Installation

Button Mapping

Establishing Connection To GPS

What is SuperWaba and why is it necessary for it to be installed on my pda?

Why does the artificial horizon on the EFIS screen lag the real attitude indicator in my plane?

How do I connect my PDA to my GPS using a serial cable?

Installation

1) Download the installation zip file (CoPilotMap vX.X.zip) to your computer.

2) Open the zip file and extract the files to a temporary directory.

3) Double click on the first installation file (installMeFirst....). Choose the default installation location. Do not attempt to install on the Storage Card. It will not work.

4) On the PDA, press START, then PROGRAMS. Verify that the SuperWabaVM icon appears in the program list. Execute the program. It should report that the SuperWaba VM is installed and ready.

5) On the Desktop, double click on the second installation file (installMeSecond....) and install in the default location.

6) On the PDA, press START, then PROGRAMS. Verify that the CoPilotMap icon appears in the program list. DO NOT execute the program yet. We need to install the data the program uses as the last step

7) On the Desktop, double click on the third installation file (installMeThird....). You can choose either the storage card or default(main memory).

Installation should be completed. You can execute the CoPilotMap by double clicking on the icon in the program group.

Important Notes about the program:

Keys:

PDA BUTTON #1 (Left Most) : Brings up the Menu Bar

PDA BUTTON #2 (Middle Left) : Brings up display of nearest Airports and VORs

PDA BUTTON #3 (Middle Right): Map Zoom In

PDA BUTTON #4: (Right Most) : Zoom Out

ENTER/SELECT: Toggles the map to/from panning mode

ARROW KEYS: During pan mode:pans the screen to the left,right,up,down. During gps simulation mode, left&right change heading, up&down change speed.

Opening the GPS Port

1) Verify your GPS is on and connected properly and verify that your GPS is set to output MNEA as the data interface protocol, the baud rate is 4800, and that the datum is set to "WGS 84".

2) Press BUTTON1 key to bring up the popup menu bar.

3) Press Tools, then Settings

4) Select the GPS tab

5) The FIND button will search ports 0-9 and look for a gps unit on each port, and if found will report the port number.

6) Change the port number on the drop down list box to the port number indicated in the FIND operation

7) Press the SET Button to activate the new settings.

What is SuperWaba and why is it necessary for it to be installed on my pda?

Our software is written in the programming language java, which facilitates portability to various devices. In order to run java applications, there needs to be installed what is called a "virtual machine" or VM that interprets the java code and executes it on the device. We have chosen to use a VM called SuperWaba, which is an open-source development project that is well suited to our target platforms.

SuperWaba should appear on the list of installed programs, and you should see an icon in your device's program group for the Superwaba VM. DO NOT DELETE the Superwaba application from your pda. You will not be able run our applications without it.

Why does the artificial horizon on the EFIS screen lag the real attitude indicator in my plane?

Most all portable gps units output MNEA data every two seconds to devices that are connected to them. As a result, any data displayed on the pda that utilizes gps data will be 2-3 seconds old. For most uses, this is not a problem.

For attitude control of an aircraft, this is an unacceptable delay. NEVER ATTEMPT TO FLY THE PLANE USING THE EFIS SCREEN AS THE PRIMARY INPUT FOR ATTITUDE CONTROL!!! This screen is provided for redundancy purposes to help the pilot recognize that the AI has failed. Even flying partial panel is safer than using the EFIS screen for attitude control.

If AI failure occurs, use standing partial panel techniques for aircraft control and you can use the EFIS screen to confirm your interpretation of the instruments

How do I connect my PDA to my GPS using a serial cable?

First, verify that your PDA does in fact have a serial port. Many PDA's have eliminated the serial port to make room for USB and BlueTooth. The popular Ipaq 1900 series is a good example of this

Next, if your PDA did not come with a serial cable, you will need to purchase one that is made for your specific PDA model. The cable will have a 9 pin connector on one end and a PDA connector(for your specific model of PDA) on the other end. Some cables will also integrate a power connection. Cables are available online and at computer stores that sell PDAs. The same goes for your GPS. If you do not have a cable already you will need to purchase one specific for your model of GPS.

Most PDA and GPS cables will come with female 9-pin connectors on the assumption that they will be connected to a PC, so you will likely need a gender changer in order to connect the two cables together. You will also need what is called a null-modem adapter that reverses the data pins(2&3) so that they can communicate with each other. Both of these adapters can be found at your local Radio Shack or electronics store.

If you are going to make your own serial cable, you will only need to implement pins 2,3, and 7, with pins 2&3 crossed over. Most all GPS units do not use any hardware handshaking and will send data without anything listening on the other end. Some PDAs may require some of the hardware handshaking lines to be active, so some experimentation may be required to get the PDA to read in any data on the port.

Lastly, go into the setup menu for your GPS and find the section for the data interface. Select MNEA as the interface protocol, and if given the option to set the baud rate, set it to 4800. Also verify that the Datum is set to "WGS 84".