KLN to Garmin 396 Converter

Over the past months, I've been working on a converter to allow
flightplan data from a KLN-94 or KLN-90B to be transmitted to a Garmin
396. This facility already exists with Garmin panel-mounts, but the
King units output their data in a slightly different format. The
converter takes the King data and dynamically modifies it so that it is
acceptable to the 396, with the result that any flightplan entered into
the panel-mount appears automatically in the 396 without user
intervention.

Anyway, I did a flight yesterday with the converter installed, and
more-or-less everything is working great. Flightplans comes across,
with the only issues being the the virtual waypoints created by the
KLNs when in Vectors-to-Final mode don't quite appear in the right
place. I suspect this one won't be fixable, but it's pretty minor, so
I'm not really bothered.

Having the device is a great benefit -- any change to your IFR routing
that you put in the panel-mount goes straight into the handheld, saving
a lot of extra button pushing. It also makes the wx features of the 396
more useful, as your route is there for you to see, allowing much
easier assessment of how the wx is going to impact the flight.

I'll post design details and source code on my website in the next few
days.

"Mike Granby" wrote:

Anyway, I did a flight yesterday with the converter installed, and
more-or-less everything is working great. Flightplans comes across,

Cool!

How does the cabling work?

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

I have a 2 ft. long piece of shielded four-core cable coming out from
the bottom left of my panel near the map pocket on the pilot's side.
The cable is terminated in connector so that the converter can be used
without permanent installation. The four cores carry ship's power at
12V, ground, the RS-232 from the panel mount GPS, and the RS-232 output
to the 396. The 396 was installed on the pilot's yoke earlier. See
linke [1] below for details. The panel mount GPS RS-232 signal comes
from either my #1 or #2 GPS, as selected by an already-installed switch
that is used to route the same signal to the WX-1000E StormScope.

[1] http://www.mikeg.net/plane/n8096j/gps396/

In article .com,
"Mike Granby" wrote:

http://www.mikeg.net/plane/n8096j/gps396/

AV-17 is a nice touch.
I had wondered if there was a "Bitchin Betty" available for GA.

Nice panel and all. The 396 is the icing...


"Mike Granby" wrote in message oups.com...

Over the past months, I've been working on a converter to allow
flightplan data from a KLN-94 or KLN-90B to be transmitted to a Garmin
396. This facility already exists with Garmin panel-mounts, but the
King units output their data in a slightly different format. The
converter takes the King data and dynamically modifies it so that it is
acceptable to the 396, with the result that any flightplan entered into
the panel-mount appears automatically in the 396 without user
intervention.

Anyway, I did a flight yesterday with the converter installed, and
more-or-less everything is working great. Flightplans comes across,
with the only issues being the the virtual waypoints created by the
KLNs when in Vectors-to-Final mode don't quite appear in the right
place. I suspect this one won't be fixable, but it's pretty minor, so
I'm not really bothered.

Having the device is a great benefit -- any change to your IFR routing
that you put in the panel-mount goes straight into the handheld, saving
a lot of extra button pushing. It also makes the wx features of the 396
more useful, as your route is there for you to see, allowing much
easier assessment of how the wx is going to impact the flight.

I'll post design details and source code on my website in the next few
days.

Details at...

http://www.mikeg.net/plane/n8096j/convert/

I'll draw-up and post a schematic if anyone is interested.

"Mike Granby" wrote in message oups.com...

Details at...

http://www.mikeg.net/plane/n8096j/convert/

I'll draw-up and post a schematic if anyone is interested.


Looks really good, nice job!

OK, the next challenge is to superimpose the stormscope info on to the 396 ;-)

Fantastic job Mike.

I would love to see a schematic. I am currently wiring my 396 to my
panel and would like to interface it to my KLN90B.

The KLN90B has one serial in and out. Can I still interface it somehow
with my FS450 fuel flow output with your design?

Scott
P35 Bonanza