No Heartbeat - iFly GPS for Android

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No Heartbeat

5/31/2016 1:30 PM

Shane

Joined: 4/21/2010

Posts: 1709

Re: No Heartbeat

Just make sure you do not have an ADS-B device that is set to "Static IP" for its setup. Some of the SkyRadar, NavWorx, FreeFlight and other models, started with Static IPs and then realized quickly that they need to support DHCP. Static IP on has on IP address, thus only one device. DCHP will assign multiple IP addresses and can share it's data with multiple units...

I just wanted to make sure this was states as some do have Static IP devices, however they are very rare.

Shane Woodson
Vice President | Adventure Pilot LLC.

6/22/2016 9:53 AM

jscott

Joined: 4/24/2012

Posts: 26

Re: No Heartbeat Modified By jscott on 6/22/2016 6:46:21 PM

The "no heartbeat" issue, then dropping the WiFi link altogether has been a chronic problem with my SamSung Tab 4 Android. It reverts back to it's internal GPS for nav, and drops all the traffic. If I look at the WiFi Status for the connection to my SkyGuard TWX unit, it shows the Skyguard as shut off. If I restart the link, the ADS-B information recovers... for a minute or two. However, I also run my iFly 740 in parallel with the Android unit. It never drops the connection, so the SkyGuard unit does not appear to be at fault or having a WiFi issue.

The problem doesn't seem to be WiFi network contention as the same issue still exists when I shut down the iFly 740. Last weekend I shut off anything I suspected of creating an RF interference issue. Still made no difference as the Tab 4 unit still dropped off line every minute or two.

BTW, I did record dumps on both devices (iFly 740 and Android) during this flight. Would be happy to upload them to you to look over. You'll see the Android drop off line repeatedly while the iFly stayed solid throughout the flight.

-Jeff Scott

6/24/2016 7:43 PM

John Miller

Joined: 9/12/2010

Posts: 644

Re: No Heartbeat

Brian:

Got then Heartbeat" notice again today. It seems to go like this. First "Out of Range". Then "No heartbeat" Then "Out of range", " then "Receiving".

My Navworx unit is only 10 inches under my seat. The wifi antenn is just below the tablet on my lap.

There is a possibility that I have the antenna positioned vertically and it is not propagating to my tablet due to the vertical polarization.

I may try tilting the antenna down so that it is horizontal with better signal to my tablet.

I can see went the 'No Heartbeat" signal comes on that S"selected devices" box shows it to be disconnected.

There is an app that I can download to see a graphical representation of all wifis close to my phone and what channel they are on.

I might need to change the wifi channel Navworx is using.

6/25/2016 12:58 PM

John Miller

Joined: 9/12/2010

Posts: 644

Re: No Heartbeat

Jeff:

Good info to consider.

I have downloaded an app called WiFi Analyzer and will monitor the wifi signal from Navworx to my Android device.

I will be able to see signal strength and signal interruption.

I am currently thinking that the WiFi from Navworx is cutting out.

6/25/2016 2:29 PM

jscott

Joined: 4/24/2012

Posts: 26

Re: No Heartbeat Modified By jscott on 6/25/2016 2:35:01 PM

Was able to address the No Heartbeat and dropped WiFi issue on my unit. As someone suggested elsewhere in the forum for another problem, I put the Android in Airplane Mode and then turned the WiFi back on. The Android maintained the WiFi link to the Skyguard unit as expected. The down side is that in airplane mode the Android disables the FM radio receiver, so there goes my in-flight entertainment. :o(

The issue seems to be that if the cell network is available and it is not receiving data from the WiFi network, the Android will ping the cell network for weather updates. If I am out of range of the cell networks, it will maintain the wifi link to ADS-B unit. But if it starts a weather or nexrad update, it finishes that load on the cell network. If the WiFi connection happens to time out while the Android is talking on the cell network, then it drops the WiFi connection, first showing No Heartbeat, then sometimes dropping the link altogether.

Don't know if this matches your problem or not, but if you havne't done so before, you might try putting your Android in Airplane Mode.

-Jeff Scott

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