Hi all,

I've discovered a problem with Smart Couplers for those users that
couple using aviation format data from their receivers. This will be all
users who couple to panel-mounted receivers (such as the King KX135A).
Also most users who couple to a Skyforce or King Skymap. This includes
couplers that I have sold directly and those couplers that are built-in
to the Navaid AP-1.

Return your coupler for the upgrade to Porcine Associates or Navaid
Devices depending on from whom you bought the coupler. The upgrade also
includes the ability to decode NMEA v3.01 as used by the newest Garmin
handhelds. So far (April 2004) I know that new models 195 and 296 use
V3.01. There may be others - Garmin is alone so far in switching from
V2.xx to V3.xx.

Customers who use NMEA format data are not affected by the recall,
although if your coupler is older than about June of 2003 it will not
support NMEA V3.01 without the update. NMEA is produced by all hand-held
receivers excluding older Magellan receivers that produce aviation data.

The symptom is that the Smart Coupler will not lock onto course
information (navigating to a waypoint) but will work in heading mode, or
vise versa. The mode select LED will stay lit to show that the Smart
Coupler is receiving and translating the data stream from the GPS
receiver. If the LED blinks and goes out it means that the coupler
either is not getting the data from the receiver, or cannot understand it.

There is a new version of the test and calibration utility on my FTP
site which can expose the problem on the bench or in your aircraft. You
need a windoz computer with a serial port and a test cable to use the
utility. Instructions are on my web site www.porcine.com. Check in the
section called "downloadable files".

Please feel free to send this message to others or the post it on other
lists or message boards. I want to get the word out as quickly as I can.

I normally do not monitor rec.aviation.homebuilt, but I will for a while
so that I can answer any questions that come up. If I don't answer
promptly, email me directly at . You know what
to do the the NOSPAM- :- .

Regards,

Jim Ham

Porcine Associates
244 O'Connor St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
+1 (650)326.2669
www.porcine.com