query: could GPSOUT transmit "RTE" messages?

[blave]

I am using Jeppesen FliteDeck v3.2 (a few years old - 2005 I think), which is their IFR enroute/approach chart moving map application (it's sort of a superset of FliteMap). It's running on a 2nd PC that I drive via GPSOUT and a serial cable.

I was thumbing through its manual recently and came across a feature that I had not been aware of: "When connecting FliteDeck to a GPS unit that outputs route information, FliteDeck automatically uses the active route from the GPS receiver."

That feature would be of great use to me if I could use it - currently I have to separately key in my flight plan to FliteDeck to emulate the FP that I have entered in FSX if I want things to match up.

I have google'd high and low and can find no other technical information on the specifics of what the program is expecting, but some research of the NMEA format leads me to believe that this feature is using the RTE message:

RTE - RTE is sent to indicate the names of the waypoints used in an active route. There are two types of RTE sentences. This route sentence can list all of the waypoints in the entire route or it can list only those still ahead. Because an NMEA sentence is limited to 80 characters there may need to be multiple sentences to identify all of the waypoints. The data about the waypoints themselves will be sent in subsequent WPL sentences which will be sent in future cycles of the NMEA data.

$GPRTE,2,1,c,0,W3IWI,DRIVWY,32CEDR,32-29,32BKLD,32-I95,32-US1,BW-32,BW-198*69

Where:

RTE Waypoints in active route

2 total number of sentences needed for full data

1 this is sentence 1 of 2

c Type c = complete list of waypoints in this route

w = first listed waypoint is start of current leg

0 Route identifier

W3IWI,... Waypoint identifiers (names)

*69 checksum

So my question is, is there any possibility of enhancing GPSOUT to output the FS flight plan using this protocol?

thanks,

Dave Blevins.

[Pete Dowson]

... currently I have to separately key in my flight plan to FliteDeck to emulate the FP that I have entered in FSX if I want things to match up.

Interesting. I don't know "fliteDeck" (never actually heard of it), but i use Jeppesen FliteMap to both plan my flights and as a moving map from GPSout --the plan actually has to be loaded into FS after being generated in FliteMap via my FStarRC utility. So, the plan is already in the moving map program. [Actually I don't use FS's plan loader in any case, as I use Radar Contact for ATC and Project Magenta's system for the FMS].

So, if you have what is a superset of FliteMap, why aren't you using its far superior (compared to FS's) planning capabilities?

So my question is, is there any possibility of enhancing GPSOUT to output the FS flight plan using this protocol?

Not really, because from inside FS I don't know any way of reading the flight plan, other than by loading the PLN file itself (assuming it has been saved, and not modified since loading). Its pathname is available from SimConnect for FSX. Not sure about FS9 or earlier.

This really sounds like the perfect application for a small utility run before GPSout is connected, i.e before running FS. It isn't something I'd want to get involved in unless I had a lot less to do at present.

Regards

Pete

[blave]

Clarification: FliteDeck is a superset of FliteMap in the sense that instead of only having a VFR sectional (moving) map capability, it can show low and high enroute maps, and more significantly instrument approach plates and airport diagrams. It has only very basic flight planning capabilities - ironically it's supposed to be used in conjunction with FliteStar (FliteMap without the moving map capability) and can import FliteStar/FliteMap plans.

This doesn't really work for me as I (a) don't use FliteStar and (b) typically use the RXP 530 navigator's flight planning capabilities (since the latter doesn't have any kind of import capability). If I'm going to FS's ATC (which isn't very often) then I export the 530's plan to FS as a .pln file.

At any rate, thanks for your reply and explanation. I knew it was a long shot but thought I'd try.

BTW while I'm here - I sort of accidentally discovered the new? mouse macro capability in FSUIPC about a month ago, and for me it's the most significant enhancement to the program in a long time. Thanks for doing that.

cheers,

Dave.

[Pete Dowson]

Clarification: FliteDeck is a superset of FliteMap in the sense that instead of only having a VFR sectional (moving) map capability, it can show low and high enroute maps, and more significantly instrument approach plates and airport diagrams. It has only very basic flight planning capabilities - ironically it's supposed to be used in conjunction with FliteStar (FliteMap without the moving map capability) and can import FliteStar/FliteMap plans

It sounds like part of their proposed Electronic Flight Bag, which sounded interesting. I was suppose to see that (courtesy of an arrangement with PFC and Jeppesen), but it never materialised.

Regards

Pete