Some Mini-X Screenshots

[katieb]

Here are some screenshots I captured from a demo recording Widget made with the Mini-X on his way home from Sun 'n Fun.

Cruising with the Flight Director. GPS CDI is on the bottom of the screen.



Here's a Synthetic Vision shot showing an obstacle 500-1000 feet below the airplane's altitude.



Synthetic Vision terrain alerting at low altitude. Note autopilot annunciators showing active and pending lateral (above airspeed tape) and vertical (above altitude tape) modes. The Mini-X can't do vertical navigation, but the modes in use by Widget's HXr are displayed on the Mini.



Remote transponder control menu. To get here, press any key to activate the softkey labels, then press XPDR. Or, if you have it set up for Single Click, just press the third button from the left.



To enter a new code, press CODE and turn/press the knob to enter, or press "1200" softkey to Squawk VFR.



Here's the Moving Map page, showing airspace highlighted with the Map Selection Tool. Note the waypoint info box in the lower right corner.



And here's the HSI page. The waypoint is the nearest airport, which happens to be behind Widget's location.



Last day to take advantage of the intro pricing is next week Wednesday!

[jandejong]

Thank you.

I am much attached to the old fashioned steam AI and the old fashioned DI with heading bug and AP steering (roll only) of a DA40.

Before ordering one each of Mini-B and Mini-X to fill these roles, hopefully, in my Europa I would like to ask a few questions regarding the Mini-X:
1. Does the HSI show a (magnetic) heading bug?
2. In addition or instead of a (GPS) track bug?
3. Can the heading bug be used to control a Trutrak roll only AP as the larger GRT boxes can?
4. Is there a mode where the rotary encoder sets the bug(s) directly by default (without menu-selection)?

Thank you.
Jan de Jong

[katieb]

Before ordering one each of Mini-B and Mini-X to fill these roles, hopefully, in my Europa I would like to ask a few questions regarding the Mini-X:
1. Does the HSI show a (magnetic) heading bug?
2. In addition or instead of a (GPS) track bug?
3. Can the heading bug be used to control a Trutrak roll only AP as the larger GRT boxes can?
4. Is there a mode where the rotary encoder sets the bug(s) directly by default (without menu-selection)?

Hi Jan,

Yes-- the HSI can show magnetic heading and an actual heading bug if your Mini X is equipped with the external magnetometer. The screenshot below was recorded on a unit that does not have a remote magnetometer, so it's in Track mode-- but it shows the HSI screen with the knob in heading select mode. The current software for the HSI defaults to Course Select, but if you press the knob once, it enters Heading Select mode. You can leave the HSI in that mode for as long as you want-- as long as you don't press the knob again or exit the screen, the HDG bug can be adjusted directly from there.

[jandejong]

That probably answers questions 1, 2 and 4 with 3 times yes.
How about question 3:
Can the heading bug be used to control a Trutrak roll-only AP as is possible from the larger GRT boxes?

Thank you.
Jan de Jong

[GRT_Jeff]

Can the heading bug be used to control a Trutrak roll-only AP as is possible from the larger GRT boxes?

If you have the remote magnetometer, the heading function and NMEA0183/Aviation autopilot outputs work the same as on the larger GRT boxes.

[2wings.com]

A couple questions I can't find answers to in the documentation:




What is the Green "1139" number shown below at the 10 degree nose down line?

Also, how do you get the mini to show flight director bars? Are they driven by another GRT unit somehow?

2015-05-07 12.10.15.jpg (47.01 KiB) Viewed 25797 times

Also, in HSI mode how do you adjust the course arrow direction, so you can proceed inbound to a waypoint from a different direction other than direct at the time of entry? On my mini shown above on my test bench, spinning the course knob does nothing. I am however able to set the heading bug like you said in a previous post.

Thanks in advance for your answers, I look forward to getting this unit up and flying.

[Bobturner]

I can answer some questions, assuming the mini software is like the HX:
Green numbers are height AGL, calculated from terrain database and gps data (need both working). Should read zero as you land.
Choice of conventional AI display or Flight Director inverted V display is an option found in the autopilot menu, should work regardless of whether or not you have an autopilot installed.
HSI pointer, this is more complicated:
If the data source is a localizer, it should be on the runway heading or 180 off for backcourse (if you do not use the BC menu option).
If data source is a VOR, you should be able to adjust the pointer. Some VOR boxes (430) require an ARINC connection for this, some (SL30) do not.
If data source is a gps, the GPS is always locked onto a 'TO' the waypoint, so HSI pointer is not adjustable, unless you have a ifr-TSO'd gps like a 430. If so, push 'OBS' on the 430; the gps now acts like a VOR located at the gps waypoint, and the HSI pointer should be adjustable. Again you need an ARINC connection for this to work, I think.

[GRT_Jeff]

The number under the flight path marker with SAP activated is the altimeter height above the selected runway. If your altimeter setting is correct, it should read around zero when you touch down.

The GPS course is locked unless you are in a GPS HOLD mode. If you are flying with an external GPS like a 430W, the course knob will work when the GPS indicates it's in a sequence-hold mode. For the internal flight plan, it appears we are missing the GPS SEQ button on the Mini. I'll look into that.

[2wings.com]

Thanks for the answers guys.

Based on that, I am assuming that I since I have the mini-x not mini-ap then I don't have an autopilot menu and thus no FD bars.

Regarding the GPS course being locked on the HSI map display page, hopefully that will be something that you guys will update. Having an HSI display that allows us to change the inbound or outbound course to/from ANY active waypoint would allow function as expected by most pilots and be pretty useful at times.