirm your theory on storing only delta info but he insisted they only store and do not process the GPS input. He thought I ought to talk to Garmin. I wrote a note to my avionics guy, he might yet reply tonight, like some of you all, he doesn't seem to have a life. BTW, the EDM 930 has GPS format configured as "#1 Shadlin". Can I assume that is correct for a GTN 750?