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

Flew 6 hours of cross country this week (a lot for me) using GP on my Nexus 7, with only the tablet's internal GPS and it worked pretty flawlessly, matching my GTN 650s readout, our Area 560s readout, and our analog instruments. Yes, lots o' redundancy there.

I have seen a weird discrepancy tho on my Android phone when it's running GP --basically when I have the radar overlay up, its showing some really sporadic readouts. I noticed this when flying back to Sac on a cloudless, sweltering day and my phone was showing rain over KSAC. Haha, didn't buy that. The metar readouts and everything are accurate, but the radar display is off. Attached is an example comparison from just now in the Bay area ... mobile phone is showing pretty good rain -- the Nexus 7 tablet accurately showing next to nothing. Anyone seen this before?

Android phone


Nexus 7 tablet
 
I've seen a lighter version of that on XM. Sometimes over near Antioch when it's pretty clear. Must pick up some moisture that's hard to see?
 
Something has happened since the last update a week or two ago. We are occasionally not receiving ADS-B radar at all.

This after they sent out the update that fixed the freezing issue that was introduced in the LAST update before that! lol

I would expect another update shortly.
 
Irish_Armada said:
Flew 6 hours of cross country this week (a lot for me) using GP on my Nexus 7, with only the tablet's internal GPS and it worked pretty flawlessly, matching my GTN 650s readout, our Area 560s readout, and our analog instruments. Yes, lots o' redundancy there.

I have seen a weird discrepancy tho on my Android phone when it's running GP --basically when I have the radar overlay up, its showing some really sporadic readouts. I noticed this when flying back to Sac on a cloudless, sweltering day and my phone was showing rain over KSAC. Haha, didn't buy that. The metar readouts and everything are accurate, but the radar display is off. Attached is an example comparison from just now in the Bay area ... mobile phone is showing pretty good rain -- the Nexus 7 tablet accurately showing next to nothing. Anyone seen this before?

Android phone


Nexus 7 tablet
Click to expand...


Could it be the opacity levels are set different?
 
New update is out. 3.0.3. which says it addresses dropped map draw from the GDL 39.

For some reason, I have to go to the play store and tell it to download like when you install it for the first time. GP will not system update on it's own.

I'll have to check my settings. I may have auto updates off ...
 
Matthew said:
Could it be the opacity levels are set different?
Click to expand...

I checked and they are both identical (looks to be the default setting) -- plus I don't recall ever adjusting them. Pretty peculiar glitch, still no clue what is causing it.
 
txflyer said:
New update is out. 3.0.3. which says it addresses dropped map draw from the GDL 39.

For some reason, I have to go to the play store and tell it to download like when you install it for the first time. GP will not system update on it's own.

I'll have to check my settings. I may have auto updates off ...
Click to expand...
That's the update that addresses the dropped map issue -- but seems to have created a new dropped radar issue. I would expect another new update shortly.

If Garmin doesn't issue a fix, I will assume it's a problem with my set up, and do an uninstall/reinstall.
 
Irish_Armada said:
I checked and they are both identical (looks to be the default setting) -- plus I don't recall ever adjusting them. Pretty peculiar glitch, still no clue what is causing it.
Click to expand...

FIXED: Just realized my android phone version of GP was out of date. Installed the update and the radar displays all match now. Well, there ya go -- user error once again. :rolleyes2:
 
Any PIREPS on the GDL-39 3D with GP for Android yet? Curious if folks think it is worth the coin to add the AHRS/Attitude info?

'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
Any PIREPS on the GDL-39 3D with GP for Android yet? Curious if folks think it is worth the coin to add the AHRS/Attitude info?

'Gimp
Click to expand...

Since they have the Synthetic Vision feature I'd think it would be worthwhile to have the AHRS.
 
PIREP:

GP on my Samsung S5 performed well to OSH and back. No drops and no lockups.

The only squawk was, I could not for the life of me get it to bluetooth to the 39. But that could be me and the phone setting.

I had a 696 hard wired to the 39, so that's where I was getting my weather and data. Our autopilot went inop when we took off from 11R. We ended up hand flying round trip. And my Narco 810 com 2 burnt up. Other than that, the old Continental didn't skip a beat. :)
 
I was playing around with one of those "maybe, someday" flights.

I set up on KCAG (Craig-Moffat, CO), then looked at "Nearby". Up popped KDWX (Dixon, CO). It's 33NM away on the 367 radial. 367?

Tap on KCAG. Tap on the airport info button that appears. Scroll down to "More Information".tap on "Nearby".

It show KCAG as 0.0 NM / 369 radial and KDWX 33 nm / 367 radial. When I look at KDWX to KCAG it shows as 173, so the reciprocal should be 353, and that's what does show in the flight planning page.

I just tried it again on several other, random airports, and see similar math.
 
Can someone tell me what the renewal price is for Garmin Pilot? I paid $150 last year. When I went to renew, I saw the the U.S. Standard for $75 and the add-on choices were $50 for U.S. VFR and $75 for U.S. IFR.

Under the U.S. IFR it says "All U.S. VFR features" along with the IFR FliteCharts. Am I supposed to get the U.S. VFR if I buy the U.S. IFR?
 
Marauder said:
Can someone tell me what the renewal price is for Garmin Pilot? I paid $150 last year. When I went to renew, I saw the the U.S. Standard for $75 and the add-on choices were $50 for U.S. VFR and $75 for U.S. IFR.

Under the U.S. IFR it says "All U.S. VFR features" along with the IFR FliteCharts. Am I supposed to get the U.S. VFR if I buy the U.S. IFR?
Click to expand...

$150. Program for $75 and IFR with VFR for $75 more. I actually ordered mine from an on-line vendor as the 'Garmin Pilot App (PRO One Year Subscription)' They emailed me a code and I'm good for another year.
 
chartbundle said:
$150. Program for $75 and IFR with VFR for $75 more. I actually ordered mine from an on-line vendor as the 'Garmin Pilot App (PRO One Year Subscription)' They emailed me a code and I'm good for another year.
Click to expand...


Thanks. That is what I paid for last year and that is what I got. This is what I am getting now. Perhaps I should call them.

eqebaqev.jpg
 
Yea, that's not quite right. I'd try logging out of the account.(Account, Sign Out which I think should be on that screen) and then log back in. And then if it still doesn't update then call them.
 
chartbundle said:
Yea, that's not quite right. I'd try logging out of the account.(Account, Sign Out which I think should be on that screen) and then log back in. And then if it still doesn't update then call them.
Click to expand...


Thanks. I'll see what happens...
 
How are you guys taking a screen shot off your device and putting it on here if I may ask?

I'm constantly playing tech catch-up and have not mastered that trick..
 
txflyer said:
How are you guys taking a screen shot off your device and putting it on here if I may ask?



I'm constantly playing tech catch-up and have not mastered that trick..
Click to expand...


On iPad press power and home button simultaneously. Hear the "camera" noise. Screenshot will be in your Photos.

Then either upload to PoA or many of us use Tapatalk App to read PoA and it has built in photo uploading, hosting, and linking to forums for a few bucks.
 
denverpilot said:
On iPad press power and home button simultaneously. Hear the "camera" noise. Screenshot will be in your Photos.

Then either upload to PoA or many of us use Tapatalk App to read PoA and it has built in photo uploading, hosting, and linking to forums for a few bucks.
Click to expand...


Thanks.

I've just got to figure out what buttons do that on my android stuff. :redface:
 
Is anyone running a new 2014 Nexus with 1920 resolution? My first gen Nexus is 840max res I think. I can't see it real well in bright cockpit light.

Our Samsung S5 worked and looked good to OSH. I put industrial velcro on the back of it's Otter box and I sticky it to an old Garmin yoke mount with a plate. It's very light weight and it was readable in all conditions. Love those VFR direct maps. :)

My next phone, I might try one of those plus size models that's one size bigger than the S5, and that may be all I need. I don't need to read approach plates. Either way, having a smartphone velcro'd to the yoke and being able to rip it off in a second and use it is very convenient. :yes:
 
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txflyer said:
Is anyone running a new 2014 Nexus with 1920 resolution? My first gen Nexus is 840max res I think. I can't see it real well in bright cockpit light.

Our Samsung S5 worked and looked good to OSH. I put industrial velcro on the back of it's Otter box and I sticky it to an old Garmin yoke mount with a plate. It's very light weight and it was readable in all conditions. Love those VFR direct maps. :)

My next phone, I might try one of those plus size models that's one size bigger than the S5, and that may be all I need. I don't need to read approach plates. Either way, having a smartphone velcro'd to the yoke and being able to rip it off in a second and use it is very convenient. :yes:
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We've got the latest Nexus 7, and the video display is really gorgeous.

I agree, it looks amazing on a Samsung Galaxy S5, too. But the bigger screen of the N7 is priceless, especially when displaying traffic information.
 
Jay Honeck said:
We've got the latest Nexus 7, and the video display is really gorgeous.

I agree, it looks amazing on a Samsung Galaxy S5, too. But the bigger screen of the N7 is priceless, especially when displaying traffic information.
Click to expand...


Thanks Jay. I'll probably buy one now.

Flygirl says "thanks a lot!" :nono:



The only squawk was, I fiddled with the S5 for twenty minutes in the air and I couldn't get it to pair with the GDL-39.

I turned on bluetooth, held down the button on the GDL, and the phone sometimes would find it, but then say "cannot pair with device" or something like that when I would tell it to pair. It never gave me the option of entering a code. I tried pairing with the GDL app first, with GP closed and no joy. Nothing else in the plane was running BT so it should pair with one device even if it's cabled to another.

I ran a 696 suction cupped to the windscreen next to me with a cable to the GDL for the trip to OSH. I didn't want to take any chances on pairing. Glad I did. :redface:
 
txflyer said:
Thanks Jay. I'll probably buy one now.

Flygirl says "thanks a lot!" :nono:



The only squawk was, I fiddled with the S5 for twenty minutes in the air and I couldn't get it to pair with the GDL-39.

I turned on bluetooth, held down the button on the GDL, and the phone sometimes would find it, but then say "cannot pair with device" or something like that when I would tell it to pair. It never gave me the option of entering a code. I tried pairing with the GDL app first, with GP closed and no joy. Nothing else in the plane was running BT so it should pair with one device even if it's cabled to another.

I ran a 696 suction cupped to the windscreen next to me with a cable to the GDL for the trip to OSH. I didn't want to take any chances on pairing. Glad I did. :redface:
Click to expand...
Bluetooth is like voodoo. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hard, but once you've connected it is pretty automatic.

When we power up our panel, our Nexus 7 automatically connects to our GRT Horizon HXr EFIS and our GDL-39.

Well, presuming we remember to turn Bluetooth on in the Nexus 7. ;)

It was not always this way. I don't know if Garmin changed something, if the new Nexus 7 is "better" at Bluetooth, or if its just dumb luck -- but it now works perfectly, every time.
 
Guys, I've got a strange problem that has cropped up with Garmin Pilot on my Nexus 7.

On the way to OSH, we noticed that ADS-B radar coverage was becoming hit or miss. We've got it on our GRT Horizon HXr EFIS, now, so it was easy to spot the malfunction.

This continued on the trip home. I've had Garmin Pilot installed on this tablet for almost a year, and it's been updated umpty times during that year, so I thought perhaps it was time for a clean install of the latest version. In my experience, this often resolves intermittent glitches.

So, I uninstalled/reinstalled, while sitting at an FBO in Arkansas. Everything appeared to install normally, I was able to sign into my Garmin account (which verified my subscription status, which I had recently renewed), and off we went.

Once airborne, the quality of the sectional became degraded. I was unable to zoom in without blurring the screen. I could still touch airports and see METARs, and traffic worked -- but still no radar.

While airborne, I went to the settings page, and it said "Sign into your account", and all of my subscription statuses showed whirling "in progress" indicators. Of course, I could not sign in, being airborne.

After landing, and connecting to wifi, all was well again. It showed me to be logged in, all subscriptions up to date, and all charts displaying normally. WTF?

Next flight, poof -- same problem.

The only thing I can think of is that Garmin is interpreting my reinstallation as a NEW installation, and is booting me off because I have too many devices linked to the subscription? Trouble is, I don't remember how/where to check/change that data.

Anyone remember how to check the number of units on a subscription? I seem to recall you had to go to Garmin's website.

Alternatively, any other ideas? This thing ain't worth a plugged nickel if it only works on the ground.
 
Okay, duh -- figured out the fuzzy view in flight problem. I've got to download the sectional charts again. (I *thought* I had done that, but upon checking...)

Still wondering about radar coverage, though. Anyone else seeing solid radar when on WiFi, but spotty coverage when connected via ADS-B?
 
Hope you get it worked out Jay. Got another question;

If I get a new N7, do I need to log in and un-install GP on the old one before I load it on the new one? How do I move subscriptions so that Garmin knows I'm moving from one device to another and not get the subscribed stuff screwed up?

I have current subscriptions for navdata and safetaxi and two instances of GP running. GP on a S5 smartphone, and my current old N7.
 
txflyer said:
Hope you get it worked out Jay. Got another question;

If I get a new N7, do I need to log in and un-install GP on the old one before I load it on the new one? How do I move subscriptions so that Garmin knows I'm moving from one device to another and not get the subscribed stuff screwed up?

I have current subscriptions for navdata and safetaxi and two instances of GP running. GP on a S5 smartphone, and my current old N7.
Click to expand...

That's a great question. If you go to Garmin's FAQs for Garmin Pilot, the method they tell you to use for this does NOT work. In fact, the buttons they tell you to push aren't even there. :mad2:
 
txflyer said:
Hope you get it worked out Jay. Got another question;



If I get a new N7, do I need to log in and un-install GP on the old one before I load it on the new one? How do I move subscriptions so that Garmin knows I'm moving from one device to another and not get the subscribed stuff screwed up?



I have current subscriptions for navdata and safetaxi and two instances of GP running. GP on a S5 smartphone, and my current old N7.
Click to expand...


I moved to an iPad Air and Mini. I had a copy on an N7 and another on an iPad 2. I didn't uninstall them. During the log-in on the new devices, it told me that I could only have it on 2 devices and asked which one I wanted to keep.

On the iPad, you needed to make sure you gave them unique names. Otherwise you couldn't tell which "iPad" you were deactivating.
 
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flyingriki said:
Is it more visible under a canopy than the original?
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Yes. The brightness of the screen is really nice.

It also helps that we installed one of those sliding canopy shades. It made a huge difference in the South Texas sun.
 
After my experience with the S5 and how readable it was, I'm thinking about going with a s8.4 and leave N7 behind.

It costs more, but hey, it's flying and safety and all that bizz, so it is what it is ...

The super amoled screen on them is getting all the best reviews. It has GPS GLONASS, which I don't know if I need or not, but it's there. And it's a bit thinner than a N7. 4900mah battery instead of a 3750 on the N7. Mainly, I want to be able to read it. If it's anything like my S5, it should be great. :dunno::redface:
 
Did the Android version of Garmin Pilot improve to the same level as the iOS version. I dropped the N7 because they were pretty different a year ago.
 
Marauder said:
Did the Android version of Garmin Pilot improve to the same level as the iOS version. I dropped the N7 because they were pretty different a year ago.
Click to expand...

I don't have the iOS version to compare against, but I think the 'droid version is still behind.
 
Marauder said:
I moved to an iPad Air and Mini. I had a copy on an N7 and another on an iPad 2. I didn't uninstall them. During the log-in on the new devices, it told me that I could only have it on 2 devices and asked which one I wanted to keep.

On the iPad, you needed to make sure you gave them unique names. Otherwise you couldn't tell which "iPad" you were deactivating.
Click to expand...


Got it. Thanks.

I'm probably going to get a new Samsung s8.4 tablet instead of another N7. The screen resolution is more. More is better. Or give in and get an iOS tablet.

Anybody want to buy an older N7? ...:wink2:.
 
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Marauder said:
Did the Android version of Garmin Pilot improve to the same level as the iOS version. I dropped the N7 because they were pretty different a year ago.
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I don't think so ..

I'm about ready to throw in the towel and just get an apple not only for GP SVT, but for foreflight maybe.

I wonder if you can run one iOS device and one android device on the same premium GP subscription?
 
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