Panasonic EchoMap 3.0 User Manual
EchoMap 3.0
User’s Guide
1919 14th St. Suite 601
Boulder, Co. 80302
Customer Support
1-888-739-7161
Support@EchoFlight.com
www.EchoFlight.com
EchoMap v3.0
This Manual is for users of EchoMap, on
an Echo Flight Flight Cheetah Multi-
Function-Display or a Windows® laptop.
An electronic version of this manual will be
installed to
/Echomap/Docs/EchoMapGuide.pdf
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1/22/2002
Version 3.0
EchoMap v3.0
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ding 91.21
Please read the following information
• Echo Flight provides weather and messaging only in the Continental U.S. and
surrounding offshore areas
• Echo Flight continues to develop new technologies to provide pilots with new and
exciting ways to gather information in the cockpit. For a full understanding of
how the system should be used, please refer to the Echo Flight, Inc. Services and
Systems Agreement.
• This product is meant to augment, not replace pilot voice communication with
Flight Service Stations (FSSs), other Air Traffic Control (ATC) facilities or Airlines
Operations Control Centers (AOCCs). It does not replace pilot and
controller/FSS/aircraft dispatcher voice communication for critical weather or
operational information interpretation. Please verify all information including
navigational and weather information from independent sources before
considering it valid.
• Before using Echo Flight products during flight, you should become completely
familiar with the operation of the system and equipment as well as modes of
operation and indications of various system failures.
• Although governmental Selective Availability for GPS has been removed, altitude
information should not be used for vertical navigation.
• This system is for portable use. Please observe all FAA regulations inclu
regarding the use of portable equipment in the cockpit. This product is not IFR
certified. It is for advisory use only and is designed to supplement other sources
of flight data while enroute. For additional information please refer to the
Airman’s Information Manual concerning weather avoidance.
• Take care positioning and securing equipment so it is free and clear of all controls,
instruments, doors and windows. As with any transceiver, contact with an
antenna while transmitting may cause electrical shock.
• Always make sure NOS approach plates are current. Approach plate information
should be printed before flight in case of electrical failure. Always make sure you
have the most current updated information.
• All aircraft are certified with a maximum allowable weight to be placed on the
control yoke. Assume that the computer exceeds this amount and should not be
mounted on the yoke unless your aircraft manufacturer approves. Please
remember that any object on the control yoke may cause a potentially dangerous
flywheel effect if poorly centered. If you have any mounting questions please
contact your A&P mechanic.
• Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
EchoMap v3.0
Table of Contents
1. Introduction...............................................................................7
1.1 System Requirements ..........................................................7
1.2 Data-Link and GPS...............................................................7
2. Flight Display Indicators ..........................................................8
2.1 Heading Indicator..................................................................9
2.2 Obstacle Alert Indicator ........................................................9
2.3 Direct to Indicator..................................................................9
2.4 Position Indicators ..............................................................10
2.5 Satellite Status Indicators...................................................10
2.5.1 Satellite Indicator Colors.................................................11
2.5.2 Satellite Indicator Examples ...........................................12
2.6 Moving Map Panel..............................................................13
3. GPS Moving Map.....................................................................14
3.1 Navigation Menu.................................................................14
3.2 Demo Mode........................................................................15
3.3 Map Range Controls...........................................................15
3.4 Navaid Overlays..................................................................16
3.5 Terrain Contour...................................................................16
3.5.1 Display the Terrain Contour Overlay ................................................16
3.5.2 Display Black Background............................................................16
3.6 Terrain & Tower Alerts........................................................16
3.6.1 Terrain Alert Indicator ..............................................................17
3.6.2 Tower Alert Indicator ...............................................................17
3.6.3 Terrain Alert Display.................................................................17
3.7 Display The Terrain Alert Overlay.......................................18
3.8 Display The Terrain Contour and Alert Overlay..................18
3.9 Moving Map - Display Settings ...........................................19
3.9.1 Change Your Map Compass Display..............................20
3.9.2 Display Course Lines......................................................20
3.9.3 Other Map Display Settings............................................20
3.10 Map Menu - Layers.............................................................21
3.10.1 Add or Delete a Map Layer.............................................21
3.10.2 Keyboard Shortcuts for Layers .......................................22
3.11 Map Menu - Filter Settings..................................................22
3.11.1 Change Filter Settings ....................................................23
4. DATABASE INFORMATION....................................................24
4.1 Airport Information..............................................................24
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4.1.1 Airport Facility Page........................................................24
4.1.2 Airport Frequency Page..................................................25
4.1.3 Airport Map Page............................................................25
4.1.4 Airport Metar Weather Page...........................................26
4.1.5 Airport Plates Page.........................................................26
4.2 VOR Info Page ...................................................................28
4.3 NDB Info Page....................................................................28
5. Routes & Approach Overlay..................................................29
5.1 Create a New Route...........................................................29
5.2 Select an Existing Route ....................................................30
5.3 Add User Waypoint ............................................................30
5.4 Insert or Delete a Waypoint in an Existing Route...............30
5.5 Direct To Menu...................................................................31
5.5.1 Select Next Waypoint.....................................................31
5.5.2 Reverse Route................................................................31
5.5.3 Approach Overlay ...........................................................32
5.5.4 Selecting an Approach ...................................................32
5.5.5 Viewing the Approach (requires Plates subscription).....33
6. System Menu...........................................................................34
6.1.1 Shut Down the Computer...............................................34
6.1.2 Exit to Windows ( laptop computers only ).....................34
6.1.3 Update from CD .............................................................34
6.1.4 System Settings Menu....................................................35
6.1.5 System Diagnostics Menu..............................................35
6.1.6 Minimize ( laptop computers only ).................................35
7. DATA-LINK Weather...............................................................37
7.1 Data Link Weather vs. Onboard Radar..............................39
7.2 NexRAD Weather Radar....................................................39
7.2.1 Requesting a NexRad Image .........................................41
7.2.2 Changing NexRad Request Range................................41
7.2.3 Changing NexRad Request Direction.............................41
7.2.4 Automatic NexRad Requests .........................................42
7.2.5 Remote NexRad Request ..............................................42
7.2.6 NexRad Radar Animation...............................................42
7.3 Interpreting NexRAD Radar Pictures .................................43
7.3.1 Storm Cells.....................................................................44
7.3.2 NexRAD Picture Boundaries..........................................44
7.4 Metar Reports.....................................................................45
7.4.1 Graphical Metar Reports ................................................45
7.4.2 Interpreting Graphical Ceiling / Visibility Reports...........46
7.4.3 How to Read Precipitation Levels...................................46
7.4.4 Interpreting Metar Age....................................................46
7.4.5 Metar Ceiling/Visibility Example......................................47
EchoMap v3.0
7.4.6 How to read Graphical Wind Speed and Direction.........48
7.4.7 How to read Graphical Temperature Dew-point Spreads49
7.4.8 How to View Weather Overlays......................................49
7.5 Text Metar Reports.............................................................50
8. In Flight Email..........................................................................51
8.1 How to Send Email.............................................................51
8.2 Receiving Email..................................................................52
8.2.1 Email Login.....................................................................53
8.3 Position Reporting ..............................................................53
9. The ORBCOMM Data Link Network.......................................54
9.1 Advantages of LEO Technology.........................................54
9.2 Network Operation..............................................................55
9.2.1 Space Segment..............................................................55
9.2.2 Ground Segment ............................................................55
9.2.3 Aircraft Segment.............................................................57
10. TECHNICAL Support...............................................................59
10.1 Log Files.............................................................................59
10.2 Disk Space..........................................................................59
10.3 EchoFlight Online ...............................................................59
APPENDIX A: Keyboard Shortcuts.................................................60
Appendix B: Glossary......................................................................62
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This Manual is for users of the EchoMap software running on a either
an Echo Flight Flight Cheetah Multi-Function-Display or a Windows
laptop/tablet computer.
Reading this manual will introduce you to the powerful features and
functions of EchoMap. You should install software on your home
computer to practice in demo mode. See section 4.2.1.
1.1 System Requirements
If you are not using the software on a Flight Cheetah flight
computer, it is recommended that you use a Pentium class
Windows® laptop or tablet computer. WinCE is not supported.
Requirements Minimum Recommended
Operating System Windows 95, 98, ME, XP Windows NT4, 2000
Processor Pentium 75 MHz Pentium III 500 MHz or more
RAM (megabytes) 16-32 64-128 or more
Hard Drive 500 megabytes 1 gigabyte or more
Ports 1 serial or USB port 2 serial or USB port
At least one RS-232 serial port is required to communicate with
the Satellite Transceiver and/or GPS Receiver (USB to Serial
adapters are available). A faster processor or more RAM will
improve system performance. A CD-ROM drive is required to
install software and updates, but is not required for use in-flight.
Warning - When using a mobile computer in the cockpit, special care
should be taken to place the screen out of direct sunlight, in an easily
viewed area that does not interfere or block any controls or instruments.
1.2 Data-Link and GPS
EchoMap is designed to work with the Quake and Panasonic
brands of ORBCOMM satellite communicator (SC). These SCs
provide integrated GPS functionality. EchoMap also supports the
use of a separate NMEA GPS receiver on a serial/usb port to run
without an SC or to replace the SC’s integrated GPS. If you use
both an SC and a NMEA GPS, you will need at least two serial or
usb ports.
EchoMap v3.0
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EchoMap has been optimized for maximum flexibility, capability and
ease of use in flight. Please take a few moments to review its
functions to get the most of its capabilities.
The flight display screen consists of six separate sections:
1. Heading information, upper left panel.
2. Obstacle Alert, second down on left.
3. Direct to location, third down on left.
4. Position information, lower center left panel.
5. GPS and ORBCOMM Satellite Status, lower left panel.
6. Moving Map display, right hand panel.
EchoMap will scale to fit any display resolution. Layout will differ
depending on whether it is displayed in portrait or landscape
mode. Landscape mode is shown above. In portrait mode the
indicators display on top of the map.
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map. When an airport is displayed in cyan it indicates a controlled
2.1 Heading Indicator
The first section of the flight display
is the heading indicator in the upper
left corner of the screen. The top
yellow number is the magnetic
heading to your waypoint. The lower
white number is your actual current
track. The visual aircraft indicator shows the number of degrees
off course, in this case 6 degrees to the left of the correct heading
represented by the yellow triangle below the magnetic heading.
The tick marks show how many degrees your aircraft is off course
in one-degree increments up to a maximum deflection of 11
degrees. Navigation is as simple as flying towards the triangle.
2.2 Obstacle Alert Indicator
The obstacle alert indicator panel
will automatically display either a
tower or terrain alert symbol when
the aircraft comes within 8 minutes
and 500 feet of an obstacle. If no
GPS altitude is available, this alert
indicator will show a red and white striped bar.
2.3 Direct to Indicator
The third panel displays the
currently selected target waypoint,
which may be an airport, VOR, NDB, intersection or custom
waypoint. The color of the text matches the color of item on the
airport in the destination while magenta would indicate an
uncontrolled airport.
EchoMap v3.0
2.4 Position Indicators
Directly below the direct to indicator is
the navigation box. This box displays
current navigational information during
flight. The first two lines are Distance
to the Waypoint and Ground Speed.
The third line displays the Estimated
Time Enroute (ETE) to the target
waypoint. ETE is computed on your
actual track and closure rate, (not just
distance divided by ground speed), to
give you an extremely accurate time.
For this reason, the ETE indicator will disappear when your track is
90 degrees or more off from the target heading.
The final line indicates your altitude in feet above mean sea level.
This altitude will appear in yellow when your aircraft is 500-1000
feet above the terrain and red when within 500 feet or less. When
GPS reception is less than 4 satellites no altitude is displayed and
you will receive a No Alt warning in the Obstacle clearance panel.
Note: Although government Selective Availability has been removed, the
system is not to be used for primary vertical navigation or IFR navigation.
2.5 Satellite Status Indicators
Directly below the navigation box
are the satellite status indicators.
There are four indicators, upperleft is the status of the
ORBCOMM satellite connection,
lower-left is the GPS lock status,
upper right is the WX status
which lets you know what
weather product is being displayed, and lower right is the Msg
status. The indicators will also display an arrow up or down to
show that the system is transmitting or receiving data from the
satellite.
Below these indicators is a small text box that outputs status
information that is written to status log. The text is small because
it is not necessary to read this information during flight.
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2.5.1 Satellite Indicator Colors
The ORBCOMM status indicator shows whether you have established a
link with the satellites and whether you are transmitting or receiving.
Color ORBCOMM Satellite Indications (upper left)
No signal is being received on the serial port or the satellite
Red
Yellow
Green
White
arrow
The GPS indicator shows whether you have established reception of the
GPS constellation.
Color GPS Lock Indications (lower left)
Red
Yellow
Green
transceiver has failed its initial check and verification.
Remedy: Confirm that the satellite transceiver is receiving
power and is connected securely to the computer’s serial port
using the provided serial cable.
The satellite transceiver is operating correctly and is ready to
receive or transmit data, but no ORBCOMM satellite is in view.
You are currently in view of an ORBCOMM satellite. Dotted
Green and Red bars indicate Signal Strength and Noise.
Arrow pointed up means satellite transceiver is transmitting
data to satellite.
Arrow pointed down means satellite transceiver is receiving
data from satellite.
No signal is being received from the satellite transceiver or it
has failed its initial check and verification.
Remedy: Confirm that the satellite transceiver has power and
is securely connected to the computer’s serial port.
GPS signal is being received, but the GPS receiver has not yet
locked on to at least three satellites.
Remedy: If the GPS indicator remains yellow, double-check
the GPS antenna connection and placement.
Note: The first time the system is used, the GPS may take
some time to lock on.
Locked on to at least three satellites with good geometry,
providing real-time position for the moving map. If you are
using a WAAS GPS, a WAAS lock is indicated by “WAAS” black
text on green.
The Weather indicator shows the status of weather requests as well as
the age of weather.
Color WX Status Indications (upper right)
Red
Yellow
Current weather is over an hour old, or Demo weather
displayed.
A request for weather has been made but not yet received.
Green Weather under an hour old displayed. Shows the age.
The message indicator shows the status of message requests.
Color Message Status Indications (lower right)
Red
Yellow
No queue count available from satellite transceiver.
Messages are queued to send.
EchoMap v3.0
Green
Send queue empty and waiting.
2.5.2 Satellite Indicator Examples
You have no connection with the Satellite
transceiver. All indicators are red.
You have a connection with the satellite
transceiver, but no lock with either GPS
or ORBCOMM satellites. You have made
one WX request, which is waiting for a
connection to send. If this persists,
check your antenna or verify antennas
have a clear sky view.
Poor lock on with ORBCOMM Sat A3, all
noise (red bar). WX not requested
(red), no GPS lock (yellow), empty Msg
queue.
Locked on to Sat B8 (green) with 70%
Signal Strength and no noise. Sending
data (white arrow up), GPS locked
(green), NexRAD request pending
(yellow), and one message in queue
waiting to be sent (yellow Msg1).
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Locked onto ORBCOMM Sat D8 (green),
with 100% Signal Strength, receiving
data (white arrow down), GPS locked
(green), weather request for NexRAD is
pending (yellow), no messages are
waiting to be sent (green Msg).
All green. Lock to Sat B5 with a little
noise (dotted red bar). Metar (C/V)
information received less than an hour
ago, and no messages are waiting to be
sent (green Msg).
All green. Locked onto ORBCOMM Sat
D8, GPS locked, NexRAD image displayed
5 minutes old, and no messages are
waiting to be sent.
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is the moving
data. To maximize situational awareness of presented data, colors
right corner of
2.6 Moving Map Panel
The sixth and largest section of the EchoMap display
map that shows your aircraft’s current position in relation to
airports, airspaces, Navaids, weather and a wide range of other
are chosen for optimum legibility and menus are logically grouped
for ease of use.
The map range is
displayed in the
upperthe moving map. It
indicates the
distance to the green compass ring or to top edge of the map if the
compass ring is off. Use the Left arrow key to decrease the range
(zoom in, down to 0.25Nm) and the Right arrow to increase the
range (zoom out, up to 2500Nm).
Press both left & right arrows simultaneously to enable auto-zoom
mode, which will automatically set the viewing range to show your target
waypoint. A yellow label indicates if auto-zoom is enabled.
EchoMap v3.0
33.. GGPPSS MMOOVVIINNGG MMAAPP
Echomap has an extremely flexible GPS moving map. It has been
optimized for maximum capability in flight with minimum heads down
time. Please take a few moments to review its functions to get the
most of its capabilities.
Most features in
EchoMap are accessed
through five top level
menus that correspond
to the NAV, INFO,
MSG, WX and D->
keys on a Flight
Cheetah MFD, or the
F1-F5 keys on a
regular keyboard. If
you have installed
EchoMap on a touch
screen computer, a
menu bar is displayed to allow touch access to menus.
Use the up and down arrow keys to select items in the menus. The
selected item is highlighted with a yellow bar. Press the Enter key to
activate the selected item. You can close the menu by pressing the
same key you used to open it. Users with a touch screen close the
menu by clicking on white caption bar. You can go up from the top
of the menu to return to the parent menu.
3.1 Navigation Menu
The Navigation menu contains all of the
settings to customize the map display as
well as create flight routes and access the
system.
To access the Navigation menu
press the Nav button (F1).
From this menu you can select from the Terrain, Map,
Routes, Mode and System sub menus.
Terrain - The terrain menu lets you control how terrain is displayed on
the moving map.
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increases range. The range is displayed
Map - The map menu lets you customize the display options for the
moving map, including which layers of navaid data are displayed on the
map as well as filtering options.
Routes - The routes menu lets you create user defined routes and
waypoints.
GPS Settings - The mode menu lets you select whether the display
is in demo mode, GPS mode or playback. The default normally selects
GPS mode.
System - The System menu provides access to system
configuration and diagnostics, the operating system, and the
system shutdown/exit options.
3.2 Demo Mode
To most easily learn how to use Echomap before
flight it is suggested you operate the display in demo
mode. To operate in demo mode, First press the Nav
key ,Then scroll down to GPS Settings and press Enter. Next
scroll down to Demo and press Enter.
3.3 Map Range Controls
The Range keys? change your viewing range,
the left arrow decreases range and right
arrow
in nautical miles in the upper right hand corner box of the moving
map indicating the distance of your aircraft to the edge of the
green compass ring.
The viewing range will zoom down to .25 Nm and up to 2,500
Nm. Zooming closer than .25 Nm or Zooming farther than 2,500
Nm will cause the software to Enter into an auto-zoom function.
In the auto-zoom mode, the software will automatically make
the viewing range equal to the distance to your target waypoint.
EchoMap v3.0
3.4 Navaid Overlays
The Up arrow and Down arrow allows you to scroll
through different customized layers of navigational
data such as airspace, highways and airways. To read
more on how to customize your own layers please
refer to 3.10
3.5 Terrain Contour
The terrain contour
background map displays
terrain in solid shades of
color. The color mapping is
based on the elevation
coloring of standard
sectional charts, but slightly
adjusted for improved onscreen visibility. The image
to the right shows the
aircraft position in Arizona.
Mexico is to the south.
3.5.1 Display the Terrain Contour Overlay
Press the Nav button, select Terrain. In the Terrain
menu select Map: ON and Mode: Map. Next press
Enter to remove the menu. You can toggle this function
on and off your moving map display by pressing Nav Enter
Enter.
3.5.2 Display Black Background
Press the Nav button, select Terrain. In the Terrain
menu select Map: OFF. Next press Enter to remove
the menu. You can toggle this function on and off your
moving map display by pressing Nav Enter Enter.
3.6 Terrain & Tower Alerts
EchoMap automatically displays alerts if your current altitude is
within 500ft of terrain or a tower in an 8 minute radius of your
current position. You are alerted to the terrain or towers that
would display red on the moving map. The alert indicators are
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positioned below the heading indicator. If there is no GPS altitude
bar that
EchoMap provides advisory worldwide terrain elevation data. The
the nearest 100ft, we help to insure that the error is on the side of
available, this area will display as a red and white slashed
says NO ALT or NO GPS. Terrain and tower alert conditions are
always calculated, even when terrain and towers are not being
displayed on the map.
3.6.1 Terrain Alert Indicator
Echomap will display a terrain alert icon if there
is terrain within 8 minutes ( based on your
current GPS ground speed ) and 500 ft of your
current altitude. Although the terrain alert
indicator is always enabled, you have the
option of deciding whether or not you want to view the color
coded areas of conflicting terrain on the moving map as shown on
the next page.
terrain database is derived from the USGS GTOPO30 global digital
elevation model (DEM). Elevations are regularly spaced at 30-arc
seconds (about 1 Km). Elevations are stored in 100ft increments
to save disk space. The terrain data may contain some degree of
error (especially outside of the United States). By rounding up to
caution. It is possible that some terrain features will not be
depicted in the data. Terrain data should never be used for
primary surface navigation
3.6.2 Tower Alert Indicator
Echomap will display a tower alert icon if there
is a tower within 8 minutes ( based on the
current GPS ground speed ) and 500 ft of your
current altitude. The tower alert function is
always enabled, and if there is a conflict the
obstacles are automatically displayed on the
moving map with the same color coding shown for terrain.
3.6.3 Terrain Alert Display
EchoMap v3.0
The terrain alert overlay shows only terrain that is within 1500
feet of your current GPS altitude. The terrain alert overlay is
color- coded so that areas within 500 feet of your altitude
display red, 500-1000 feet are in yellow and 1000 feet-1500
feet green. Anything in excess of 1500 feet clearance is not
displayed.
3.7 Display The Terrain Alert Overlay
Press the
Nav
button,
select Terrain. In
the Terrain menu
select Map: ON and
Mode: Alert. Next
press Enter to
remove the menu.
You can toggle this
function on and off
your moving map
display by pressing Nav Enter Enter.
3.8 Display The Terrain Contour and Alert Overlay
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You can toggle this function
Press the Nav button, select Terrain. In the Terrain
menu select Map: ON and Mode: Both. Next press
Enter to remove the menu.
on and off your moving map display by pressing Nav
Enter Enter.
The image below shows both the terrain contour map and alert
overlay at the same time. If NexRAD radar and terrain overlay are
both set on, the map will alternate between the dotted radar
images and the solid colors of the terrain alert.
Note - GPS altitude is used to compute tower and terrain alerts. The system
including GPS hardware is not IFR certified and is strictly for supplemental
use only. Even with increased accuracy since the termination of selective
availability, GPS altitude still varies above and below the actual altitude by
several hundred feet. This system is meant to supplement, but not replace,
primary sources of information such as current charts and altimeter settings.
All terrain and obstacle data provided by the US government. Although this
data is believed to be correct, there is the possibility that certain terrain or
obstacle data may be incomplete or inaccurate. If you find any inconsistencies
between this US government data and your current charts or observations
please notify Echo Flight support at 1-800-739-7161.
3.9 Moving Map - Display
Settings
The display settings menu
allows you to customize your
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