I'm using the eagle tree segull pro with GPS to measure speed. The problem is that it only seems to measure some of the time, then it either stops reading or the last speed sticks on the screen. It's really really anoying!!! anyone know whats going on? how many sats doe's this thing use? I hear some GPS use more sats than others? does the eagle tree use only 3 or something and is that why its not working?

HELP!
Jason

Jason, I have experienced the same EXACT problem. ET changed to a different GPS antenna, but that did not resolve the issue either. I have even resorted to taping the entire GPS module to outside of the airframe and still only get intermittent data. It seems to lose signal when I turn, roll, etc. and then it cannot re-acquire quickly enough. I think part of the problem is the jet is just traveling too fast and once you lose the signal (not hard to do), it has trouble acquiring again. I know what what you mean about it being really really annoying! I eventually just gave up on it and will mess with it again when I return home.

Sorry I can't be anymore help, but thought you might like to know someone else has had the same issue. ET will work with you to try to fix the problem. Give them a ring, they have good customer service from my experience.

George

Are you guys playing with the latest version, the one with the external antenna hookup? That's the tone I just bought, although I haven't seen any alternate antenna options available yet.

So far I've only activatedthe system and driven around the neighborhood with it on the dashboard of my car. Pretty cool technology...

Kelly

Kelly, I probably should have been more clear. I meant a second version of the GPS module itself which houses the antenna, sorry. I'm not sure if they have moved to a third version or not. I have been away for nearly a year, so I haven't been in touch the latest ET offerings.

I too, did exactly what you have done (driving around with it on the dash) and it worked FLAWLESSLY! However, that all ended when it was installed in the BC.[] Everything else works perfects, I just have had no luck with the GPS in the past. I will tackle once more in a few months.

George

I have no experience with eagle tree,but I did stick one of my portable gps units in my boomerang just under the hatch.I was worried about it loosing satallites but it worked fine.If I use the unit in my airboat or other vehicle while it is sitting on my lap,if the unit falls between my legs and rest on the seat it will sometimes loose the satalites,but finds them pretty quick after setting it back on to top of my leg or hang around neck. A lot of interesting info.Flight time,max speed,average speed miles traveled and the track on the map.It is not realtime like the eagletree but intesting to see after the flight.

Buy a Weatronic Jason, it does though only measure ground speed.
Does the ET measure air speed?

m

ET can measure air speed via the pitot tube which comes with it ... fairly acurate .. the sensor is neat too ....
Voy

Ah yes, we've spent a lot of time getting GPS's to work in all attitudes in a turbine-powered plane. The only definitive thing you can say is that what you need to do to make it work varies from airframe-to-airframe, and GPS unit-to-GPS unit.

There are two fairly easy things you can do to try and make this work. First, if you're using the hockey-puck style antenna, try putting a small ground plane under it. It only needs to be about 2" bigger all around than the antenna, and you can use aluminum tape to make it, but this helps most of those antennas ALOT. Of course, this may not help getting GPS in unusual attitudes (like inverted), but sometimes it even does help that. The second thing you can do is try the RCATS Geohelix antenna:

http://www.rcatsystems.com/cube/inde...d&productId=17

This has provided us with GPS reception that is very (but sometimes not completely) attitude independent in several of our vehicles.

Bob

Bob,

will this Geohelix antenna connect to the little gold connection on the eagle tree GPS unit?

Jason

Hi Mick,

But they are so big.. Is the Weatronic reliable? does it read the ground speed for the complete flight ?

Jason

Jason,

I'm not sure - I can't find a picture of the antenna connection on the Eagletree unit...

Bob

I can't seem to find a pic of the GPS Expander with a gold colored external antenna connection jack. Jason, do you have a pic? Do you have the WAAS enabled unit?

The Geohelix sounds like it may work if it connects up.

Jason, is the Weatronic that big when you consider what it does? Its a twin receiver, a powerbox, a programable matchbox, a failsafe device, a gyro and a gps.
Plus you can download the whole flight and check things like receiver signal strength, servo current consumption, failsafe frames, batteries condition and servo movement traces plus, a 3d drawing of the whole flight.

I think I'm a fan.

m

Mick,

yes I suppose it doe's the biz but doe's the GPS work all the flight?

Jason

Yes the answer is in the wording.........."Plus you can download the whole flight"

ie height, position, heading, speed (ground speed) and radio parameters, servo positions etc. Also the flight can be viewed as a 3d graph.

The thing is so acurate if you paste the grid reference into "Google Earth" it will tell you where you are standing, there's clever!

m

I have just installed a Weatronic 10-20R Gyro + GPS in my Lightning.
Have not maidened it yet as I'm waiting for the weather and opertunity.
Setup was very logic and easy and the possibillities seems almost endles reg. setup and config.

Can't wait to maden it and spend the following night examining the data
Here's a pic of the install...

Well its really does sound great. The only problem I have is that it won't fit in the plane![]

Well Jason you'll have to get a plane it will fit!!

It goes in an Ultra Bandit, no problem.

m

Sap. don't forget to align the Rx to your TX. With the SCAN plug.

I like all the air valves off the one airline, nice one.

m

Thanks!
Much easyer to do it that way instead of splitting the sypplying air line in three.
Also put a push-in fitting and a short piece of tube with a wheel-collar on each exhast-air output. That way the speed can be adjusted as desired, and still have the gear and doors move with full power, kind of like hydraulics.

Allready did that, and and after the scan, it had tuned itself to 1,15 kHz below the 35.120 mHz the RX suposedly should have transmitted. Never knew my RX was off by 1,15 kHz before now...

Here's a photo of the unit I just purchased, with the gold connector.

Kelly

Mine definitely does not have that, it is an early version. I may have to upgrade if the RCATS Geohelix antenna will plug into the newer module.

Thanks for the pic Kelly.


George

Mick,

when I pick my Ultra up in November I will stick a Weatronic valve set in it if theres not a decent spread spectrum about by then.

Jason

Weatronic "Valve" set ???

With the Weatronic Rx isnatalled as show above, the internal gyro is orientated for roll/aileron ?
If I wanted it to control nose wheel steering with it, I'd have to stand it up on it's end ?