Cambridge GPS-NAV Aero Explorer error on log download

On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight log. It looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from the GPS-NAV ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg "Error writing flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running on a different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a machine with Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast antivirus software with no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to download it via the Cambridge software for use as an official flight for badge purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it. No requirement to use Cambridge software.
Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date 18 years in the
past, invalidating the log. Submit to OLC as an easy check for IGC
security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster. M$ tried to upgrade everyone
to 10. But using obsolete software and hardware with modern OS's leads
to lots of problems. Update to something like an LXNAV Nano, which acts
like a USB memory device and lets you just copy the file out easily.
Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day and age is a waste of time.

-Dave









Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older version of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)

If SeeYou works, just use it. No requirement to use Cambridge software.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.
Update to something like an LXNAV Nano, which acts like a USB memory device
and lets you just copy the file out easily.
Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day and age is a waste of time.

-Dave

I wrote the Cambridge Aero Explorer, and I agree with Dave's comments.

If you still want to use the GPS-NAV with CAE, out of a sense of nostalgia, or whatever, the file write errors you are getting could be due to the workspace not being valid. Make sure it references a valid file location.

You can PM me if you wish further support.

Guy Byars

Thanks Guy.

On 07/13/2018 07:21 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight log. It
looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from the GPS-NAV
ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg "Error writing
flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running on a
different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a machine with
Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast antivirus software with
no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to download it
via the Cambridge software for use as an official flight for badge
purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it.Â* No requirement to use Cambridge software.
Â*Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date 18 years in the
past, invalidating the log.Â* Submit to OLC as an easy check for IGC
security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.Â* M$ tried to upgrade everyone
to 10.Â* But using obsolete software and hardware with modern OS's leads
to lots of problems.Â* Update to something like an LXNAV Nano, which acts
like a USB memory device and lets you just copy the file out easily.
Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day and age is a waste of time.

-Dave




If you happen to have PowerFlarm, then enabling the igc logging is
another good alternative. This saved me when the RS-232 link from my
CAI 302 into my Tophat computer stopped working at a camp this year.

The GPS-NAV puts out a binary .cai file, which is secure but
proprietary. Has to be converted to .igc with an external program.
Definitely time to move on.

-Dave













Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older version
of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)

I was very disappointed to see that I would have to pay a bounty to get
igc logging with my PF Portable.Â* Thankfully, both my ClearNav II and
ClearNav XC varios generate an igc file and it's much easier to retrieve
than from the PF.

On 7/13/2018 8:25 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 07:21 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight log. It
looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from the GPS-NAV
ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg "Error writing
flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running on a
different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a machine with
Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast antivirus software with
no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to download
it via the Cambridge software for use as an official flight for
badge purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it.Â* No requirement to use Cambridge
software. Â*Â*Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date 18
years in the past, invalidating the log.Â* Submit to OLC as an easy
check for IGC security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.Â* M$ tried to upgrade
everyone to 10.Â* But using obsolete software and hardware with modern
OS's leads to lots of problems.Â* Update to something like an LXNAV
Nano, which acts like a USB memory device and lets you just copy the
file out easily. Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day and age is
a waste of time.

-Dave




If you happen to have PowerFlarm, then enabling the igc logging is
another good alternative.Â* This saved me when the RS-232 link from my
CAI 302 into my Tophat computer stopped working at a camp this year.

The GPS-NAV puts out a binary .cai file, which is secure but
proprietary.Â* Has to be converted to .igc with an external program.
Definitely time to move on.

-Dave













Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older
version of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)





--
Dan, 5J

Yeah I hate that pricing model, you pay for something, then pay again if
you actually want to use it. I had to pay for both igc secure logging
and ENL to use with the motorglider.

PF does give you a non-secure file by default though, which can be used
with their range-checking software. That's nice to show how much better
range the Core gives than a Portable :-)

-Dave





On 07/13/2018 08:39 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:
I was very disappointed to see that I would have to pay a bounty to get
igc logging with my PF Portable.Â* Thankfully, both my ClearNav II and
ClearNav XC varios generate an igc file and it's much easier to retrieve
than from the PF.

On 7/13/2018 8:25 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 07:21 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight log. It
looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from the GPS-NAV
ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg "Error writing
flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running on a
different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a machine with
Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast antivirus software with
no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to download
it via the Cambridge software for use as an official flight for
badge purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it.Â* No requirement to use Cambridge
software. Â*Â*Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date 18
years in the past, invalidating the log.Â* Submit to OLC as an easy
check for IGC security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.Â* M$ tried to upgrade
everyone to 10.Â* But using obsolete software and hardware with modern
OS's leads to lots of problems.Â* Update to something like an LXNAV
Nano, which acts like a USB memory device and lets you just copy the
file out easily. Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day and age is
a waste of time.

-Dave




If you happen to have PowerFlarm, then enabling the igc logging is
another good alternative.Â* This saved me when the RS-232 link from my
CAI 302 into my Tophat computer stopped working at a camp this year.

The GPS-NAV puts out a binary .cai file, which is secure but
proprietary.Â* Has to be converted to .igc with an external program.
Definitely time to move on.

-Dave













Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older
version of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)

Yeah, I forgot about ENL.Â* That's another thing my ClearNav products do
for no extra charge.Â* And I can use the igc files generated by them for
the Flarm range-checking software.

On 7/13/2018 8:45 AM, kinsell wrote:
Yeah I hate that pricing model, you pay for something, then pay again
if you actually want to use it.Â* I had to pay for both igc secure
logging and ENL to use with the motorglider.

PF does give you a non-secure file by default though, which can be
used with their range-checking software.Â* That's nice to show how much
better range the Core gives than a Portable :-)

-Dave





On 07/13/2018 08:39 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:
I was very disappointed to see that I would have to pay a bounty to
get igc logging with my PF Portable.Â* Thankfully, both my ClearNav II
and ClearNav XC varios generate an igc file and it's much easier to
retrieve than from the PF.

On 7/13/2018 8:25 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 07:21 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight log.
It looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from the
GPS-NAV ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg "Error
writing flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running on
a different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a machine
with Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast antivirus
software with no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to download
it via the Cambridge software for use as an official flight for
badge purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it.Â* No requirement to use Cambridge
software. Â*Â*Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date 18
years in the past, invalidating the log.Â* Submit to OLC as an easy
check for IGC security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.Â* M$ tried to upgrade
everyone to 10.Â* But using obsolete software and hardware with
modern OS's leads to lots of problems.Â* Update to something like an
LXNAV Nano, which acts like a USB memory device and lets you just
copy the file out easily. Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day
and age is a waste of time.

-Dave




If you happen to have PowerFlarm, then enabling the igc logging is
another good alternative.Â* This saved me when the RS-232 link from
my CAI 302 into my Tophat computer stopped working at a camp this year.

The GPS-NAV puts out a binary .cai file, which is secure but
proprietary.Â* Has to be converted to .igc with an external program.
Definitely time to move on.

-Dave













Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older
version of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)







--
Dan, 5J

You mean it's all just included in the product? That ought to really
**** off Chip. 'Course lots of things seem to **** off Chip.


On 07/13/2018 12:52 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
Yeah, I forgot about ENL.Â* That's another thing my ClearNav products do
for no extra charge.Â* And I can use the igc files generated by them for
the Flarm range-checking software.

On 7/13/2018 8:45 AM, kinsell wrote:
Yeah I hate that pricing model, you pay for something, then pay again
if you actually want to use it.Â* I had to pay for both igc secure
logging and ENL to use with the motorglider.

PF does give you a non-secure file by default though, which can be
used with their range-checking software.Â* That's nice to show how much
better range the Core gives than a Portable :-)

-Dave





On 07/13/2018 08:39 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:
I was very disappointed to see that I would have to pay a bounty to
get igc logging with my PF Portable.Â* Thankfully, both my ClearNav II
and ClearNav XC varios generate an igc file and it's much easier to
retrieve than from the PF.

On 7/13/2018 8:25 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 07:21 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight log.
It looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from the
GPS-NAV ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg "Error
writing flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running on
a different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a machine
with Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast antivirus
software with no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to download
it via the Cambridge software for use as an official flight for
badge purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it.Â* No requirement to use Cambridge
software. Â*Â*Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date 18
years in the past, invalidating the log.Â* Submit to OLC as an easy
check for IGC security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.Â* M$ tried to upgrade
everyone to 10.Â* But using obsolete software and hardware with
modern OS's leads to lots of problems.Â* Update to something like an
LXNAV Nano, which acts like a USB memory device and lets you just
copy the file out easily. Trying to use RS-232 devices in this day
and age is a waste of time.

-Dave




If you happen to have PowerFlarm, then enabling the igc logging is
another good alternative.Â* This saved me when the RS-232 link from
my CAI 302 into my Tophat computer stopped working at a camp this year.

The GPS-NAV puts out a binary .cai file, which is secure but
proprietary.Â* Has to be converted to .igc with an external program.
Definitely time to move on.

-Dave













Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older
version of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)

As far as I recall, it was all included in the price.Â* Maybe Evan will
chime in...

On 7/13/2018 2:57 PM, kinsell wrote:
You mean it's all just included in the product?Â* That ought to really
**** off Chip.Â* 'Course lots of things seem to **** off Chip.


On 07/13/2018 12:52 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
Yeah, I forgot about ENL.Â* That's another thing my ClearNav products
do for no extra charge.Â* And I can use the igc files generated by
them for the Flarm range-checking software.

On 7/13/2018 8:45 AM, kinsell wrote:
Yeah I hate that pricing model, you pay for something, then pay
again if you actually want to use it. I had to pay for both igc
secure logging and ENL to use with the motorglider.

PF does give you a non-secure file by default though, which can be
used with their range-checking software.Â* That's nice to show how
much better range the Core gives than a Portable :-)

-Dave





On 07/13/2018 08:39 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:
I was very disappointed to see that I would have to pay a bounty to
get igc logging with my PF Portable.Â* Thankfully, both my ClearNav
II and ClearNav XC varios generate an igc file and it's much easier
to retrieve than from the PF.

On 7/13/2018 8:25 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 07:21 AM, kinsell wrote:
On 07/13/2018 05:46 AM, Eric Foertsch wrote:
I have a Cambridge GPS-NAV. I am trying to download a flight
log. It looks like the Aero Explorer software is reading it from
the GPS-NAV ok, but then a dialog box pops up with an error msg
"Error writing flight log to disk."

I was able to download logs earlier this year, but was running
on a different PC with Windows 7 (I think). I now am using a
machine with Windows 8.1. I did try turning off the Avast
antivirus software with no luck.

I was able to download the log via SeeYou but I wanted to
download it via the Cambridge software for use as an official
flight for badge purposes.

If SeeYou works, just use it.Â* No requirement to use Cambridge
software. Â*Â*Check the dates, many old recorders will show a date
18 years in the past, invalidating the log.Â* Submit to OLC as an
easy check for IGC security being valid.

Get rid of Windows 8.1, it was a disaster.Â* M$ tried to upgrade
everyone to 10.Â* But using obsolete software and hardware with
modern OS's leads to lots of problems. Update to something like
an LXNAV Nano, which acts like a USB memory device and lets you
just copy the file out easily. Trying to use RS-232 devices in
this day and age is a waste of time.

-Dave




If you happen to have PowerFlarm, then enabling the igc logging is
another good alternative.Â* This saved me when the RS-232 link from
my CAI 302 into my Tophat computer stopped working at a camp this
year.

The GPS-NAV puts out a binary .cai file, which is secure but
proprietary.Â* Has to be converted to .igc with an external
program. Definitely time to move on.

-Dave













Any ideas on what to try other than finding a PC with an older
version of Windows? (Or upgrading my logger?)









--
Dan, 5J

On Friday, July 13, 2018 at 4:59:00 PM UTC-4, kinsell wrote:
You mean it's all just included in the product? That ought to really
**** off Chip. 'Course lots of things seem to **** off Chip.

Not really; it's a short list. So...congratulations!

Seriously, I don't have to "like" the way a product is priced. I can complain. But basically we buyers vote with our wallets. I hadn't upgraded my panel in almost 25 years and needed to replace a couple of CAI GPS-NAVs flight recorders so I was willing to pay up for the XC version of the CNv vario, which got me the thermal assistant (extremely important), the IGC-approved logger (very important), and navigation functionality (never used it and would love to have had a delete option). With the PowerFLARM, I have my second flight recorder (also very important). If I were in the market for another instrument and the flight recorder cost extra, I'd have to think about it..

None of this stuff is "free". If the manufacturer incurs costs to add features, we're going to pay for it one way or the other. I'd just rather shift the cost to those for whom it's really important.

Now is a CNv Club version vario (i.e., no thermal assistant or flight recorder) a great deal? Not for me. But for someone on a budget, it might be, especially knowing they can buy a license in the future to add the cool stuff later. If ClearNav wants to "bundle" the license so it's cheaper to buy the XC version now than the Club version with an add-on XC license later, so be it. That's a pricing decision. No one is forced to buy anything. I'm amazed at the profusion of soaring equipment manufacturers who somehow eek out a living selling electronic devices into the tiny soaring marketplace.

I've gone the open source/freeware route with Top Hat for my flight computer so that's my protest against high-cost soaring equipment!

Chip Bearden