AC Retro Fit | Mags | USB | Etc

[gordsh]

Jeremy, the great thing about the STC controller is that you can operate it without having to look down. Big knob for on/off & fan setting....push button for cool on/off. With the old controller I had to really stare at the LCDpanel to make sure I was activating the correct function. The setup is nice and I am fine tuning the position of the iPad holder to not block the heading bug knob on the left of the PFD.

[Rich]

I pulled the plane out of the hangar and ran a test with the Stratus under the instrument panel. I definitely won't move it there until I get the remote GPS antenna.

Where it is mounted now on the console just behind the Hobbs meter, I was routinely seeing 8-9 satellites showing green. Under the panel it was 2-4, every so often none at all.

ADS-B traffic in the pattern showed up fine with the unit under the panel. No towers showing, but that's normal given the surrounding terrain.

A couple of caveats:

The plane was sitting on the ground, and there is somewhat mountainous terrain around the airport. So potentially in the air some improvement in satellite visibility could be available.

My plane has several iron gyros sitting right above this under-panel position. A G1000 system might not provide quite the same obstruction pattern.

[Rich]

The remote GPS antenna is the answer. Although the Stratus gives one the impression it is working OK underneath the panel without it, there are only a very few satellites that show up green. With the antenna sitting on top of the instrument panel, the number of greenies jumps from like 2-4 up to 11 and holds steady no matter where I put the Stratus. In fact it's more steady than the Stratus out in the open without the external antenna.

Potentially the magnet in the base of the GPS antenna could cause a problem for magnetic compasses. But I've found that with my having removed the perched-on-top mag compass in favor of an instrument-panel one, there is no detectable effect of having the antenna, magnet and all, above and forward on the top of the panel. Just need to get a couple more small items to shift the Stratus location.

[blsewardjr]

Rich- I purchased the GPS antenna but unlike you my compass is still on the glare shield. I thought it would easy to remove the magnet, but a quick examination suggests otherwise. Have you had any issues with the magnet in your installation? I'm going to play with it but I'm leery of having a magnet near not only the compass but the nav/com. Bernie

[Rich]

Rich- I purchased the GPS antenna but unlike you my compass is still on the glare shield. I thought it would easy to remove the magnet, but a quick examination suggests otherwise. Have you had any issues with the magnet in your installation? I'm going to play with it but I'm leery of having a magnet near not only the compass but the nav/com. Bernie

No issues. Everything is working fine. The GPS antenna is not mounted on the glare shield but forward on the instrument panel cover itself (velcro, of course) and centered. In your case you might try putting it off to one side or the other, taking it away from the compass. One way to test its effect is to just slide it around in different positions and see if the compass reacts.

Here's a copy of my post on this in another thread:

I've moved the Stratus under the panel. With the remote GPS antenna up on the top of the instrument panel it works great. 10-12 "green" satellites all the time.

The ADS-B remote antenna is interesting. It is mounted on top of the glare shield. Using it or not makes no observable difference in direct ADS-B traffic, but if disconnected it compromises ADS-B tower reception enough to be undesirable (loss of TIS-B traffic, e.g.). I also tested it quite a bit lying horizontally across the glare shield vs. having it pretty much vertical. It works much better when vertically oriented rather than horizontally.

The one thing I have to watch is the effect of cabin heat on the Stratus, as it sits right above where the pilot side heat vent is located.

[blsewardjr]

Thanks, will do.

[Rich]

The one remaining chore is to deal with the excess length of all the cables. The GPS antenna lead is especially long. Coiling them up behind the instrument panel is one possibility. I have to pop the cover off in the near future anyway to change out the emergency batteries. But I have another possibility I'll try first.

[blsewardjr]

I tried hiding them behind the net on the pilot's side but wasn't able to find any space behind the panel. Right now they are taped up above the netting.

[Rich]

I got the cables all attached up under the instrument panel . Pretty much out of sight and harm's way, but I still think I'll put them behind the instrument panel next week when I change the emergency batteries.

Here's where they exit the over-the-panel area:

Cable Routing

[Lou]

Gord - did your AME make a log book entry for the RAM mount ball? If so could I see it?

I have been using a suction cup Ram mount but the other day it popped off, my iPad fell, and it hit the Master Switch on the way down. All of a sudden I had a dark panel and no coms.

I am trying to figure out what I have to do to have a permanent mount under the CARS. Any help would be gratefully received. I have purchased the $10 ball part which I could mount myself with a nice solid threaded connection in about 10 minutes, but since this is aviation, it will take me days and hundreds of dollars and documentation. All in the name of safety. You can't make this stuff up!