GDL39 to iPad Pairing

I've been using G3X to GDL39 interface for traffic and weather for about 2 years, along with Garmin Pilot on an iPad. The GDL39 is not the "R" model, but it is hardwired into the airplane and powers up with the avionics master.

In the past, I've had intermittent loss of Bluetooth pairing between the iPad and GLD39. Re-pairing the two isn't the least bit user friendly on my RV7 because the GDL is mounted behind the panel with a Garmin GTX330 remote blocking easy viewing of the Bluetooth pairing light and access to the power button for activating the Bluetooth manual pairing mode.

Yesterday after installing Garmin Pilot on a 2nd iPad, I played contortionist and managed to pair it successfully with the GDL. Once airborne, we found the 2nd iPad to be working great, but when I powered up the original one, it had lost pairing to the GDL.

That got me to wondering whether pairing to the 2nd iPad somehow un-paired the 1st one. It wasn't powered up at the time, nor was it very close to the cockpit if that makes any difference.

There's a note in the GDL39 user's manual that says: "If having issues making a Bluetooth connection hold the power button down for 5 seconds. The blue LED will begin blinking. Release the power button and then press the power button again for 5 seconds. Power cycle the GDL39 and retry making a Bluetooth connection."

My plan is to remove the transponder for easier access and be in position to reach the GDL power button and see the blue pairing LED and follow those instructions with the 1st iPad. If it pairs okay, then I'll check the 2nd iPad to see if it stays paired.

Any thoughts/suggestions about this? Thanks.

Tosh

Pairing

I also use the iPad/iPhone bluettoothed to the GDL-39.
Seems that from time to time I have to re-pair by holding down
The power button of the 39 as described.

My gdl39 is accessible in my RV-3. Do you have a map box on your panel?
I am installing the 39 in my RV-9, in the map box with remote GPS/ transponder antennas.

I also have the Navworx 600exp for ADSB-out. Combination works well.

I do have a map box, but trying to move the 39 from under the panel into it would not be worth the effort, especially for a non-builder who has to plan and think everything out forever before tackling much of anything.

I've had no recent (within the last year or so) problems with pairing the 1st iPad, so one of the questions I'm really curious about is whether the pairing failure for the 1st iPad was coincidental or caused by trying to pair the 2nd one.

bluetooth vs wifi

bluetooth will pair with one device only, where wifi can connect to several devices at the same time.
so if you are trying to run more than one device via bluetooth your pretty much out of luck.

My GDL39 is paired by bluetooth with both my 796 and iPad at the same time.
The pairing between the 796 and GDL39 is always flawless. I always go into
to settings on my ipad and connect with the GDL39 before flight to ensure
it is paired. Many times it won't, and I reboot the iPad then it will connect,
and stays connected for the entire flight.

Tom,
Are you sure you don't have the 796 hardwired to the GDL39 and BT to the iPad? I was told that Bluetooth will only output to 1 device so if I wanted to connect my GDL to both 796 and iPad mini, I would have to hardwire the GDL to the 796 (which there is an adapter) and then it would bluetooth to my iPad with no problem. I want to agree with "Flighting's " post above not you have me doubting that you can in fact connect 2 devices at the same to via a bluetooth.
I know in a different environment, like at home, when I bluetooth to my speaker and someone else wants to bluetooth to that same speaker, it bumps me off or doesn't allow them to connect but only 1 iPhone/iPad/iPod can bluetooth to the speaker at one time. I thought that was just a limitation of the bluetooth technology and that WiFi was the only way to connect multiple devices at one time.

Chino Tom said:

My GDL39 is paired by bluetooth with both my 796 and iPad at the same time.
The pairing between the 796 and GDL39 is always flawless. I always go into
to settings on my ipad and connect with the GDL39 before flight to ensure
it is paired. Many times it won't, and I reboot the iPad then it will connect,
and stays connected for the entire flight.

Click to expand...

Here's an update from the OP:

First, the iPad to GDL pairing via Bluetooth will support more than one device at a time.

Second, I called the portable desk at Garmin and while lying on my back under the instrument panel, followed instructions to attempt to pair either iPad to the GDL with no success.

Then I learned what appears to be the big SECRET that I've never found in the user's manual or read on the forum.

On the iPad Bluetooth settings page, press the blue circled "i" and then "forget this device."

Then go through the pairing procedure procedure again.

Doing this paired both iPads within about 5 seconds, and they remained paired at the same time with all the GDL goodies displayed in flight.

You heard it here . . .

BCP Boys said:

Tom,
Are you sure you don't have the 796 hardwired to the GDL39 and BT to the iPad? .

Click to expand...

Nope, both are paired via Bluetooth. The Garmin manual on page 2-1 states: The GDL 39 may
be connected to multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously.

The GDL39 can connect to multiple devices via bluetooth, but only one 3GX touch display can be hardwired to it. Therefore my GDL39 connects to my PFD and an iPad (Wx and traffic) via bluetooth. At the same time the 3GX display also connects to the iPad (flight plan transfer.) Each time there's a 3GX touch update that mentions bluetooth stability I'm hopeful, but no, it's not stable. That's why I'm excited about the new GTX345 which could replace the GTX330ES, the GDL39, and the GPS20A and be hardwired to both 3GX Displays. For the same functionality I'd only have one bluetooth connection (to the iPad,) not three.

You can instruct the 3GX as well as the iPad to "Forget the device" before re-pairing, which seems to be helpful.