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GPS Swap – From a Garmin Navigator 5 to a Zumo XT

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So I decided to get rid of the Navigator 5, which I was using on both bikes. Slow, crashing easy, terrible screen in bright daylight, prone to lead you astray at a minutes notice, and just hard to work with. So I decided to try a Garmin Zumo XT, which is the newest iteration of motorcycle GPS from Garmin.

The XT has a very nice, super-bright screen, which works very good in day / sun light. It looks like the OS has been revamped completely. Evidently it is running an Android OS. Fine with me, as long as it works.

The old Nav 5 was sitting on a OEM Nav mount that came installed on the R1200 GSA as well as the S1000 XR. However, the mount on the XR was not lockable, so re-did the entire mount (basically a new mount including the lock cylinder. I also had to build out the mount enough with spacers behind the mount in order to clear the left side windshield bracket. But I digress.

In order to power the new XT and use it on the original mount as the Nav 5, I went ahead and ordered a conversion plate, 3D printed by a company called Adapter 3D Motorrad, based in Italy. This adapter sits between the original back plate and the XT mounting plate. Since I am using the original mount, the GPS is also locked when in place. They were kind enough to send me an additional lock lever since I was using it on two bikes.

Adapter:

This is the original Nav backplate, with the adapter mounted. The GPS sits on the front square adapter. The GPS will sit a bit off the back plate compared to the original, which is not a big deal. 

Fit right in there. I’ll do a better write-up when I have used it for a while.

 

BMW S1000 XR Brentune Stage 1-3 flash

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Went ahead and pushed up stage 1-3 Brentune flash for my S1000 XR. This something I had been wanting to do for a while. Wow, big difference in every way. More torque, horsepower, smoother quick shift, and a lot more. You load down your original ECU flash down to the handheld, send it to Brentune Moto, and they send back a modified file that is pushed to the bike, again, using the handheld. Good stuff.

Stage 1:

  • Full exhaust flap control for valved exhausts
  • Full recalculation of the ASC torque control for straight line and cornering performance
  • Per-cylinder fuel tuning designed around aftermarket exhaust systems
  • Remapped throttle angles for increased power through the entire RPM range
  • Better power on all fuels leading to higher trap/lap times in testing
  • Smoother idle speeds and fueling for full exhaust
  • Fully recalibrated UP and DOWN shifts for faster quick shifter timing (30% faster over Stage 2)
  • Better cooling and engine prevention in staging lanes idling for drag strip or circuit
  • Early fan-on for better cooling
  • More aggressive and stronger launch control with no launch limit
  • Each cylinder tuned individually for maximum power and reliability
  • Recalibrated knock control to rule out “false knock” caused by engine vibration
  • Recalibrated torque control for all traction control modes (sport, race, slick)
  • Adjustable tire size and TC/ABS per customer request
  • Full AlphaN fueling conversion
  • Secondary air control (block off plate not needed)
  • Transmission gear box limiters raised
  • Factory exhaust control over exhaust valves for more power and better sound
  • Recalibrated intake air temp and coolant temp compensation tables for max performance in all weather conditions
  • Raised load torque limits for additional power
  • Air mass, idle, part/full throttle and Lambda correction maps for all exhausts
  • Ignition mapping optimized for more power
  • Removed 80% WOT (wide open throttle) limiter
  • Adjusted torque model to align with new power of bike and limiter removal
  • Shorter up and downshift dead times for maximum driveability and acceleration
  • Ignition/fuel calculation for maximum performance and response for almost all fuels and race gas

That’s a lot of changes and improvements. and you can certainly feel it when riding. Should have done this long time ago.

 

2022 Spring Ham Get-together

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I few of us hams got together for a 2022 spring get-together, held at the club house at Everetts Lake, south of Rockingham, NC. Great friendship, and great food that was provided by Mark, N4CMD. Absolutely excellent food. I got to meet some old ham friends, as well as a few new ones. Great to put a face to a call sign.

We really had a great time together.

The hams that were present (as far as I could tell), were:

N4ATG – James
KM4HPN – Ed
KK4NCF – Tom
NF4Z – Mike
N4CMD – Mark, Master Of Ceremonies, and Chief Chef
KG4CJN – Terry
W4YDX – Jim
K4TOR – Tor

If I left anyone out, I apologize.

If you don’t want a slide show, just click on “Show Picture List” under the slideshow, and it will separate out the images.

[Show picture list]

Friday’s supper at Granny’s Kitchen, Rockingham, NC

Oh man……good stuff

Until next time, 73’s de K4TOR

Charlotte Hamfest 3/12/22

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Went up to Concord , NC to visit the Charlotte Hamfest, to meet two ham radio friends, Mike, NF4Z, and Jim, W4YDX, and to see if I could find something ham radio related I could use. Lots of stuff for sale by other hame, but didn’t really find anything interesting. What did Mike do? He proceeded to give me a FRS/GMRS set of two radios, including charger, free of charge. Thanks, Mike, you’re a kind man. 

Had a great time, and took a few shots while walking around.

Mike, NF4Z

Good times.

Solar Cycle 25

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This is very exiting. Solar Cycle 25 is ramping up. That means excellent High Frequency Radio Propagation,
This is good news for Amateur Radio DX operations (long distance propagation and communication on the Amateur Radio HF bands)

Solar Cycle 25 Predictions

The start of a new Solar Cycle (25) means there will be increasing activity and more sunspots until roughly July 2025.

The initial extended forecast is that Solar Cycle 25 will below average, quiet, and cool. This is very similar to its predecessor Solar Cycle 24—the weakest cycle since record-keeping began in 1755.

“According to NOAA/NASA and international experts: “Cycle 25 will be similar in size to Cycle 24, preceded by a long, deep minimum. Solar Cycle 25 may have a slow start, but is anticipated to peak with solar maximum occurring between 2023 and 2026, and a sunspot range of 95 to 130. This is well below the average number of sunspots, which typically ranges from 140 to 220 sunspots per solar cycle.”

  • Specifically, the experts predicted: a peak in July, 2025 (+/- 8 months), with a smoothed sunspot number (SSN) of 115.
  • The panel agreed that Cycle 25 will be average in intensity and similar to Cycle 24, and its peak will be similar as well.
  • Additionally, the panel concurred that solar minimum between Cycles 24 and 25 will occur in April, 2020 (+/- 6 months). 

Contrary to NOAA/NASA’s models, there have been more recent studies with models which suggest that Solar Cycle 25 could be one of the strongest since record-keeping began.