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Dual XGPS190 to Grand Rapids HX ??

BillSchlatterer

Well Known Member
I checked the GRT website and they said the Dual XGPS170 was a serial in direct wire option. Good reviews on dual so I bought one, but upped to the XGPS190 because it has the AHRS and is dual band.

Great looking system, single antenna, blue tooth to Foreflight, perfect for the HX EFIS.

So the rub :confused: the only output is the charging cable which Dual said outputs data but I needed to get a 232 output on the mini port connector and GRT should have that. GRT doesn't do that, but said I could use the port by cutting the USB charging line and taking the one wire out as 232. The problem with that is that is also the only charging port. That means I could use it or charge it but probably not both.

My whole reasoning on this was a permanent, no maintenance solution, with a single external antenna?

Is anyone else using a DUAL ADSB hardwired to a GRT EFIS? If so ? how did you connect the two so that you get data out and charge at the same time.

Thanks Bill (not quite grinning :( )
 
RE: GRT Hx With Dual ADSB receiver

Not sure if this will help but the GRT website has a document that describes connecting a Dual XGPS170 via USB to the EFIS display unit. The Dual XGPS190 appears to be very similar to the XGPS170. GRT recommends use of a powered USB hub instead of connecting the ADS-B receiver directly to the display unit. Seeems like this could be a possibility.

http://grtavionics.com/media/Dual-XGPS170-A3.pdf
 
+1. Follow the guidance in the above reference. You need to plug the Dual into a low cost powered hub, connected to your power bus. Then run another usb cable from the hub to the Hx. You can hide the hub behind the panel, or leave it accessible, as an easy way to do updates to the Hx.
Edit. You said RS232 in the OP, but the dual outputs via USB.
 
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I did just this with the 170 to a SX200 GRT via USB, not serial.

The USB connector on the back of the Sport SX-200 EFIS goes to the main USB Hub squareish connector. The hub ports used are the Dual unit, a memory stick that used to be stuck in the back of the GRT Sport EFIS and a $10 bluetooth dongle to run the GRT remote app connection.

I used a low power, $40 Startech USB 2.0, still available but better option is now cheaper- powered hub. StarTech.com Mountable 4 Port Rugged Industrial USB Hub https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H7AFO6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XwXBCbBVTQVDF

It charged at only 500 mah, so the DualAv slowly loses battery on X-C. It still goes 8 hours.

You can get a USB 3.0 that charges higher.
StarTech.com 4 Port USB 3.0 Hub - 3 Dedicated USB Charging Ports (2 x 1A & 1 x 2A) - Wall Mountable - Metal - Powered USB Hub - USB Splitter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNWY9SW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BfXBCbVJGFE9D

I mounted it so you reach up above pax right knee to get at its ports, which face down.
 
I did just this with the 170 to a SX200 GRT via USB, not serial.

You can get a USB 3.0 that charges higher.
StarTech.com 4 Port USB 3.0 Hub - 3 Dedicated USB Charging Ports (2 x 1A & 1 x 2A) - Wall Mountable - Metal - Powered USB Hub - USB Splitter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNWY9SW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BfXBCbVJGFE9D

I mounted it so you reach up above pax right knee to get at its ports, which face down.

So does that mean that you take the power port cable that comes with the Dual system with the USB connector on the end and plug that into the higher powered charging port and does that transfer data as well? I was told that you might have to run it on the .5amp side and then move it to charge?

Thanks for the reply, it's all pretty confusing but Jeff at GRT was rewriting documents and researching for me this afternoon. Probably know more tomorrow but will look for higher powered Startech.

Thanks Bill S
 
Working ...but ??

Installed the four port wired hub per instructions. Hooked USB out from Dual 190 to hub and then USB from hub to GRT USB port 2. Everything works but the Dual isn't exactly what I thought. :(

It is blue tooth and that works pretty well with my Foreflight subscription. I did get everything to display on the GRT but it doesn't seem to refresh timely. The display itself on the GRT is OK but not as good as the iPad (no surprise). The TAFS and METARS are fine in text but the display is a little confusing and I haven't got it quite figured out yet.

I have the Dual sitting on the top of the panel (7a) where my Status 2 used to sit and the reception is poor but that is the same as with the Stratus 2. Initially with the Stratus, I noticed that about half our group saw more towers than I did. When I added an external portable antenna from Sportys to the Stratus, the reception was remarkably improved...love it would be a good description.

I anticipate that adding a better external antenna to the Dual will help just as much there. An external antenna will require a special cable since the Dual connector is the smaller connector (not RG58) and it uses a standard TPX antenna so that shouldn't be a problem, just inconvenient.

One of the other inconvenient things about the Dual is that it must be switched on an off even though the battery is powered through ships power. Maybe there is an answer to that and I would sure like to know if there is. My preference would be to put it out of sight with the external antenna and let it turn on and off with the Avionics bus.

Any thoughts on that are appreciated! :)

Thanks Bill
 
Not sure what you mean by the refresh rate. If weather, that stuff is only sent up every 5-10 minutes. Traffic, otoh, should display and move smoothly, very close to real time. You know how to adjust the HX?s traffic altitude filter, I presume.
If the antenna has an SMA connector, there are low cost sma connectors plus coax extensions on the internet for a few bucks, so you can move the antenna to a better location. You might ask Dual, what happens if you run it without the battery? Will it run okay? If so, just remove the battery and leave it on, and switch with aircraft?s power.
 
Not sure what you mean by the refresh rate. If weather, that stuff is only sent up every 5-10 minutes. Traffic, otoh, should display and move smoothly, very close to real time. You know how to adjust the HX’s traffic altitude filter, I presume.
If the antenna has an SMA connector, there are low cost sma connectors plus coax extensions on the internet for a few bucks, so you can move the antenna to a better location. You might ask Dual, what happens if you run it without the battery? Will it run okay? If so, just remove the battery and leave it on, and switch with aircraft’s power.

Got a cable and TPX antenna coming. Never thought about remove the battery. We’ll see how it works !
 
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