bushcaddy105 Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 Might just be coincidence, but since commissioning the SE2 my old faithful GPS has gone haywire. Today it warned me twice that I was entering Adelaide control airspace - this while circuit bashing at Pt. Pirie. It has also shur itself down on several occasions. I have twice brought the GPS home for testing and it works perfectly, both on internal batteries and 12 volt power as it is in the aircraft. My only thought is that the GPS antenna could be too close to the SE2, both on top of the panel. Any thoughts please? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 The Skyecho transmitter being in close proximity with the GPS receiver may be overloading the GPS receiver you will need to either relocate the GPS antenna or change the GPS antenna type. Where is the GPS antenna? Can you get the GPS antenna about the Sky echo ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushcaddy105 Posted June 28, 2022 Author Share Posted June 28, 2022 As stated, both the GPS antenna and SE2 are above the panel on top of the glare shield, and immediately behind the windscreen. I can easily relocate the GPS antenna, bur where to? I don't think it is suitable for external mounting (it was supplied with a suction cup mount for attaching to the screen and suggestions that the top of the glareshield is a good spot), and anywhere else indoors would be shielded by the metal airframe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 (edited) The GPS antenna has low sensitivity below it. suggest having the GPS above or above and to the side of the SE2. The SE2 coul dgo low on the window sucker cup , and the GPS up on the glare shield ? maybe ? Or, the GPS has to go outside ! having the GPS hard one side (left cabin front corner) and the SE2 far right cabin corner might be enough, also. SE2 only has to see out sideways. up and down is a very short distance so even shielded by the cabin it will work, it folds around the metal. Edited June 28, 2022 by RFguy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushcaddy105 Posted June 28, 2022 Author Share Posted June 28, 2022 Thanks RFguy, I will have a play with relative locations when next flying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 the other thing is, avoid having the GPS antenna cable running past the SE2. the cable will pick up stuff on the outside of the cable, it then travels up the outside of the cable to the antenna, and then may fold over into the inside of the cable. -glen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianc Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 I think the sky echo 2 is in desperate need of an external antenna. That would sort out interference issues and distance of transmission issues. who knows how to attach one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 (edited) it's not difficult but its really a one way trip (modification). There would be an SMA female connector on the bottom, and a whip of sorts being plugged in in the case of portable use when not being cabled into the aircraft. That would solve the interference issues, Also, some GPS antennas and receivers will be an order of magnitude more sensitive to overload from out of band transmitters (non GPS) than others. The good GPS receivers have out of band filters built into them. - The SkyEcho has a GPS internally and it doesnt have any problems...... I'm going to buy myself a big 200W mode S /adsb so when I am crossing bass strait I can be seen on the system at 100nm.... Edited July 3, 2022 by RFguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianc Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 Are you up for the challenge. I would love to have an Sms out the bottom so I could run an external antenna on bottom of fuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APenNameAndThatA Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) Will 50 cm away be far enough? My iPad is on one side of the cockpit, and the GPS antenna for the Dynon is just below the windscreen, so 50 cm is about as far as I can get. Edited July 4, 2022 by APenNameAndThatA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 - GPS antenna should be above the sky echo. if 50cm is all you can get, it is what it is... I would think 50cm is heaps , especially if the GPS antenna is above the skyecho. -Not doign any mods right now sorry, bit busy. wait till I get my plane back in the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APenNameAndThatA Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 5 hours ago, RFguy said: - GPS antenna should be above the sky echo. if 50cm is all you can get, it is what it is... I would think 50cm is heaps , especially if the GPS antenna is above the skyecho. -Not doign any mods right now sorry, bit busy. wait till I get my plane back in the air. That is an important idea: mound the SkyEcho as low as possible. My aircraft has see-through doors, so I can mount it low on a door and it will be able to see out sideways. ✅ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianc Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Just found two antenna ports on the sky echo. Can any one tell me which one is the gps and which one is the ADSB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 actually from memory one of those ports is the unused other transponder in it (unused in australia). turn the unit over the GPS should be visible. in fact I think it is at the bottom of your pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianc Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 I am only looking for an adsb one to plug an antenna external antenna into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Mark Kyle figured that out already, he'll chime in I am sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianc Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Yes Waiting for him to reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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