Dual XGPS150A troubleshooting

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HouTxPilot82

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HouTxPilot82
After missing a few months of flight time, finally got my biannual flight review done and am ready to fly again. For many years I have used Google Nexus 7 2013 tablet with Avare + Avare I/O external plugin to connect with XGPS150a GPS unit for position data. That tablet broke a while ago and I recently bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab Lite A7 tablet. Installed a new version of Avare that apparently has integrated the I/O external plugin functionality into a tab within the app, as opposed to the separate plugin app you needed before. I've paired the XGPS unit with this new tablet and gone into that 'IO' tab within Avare to connect to the GPS unit after pairing it with m y tablet. The data flowing for lat/long seems to be reporting 0 values for everything (lat/long,etc).

Any ideas on how I would go about troubleshooting this? I've done a lot of Googling and tried to install other apps where I can see the data flowing to see if this is an issue with Avare or with my GPS unit itself. I'm able to pair the GPS unit with new devices without a problem (such as my new tablet and also my iPhone). I found the 'SkyPro GPS Status Tool' by Dual (makers of the XGPS150) and installed that from play store on my Android Tablet. When I launch that app it shows connected to the GPS unit, and the battery percentage of the unit, but does NOT show the firmware. Also says 'waiting for sat data' for all the Position Information fields. Within that app, when navigating to the tab at the bottom for Satellites, I can see 3 or 4 green bars for different satellites with unique numbers, but at the top 'No Fix'. Any thoughts on whether this indicates the unit itself is no longer working?

Thanks.
 
Dumb question, but are you in full view of the sky. I have an XGPS170 that only really gave me satellite info when I was outside.

I could also send that 170 unit I have (it was working when I last used it) for a song.
 
Fair question - I do have full visibility of the sky, the GPS light flickers constantly as it has always done. Also in the past, this device has never had issue streaming accurate coordinates even when I'm indoors at home or in the briefing room at flight school. I reached out to Dual support via email and they suggested updating firmware via PC so I'll try to do that tonight and see if that resolves the issue.
 
EdFred said:
Dumb question, but are you in full view of the sky. I have an XGPS170 that only really gave me satellite info when I was outside.

I could also send that 170 unit I have (it was working when I last used it) for a song.
Click to expand...
I still have a 170D in my flight bag. Turns out to be useful as a backup.
 
I have an old 150A. I have not come across your issue. Dumb answer possibilities:

1. Did you select the XGPS in the IO tab (all the way on the right)? You should start seeing the connection log running if it's working.
2. Probably not since you were using Android anyway but have you accidentally switched the toggle (next to the charger input) from Android to iOS?
 
midlifeflyer said:
I have an old 150A. I have not come across your issue. Dumb answer possibilities:

1. Did you select the XGPS in the IO tab (all the way on the right)? You should start seeing the connection log running if it's working.
2. Probably not since you were using Android anyway but have you accidentally switched the toggle (next to the charger input) from Android to iOS?
Click to expand...

Yep - when I mentioned in OP about seeing the data flowing that's the exact screen I was referencing: gone into IO tab, selected bluetooth from dropdown , selected XGPS150 unit within the green box, clicked on 'connect' and the data log starts flowing at the bottom with all 0 values.

I did not know there was even a toggle there until later and it's on the correct position for Android.
 
HouTxPilot82 said:
Yep - when I mentioned in OP about seeing the data flowing that's the exact screen I was referencing: gone into IO tab, selected bluetooth from dropdown , selected XGPS150 unit within the green box, clicked on 'connect' and the data log starts flowing at the bottom with all 0 values.

I did not know there was even a toggle there until later and it's on the correct position for Android.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. One more troubleshoot idea: Your tablet has internal GPS. Maybe a conflict. Have you changed to Airplane Mode and turned on Bluetooth by itself? At least you'll be sure any location data you see is from the XGPS not the tablet itself.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Hmmm. One more troubleshoot idea: Your tablet has internal GPS. Maybe a conflict. Have you changed to Airplane Mode and turned on Bluetooth by itself? At least you'll be sure any location data you see is from the XGPS not the tablet itself.
Click to expand...

Yes that thought crossed my mind so I did try that already but it didn't help. When I disconnect the XGPS, on the 'map' page of Avare I do see the Houston map load and puts the plane icon at my location appropriately... it's when connecting XGPS that the map page goes 'haywire' (in that it doesn't load the Houston map and says I need to download a map, presumably because it's plotting me at 0.0/0.0).
 
If you also use an Android phone, try connecting there. If it works, at least you'll know it's probably a tablet setting rather than a XGPS issue.

Oh...I assume you have tried to turn on/off the "Secure" switch on the IO tab?

If not, sorry, I'm out of ideas and unfortunately I don't have a newer Android tablet to try some things.
 
Thanks for the suggestions! yes - I've also tried to toggle that secure switch. After doing all that I had tried that SkyPro GPS tool hoping I'd get some useful info from there. I'll try to get that firmware update done and see if it fixes anything.
 
Update on this. A couple of things I tried to verify the XGPS unit itself was working:

1. Installed the Apple version of the 'SkyPro GPS Status Tool' I mentioned in OP, on my iPhone and moved the notch over to the right on my GPS unit. I was able to connect via bluetooth and see all the position fields populate on main tab and on the satellites tab, instead of 'no fix' it showed a fix.
2. Installed Avare on an Android phone I have. Moved the notch back over to the left on the XGPS Unit. Paired it with the Android phone and went into the Avare App, IO tab, connected to the unit and the position log data started flowing at the bottom with ACTUAL values and not just 0s, unlike the new Samsung android tablet.

Both of the above indicated the XGPS unit was receiving data; pointing to some kind of issue with the new tablet.

Then I downloaded the V4.2.4 update from the Dual site here: https://www.dualgpssolutions.com/explore-by-product/xgps150a and followed all the step by step instructions here https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...0459187963/150_v4.2.4_FirmwareUpdateGuide.pdf

After doing that firmware update, I went back to the new Samsung tablet and back into Avare, IO tab, connected... IT WORKS... actual position data showing up in the log flowing at the bottom and flipping back to the 'Map' page on Avare now loads the Houston map and positions me correctly.
 
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