COM1 Error (and AOA gauge flashes on and off)

[Harold Roberts]

I just upgraded to X16.10.25-MV so I assume this problem (and others) are due to the upgrade.

I get a red X in the upper right of the display (see photo) with COM1 'x'ed out.

If I touch the red X the display opens on the right XFR with a red X on it (see second photo).

I also notice that my AOA gauge shows intermittently.

Plus, my OAT switched from degrees F to degrees C.

What should I do or check?

Thanks.

[larco]

Did you read all of the install instructions? This update requires some settings to be changed and updated depending on the items connected to the EFIS in addition to the software update.

[rleffler]

What is radio is com1? Did it ever work properly? It may imply that that serial line to the radio has an open circuit, the efis wasn’t configured properly, or the radio config may not be set properly. I really enjoy this feature, especially now that it works with my gtn650.

You can change the OAT setting yourself. That’s an EFIS configuration item.

I suspect the same for the AOA. There are multiple settings for how that will display.

Having backups as well as written records of your configuration settings will help you through upgrading. Sometimes settings get changed when you upgrade. Although I will admit AFS upgrades are usually good about not changing the configuration. I’m lazy, I just take pictures of all to configuration screens and save them for future reference.

[Harold Roberts]

What is radio is com1? Did it ever work properly? It may imply that that serial line to the radio has an open circuit, the efis wasn’t configured properly, or the radio config may not be set properly. I really enjoy this feature, especially now that it works with my gtn650.

You can change the OAT setting yourself. That’s an EFIS configuration item.

I suspect the same for the AOA. There are multiple settings for how that will display.

Having backups as well as written records of your configuration settings will help you through upgrading. Sometimes settings get changed when you upgrade. Although I will admit AFS upgrades are usually good about not changing the configuration. I’m lazy, I just take pictures of all to configuration screens and save them for future reference.

Thanks, I will address the points one at a time:

I only have one Garmin GTR-200 radio. I don't know if it ever 'worked' with the AF-5000, I have no clue why you would want a connection between the two. I don't know if it is 'supposed' to work.

Since I never used it I really just want the error message to go away.

On the OAT, I know I can set it back to F, just noted that this changed on its own from the software update.

On the AOA, I can't see why there would be any setting that would make the colorful gauge appear and disappear.

[Jonathon]

The EFIS supports tuning of many different first and third party radios through the EFIS. The advantage of this is you can browse through the EFIS' comprehensive airport directory, find the frequency you want to tune, and then push one button to load the frequency into your radio. By itself it's a relatively small efficiency, but many similar small efficiencies added together results in a large reduction in pilot workload, and this is certainly what our EFIS system tries to accomplish.

Formerly EFIS radio tuning only worked with one com radio. 16.10.25 now supports tuning of two com radios, which has resulted in a complete overhaul of the SET --> CAL --> COM Radio menu screen. Whatever previous radio was designated in the pre-16.10.25 install should populate over into the new menu as the COM1 active radio. However, I cannot guarantee that this always works without issue, so the settings should be confirmed. It is also not clear whether you ever had the radio previously set to be tuned from the EFIS.

Review of the SeaRey AF-5000 wiring schematic shows that serial port #4 was reserved for connecting the installed SL-40/GTR-200 radio to the EFIS. Trusting that document is accurate for your aircraft, you should definitely get the EFIS configuration set up properly to enable the radio tuning

1) SET --> CAL --> Admin Settings. Confirm serial port #4 is set to GTR/GNC-2xx
2) SET --> CAL --> COM Radio. Set as follows:
COM1 INSTRUMENT OFF/ON - ON
Radio Type - GTR-200/225
Wired To - Serial #4
COM2 INSTRUMENT OFF/ON - OFF




The AOA visual display will not show when the AOA is less than the "Declutter Segment" value in the SET --> CAL --> AOA menu. If want the visual AOA indication to display across a wider performance range, lower this value.

[Harold Roberts]

Jonathon, thanks.

I agree that little reductions in pilot workload are important. I tend to use Foreflight on an iPad for an EFB and then transfer the Foreflight flight plan to the EFIS, so haven't done much with the EFIS' airport directory. I don't know if I ever could load frequencies but I will try your procedure to set it up properly. I may then play with setting the frequency that way and see if it reduces work load.

I never noticed the AOA declutter function, frankly I rely on the audio tones for the AOA and not the gauge. I may leave it as is or increase the value so the AOA gauge doesn't show up at all.

[Harold Roberts]

Jonathon, the fix for the COM1 error worked. When I went to the CAL settings for COM, no serial port was selected. The only option was port #4 and I selected it and it worked.
I also changed the OAT from C to F.

What I am wondering is; what other settings got changed during my software upgrade?

I probably should take photos of all my settings like rleffler does.

[Jonathon]

No other settings should have spontaneously changed with the software update. Really no settings at all should have changed, but with the new dual radio tuning feature involving such a significant rewrite of the radio interface code, it is unsurprising that your experience was one of the radio apparently turning itself on when it had been off.