Garmin Pilot for Android -- Tech Support, Tips, Tricks

txflyer said:
Wow. I just realized GP was not updating versions automatically on mine, and I just went from 2.3.2 to this new one. I had to go to the app store and tell it to install, then it updated.

Huge difference. :goofy:
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When I saw this update on the thread I was wondering why mine wasn't updated as well. In the past it would automatically update but I had to do the same as you did. Strange...
 
I have turned off auto-update, but I still, usually, get an update notice pushed to my N7. It took a while, then I got the "update available" message. I updated and jumped from .2 to .4. Maybe, after the last fiasco, they are rolling the updates out a little at a time this time around. Probably helps keep them from getting slammed from everyone reporting the same bug list at the same time.
 
Reporting on 2.6.4, LOTS of crashes and it animates the weather data whether or not you want it - if you pause it, it only stays paused for a little while, then turns on the animation again by itself.

Crashed multiple times during flight planning, on edits and waypoint adds/deletes.

I 'flew' 2.6.4 via Microsoft FSX, KMYF to KRTS, had 5 crashes in 1.6 hrs, usually on split-screen changes, e.g., switching to Panel from Charts, etc., but also crashed when selecting map overlay.

Concerned because it was rock solid before the 2.6.3 and 2.6.4 updates.

Also, is there a center-on-own-aircraft option for SafeTaxi? I can't find one but it is ridiculous to think something called SafeTaxi would require additional heads-down time to scroll along the airport diagram while taxiing. I am hoping I am just missing something in settings/options.

'Gimp
 
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Version 2.6.3 arrived Tuesday. I flew with it for 3.4 hours Wednesday. Conditions were very hot at 95 F; close to the maximum operating temperature of the Nexus. It's possible that some of these problems were heat related, not software related.

Version 2.6.4 arrived Thursday. I have not yet flown with it. Maybe some of the 2.6.3 problems have been fixed. This version has an annoying bug -- endlessly-repeating animation. Anyhow, here is my report on the changes:

Version 2.6.4

Fixed: Issue with animated map layers.
The fix is endlessly repeating animation. Cure far worse than problem

Version 2.6.3

New: Supports selection of a runway when loading Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) and Standard Instrument Departure Procedures (SIDs) into the active flight plan.

Seems a harmless idea.

New: Support the use of Q-Routes and T-Routes for RNAV equipped aircraft.
Nothing I would have requested, but likewise harmless.

New: Show ADS-B ground station signal quality in the header when connected to the GDL 39.

This is an actual imptovement

New: Show traffic status icons on the main map when the traffic layer is enabled.
It would be valuable if the icons accurately reported status, as they used to.

Improved: Easier to select Rhode Island, Delaware and District of Columbia in the Approach Plates download map.
Who cares?

Improved: Added an option to view temperatures in the winds aloft map.
I haven't tried this yet, but it would be an improvement as long as it introduces no serious problems.

Fixed: Various reported fixes and crashes.
Major fail. Version 2.6.2 was rock-solid. Version 2.6.3 crashed five times during a 3 hour flight. Tablet also lost charge steadily during flight despite indicating "Charging AC".

Paul
 
Tablet also lost charge steadily during flight despite indicating "Charging AC".
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It is easily possible for GPS-using apps to use more power than a 12/24vdc car charger provides.

I spent a lot of time testing car chargers and found this one: http://www.amazon.com/Anker-Charger...9198383&sr=8-4&keywords=anker+car+charger+usb to be the best by far. Using its attached coiled cord it will run my GPS-intensive Copilot Live highway maps app and still charge the N7 battery at over 20%/hour. Most of the other chargers I tested would lose a few percent of battery per hour when Copilot was running. More: http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59414

I have not done any careful testing with Garmin Pilot, but as they increase features and animations it is entirely possible that it is becoming more power-hungry.
 
Put another 2 hrs on 2.6.4 using the FSX sim setup while watching the Reno Air Races (flew the incredible A2A Civilian P-51D from Stead to Montgomery) - no crashes this flight even with several split-screen changes and other activities.

Paying more attention to what is happening, it appears the app starts/re-starts the weather animation every time that the weather data is updated, so basically every time you look down it is animated again, very annoying/distracting.

2.6.2 was completely stable on my Acer A500, but 2.6.3 and 2.6.4 have gotten progressively LESS stable - come on Garmin....

'Gimp
 
general Nexus question:
If I hit the right button, icons of apps pops up and usually this list is quite long. Then I hold/tap an app and up pops "remove from list" Often I remove all but chrome.

Am I not correctly exiting apps, resulting in them staying 'active'? Are all these apps hogging tablet resources/speed?

Or should I simply ignore this list and not worry about 'closing' them: in other words is there any advantage to closing them?
Thanks
 
Badger said:
general Nexus question:
If I hit the right button, icons of apps pops up and usually this list is quite long. Then I hold/tap an app and up pops "remove from list" Often I remove all but chrome.

Am I not correctly exiting apps, resulting in them staying 'active'? Are all these apps hogging tablet resources/speed?

Or should I simply ignore this list and not worry about 'closing' them: in other words is there any advantage to closing them?
Thanks
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I operate with the understanding that the recent app list is no big deal, and that Android is desisgned to switch quickly from app to app, there is not supposed to be a resource or battery drain simply from recent apps UNLESS you are getting memory errors.

I personally do use the recent apps list to 'kill' recent apps but that is more habit than anything - under normal ops you should not 'need' to do anything. YMMV.

'Gimp
 
So then if an app isn't used for a period of time, it will drop off this list?
 
I think it will stay on the list. I don't know if they use any resources or not when they are in that state. I didn't know you could press and hold to get a 'remove from list' message. I've always just swiped the app off the side of the screen to remove it.

Guess it's time to read the manual.
 
my wifey bought me a GDL 39 for b-day!

The DC plug baggie says 12volt. My plane is 24 volt...am I out of luck for using ships power?

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/190-11110-00_0C_web.pdf
page 5-3 says power source is 10-32 vdc, but I'm wondering if the plug is rated for the 24 volt
 
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Matthew said:
I think it will stay on the list. I don't know if they use any resources or not when they are in that state. I didn't know you could press and hold to get a 'remove from list' message. I've always just swiped the app off the side of the screen to remove it.

Guess it's time to read the manual.
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In my experience apps never leave the recently-used list.

Whether an app is using resources is only loosely related to whether it shows up in the recent app list. Apps never drop off the recent apps list. Apps can use resources when they're not on the list, and they usually don't use resources when they are on the list. :)

If your device is rooted the app greenify is VERY helpful for controlling resource use (memory, cpu, battery, etc). It lets you pick apps that get auto-stopped anytime you haven't been using them for a while. Obviously don't do that for things that you want running in the background (music, maps, email, SMS, navigation, etc). However, if you don't care about Facebook notifications and such it is a great way to make sure the app stays stopped, and it is a lot less work than task-killer apps (which are only somewhat effective as apps can get restarted).

Ideally apps should have an option to control whether they run in the background, and many do, but for the ones that don't Greenify lets you have your cake and eat it too.
 
AcroGimp said:
Put another 2 hrs on 2.6.4 using the FSX sim setup while watching the Reno Air Races (flew the incredible A2A Civilian P-51D from Stead to Montgomery) - no crashes this flight even with several split-screen changes and other activities.

Paying more attention to what is happening, it appears the app starts/re-starts the weather animation every time that the weather data is updated, so basically every time you look down it is animated again, very annoying/distracting.

2.6.2 was completely stable on my Acer A500, but 2.6.3 and 2.6.4 have gotten progressively LESS stable - come on Garmin....

'Gimp
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FWIW I flew a couple hours over the weekend with 2.6.4 and it seemed stable for me (this is on a Galaxy Note 10.1). This included using XM weather via MobileLink. I actually didn't notice any changes as compared to 2.6.2, but I didn't use T routes or STARs on these flights.
 
another ForeFlight update was released today
 
Can someone with the Garmin Pilot app check and see if the 3 TFRs in Colorado (just west of KBDU and KFTC) for the flood relief show up on the map? I could see them yesterday, but they were re-released today by the FAA and now they don't show up in Garmin Pilot.

Thanks!
 
I dont see them
 
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I flew yesterday with 2.6.4 and it was completely stable. Weather was about 25 F cooler than last week.

The continuously-animated NEXRAD is annoying, but power consumption is normal and there were no crashes. I can't tell how many of last week's problems were the very high temperatures and how many were 2.6.3 bugs that were fixed in 2.6.4
 
kgruber said:
You can stop it at any point.
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Skywag, are you on 2.6.4? Many of us that updated are seeing the weather animate itself, even AFTER we tell it stop. For me, it seems to reactivate with weather updates - I can select it off again, but it will invariably turn itself back on.

Curious if you are not seeing that but are 2.6.4.

'Gimp
 
New update for Gamin Pilot IOS version (5.2.0) Time to switch back to Ipad from Hisense Pro. Android version of Pilot is just too far behind.

Proposed Routing
Terrain and Obstacle Enhancements
Distance Rings
Runway Extended Centerlines
IPhone enhancements
 
i need recommendations... Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 3 7? Can i please get pros and cons from your experiences?
 
Tradford said:
i need recommendations... Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 3 7? Can i please get pros and cons from your experiences?
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Nexus is cheaper and has a track record. Samsung makes good stuff but no experience with it that I've seen reported here.
 
LDJones said:
Nexus is cheaper and has a track record. Samsung makes good stuff but no experience with it that I've seen reported here.
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actually Galaxy is cheaper. I like it because its smaller, but i'm wanting to hear any recommendations or previous experiences on it
 
Tradford said:
actually Galaxy is cheaper. I like it because its smaller, but i'm wanting to hear any recommendations or previous experiences on it
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I was thinking of the 8. They have the advantage of a MicroSD slot. Not sure how that works with GP in terms of how you control placement of your data.
 
Thanks. I went to the Best Buy specifically to purchase a Nexus 7, but the Samsung Tab 3 was sitting right next to it. It has a smaller foot print and runs the same os. We pulled down Garmin Pilot on both devices and did a side by side comparison. They looked about the same. I'll run it around the block and if I hate it, I can always take it back and swap it for the Nexus.
 
Does the iPad version record your GPS track? That's one feature I'd like to see - to be able to download the track later, or overlay it onto Google Earth.
 
Garmin just put labeled extended runway center lines in Pilot for iOS. If they add that to the Droid version, I will consider using my Nexus 7 in the cockpit in place of my iPad 3.
 
Relatively new to Garmin Pilot, so maybe someone can help me out here. Version 2.6.4 on a Nexus 7. This just started happening after I tried to input the following route in the "File & Brief" window:

KBZN HIA4.HIA KMSO

GP didn't like it, so I tried putting it in the "Active FPL" window. Now whenever I try to go to "File & Brief" GP just restarts itself. I cleared the route from the Active FPL and now I can't even get to the File & Brief window - every time I try GP just restarts itself.

This message appears for less than a second before it restarts itself: "Unfortunately, Garmin Pilot has stopped." Also, if I log out of my GP account and use it as a free trial, it seems to work fine. In addition, I am running GP on my laptop through BlueStacks (a program that lets you use android apps on windows) with the same exact problem.
 
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Samwise said:
Relatively new to Garmin Pilot, so maybe someone can help me out here. Version 2.6.4 on a Nexus 7. This just started happening after I tried to input the following route in the "File & Brief" window:

KBZN HIA4.HIA KMSO

GP didn't like it, so I tried putting it in the "Active FPL" window. Now whenever I try to go to "File & Brief" GP just restarts itself. I cleared the route from the Active FPL and now I can't even get to the File & Brief window - every time I try GP just restarts itself.

This message appears for less than a second before it restarts itself: "Unfortunately, Garmin Pilot has stopped." Also, if I log out of my GP account and use it as a free trial, it seems to work fine. In addition, I am running GP on my laptop through BlueStacks (a program that lets you use android apps on windows) with the same exact problem.
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I had a problem like this on the iOS version.. Required me to uninstall and re-install the app.
 
So I'm in the midst of the 30 day free trial on my brand new Nexus 7. I haven't used it in flight yet, but I've been giving it a good test on the ground.

I ran into this problem today. I was trying to see if I could get AR routes to work. I programed in a flight plan that was KBED SSOXS ILM AR21 CRANS. Everything worked great, AR21 was a choice when I plugged in ILM, and I picked CRANS as my exit point. Thought I was good to go, till I saw the map....

Screenshot_2013-09-24-16-14-19_zpsd788592c.png


Fail....
 
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Is AR21 an airport (heliport?) in Arkansas? I get the same point if I enter it in my Nexus 7 using GP.
 
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Ghery said:
OK. I don't think GP understands V routes, either, so it defaulted to a heliport that had that designation.
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I don't think you understand AR routes. This has nothing to do with a V route

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
Groundpounder said:
I don't think you understand AR routes. This has nothing to do with a V route

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
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True, I know nothing about them. I was simply observing that GP may not know about them anymore than it knows about V routes, hence its confusion with a heliport with the same designation.
 
Ghery said:
True, I know nothing about them. I was simply observing that GP may not know about them anymore than it knows about V routes, hence its confusion with a heliport with the same designation.
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Sorry, I thought you were referring to my username, not Garmin Pilot.

The app knows about the AR route, it was on the list of airways off of ILM, but for some reason it sent me to the heliport.

What is the best way to send this error to garmin?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
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