FreeFlight 87099 Series User manual

XPLORER ADS-B Receiver
Installation Manual
This document contains FreeFlight Systems proprietary information. It is loaned for limited purposes only and
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EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION MANUAL
For the
FreeFlight Systems
XPLORER ADS-B Receiver (P/N 87099-XX)
Document No: 87214 Revision A
FreeFlight Systems
3700 Interstate 35 S.
Waco, TX 76706

XPLORER ADS-B Receiver
Installation Manual
87214, Revision A December 3, 2012
History of Revisions
Dates of Original and Change pages are:
Revision ….. A …………… December 3. 2012
Page Description Page no. Date

XPLORER ADS-B Receiver
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87214, Revision A December 3, 2012
Table of Contents
SECTION I GENERAL INFORMATION .....................................................................I-1
1.1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................I-1
1.2 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ................................................................................I-1
1.2.1 General Description.....................................................................................I-1
1.2.2 XPLORER CONFIGURATIONS..................................................................I-1
1.2.3 Example Configurations ..............................................................................I-2
1.2.4 GPS Usage..................................................................................................I-3
1.3 XPLORER INSTALLATION OVERVIEW ........................................................I-4
1.3.1 Connectors ..................................................................................................I-4
1.3.2 Status Lights................................................................................................I-4
1.4 UAT ANTENNA REQUIREMENTS .................................................................I-5
1.5 Technical Characteristics ................................................................................I-6
1.6 PARTS AND EQUIPMENT .............................................................................I-7
1.6.1 XPLORER Receiver Items ..........................................................................I-7
1.6.2 Installation Kits ............................................................................................I-7
1.7 MATERIALS REQUIRED BUT NOT SUPPLIED.............................................I-8
1.7.1 Required......................................................................................................I-8
1.7.2 Optional .......................................................................................................I-8
SECTION II INSTALLATION ......................................................................................II-1
2.1 GENERAL ......................................................................................................II-1
2.2 UNPACKING AND INSPECTING EQUIPMENT ............................................II-1
2.3 EQUIPMENT MOUNTING .............................................................................II-1
2.3.1 XPLORER Mounting...................................................................................II-1
2.4 COOLING REQUIREMENTS .........................................................................II-1
2.5 XPLORER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS ...................................................II-2
2.5.1 XPLORER INTERFACE – PINOUT ...........................................................II-2
2.6 XPLORER INTERFACE DETAILS.................................................................II-2
2.6.1 Power Input ................................................................................................II-2
2.6.2 Serial Interfaces (RS-232 Version Only) ....................................................II-2
2.6.3 Time Mark Input (PPS) ...............................................................................II-3
2.6.4 Maintenance Interface (RS-232 Version Only)...........................................II-3
2.6.5 Status LEDs................................................................................................II-3
2.7 UAT ANTENNA INSTALLATION ...................................................................II-4

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2.7.1 UAT Antenna Ground Plane.......................................................................II-5
2.7.2 UAT Antenna Cable....................................................................................II-5
2.8 EQUIPMENT LIMITATIONS ..........................................................................II-6
SECTION III CONFIGURATION AND CHECKOUT...............................................III-1
3.1 GENERAL .....................................................................................................III-1
3.2 ENABLING TRAFFIC OUTPUT (TIS-B)........................................................III-1
3.3 PRELIMINARY CHECKOUT .........................................................................III-1
3.4 SETUP AND CONFIGURATION (RS-232 VERSION ONLY) .......................III-2
3.4.1 Maintenance Commands...........................................................................III-2
SECTION IV TROUBLESHOOTING...................................................................... IV-1
4.1 XPLORER LED TROUBLSHOOTING PROCEDURE.................................. IV-1
SECTION V INSTALLATION DRAWINGS ................................................................ V-1
5.1 XPLORER RECEIVER DIMENSIONS .......................................................... V-1
SECTION VI TYPICAL INTERCONNECT DIAGRAMS ......................................... VI-1
6.1 XPLORER INTERCONNECT WITH WI-FI ONLY ........................................ VI-1
6.2 XPLORER INTERCONNECT WITH RS-232 AND EXTERNAL GPS .......... VI-2
6.2.1 XPLORER INTERCONNECT WITH RS-232 AND INTERNAL GPS ....... VI-3
SECTION VII XPLORER (RS-232 VERSION ONLY) MAINTENANCE ADAPTERVII-1
SECTION VIII WARNING DISCLAIMER ............................................................... VIII-1
SECTION IX LIMITED WARRANTY...................................................................... IX-2
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Typical XPLORER Installation with Display-connected GPS...........................I-2
Figure 2: XPLORER with RS232-connected Uncertified Cockpit Display.......................I-2
Figure 3: XPLORER with Uncertified Display and Internal GPS Unit .............................I-3
Figure 4: XPLORER Receiver with WiFi Option .............................................................I-4
Figure 5: XPLORER Front Face .....................................................................................I-5
Figure 6: XPLORER Dimensions .................................................................................. V-1
Figure 7: XPLORER Interconnection Diagram – WiFi ................................................. VI-1
Figure 8: XPLORER Interconnect Diagram - RS-232 with External GPS.................... VI-2
Figure 9: XPLORER Interconnect Diagram - RS-232 with Internal GPS ..................... VI-3
Figure 10: XPLORER Maintenance Interface Cabling ................................................ VII-1

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SECTION I GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
This document contains the system installation guidance for the FreeFlight Systems
(FFS) XPLORER Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Receiver,
part number 87099-xx hereafter referred to as XPLORER. XPLORER provides a robust
yet low-cost solution for ADS-B In applications.
1.2 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
1.2.1 General Description
XPLORER receives ADS-B messages from the national ADS-B ground station network
and aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) devices.
The system forms the appropriate ADS-B reports from the received data and delivers
these reports to compatible displays. The reports provided to the displays are in
standard ADS-B data protocol.
Compatible displays can include both portable devices such as the iPad or “hard
mounted”, uncertified displays having a standard RS-232 communications port. If using
a portable display, a compatible application, or “app”, must be used in conjunction with
the display device. If using an iPad, several apps are currently available including
FreeFlight Systems’ “ADS-B View” application which can be downloaded through
Apple’s iTunes service.
Connection between compatible displays and XPLORER is accomplished via a WiFi
connection (for portable displays) or through an RS-232 connection (for “hard mounted”
displays).
The reports that are available to be displayed include the full range of Flight Information
Service - Broadcast (FIS-B) data including graphical NEXRAD images and text reports
such as METARS and PIREPS. Traffic Information Service - Broadcast (TIS-B) data
including location, altitude, and type of aircraft surrounding the ownship position is also
available to suitably equipped aircraft. Please note that the display of TIS-B information
requires the use of a certified ADS-B Out capability, making the ownship aircraft a
verified client in the national air space system. System configuration actions required to
provide this capability are described later in this manual (see Section III 2).
1.2.2 XPLORER CONFIGURATIONS
XPLORER is available in several configurations depending on the needs of the user.
These configurations are shown in the table below.
Part Number Display Interface Internal GPS RS-232 Maintenance
Interface
87099-00 WiFi No No
87099-01 RS-232 No Yes
87099-11 RS-232 Yes Yes

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1.2.3 Example Configurations
Figures 1, 2, and 3 show block diagrams of typical XPLORER installations and
correspond to the configurations shown in the preceding table.
Figure 1 shows a BlueTooth GPS receiver connected to a portable display (e.g. iPad)
and providing that GPS information to XPLORER. Figure 2 shows XPLORER
connected to an uncertified cockpit display using RS-232. Figure 3 shows XPLORER
with the external GPS option connected to an uncertified cockpit display using RS-232.
Figure 1: Typical XPLORER Installation with Display-connected GPS
Figure 2: XPLORER with RS232-connected Uncertified Cockpit Display

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Figure 3: XPLORER with Uncertified Display and Internal GPS Unit
1.2.4 GPS Usage
XPLORER uses the Global Position System (GPS) for correlating the ownship position
with the graphical weather and traffic information. Several options exist for using GPS
with XPLORER. These options, along with the priority given to each should multiple
GPS sources be available, are shown in the following table.
GPS Source Priority
Internal GPS (1)
FFS 1201
(GPS-FFS Protocol)
1 (Highest)
Other External RS-232 GPS
Receiver (NMEA Protocol)
Bluetooth GPS paired with portable display running compatible app (e.g.
iPad running ADS-B View) 2
Automatic (2) 3
1) When using an XPLORER with internal GPS, do not connect external GPS.
2) Automatic determination of GPS is possible for those aircraft installations that
include a certified UAT (978 MHz) ADS-B Out transmitter. In this case, the
receiver monitors the ownship ADS-B Out transmissions and reads the ownship
GPS information from those transmissions. This requires the aircraft ICAO code
to be entered into the XPLORER system. This can be accomplished through the
use of the Maintenance Interface described later in this manual.

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1.3 XPLORER INSTALLATION OVERVIEW
Figure 4: XPLORER Receiver with WiFi Option
1.3.1 Connectors
Connectors present on XPLORER are shown in the following table.
Configuration
Connectors
Signal /
Power
(DB-15)
UAT
Antenna
(SMA)
GPS
Antenna
(SMA)
WiFi
Antenna
(SMA)
PN 87099-00 WiFi   
PN 87099-01 RS-232  
PN 87099-11 RS-232
with
Internal GPS
  
1.3.2 Status Lights
Three system status LEDs and three Wi-Fi status LEDs are present on the front face of
the XPLORER. These indicators are described below:

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Figure 5: XPLORER Front Face
A. Status LEDs
Three status LEDs (RX, GPS, ST) indicate the operational status of the
XPLORER.
B. Wi-Fi Status LEDs
Three status LEDs (AS, T/R, IP) indicate the operational status of the XPLORER
WiFi Interface.
1.4 UAT ANTENNA REQUIREMENTS
The XPLORER requires a TSO-C66, C74, C112, or C154 UHF antenna. Ensure that the
antenna is a 50Ωantenna with a VSWR < 1.7:1 at 978 MHz. The Comant CI-101 and
RA Miller AV-22 stick-and-ball antennas and the Comant CI-105 blade antenna are
examples that meet these requirements. The installation kits available from FreeFlight
Systems contain suitable stick-and-ball UAT antennas.

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1.5 Technical Characteristics
XPLORER Receiver (P/N 87099-XX)
TSO COMPLIANCE Uncertified
FCC IDENTIFICATION (WI-FI UNIT) T9JRN171-1
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS
Height 1.4 in (35.61 mm)
Width 3.3 in (83.82 mm)
Depth 4.69 in (119.14 mm)
WEIGHT 4.5 oz (127.5 gm)
OPERATING TEMPERATURE -40°C to +70°C
STORAGE TEMPERATURE -55°C to +85°C
ALTITUDE 50,000 feet
POWER REQUIREMENTS 10 – 37 Volts DC, Typical 0.1 A @ 28 VDC
RECEIVER FREQUENCY 978 MHz
RECEIVER SENSITIVITY <-93 dBm at the antenna
Avionics Interfaces:
TYPE I/O Description
GPS Input/
Output External or internal GPS
Pulse Per Second (PPS) Input /
Output PPS time mark from external or internal GPS
Display Output WiFi or RS-232

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1.6 PARTS AND EQUIPMENT
1.6.1 XPLORER Receiver Items
XPLORER part numbers are listed below:
Part Number Description
87099-00 XPLORER with WIFI
87099-01 XPLORER with RS-232
87099-11 XPLORER with RS-232 and Internal GPS
1.6.2 Installation Kits
The items included in the XPLORER Installation Kit for XPLORER versions without GPS
(XPLORER 87099-00 & 87099-01) are listed below:
XPLORER Installation Kit 87231-00
P/N Qty Description
87093 1 Connector DSUB 15 Crimp Female
87229 1 Backshell DSUB 15
84194 17 Socket, Crimp, Female DSUB
85937 1 Ball and Stick Type UAT Antenna
87027 1 Connector SMA Straight Plug Male RG-142 Crimp
86966 1 RG-142 BNC Male Crimp Connector
The items included in the XPLORER Installation Kit for XPLORER with GPS (XPLORER
87099-11) are listed below:
XPLORER Installation Kit 87231-10
P/N Qty Description
87093 1 Connector DSUB 15 Crimp Female
87229 1 Backshell DSUB 15
84194 17 Socket, Crimp, Female DSUB
85937 1 Ball and Stick Type UAT Antenna
87027 2 Conn SMA Straight Plug Male RG-142 Crimp
86966 1 RG-142 BNC Male Crimp Connector
81194 1 Antenna GPS, Active, 40dB-, 1575.42 MHz
84104 1 Plug, Dual Crimp, TNC, Sealed, RG-142

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1.7 MATERIALS REQUIRED BUT NOT SUPPLIED
1.7.1 Required
The following items are required for proper installation but not supplied:
•For WiFi version of XPLORER (PN 87099-00), a portable display with compatible
application (e.g. iPad with the ADS-B View app)
•For RS-232 version of XPLORER (PN 87099-01 or -11), a Maintenance Interface
Adapter Assembly, diagrams for which are provided in Section VII.
•Wire and shielded wire (24 AWG)
•2 Amp Circuit Breaker
•Ground terminals
1.7.2 Optional
For WiFi version of XPLORER (PN 87099-00), a Bluetooth-compatible GPS paired to a
portable display along with a compatible display application (e.g. iPad with the ADS-B
View app)

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SECTION II INSTALLATION
2.1 GENERAL
This section provides general information for installing the XPLORER into an aircraft.
This section contains mounting dimensions, pin outs, and interface details pertaining to
installation. Adherence to these installation procedures and information will assure
satisfactory system performance.
2.2 UNPACKING AND INSPECTING EQUIPMENT
Exercise care when unpacking each item. Visually inspect each item for evidence of
damage incurred during shipment. If a damage claim must be filed, save the shipping
container to substantiate the claim. When all equipment and the installation kit have
been inspected, save the packing material and container in case the unit is to be stored
or reshipped. See Section I for equipment and optional parts supplied.
2.3 EQUIPMENT MOUNTING
2.3.1 XPLORER Mounting
If connecting to the display via WiFi, XPLORER should be mounted as close as possible
to the display (ideally in the main cabin) to maximize data transfer capability.
The following installation procedure should be followed, remembering to allow adequate
space for installation of cables and connectors.
•Select a position in the aircraft that is not close to any high external heat source.
(Note: XPLORER is not a significant heat source itself).
•Avoid sharp cable bends and placing cables too near to aircraft control cables.
•Secure XPLORER on a flat surface according to the XPLORER mounting
requirements illustrated in Section V.
2.4 COOLING REQUIREMENTS
XPLORER does not require forced air cooling. While the unit does not require forced air
cooling, the combined heat load of surrounding avionics may significantly degrade the
system’s reliability if provisions for cooling are not incorporated in the initial installation.
Failure to provide adequate cooling may lead to increased avionics maintenance costs
and may void the FreeFlight Systems Warranty.

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2.5 XPLORER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS
2.5.1 XPLORER INTERFACE – PINOUT
J6 - Power and I/O Connector (DB-15)
PIN SIGNAL Electrical I/O Description
1 PPS IO - RS-422 I/O Internal/External GPS Pulse Per Second Out/In
2 Reserved N/A - N/A
3 232 RxD2 RS-232 I Serial Port 2 RS-232 Data In
4 Reserved N/A - N/A
5 232 TxD1 RS-232 O Serial Port 1 RS-232 GPS Data Out
6 232 TxD5 RS-232 O Serial Port 5 RS-232 Data Out (Maintenance Port)
7 GND Ground Gnd Aircraft Power Return
8 Vin 10-37 VDC Pwr Aircraft Power Input
9 PPS IO + RS-422 I/O Internal/External GPS Pulse Per Second Out/In
10 Reserved N/A - N/A
11 232 TxD2 RS-232 O Serial Port 2 RS-232 Data Out
12 232 RxD1 RS-232 I Serial Port 1 RS-232 GPS Data In
13 232 RxD5 RS-232 I Serial Port 5 RS-232 Data In (Maintenance Port)
14 Reserved N/A - N/A
15 GND Ground Gnd Aircraft Power Return
2.6 XPLORER INTERFACE DETAILS
2.6.1 Power Input
Aircraft power is provided to the XPLORER through the J6 Power and I/O connector.
The power supply input can be 10 – 37Volts DC. Use a 2 Amp circuit breaker for power
supply protection. Power input resides on the following pins:
POWER INPUT
PIN SIGNAL ELECTRICAL I/O DESCRIPTION
J6-8 Vin 10-37 VDC Pwr Aircraft Power Input
J6-7 RTRN Ground Gnd Aircraft Power Return
J6-15 RTRN Ground Gnd Aircraft Power Return
2.6.2 Serial Interfaces (RS-232 Version Only)
There are a total of three physical serial interfaces available on the RS-232 version of
XPLORER. The pin outs of these three interfaces can be found in the following table:

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RS-232 SERIAL PORTS
Port PIN SIGNAL I/O DESCRIPTION
1 J6-12 232 RxD1 I Serial Port 1 Data In
J6-5 232 TxD1 O Serial Port 1 Data Out
2 J6-3 232 RxD2 I Serial Port 2 Data In
J6-11 232 TxD2 O Serial Port 2 Data Out
5 J6-13 232 RxD5 I Serial Port 5 Data In
J6-6 232 TxD5 O Serial Port 5 Data Out
Of these three physical interfaces, two are available for connecting to two different
functional interfaces:
Functional Interface Serial Interface Comment
GPS Input / Out Serial Port 1 FreeFlight TSIP protocol GPS or
NMEA compatible GPS
Display Serial Port 2 TIS-B / FIS-B
The remaining serial interface, Serial Port 5, is the ASCII Maintenance interface terminal
connection and is not reconfigurable. (Serial Ports 3 and 4 are reserved for internal
system usage and are not accessible.)
For the serial version of the XPLORER (PN 87099-01 or -11), these interfaces can be
configured by using the ASCII Maintenance Interface to enter Configuration Mode of the
XPLORER. This is described in more detail later in this Installation Manual.
2.6.3 Time Mark Input (PPS)
The Time Mark Input is an RS-422 differential pair for the one pulse-per-second (PPS)
input from a GPS like the FFS 1201. The Time Mark input pin connections are as
follows:
Time Mark Input
PIN SIGNAL I/O DESCRIPTION
J6-9 PPS IO + I/O Internal/External GPS Pulse Per Second Out/In +
J6-1 PPS IO - I/O Internal/External GPS Pulse Per Second Out/In -
Note: The Time Mark input must be synchronized to UTC.
2.6.4 Maintenance Interface (RS-232 Version Only)
The Maintenance Interface is available in the serial-only version of XPLORER (PN 87099-01 or -
11). This interface is used to communicate between XPLORER and a Personal Computer (PC)
using the Port 5 RS-232 interface. The Maintenance Interface can be used to configure the
system, provide additional status information, and update system software. An RS-232 to USB
adapter assembly will be required and is described in Section VII.
2.6.5 Status LEDs
Seven external LEDs on the front of the enclosure indicate system status to the installer. The
LED locations and functions are shown on the systems’ label attached to the unit. The following

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table describes the LED states that can be observed on the WiFi version of XPLORER. Only ST,
GPS and RX LEDs are available on the RS-232 XPLORER.
STATUS
TYPE NAME “ON”
COLOR STATE DESCRIPTION
System Status ST RED ON UAT failure. Troubleshoot system.
OFF UAT is operating normally.
GPS Status GPS GREEN
FLASHING GPS is acquiring satellites and
determining position.
ON GPS has acquired satellites and is
operating normally.
OFF No GPS data (This LED will remain OFF
if no GPS is attached)
Receive RX GREEN BLINK ON Blinks ON when ADS-B data is received
OFF No UAT receptions
Wi-Fi Network
Association AS RED
BLINK FAST Not Associated with a Network
BLINK SLOW Associated with a Network / No Access
OFF Associated with a Network / Access
Wi-Fi Data
Transmit T/R AMBER BLINK ON Blinks ON when Wi-Fi Data is transmitted
or received
OFF No Wi-Fi data transmissions
Wi-Fi Device
Connectivity IP GREEN
BLINK FAST IP Address associated
BLINK SLOW IP Address OK
ON Connected to an IP Address
2.7 UAT ANTENNA INSTALLATION
The UAT antenna should be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Selecting appropriate UAT antenna locations is critical to the proper performance of the
XPLORER. The following considerations should be taken into account when selecting
the Antenna location.
•The antennas should be well removed from any projections, the engine(s) and
propeller(s). It should also be well removed from landing gear doors, access
doors or others openings which will break the ground plane for the antenna.
•The antenna should be mounted on the bottom or top surface of the aircraft and
in a vertical position when the aircraft is in level flight.
•Avoid mounting the antenna within 3 feet of the ADF sense antenna or any
COMM antenna, and 6 feet from transponder, DME and UAT transmit antennas.
•Where practical, plan the antenna location to keep the cable lengths as short as
possible and avoid sharp bends in the cable to minimize VSWR.

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•Electrical connection to the antenna should be protected to avoid loss of
efficiency as a result of the presence of liquids or moisture. All antenna feeders
should be installed in such a way that a minimum of RF energy is radiated inside
the aircraft.
2.7.1 UAT Antenna Ground Plane
When a conventional aircraft monopole antenna is used it relies on a ground plane for
correct operation. For ideal performance the ground plane should be very large
compared to the wavelength of the transmission, which is ~12in. In a metal skinned
aircraft this is usually easy to accomplish, but is more difficult in a composite or fabric
skinned aircraft. In these cases a metallic ground plane should be fabricated and fitted
under the antenna.
The ground plane must be al least 30.5 in on each side.
The thickness of the material used to construct the ground plane is not critical, providing
it is sufficiently conductive. A variety of proprietary mesh and grid solutions are available.
2.7.2 UAT Antenna Cable
The XPLORER installation cable length and associated loss should be minimized to
obtain maximum receiver sensitivity performance. The loss should be limited to 4dB or
less.
Allowing 0.25dB loss for the connector at each end of the antenna cable assembly
leaves an allowance of 3.5 dB loss for the cable itself.
An acceptable cable has:
•A maximum of 3.5dB loss for the run length of the cable
•A characteristic impedance of 50 Ohms
•Double braid screens or foil-and-braid screen
Once the cable run length is determined, a cable type with the proper attenuation (loss)
per foot that meets the above requirements can be chosen. Longer runs require lower
loss cable. Consider moving the XPLORER closer to the antenna to minimize the losses
in the antenna cable subject to the limits identified above.
The following table is a guide to the minimum and maximum usable lengths of some
common cable types. Actual cable loss varies between manufacturers and the table is
based on typical data. Use the table as a guide only and refer to the manufacturer’s data
sheet for the specific cable chosen to calculate maximum length.
CABLE ATTENUATION
(dB/100 ft @ 1 GHz) MAX LENGTH (ft)
RG-174 27.1 12.9
RG-316 25.8 13.6
RG-400 14.5 24.1
RG-142 12.8 27.3
RG-393 7.5 46.7

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When routing the cable, ensure the following:
•Route the cable away from sources of heat.
•Route the cable away from potential interference sources such as ignition wiring,
400Hz generators, fluorescent lighting, and electric motors.
•Allow a minimum separation of 12 inches (300mm) from an ADF antenna cable.
•Keep the cable run as short as possible.
•Avoid routing the cable around tight bends.
•Avoid kinking the cable even temporarily during installation.
•Secure the cable so that it cannot interfere with other systems.
2.8 EQUIPMENT LIMITATIONS
The XPLORER is an uncertified (non-TSO) ADS-B receiver and cannot be used for
flight-critical operations. It is for reference only.
The internal GPS of XPLORER (if so equipped) is an uncertified (non-TSO) GPS
receiver and cannot be used for flight-critical operations. It is for reference only.
The antenna installation must comply with the specifications in Section 2.7.

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SECTION III CONFIGURATION AND CHECKOUT
3.1 GENERAL
This section contains installation configuration, checkout, and basic operating
procedures.
3.2 ENABLING TRAFFIC OUTPUT (TIS-B)
XPLORER is capable a providing both FIS-B and TIS-B (traffic) data to a display. FIS-B
data is provided by default. However, due to the manner by which the TIS-B data is
managed by the ADS-B ground infrastructure, it is necessary that the aircraft receiving
and displaying the TIS-B data demonstrate that it is a current and valid client in the air
space system. This is accomplished by having a certified ADS-B Out system operating
on the ownship.
As delivered, XPLORER has TIS-B data transmission to the display turned off. To turn
on TIS-B data transmission, XPLORER must be “TIS-B activated”. The first step in
activating an XPLORER for TIS-B data transmission is to obtain a key from FreeFlight
Systems which is specific to the XPLORER serial number. Please go to
www.freeflightsystems.com/xplorer or contact FreeFlight Systems at the telephone
number located on the last page of this manual for additional information on obtaining
the key.
The method used for entering the key is dependent upon which version of XPLORER is
being activated, either WiFi or RS-232.
For the WiFi version of XPLORER, activating TIS-B is accomplished by entering the key
using a compatible application. Please reference the Xplorer support page at
www.freeflightsystems.com/xplorer for additional information and the download link
for the key installation software.
For the RS-232 version of XPLORER, the key is entered by using the Maintenance
Interface. Please reference Section 3.4 below for information on how to set the key.
3.3 PRELIMINARY CHECKOUT
Before the unit is installed and tested, verify that all cables are properly secured. With
the XPLORER removed, turn on the power and verify the following:
1. Verify that aircraft DC bus voltage is present on pin 8 of P6
2. Verify that ground is present on pin 7 of P6.
3. Verify that the UAT antenna coax center conductors are not shorted to its shield
or aircraft ground.
When the above conditions are verified, turn off the master power. Properly attach the
external connectors to the XPLORER. During initialization the XPLORER unit performs
a comprehensive diagnostics test on several internal functions such as power, memory,
serial interfaces, and GPS. A failure of a system component will be annunciated by the
XPLORER System Status LED.

XPLORER ADS-B Receiver
Installation Manual
87214, Revision A December 3, 2012 III-2
3.4 SETUP AND CONFIGURATION (RS-232 VERSION ONLY)
In order to setup the XPLORER (PN 87099-01 or -11) for an external serial-connected
uncertified display, the maintenance port (serial port 5) must be connected to a computer
running a terminal interface program such as “Tera Term". Please reference Section VII
for a description of the interface adapter to be used to access the Maintenance Interface.
The serial port settings for the terminal program are:
•BAUD Rate 115200
•Parity – None
•Data bits - 8
•Stop - 1
•Flow Control – None
The terminal setup should be set to:
•Local Echo – checked
Once connected to the Maintenance Interface and connected to the appropriate
detected COM number type the <Enter> key. The following prompt should be displayed:
XPLORER-RX>
3.4.1 Maintenance Commands
The available commands are summarized in the table below:
Command Description
bit Display built-in test status
comm Display communication ports’ status - continuous
cnfg Display configuration data
help or ? Display command help
info Display info – S/N, operation hours, versions, etc.
Reset Reset and restart the unit
rx status Display receiver status info – continuous
set <item> <value> Set a configuration item’s value
stop Stop continuous data outputs
3.4.1.1 “help or ?” Command
This command displays a list of available commands as shown below:
AVAILABLE COMMADS.....
bit Display POST and PBIT status
comm Display communication ports' status
cnfg Display all configuration data
help or ? This help
info Display SN, operation hours, versions, etc.
Reset Reset the UAT
rx status Display receiver status info
set <item> <opt> Set configuration <item> to <opt>
<item> ------------- ?, addr, call sign, serial in, serial out
<opt> -------------- <item> options, enter '?' for usage