REFLECTOR:Navaid Auto Pilot

Brian Michalk reflector@tvbf.org
Fri, 5 Mar 2004 08:49:22 -0600


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Hehe.
I've had the same experience writing device drivers for fairly "simple"
cards.  I thought I knew the 8255 like the back of my hand, but I always had
this quirky annoying bug every once in a blue moon.  Then one day I was
going over the manual for a different unrelated reason, and it hit me where
my bug was.  I have been writing for this card for over ten years, and just
now realized what the documentation was trying to tell me.

Seems like I always get the "complicated" cards correct the first time ...
or reasonably correct.
  -----Original Message-----
  From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On Behalf
Of Ronnie Brown
  Sent: Friday, March 05, 2004 8:14 AM
  To: reflector@tvbf.org
  Subject: REFLECTOR:Navaid Auto Pilot


  For those of you who have the Navaid autopilot, read on.  The rest of you
can ignore this note.

  After flying my Velocity for a year, I decided to try to improve the
operation of my Navaid autopilot.

  It has been working great in wing leveler mode - but I haven't been real
happy with they way it tracked the GPS signals via the Porcine coupler.  (I
had already had the Porcine chip replaced because they had problems with the
aviation data stream that comes out of panel mounted GPS's)

  I finally figured it out (after reading the manuals again - for the 10th
time!)

  I had "jinked" the servo for the correct trim position. The Navaid's left
hand knob is used to trim the plane for level flight, the right hand knob is
used to make turns.

  I repeat "left hand knob is used to trim the plane for level flight, the
right hand knob is used to make turns."  If you are trying to fly straight
and level, DO NOT USE the right hand knob - use the trim knob!!!

  When putting the Navaid in track mode - make sure the right hand knob is
straight up.  The trim knob is in what ever position is required to maintain
straight ahead flight.  Then after engaging track mode, use the trim knob to
put the plane on course if the Navaid is not tracking the course as desired.
This last sentence is critically important to getting good tracking
performance.  I used to cuss the Navaid because it didn't seem to be holding
the correct track.  If you use the trim knob to establish the plane on
track, it tracks PERFECTLY!!!!

  A HAPPY NAVAID USER!
  Ronnie Brown

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D420494514-05032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2>Hehe.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D420494514-05032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>I've=20
had the same experience writing device drivers for fairly "simple" =
cards.&nbsp;=20
I thought I knew the 8255 like the back of my hand, but I always had =
this quirky=20
annoying bug every once in a blue moon.&nbsp; Then one day I was going =
over the=20
manual for a different unrelated reason, and it hit me where my bug =
was.&nbsp; I=20
have been writing for this card for over ten years, and just now =
realized what=20
the documentation was trying to tell me.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D420494514-05032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D420494514-05032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Seems=20
like I always get the "complicated" cards correct the first time ... or=20
reasonably correct.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
  size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
reflector-admin@tvbf.org=20
  [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Ronnie=20
  Brown<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 05, 2004 8:14 AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
  reflector@tvbf.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> REFLECTOR:Navaid Auto=20
  Pilot<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>For those of you who have the Navaid autopilot, =
read=20
  on.&nbsp; The rest of you can ignore this note.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>After flying my Velocity for a year, I decided to =
try to=20
  improve the operation of my Navaid autopilot.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>It has been working great in wing leveler mode - =
but I=20
  haven't been real happy with they way it tracked the GPS signals via =
the=20
  Porcine coupler.&nbsp; (I had already had the Porcine chip replaced =
because=20
  they had problems with the aviation data stream that comes out of =
panel=20
  mounted GPS's)</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>I finally figured it out (after reading the =
manuals again -=20
  for the 10th time!)</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>I had "jinked" the servo for the correct trim=20
  position.&nbsp;The Navaid's left hand knob is used to trim the plane =
for level=20
  flight, the right hand knob is used to make turns.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>I repeat "left hand knob is used to trim the plane =
for level=20
  flight, the right hand knob is used to make turns."&nbsp;&nbsp;If you =
are=20
  trying to fly straight and level, DO NOT USE the right hand knob - use =
the=20
  trim knob!!! </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>When putting the Navaid in track mode&nbsp;- make =
sure the=20
  right hand knob is straight up.&nbsp; The trim knob is in what ever =
position=20
  is required to maintain straight ahead flight.&nbsp; Then after =
engaging track=20
  mode, use the trim knob to put the plane on course if the Navaid is =
not=20
  tracking the course as desired.&nbsp; This last sentence is critically =

  important to getting good tracking performance.&nbsp; I used to cuss =
the=20
  Navaid because it didn't seem to be holding the correct track.&nbsp; =
If you=20
  use the trim knob to&nbsp;establish the plane on track, it tracks=20
  PERFECTLY!!!!</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>A HAPPY NAVAID USER! </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Ronnie =
Brown</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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