Introduction to the GX55 GPS Receiver for VFR and SAR Navigation

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Introduction to the GX55 GPS Receiver for VFR and
SAR Navigation
InstructorBob McCabe, Capt., CAPAGI, IGI, CFI
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Course Objectives

• Describe the basic operations of the Apollo GX55
  GPS Receiver and its use in VFR and SAR
  navigation
• Explain operating modes of greatest practical
  value to CAP VFR and SAR pilots.
• Provide course materials that serve as a handy
  reference for proficiency and mission flight
  training and operations.

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Expected Results

• At the conclusion of this course the student
  should have a basic understanding of GX55 GPS
  Receiver terminology and operating principles and
  should be able to self-train to attain
  proficiency in using the GX55 for actual VFR and
  SAR navigation.
• The student is encourages to read the Apollo GX
  Series Users Guide, Rev 2, to gain an in-depth
  understanding of all operating modes and features
  (available at www.upsat.com/gx_docs.shtml)

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Course Outline

• Navigation Terms
• Key Features of the GX55
• Front Panel Description
• Controls
• Hard Keys
• Smart Keys
• External Indicators/Annunciators
• Operating Summary
• Frequently Used Display Pages
• Practical Exercises

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Navigation Terms
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Key Features

• 30 Reversible Flight Plans with 20 legs
• Automatic Waypoint Sequencing
• 500 User-Definable Waypoints
• Automatic Display Intensity Control
• Automatic/Manual Mag Variation
• Direct-To Nav Function
• SAR Nav modes parallel track, parallel line,
  creeping line, expanding square.
• Nearest Waypoint Search
• Internal database of Airports, VORs, NDBs,
  Intersections, Frequencies, Airport Info and
  Special Use Airspaces.

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GX55 Front Panel Description
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Controls
Power - Turn for on/off
Smart Key Annunciators
Hard Keys
Smart Keys (context sensitive)

• Small (Inner) Knob/ Large (Outer) Knob -
• Select pages, edit characters values, or other
  options
• LARGE knob moves cursor SMALL knob changes
  characters
• Either may change pages depending on function

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Hard Keys

• NAV (Navigation) - Press key to reach navigation
  functions. Press twice to go to top page.
• NRST (Nearest Waypoint) - Displays the 20 closest
  waypoints to your position by distance. Waypoint
  type is selectable.
• INFO (Information) - Accesses supplementary
  information about a waypoint. Press INFO a
  second time to return to the previous display.
• SEL (Select) - Activates editing or selection of
  options. Editing is active on the items that
  flash on the display. Press SEL a second time to
  deactivate selection.

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Hard Keys

• MAP (Geographic Moving Map) - Starts the moving
  map function. Press twice to go to top page
  (MAP plus NAV mode).
• DIRECT-TO - Used to define a direct course from
  your present position to a waypoint. Press twice
  to enter an OBS desired track.
• ENTER - Enters and saves the information flashing
  on the display. If the ENTER key is not pressed
  after editing, any changes made are not saved.

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Smart KeysMAP plus NAV, and MAP Only Mode

• Press to access second set of smart keys NDB,
  USER, SCAN
• Press again to return to first set of smart keys.
  

Current Leg Waypoint
Waypoint Display Annunciators

• Press to cycle through waypoint display options.
  
• Smart key annunciates selected display style
  Symbollabel (solid box), Symbol only (Bold
  outline), and None (thin outline).
• Current leg waypoints always displayed.

Press to cycle through messages and return to MAP
display
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Smart Keys MAP plus NAV, and MAP Only Mode
(shown)

• Press INFO to access scanned airport data
• Press again to return to Map display.

Second Set of Smart Keys Selected. Press to
return to first set.
Scanned Airport Highlighted
Large Knob selects airport to scan
Toggle Scan On/Off
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Smart Keys SAR Map Mode

• Selects pattern for SAR search Parallel line,
  creeping line, expanding square
• Use SMALL knob to select pattern
• Enter data as required to define search
  dimensions

• Controls SAR grid display
• Press to sequence through large grid, small grid,
  numbered and lettered sectors
• MAP SETUP subpage selects US or BASIC grid
  numbering, and ACTIVE SECTIONAL
• Grid lines will not appear if sectional selection
  is incorrect, or if display scale is gt 30 nm

• Use to mark target locations
• Captures current LAT/LONG in user waypoint named
  SARNNN, where NNN is the next sequence number
• Waypoint name can be changed using LARGE and
  SMALL knobs
• Press ENTER to store waypoint or MRK to discard.
  and return to SAR MAP display.

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Smart Keys Map Setup Mode
Additional Subpage(s) Indicator.

• Key labels correspond to the data fields
  displayed.
• Keys provide alternative to using the SEL key and
  Knobs to enter data in the specified field.
• Successive key presses sequence through options
  in the forward direction only

Use Small Knob to access subpages.
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Smart Keys Non-Map modes
Smart Key Functions are Fixed in Non-Map Modes

• Access System mode functions.
• System mode is used to display and change unit
  configuration info
• Show status of GPS and other sensors

Press to access waypoint database
Takes you to flight planning function where you
can create, edit, and control your flight plans.
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External Indicators/Annunciators

• CDI - Course deviation indicator.
• Indicates course tracking error.
• CDI scale (0.3, 1.0, 5.0 nm) is selectable from
  SYSTEM menu (Nav Info subpage)
• Course deviation line thickness indicates scale
  (1, 2 or 4 dots wide, respectively)

MSG - Green light in CDI display flashes when
message received. After message is read, light
goes out or stays lit if additional action
required. PTK - Yellow light in CDI display
turns ON when in parallel track mode.
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Operating Summary

• Use MAP Mode to
• Navigate and monitor flight progress on moving
  map display (MAP, MapNav)
• Turn route lines on and off (SAR Setup)
• Set up and navigate along SAR search patterns
  parallel line, creeping line, expanding box (SAR
  Map)
• GPS messages announce arrival of next waypoint
  (turn) in the pattern
• External CDI indicator shows cross track error
  relative to pattern leg
• Mark a location and store it in the database as a
  SAR waypoint (SARNNN) (SAR Map)
• Turn SAR map page on and off (Map Setup)
• Select waypoints and airspace boundaries to be
  displayed (Map Setup)
• Turn grid lines and labels on and off in SAR Map
  mode (SAR Map)

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Operating Summary

• Use NAV Mode to
• Enter, copy, edit, activate, hold, reactivate,
  reverse and clear a flight plan (FPL)
• Setup and fly a Parallel Track to a flight plan
  (Parallel Track)
• Monitor present GPS position in LAT/LONG
  coordinates (GPS Position)
• Navigate using on-screen CDI display and monitor
  ETE, Bearing and range to next waypoint. (ETE,
  CDI, BRG RGE)
• Mark a location and store it in the database as a
  USER waypoint (DB)

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Frequently Used Display Pages
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MAP Map Nav Info Page
Distance to NEXT waypoint
NEXT Wpt/Type (A,V,N,I,U,P) To/From Indicator
Ground Speed
Route Line
Present Position
Cross Track Error Distance Direction
Vertical Map Scale
Current Track
Bearing to NEXT Waypoint
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MAP Full Screen Map Page
Bearing to NEXT Waypoint
Leg Destination Waypoint Highlighted
NEXT Waypoint
Vertical Map Scale
Distance to NEXT waypoint
Present Position Route Line
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MAP SAR Map Page
Mark Current Location in SAR DB
Select/ Display Grid lines
Select/ Display SAR Search Pattern
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MAP Map Setup Page
Change Map Ref Field
Change ORIENT Field
Change ROUTE Field
Additional Subpage(s) Indicator
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NAV ETE/CDI/Brg/Rge Page
Cross Track Error Distance and Direction (R/L)
NEXT Waypoint Type
ETE
Distance to NEXT Waypoint
CDI
Bearing to NEXT Waypoint
Access System Data
Access Waypoint Database
Enter/Select/ Edit Flight Plan
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NAV Nav Parallel Track Page
Set to In Use to Activate
Offset Distance
Offset Direction
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NAV GPS Position Page
Latitude
Position Dilution of Precision, i.e., GPS signal
quality lt 3 is good gt7 is poor)
Longitude
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GPS Operational Considerations

• GPS is the weakest operational radio signal in
  the electromagnetic spectrum
• Interference and atmospheric attenuation can
  cause drop outs lasting from seconds to minutes
• Aircraft maneuvering can block antenna view of
  satellites

Confirm GPS signal quality (PDOP) before using
position information
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Practical Exercises
1. Startup - Place unit in simulator mode
(practice exercise only) and observe system
tests. 2. Enter a multi-leg flight plan
3. Modify a flight plan 3. Activate the flight
plan created in step 3 and monitor flight
progress in MapNav, Map-Only, and NAV LAT/LONG
position modes. 4. Setup DIRECT-TO course from
present position to a destination waypoint and
monitor progress in Map and Nav position
modes 5. Create a new USER waypoint and use it in
a flight plan. 6. Reverse and reactivate flight
plan entered in step 5. View flight progress in
Map and Nav modes. 8. Scan airports along route
activated in step 6 and access information about
selected airports. 9. Activate flight plan
entered in step 2. (Select this as the active
flight plan) 10. Setup parallel track one mile
right of active course leg. 11. Reverse course
and setup parallel track 2 miles left of active
course leg. 12. Enter DIRECT-TO course to any
waypoint. 13. Find nearest airports using NRST
key and review database information about two or
more airports. Screen search based on minimum
runway length of 5000 ft. 13. Select NRST airport
and enter DIRECT-TO course. 14. Set up and
monitor parallel search in Map position
modes. 15. Set up and monitor creeping line
search in Map position modes. 15. Set up and
monitor expanding box search in Map position
modes 16. Create SAR user waypoint to mark
current position. 17. Display grid lines and
labels in SAR Map mode.
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More Info

• GPS Tutorial
• http//www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/gps
  /gps_f.html
• GX55 Users Manual
• http//www.garmin.com
• gtAvionics gtPanel Mount gtDiscontinued Aviation
  Products gtGX55 gtManuals

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Instructor

• Call or email me
• Bob McCabe, Capt., CAP
• 856-912-5329 (Cell)
• 856-338-2332 (Work)
• bob.mccabe_at_comcast.net

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Questions?