XM Aviation Weather Refresh

Lance F

Lance F

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Lance F
As always, XM Av Weather decides to deactivate at the most inconvenient times. My son taxied to the runway with popups all over the place around here and, sure enough, the weather won't load. He texted me to help.
At one time I had a web link where you can get a refresh sent, but I cannot find it. Does anyone have that link that they can post?
I called the 800 number, a human answered quickly and she sent the necessary refresh. Shortly thereafter the weather loaded.
With today's technology I cannot understand why they persist with a system that disables paid in full customers.
 
There is a web link - I've got it bookmarked in my smartphone.

I thought the limitation was intentionally designed into the radio, but I may be wrong.
 
Not sure what time frame you are expecting but mine regularly doesn't show up until a few minutes into the flight, rarely on the ground. I see the wx delay number come up long before I have METARS or winds etc.....
One thing I have been noticing a lot lately is 'XM signal Lost' out in clear blue sky. And the music tend to cut out a lot. Wish there were better options but all involve some compromises. ADS-B doesn't seem to work at all on the ground and screwing around with iPods etc. isn't my cup of tea either - oh well.....:dunno:
 
I get the indication that the weather is authorized on my GDL69A/MX20 within a few minutes of power up even if it hasn't received the weather downloads full enough to display anything. Of course, one problem I have is that the XM antenna is shaded by the canopy when it is open.
 
If you haven't flown or used the antenna for an extended period, it will have to be refreshed, weather or radio.:mad2: I keep the website as a favorite on my iPad.
 
Lance F said:
With today's technology I cannot understand why they persist with a system that disables paid in full customers.
Click to expand...

The issue is that the data flows only one way...from XM to the radio. There's no feedback, or opportunity for the radio to "check in" and say "Am I authorized?"

As I understand it...and this is just from reading open-source information (not affiliated in any way with SiriusXM), they will periodically send out signals that say "Radio ID: ABCDEFG, you are authorized for 1 month for these channels and datalink weather." Now, XM has no way of knowing if that radio received its authorization or not. Now, that radio sticks that authorization aside in its database and is good until it receives a new one.

Where this breaks down is radios that are not used for some time...they expire out of their authorization. Given some time, they will eventually pick up an authorization on their own as their ID comes up in the "cycle" of authorization transmissions. But the website/CSR can put a particular radio at the top of the list for an authorization, inserting it into the cycle "now", which is what the refresh does.
 
That's pretty much as I understand it too. However, it is a system that can leave the fully paid up subscriber high and dry. It is my experience that you can fly often and still be unlucky enough that you didn't catch an authorization signal while you were flying. The next time you get in the plane...no weather download.
When the flight is into questionable weather, which is about every day in the southeast this year, you can't take off and "hope" you'll get a signal. You are forced to go to them and ask that they give you what you've already paid for.
Just doesn't seem right. But since there is no competition...
JeffDG said:
The issue is that the data flows only one way...from XM to the radio. There's no feedback, or opportunity for the radio to "check in" and say "Am I authorized?"

As I understand it...and this is just from reading open-source information (not affiliated in any way with SiriusXM), they will periodically send out signals that say "Radio ID: ABCDEFG, you are authorized for 1 month for these channels and datalink weather." Now, XM has no way of knowing if that radio received its authorization or not. Now, that radio sticks that authorization aside in its database and is good until it receives a new one.

Where this breaks down is radios that are not used for some time...they expire out of their authorization. Given some time, they will eventually pick up an authorization on their own as their ID comes up in the "cycle" of authorization transmissions. But the website/CSR can put a particular radio at the top of the list for an authorization, inserting it into the cycle "now", which is what the refresh does.
Click to expand...
 
Lance F said:
That's pretty much as I understand it too. However, it is a system that can leave the fully paid up subscriber high and dry. It is my experience that you can fly often and still be unlucky enough that you didn't catch an authorization signal while you were flying. The next time you get in the plane...no weather download.
When the flight is into questionable weather, which is about every day in the southeast this year, you can't take off and "hope" you'll get a signal. You are forced to go to them and ask that they give you what you've already paid for.
Just doesn't seem right. But since there is no competition...
Click to expand...

Eh? I sold my 396 back in June and now use a Stratus II with Foreflight. Does almost everything XM did, and I am not bleeding $30 per month for aviator lite to XM. Agreed there are differences, both good and bad, but since I disliked XM so much - both for the reason discussed in this thread and their awful customer service, I can live with ADS-B WX just fine.....

Good comparo here:
http://foreflight.com/support/xmvfisb
http://ipadpilotnews.com/2012/05/flying-with-stratus-a-practical-perspective/
 
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