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Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 19:51:28 -0400
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From: Jim Cameron <toucan@Satx.rr.com>
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Subject: FreeFlight GPS dropout problems
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     Since day 1 the FreeFlight 1101 GPS that came with my Chelton 
system has been sketchy, subject to frequent drop-outs.  In most cases 
they last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, but on a recent 
trip back to TX from Wisconsin, it quit about 40 min from home and 
didn't come back (in marginal VFR/IFR).
    I've pulled the unit and sent it to FreeFlight, who say it checks 
out fine, passes all their tests.  They suggested it was my antenna, 
which led to a peculiar conversation.  While I was on the phone with 
their tech support guy, he asked to to hold while he looked up the 
Comant antenna model number I had given him on line.  After a minute or 
so, he said that the Comant site showed it was a 26dB gain antenna, not 
adequate for the FreeFlight 1101.  He volunteered to sell me one of 
their antennas for $1200 bucks!!  I said no thanks.
    Later, I got on the internet myself, and discovered that Comant 
describe this antenna as one made for FreeFlight GPS receivers, and give 
the gain as 40dB!  What's going on here?
    I thought perhaps the lack of a good ground plane might be reducing 
the sensitivity of the antenna, so, a la Jim Weir, I added some strips 
of copper foil under the skin, attaching each to one of the four corner 
mounting screws.  I also made up a short ground lead and attached that 
to one screw and to my ground bus, only about 18" away.  No help.
    So, is this FreeFlight 1101 just a piece of crap, or is there maybe 
something I can do to get better performance out of it?  Anybody have 
any ideas or experience they could share?

Jim Cameron
Legacy N132X
Boerne Stage Airfield (5C1)
830.688.9562