Porcine Associates News
Yes, we are still selling Smart Couplers! However, the DG Coupler and the
MPG Meter are not longer supported.
Navaid Devices, maker of the Navaid AP-1 autopilot, has closed up shop.
Porcine Associates will continue to support Smart Couplers that are built into
the head of the AP-1. I have posted a copy of the Navaid AP-1 manual
here.
Customers who are using a Smart Coupler to decode aviation format data
should return their couplers to Porcine Associates or Navaid Devices
for a firmware upgrade. If your coupler is built in to a Navaid
Devices AP-1 head, contact Navaid Devices. Otherwise contact Porcine
Associates.
GPS receivers generate either NMEA or Aviation data. Aviation data is
produced by all panel-mounted GPS receivers and optionally by King
Skymap and older Magellan hand-helds. Aviation data is sometimes called
"moving map data" or "ARGUS data". NMEA data is produced by the
majority of hand-held receivers including all Garmin handhelds. NMEA
data is not affected by this problem.
The symptom of this problem is that the Smart Coupler will work in
course mode (using waypoints) or in heading mode, but not both. Which
mode works is dependent on the particular receiver used. When the Smart
Coupler is successfully decoding the data stream from the receiver the
associated mode LED is lit. If the Smart Coupler flashes the LED a few
times then turns it off, it means that the coupler either is not
getting data or cannot understand the data from the receiver. If you
are using aviation data and you can get a steady LED in either course
mode or heading mode but not both, you are experiencing this
problem.
Porcine Associates is proud to release the MPG meter. Now it is
possible to have a small, inexpensive meter on your panel that gives
you a continuous indication of efficiency over the
ground. Take a look at the write-up here.
We have learned at Sun'n Fun this year that Garmin is moving to NMEA
version 3.01. Smart Couplers have supported V3.01 since about June of
2003. If your coupler was manufactured before this time and you want to
use it with a new Garmin receiver you can return it for a firmware
upgrade. There is a small charge for this for couplers more than 2
years old. Contact Porcine Associates or Navaid Devices for details. So
far I know that new Garmin 196 and 296 receivers use V3.01. As time
goes on more and more receivers will switch from V2.x to V3.x.