xm problems

Have an XM receiver that interfaces with dual AFS 4500. Done through ethernet hub. For months I have intermittent displays from XM due to receiver cycling from active to idle according to diagnostics on AFS. Some flights OK and others will see cycling and then data light on XM will go out. Then power light will go out after another 5-10 min. Have tried independent pwr to xm. Replaced the ethernet hub and seemed to work ok for a month then started again. Leads me to suspect the ethernet hub. Wondering if small voltage fluctuation could be causing as the hub is designed for 12v powerpacks. XM seems to work fine outside the aircraft. when I bypass the hub ie go direct to one of the 4500's seems to work ok.
Anybody have a similiar experience or any ideas more than welcome

What type of hub are you using? Is the XM module connected to the battery bus or avionics bus? What about the ethernet hub?

I have been experiencing the same issues. Per Rob's recommendation I connected my Hub to the master bus and the XM to the avionics... Thought that fixed my problems, but after a couple of flights noticed the same behavior of intermittent XM connectivity. The hub I am using is the one recommended early on by AFS

Jason

We have a number of people that have it working without problems, I fly it almost every day I am not seeing any problems with the XM.

1. Are you positive that the ZULU time is correct on all your EFIS screens? If the ZULU time is wrong on the EFIS the screen will think that the weather is old and not display it. We have a number of customers that will have their ZULU offset wrong and then set the ZULU time wrong so that their local time is correct. This will cause XM weather issues. The date must also be correct for the current ZULU time, if it is after midnight in England you need to use tomorrows date. The good news is that the next software release will set the ZULU time from the GPS.

2. Is there anything common that happens when you lose the WX? I find that I can lose weather on the EFIS and on my 496 when I am flying North in Seattle, the satellite is in the southern sky and my antennas are on the glare shield. If I move the antenna or fly south it comes back.

3. How often does this happen and how much do you fly?
4. When you lose the WX does it come back over time on the same flight?
5. Have you tried cycling power to the WX box when it happens and does it fix it?
6. Where is your antenna mounted?
7. What software version are you running?
Email me directly with the answers to these questions and I will see to it that we get to the bottom of it. We need to eliminate as many variables as possible to isolate the problem.

Trevor i was using the AFS recommended Linkysis? The hub is on the avionics bus. The xm is on it's own switch as i got it off the avionics bus.
Rob
1 I will check this out.
2 No there is not a geographics problem. Happens all over and at random.
3 Fly several times a week. is happening 50% of the time.
4 No
5 yes i will recycle but normally will shut down again
6 On the dash RV 10
7 8.03.28
Isolating the power to the xm has not seemed to solve the problem. Even hooked up with seperate battery. I continue to refocus on the hub. Replaced the hub a few months ago and worked ok for awhile then started the same pattern again. Bypassed the hub direct to the 4500 and seemed to work fine. Just got a better hub/switch from Stein's and first flight was good. To be continued.

Kevin, the AF-4500 generates a bit of noise with the newer and faster processor. Having any antennas on the glare-shield could definitely cause problems. Have you tried relocating the antenna? Many of our upgrade customers have built a small shelf on the top of the firewall to put the GPS and/or XM antennas, just below the top cowling. You may want to experiment with XM antenna locations a bit.

will try that as well

Sounds like a bad hub.

Is it by chance the Contemporary Controls EIBA5-100T that Stein sells? If so, I've had issues with it also. 2nd EFIS/EM and XM are attached to the hub for me and when the hub hiccups I lose XM and remote AHRS because of it. I've replaced it once with the same model and still occasionally have the problem. If I recycle power to the hub, everything comes back online.

If anyone has a suggestion for a different model of 12v ethernet hub to replace the Contemporary Controls EIBA5-100T, I'd probably do that.

UPDATE: Looks like a lot of people use the Cisco/Linksys SD 205

We have the Cisco/Linksys SD 205 in stock and ready to ship.

I started this thread back in 2011. I tried three different hubs including the stein air. I finally resolved issue by getting rid of xm and going to navworx adsb. Works well.

I have a SD 205 HUB in my RV-10 with XM weather, over 1000 hours with no problems.

I've been using XM via WXWORX for 4+ years and 550+ hours without issue. About a month ago I noticed I wasn't getting weather. I fly all the time, the most I have gone without flying is 2 weeks. My XM box green power LED will power on, but then power itself down after a few minutes. I spoke to WXWORX today and they said this was normal if they aren't getting data. They said I should "Put the WXWORX box in activation mode and send a refresh signal from Sirius/XM". Don't know how to put the box in activation mode. Is there a way to do this via AFS' software? Couldn't find anything in the AFS manual, and I don't have a WXWORX manual (and they don't either believe it or not). I have the AFS recommended Cisco hub and dual 4500s.

Any help appreciated.

Noah... interesting in that about a week ago I encountered exactly the same problem with my XM and AFS4500 and AFS 3500 EFIS boxes. I have gone through the refresh process and no changes. I do have the manual for my WXWORX box model REWX91D. I don't get a SIGNAL indication which means no signal detected. So I'm not sure what is happening as I have had 425 hours of trouble free service from this unit. My antenna is mounted under the cowling. I'm wondering if I have a bad antenna. I have a call into AFS tech support. I have ADSB set up and running so I guess I could dump XM. The only reason I have been keeping it is that their radar display is far superior to the ADSB image.

Doug Weiler
RV-7

Thanks for the update, Doug! I am also getting no signal connection. I have checked my antenna connection which is as good as ever, and sent a dozen refresh signals. Are we the only 2 remaining users of XM?? Let me know what you find!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NoahF

Thanks for the update, Doug! I am also getting no signal connection. I have checked my antenna connection which is as good as ever, and sent a dozen refresh signals. Are we the only 2 remaining users of XM?? Let me know what you find!

---

Yes, we might be the last left on earth! I talked to AFS yesterday and they really had no idea. But it is interesting in that our problems are essentially identical. I'm going to call WXWORX later today and see what they say.

Doug

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dougweil

Yes, we might be the last left on earth! I talked to AFS yesterday and they really had no idea. But it is interesting in that our problems are essentially identical. I'm going to call WXWORX later today and see what they say.

Doug

---

Just talked with Vince at WXWORX and he had no specific solutions other than trying a new antenna before I send the WXWORX box back to them. My XM antenna is mounted under the cowling (this whole system has about 425 hours of use). He said antennas have been known to go bad. So I decided to get a new one so that has been ordered and I'll give it a try. Will let you know.

Doug

Great thanks Doug! When I spoke to WXWORX, they said I needed to put the box in activation mode and then do an XM refresh. How you enter activaiton mode, nobody knows. What's a new antenna cost? Is yours a Gen 1 WXWORX box?

How did it work out Doug?