XM wx activation blues

[gismo]

Well, it's happened to me now. I'm talking about the automatic "deactivation" of the Heads Up XM weather receiver in my plane. I was told previously that as long as I used the receiver (IE flew the plane) every two weeks or so it wouldn't "time out" and require re-activation. NOT SO! I flew for nearly an hour last weekend and yesterday when I was ready to depart for Michigan I noticed a little "activation" icon in the lower left corner of the EX 500 display which I (correctly) guessed meant the wx receiver needed to be "refreshed" by XM. I tried to reach XM on my cellphone before taking off but had some difficulty and didn't want to sit in the runnup area with engines running much longer so I departed without getting through. Attempts in the air were futile as well (my GSM phone never seems to work in the air). I even got Minneapolis Center to attempt contacting XM but they said they were unable to get through either. So I called XM as soon as I landed and got them to send a "refresh" as I was taxiing in. The instructions they give are to leave the radio on for at least 20 minutes and of course the refresh hadn't occurred by the time I was ready to shut down. I even switched the avionics back on for another 5 minutes after killing the engines to no avail. Curiously the XM audio receiver in the plane was still working and didn't need a "refresh" even though it's never on unless the wx receiver is also on.

Today I went online to initiate another refresh and learned that:

1> XM's website checks the user's browser ID and won't accept Firefox.

2> Once you log in and wade through the links you get to a page that lists all the Radio ID's assigned to your account along with a "refresh" link for each ID as well as an ID for "all".

3> Selecting a specific "refresh" link takes opens a window that requires you to enter the stoopid ID that you just selected from the list. Also it turns out you can reach this link directly (without ever logging in) using the URL: "www.xmradio.com/refresh".

4> Once you get to the refresh page and enter an ID, you eventually get a new page that either says the refresh occurred or a page that says they are "sorry but it didn't work, please check the ID and try again or call on the phone".

5> It appears that once you have initiated a refresh with a particular ID, you will get the "sorry..." response on subsequent attempts although nothing in their apology says to expect this behavior.

6> Now I guess I'll have to go back to the airport and fire up the XM receiver until it gets "refreshed" if I want to have weather available on the flight home tomorrow.

7> Sheesh!

 

[jesse]

Sounds like they need to rethink a thing or two

I was wondering how the whole refresh system worked. I know I didn't drive my car for at least two weeks and my Sirius was still rolling when I drove it again.. Perhaps it's set on a 30 day cycle or something

 

[mikea]

This is one of those cases where I tell them they should be less concerned with me wanting use their stuff without paying and be more concerned if I want to use it at all!.

 

[Brian Austin]

This is one of those cases where I tell them they should be less concerned with me wanting use their stuff without paying and be more concerned if I want to use it at all!.

It doesn't make sense as a anti-piracy measure. I've had Verizon Aircards activated, used once or twice and then lost in a mechanic's truck for three months. When it was finally found again, pop it back into the laptop and it's still functional with no activation. Obviously, the bill was paid all the time but continuous activation requirements would make me toss it out the window.

 

[mikea]

It doesn't make sense as a anti-piracy measure. I've had Verizon Aircards activated, used once or twice and then lost in a mechanic's truck for three months. When it was finally found again, pop it back into the laptop and it's still functional with no activation. Obviously, the bill was paid all the time but continuous activation requirements would make me toss it out the window.

I had an extra week of downtime with my first DirectTivo because it had bad access card reader and had to be repalced and shipped back. Mind you, the rest of it could work. I just had to fix the part that told them I was customer and not a thief.

I first used that phrase for a Unix backup suite we would buy. You had to call and give them a long serial number to get an authorization code separately for each component: backup software, network backup management, tape drive, and tape library. Needles to say you had to call them during office hours which was never the time you could have a server down.

 

[gismo]

It doesn't make sense as a anti-piracy measure. I've had Verizon Aircards activated, used once or twice and then lost in a mechanic's truck for three months. When it was finally found again, pop it back into the laptop and it's still functional with no activation. Obviously, the bill was paid all the time but continuous activation requirements would make me toss it out the window.

The problem with XM is that it's one-way. Their system sends a deactivation code for a while after your subscription expires but not for ever since the bandwidth would eventually get overwhelemed with nothing but deactivations. They are concerned that users might circumvent the security by leaving a receiver off long enough to miss all the deactivations and thus continue to work indefinitely. Seems to me that there's got to be a better way around this, especially for wx receivers which are a small fraction of the total receiver population.

 

[TMetzinger]

It doesn't make sense as a anti-piracy measure. I've had Verizon Aircards activated, used once or twice and then lost in a mechanic's truck for three months. When it was finally found again, pop it back into the laptop and it's still functional with no activation. Obviously, the bill was paid all the time but continuous activation requirements would make me toss it out the window.

The Aircard is two-way, so it transmits it's id to Verizon, who can determine if you've paid the bills.

XM is ONE-WAY, so they have to come up with a method that works for a receiver - and the method they use is to periodically change the encryption keys and transmit those keys only to valid receivers. Of course, if your receiver isn't on at the moment, you miss the update and can't receive any data until you get the next one. I think that requesting a refresh inserts a coded packet for YOUR reciever into the data stream so you don't have to wait for the next mass update.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Lance:
There is a software update that's supposed to improve this. See if you have the latest when you get a chance.

Dave

 

[gismo]

The Aircard is two-way, so it transmits it's id to Verizon, who can determine if you've paid the bills.

XM is ONE-WAY, so they have to come up with a method that works for a receiver - and the method they use is to periodically change the encryption keys and transmit those keys only to valid receivers. Of course, if your receiver isn't on at the moment, you miss the update and can't receive any data until you get the next one. I think that requesting a refresh inserts a coded packet for YOUR reciever into the data stream so you don't have to wait for the next mass update.

That may be correct. I read somewhere (could have been someone else's guess) that XM receivers deactivate themselves after enough time has elapsed since the last time they were used successfully. Either way I can't see why one receiver (audio) would get disabled when it was operated at the same time as the other receiver (wx) that got shut down.

I also read that there's a firmware upgrade for the Garmin XM receiver that extends the timeout or else somehow improves the situation for that unit.

 

[gismo]

New info from the Heads Up website (actually old info but new to me):

The following details reported XM WX Satellite Weather deactivation issues:


Description of Problem
XM Satellite Radio has become aware of a reported issue with a number of avionics systems used to display XM WX Satellite Weather service. These avionic systems incorporate a display device in conjunction with an XM data receiver for delivery of the XM WX service.

What is the issue?
These avionics systems are reported to have ceased display of the XM WX weather data following a period of satisfactory operation - this has been reported at pre-flight power-up (following a previous flight during which the system performed correctly) and also during flight. In all reported cases, service has been restored by performing an Activation Refresh on the XM data receiver. (See details below on the Activation Refresh Process).
Note: Some user of the XM WX Satellite Weather service have apparently been incorrectly advised that an XM data receiver will automatically de-activate if not used within several days or even weeks. This is incorrect information - all XM receivers are designed to operate without needing an Activation Refresh even if not used for many months.

Short Term Solution
In the event that service is interrupted by this deactivation issue, a simple Activation Refresh action will restore your service.
Note: The Activation Refresh is not a preemptvie solution in that it will not prevent a deactivation from occurring. The Activation Refresh will only address the deactivation once it has occurred.

I see from the text that I'll have to call XM again before trying to re-activate the receiver since the internet based method only works for 15 minutes (not very practical unless you have internet in your plane). I wonder if I could do it from the browser on my cellphone?



There is an oblique reference to a software update to cure the problem, but no word on when it will be available or how it will be accomplished. I guess I'll be giving them a call on Tuesday about that.

 

[Lance F]

Get this. My plane was down, inside a hanger for at least seven weeks during my overhaul. When I first took the plane out, I was CERTAIN I'd have to reactivate. Well it came up right away with all sevices. Go figure.

 

[gismo]

Get this. My plane was down, inside a hanger for at least seven weeks during my overhaul. When I first took the plane out, I was CERTAIN I'd have to reactivate. Well it came up right away with all sevices. Go figure.

Yep, it sounds like the two weeks to self destruct is pure OWT. I wish the internet refresh lasted longer than 15 minutes, before I read that I was thinking of setting up a script on a computer at work to send it every day.

 

[jesse]

before I read that I was thinking of setting up a script on a computer at work to send it every day.

Probably wouldn't be too hard to setup a script to where you could send an e-mail from your phone to an address and if you do that.. it'll activate it. Or if you've got web access..you could write a real low profile php page that you could load which would activate it

 

[Joe B]

I see from the text that I'll have to call XM again before trying to re-activate the receiver since the internet based method only works for 15 minutes (not very practical unless you have internet in your plane). I wonder if I could do it from the browser on my cellphone?

That's how I do it - works fine.

Regards,
Joe

 

[Lance F]

I've never had a problem getting a human on the phone when calling XM. After I learned about this deactivation business, I put the XM phone number and the ID # of my GDL69 in my cell phone memory.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Lance:

The software update I did was to the 396. Supposedly did a couple things. Longer time to deactivate was one; another was showing areas where there weren't NEXRAD coverage. In the past, the area would just be clear and one wouldn't know there wasn't coverage in that area.

From what you've said, I'd look to update the software on your receiving units or contact those folks also.

Dave

 

[TNFlyer]

I have this same problem when I haven't actuallt turned on the XMWX for a week or two (I have the anywhere WX and a PDA), so I sometimes don;t turn it on when flying around locally. I sure wish thay would change this automatic disconnect, it always seems to happen when I need the system the most, and at $50/ month.........

 

[Dan Smith]

Lance,

On behalf of all of us that are in the technological hinterlands, thanks for being on the leading edge. XM weather, glass cockpits, etc. are the wave of the future, but until all the teething pains are worked out I admit I'm kind of glad I'm not participating. Hang in there!

Dan

 

[Bill]

Yep, it sounds like the two weeks to self destruct is pure OWT.

The problem is I don't know exactly how long the idle time is before self destruct. We have a roady we use for audio for long car trips. It once timed out after two months inactive, but other times worked fine after four months. Who knows?

 

[zephyr]

Mine sits 4-5 weeks at a time and always works. With summer weather patters starting I'm finally getting my moneys worth out of it.

 

[zephyr]

Mine sits 4-5 weeks at a time and always works. With summer weather patters starting I'm finally getting my moneys worth out of it.

 

[gismo]

The problem is I don't know exactly how long the idle time is before self destruct. We have a roady we use for audio for long car trips. It once timed out after two months inactive, but other times worked fine after four months. Who knows?

According to the Heads Up tech I talked to, it's a periodic 6 month thing so the timing of the inactivity might be a factor as well as the length.

 

[Bill]

. With summer weather patters starting I'm finally getting my moneys worth out of it.

I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that I need to buy a 396 to really utilize the reantal planes filing IFR in the summer. Lots of popup storms in the southeast this year....lots.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that I need to buy a 396 to really utilize the reantal planes filing IFR in the summer. Lots of popup storms in the southeast this year....lots.

My trip to KS this past weekend is leading me toward the same conclusion. However, I'm trying to come up with a proposal that would allow the club to purchase one, rather than have all the individual members having to fork out for their own. (I know at least one member already has one.)

Is anyone in a club (or rent from an FBO) that rents handheld GPS like this? What are the rates?

 

[gismo]

My trip to KS this past weekend is leading me toward the same conclusion. However, I'm trying to come up with a proposal that would allow the club to purchase one, rather than have all the individual members having to fork out for their own. (I know at least one member already has one.)

Is anyone in a club (or rent from an FBO) that rents handheld GPS like this? What are the rates?

Better yet, the club could share a single subscription.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Better yet, the club could share a single subscription.

Exactly. I just have to figure out how much it should cost, and how to spread that cost between the subscription and the purchase price.