(Click here for latest update: #6, 10/31/2011)
I recently purchased a SkyRadar unit for use with my iFly running v6.0.8. I haven't had a chance to fly with it, yet, but I've put everything together in my study to check it out and see how it all works.
Unfortunately, so far it doesn't.
No documentation came with the SkyRadar unit, so I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, if I'm getting the expected response for my non-flight environment, or if I have a problem that deserves further troubleshooting. Perhaps someone from AP or a fellow SkyRadar user can help me.
Re: the SkyRadar, I didn't immediately find the instructions it came with, but after looking more closely in the packing materials I found instructions for how to install the second antenna (it goes on the empty connector; I had originally replaced the stubby antenna with the larger one).
I then plugged the GPS antenna into the SkyRadar, connected a mini-USB cable from the SkyRadar to the iFly, plugged the SkyRadar into a power source (the cig lighter adapter glows green, and the GPS puck red LED glows steady, then starts flashing), and then I plugged in the iFly.
Once the iFly boots, I check the "Mode" menu, and I see "Weather (Pre-flight)". From a post Walter made on the Beta board, that indicates the iFly does NOT think it's connected to an ADSB receiver. This seems to be confirmed when I check "Menu > About > Connected Devices" and I get a popup that reads, "No SerialPortsNo Assigned Ports / No controllers attached".
I've tried two different USB cables. One was this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001... . Another was scavenged from a digital camera and has an iron choke on the end near the SkyRadar.
I also tried plugging the SkyRadar into my car's cigarette lighter; I got the same behavior.
I routinely update my iFly, so I have confidence in its USB port.
For those who are having success with your SkyRadars, can you tell me what the red LED on the GPS puck does when it's working right? Is it on solid, or does it flash? Also, can you see your SkyRadar's wifi broadcast from other devices? (I cannot, and I'm wondering if that's normal or perhaps another symptom of something wrong.)
Any help appreciated.
UPDATE (10/17 8:30am): Today, I tried a different order of plugging in / turning on. This time, I powered up both the iFly and SkyRadar units, then waited until the iFly had entered navigation mode before connecting the USB cable. I connected the cable first to the SkyRadar, then as soon as I plugged it into the iFly, I got a popup bok that said, "Unidentified USB Device. Enter the name of the driver for this USB device: Driver Name: [____________]"
There is no soft keyboard or any other data input method, so I couldn't type in a driver name even if I knew what to input. There is an OK box and an X to close the dialog; if I click OK, I get another dialog that reads, "Unidentified USB Device. Error installing USB driver". Clicking OK takes me back to the "Enter the name of the driver..." dialog, so I'm in a loop. Clicking "X" will close the window, but a few seconds later it will pop up again.
If I click anywhere on the screen outside of that dialog, the dialog will disappear. I assume it just goes to the background but is still there, but I can't make it reappear without power cycling the iFly and reconnecting the cable after it enters nav mode.
UPDATE 2 (10/17 09:20am): Spoke with Ed at AP, and he believes this can be resovled with an OS upgrade, so I'll be looking for an SD card in the mail in the next few days. Thanks, Ed!
UPDATE 3 (10/20 07:40am): Unfortunately, the OS update did not completely resolve the issue. See my reply on page 2 with details of my current problems.
UPDATE 4 (10/20 10:30pm): It's posible the OS update *did* resolve the connection issue between the SkyRadar and the iFly, but I'm still not getting completely meaningful weather data. See my reply on page 2 with details.
UPDATE 5 (10/21 08:00am): I'm pretty confident that I traced the SkyRadar/iFly comm issue to a weak power supply for the SkyRadar. I can now get the SR to connect to the iFly reliably. However, I am not getting weather data. Maybe that's due to radio reception, but I expected a different signature from the iFly in that case. Details on here on page 2 of this thread.
UPDATE 6 (10/31, 4:30pm): Apparently, my iFly / SkyRadar combo *is* working, as yesterday I was able to receive METARS/TAFs in flight (I live in Texas, so there was no rain within 500 miles of me and thus no way to check the Nexrad imagery). Note that the iFly continues to erroneously report "ADSB live weather" when that is not true...see details in my latest reply, here.