Hi Jim,

Please see my notes below.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com


"Jim Archer" wrote in message
...
Is anyone driving their SN-10b with an EW flight recorder? I'd like to go
with this combination, and possibly add a PDA as well.

- That sounds like a very good combination to me. I believe Larry Goddard
and I have created wiring harnesses for customers with that combination. If
we haven't done it, we have made similar cables for use with Cambridge 302
units and Volkslogger, Colibris, etc. The EW can send data to beth the
SN10b and the PDA. The data can either be split or the data can go through
the SN10b and then on to the PDA so that the SN10b can add wind and vario
data to the GPS data. The wiring harness includes a "PDA Input" switch
which allows either connection. In flight most pilots would have the PDA
receive data through the SN10. For sending task declarations to the EW from
the PDA you would want the PDA to receive data directly from the EW.

- It is possible for the PDA to send task declarations to the EW if your
soaring software supports that. However, it is not possible for the SN10 to
send a task declaration to the EW.

- Since the EW microRecorder has a built-in 12V to 5V power converter, it
can provide the 5V power for the PDA. However, the SN10 doesn't provide
enough current to power the EW and a PDA, so separate 12V power leads would
be come out of the wiring harness for powering the EW.


I think I want it because it allows me to not bring a laptop to the
airport, I have a partner and we can each have our own SD card and don't
have to hassle with downloading every flight immediately thereafter, and
it is IGC approved, we want that.

If so, will the EW talk to the SN-10 and how well (load tasks, waypoints,
pilot info, etc.)? Do I need special cables to connect it? And I assume
it will run StrePla (the software it comes with) on a PDA simultaneously
with the SN-10?

- The EW doesn't support multiple tasks or waypoints, but it does store a
single task declaration. A PDA would be required to send a task declaration
to the EW.

- I'm not sure I understand your statement that StrePla comes with it.
StrePla comes with what? pocket*StrePla can probably send a task
declaration to the EW, but I haven't tested that myself. I have tested and
verified that SeeYou Mobile and ConnectMe can both send task declarations to
the EW microRecorder.

- Interestingly, the EW microRecorder does not provide a way to download a
flight log through the serial port. That must be done using the built-in SD
card (which is extremely convenient) or using a PC and USB connection.

I guess the question is... is it worth going with EW instead of
Volkslogger because of the downloading and size convenience it will
provide for a glider with two owners?

- In my opinion, the only advantage to the Volkslogger is that the SN10 can
send a task declaration to it. The SN10 can't do that with a microRecorder.
But I don't think that is a huge deciding point. Actually, I don't think
new Volksloggers are available anymore, but used ones are probably easy to
find. I would choose the EW over the VL myself for many reasons.

Thanks