Database update for Foster LRN-500 loran?

Anyone know if I can get a database update for a Foster500
Loran, and if so where from and how much it costs? I
wouldn't bother except my autopilot is connected to it, and
the existing database is old enough that some of the airport
ID's have changed for ICAO, and one or two VORs have been
physically moved (Bradley, for example). BF Goodrich used
to do the updates, I got one from them in 1996, but they
have since sold their avionics unit to L3, and so far have
not found anyone that knows about database updates.

Even better would be technical details on the database
cartridge format and what the eprom in it is so that perhaps
I could update it if it is no longer supported.

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin
Franklin, 1759

Thanks, that is good to know. I last did an update in April 1996. There was a
list of airports deleted with mine too, and I think it went from 2500' to 3000'
then. I think there were a few that I used, like College Park (CGS) that
dissappeared in that update. Mine doesn't have the mid-continent loran chain
either, which I understand was added in later units (mine is a -01, s/n 0614), and
it goes to the POS mode when the switch is in the off position. I'm considering
picking up a used one with the later software and mods off ebay. Guess that would
be good for getting an earlier database as well. Do you know if the -31 models
have the newer Loran chains?

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote:

Ray Andraka wrote:

Anyone know if I can get a database update for a Foster500
Loran, and if so where from and how much it costs?

You can get the database updated from B.F. Goodrich, but I suggest that you
don't want to do that. I last had mine updated in '97 or '98. The first sign
of trouble was that they sent a three page list of deleted airports. It didn't
take long to discover that most of the local airports were no longer in the
database.

So, I called Goodrich after a couple months. I actually reached the guy in
charge of the program. He told me that they had removed every airport with
runways shorter than 3,000' "to make room for additional information", but he
thought there might have been an even more recent change (possibly beneficial),
so he checked. I was hopeful that they had put some of the data back in, but
when he got back on the phone, he told me that the shortest runway was now
something like 5,000'.

Some time later, I mentioned this to my avionics tech, and he handed me a 1992
database cartridge. That's what's in the unit now. Some of the airport IDs have
changed, but it's not often a problem.

As to cost, my last update was $75.

George Patterson
A friend will help you move. A really good friend will help you move
the body.

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Ray Andraka wrote:
: Anyone know if I can get a database update for a Foster500
: Loran, and if so where from and how much it costs? I
: wouldn't bother except my autopilot is connected to it, and

Ray, a friend of mine had the same issues, and he ended up getting a used
Apollo Loran. I don't know which one. It's much easier to use than the
Foster unit. Switching out a Loran is a piece of cake. The radio shop at
KWST did it for about $100. His total cost was about $200.

As an aside, I think Integrity @ WST has a few Foster lorans of various
types. Perhaps he's got one with newer mods or database.

--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

Thanks. Integrity is swapping out my Nav 11 for a Nav 122 that I previously
took out and got repaired on the 15th. I'll ask them about the Loran. I had
previously asked VIP about installing a used Loran, but they didn't seem
interested unless I bought it from them.

Aaron Coolidge wrote:

Ray Andraka wrote:
: Anyone know if I can get a database update for a Foster500
: Loran, and if so where from and how much it costs? I
: wouldn't bother except my autopilot is connected to it, and

Ray, a friend of mine had the same issues, and he ended up getting a used
Apollo Loran. I don't know which one. It's much easier to use than the
Foster unit. Switching out a Loran is a piece of cake. The radio shop at
KWST did it for about $100. His total cost was about $200.

As an aside, I think Integrity @ WST has a few Foster lorans of various
types. Perhaps he's got one with newer mods or database.

--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Ray Andraka wrote:

Do you know if the -31 models have the newer Loran chains?

I have the LRN-501. I don't remember exactly when I bought it, but the manual
dates from September, 1990. I just checked the chain list in the appendix, and
there are only five U.S. chains shown. These are the Southeast, Great Lakes,
West Coast, Northeast, and Alaska. It's possible that my unit might recognize
the two central chains, but I've never flown there, so I don't know.

George Patterson
A friend will help you move. A really good friend will help you move
the body.