Home > Nielsen Kellerman

Overview
Nielsen Kellerman is developing the next generation of soaring instruments.  Their first product is the ClearNav flight computer running ClearNavigator soaring flight software by Chip Garner.

News

New Variometer
The NK Soaring Team has been very busy, quietly working on the design of a variometer that will be the perfect mate for the ClearNav Display and a state-of-the-art stand alone speed-to-fly instrument. The design team, corralled by Richard Kellerman, includes Dave Ellis, Phil Schlosser and Chip Garner, with plenty of input from volunteers including Rick Scheppe, John Cochrane, Frank Paynter, John Good, Peter Purdie and Paul Remde.

Our goal is to bring to soaring a completely new variometer unmatched in performance, features, and price.

We encourage all of you to stop by our booth at the upcoming SSA Convention in Little Rock, AK and share your ideas so we can go back to PA, digest all of your thoughts, and next summer introduce a vario that will one day be considered the “standard”.

New ClearNav Online Manual
NK has created a new "online" manual for the ClearNav.  It is available here:
http://nkhome.com/soaring/instructions/Manual/CN-Manual-Controller.html
It can also be downloaded and unzipped and viewed on your computer.

New ClearNav Quick Reference Cards
The new Quick Reference cards are available here:
http://www.nkhome.com/support/pdfs.html#Soaring

New ClearNav Software and Firmware
You can download the latest ClearNav software and firmware here:
http://www.nkhome.com/support/pdfs.html#Soaring

PC Simulator
NK has created a PC ClearNav Simulator which makes it possible to try out the ClearNav on your computer.  It is also a great way to "brush up" on the ClearNav software over the winter - or before a flight.  However, although the PC ClearNav Simulator is very handy, it is much easier to use the ClearNav's handheld remote (connected to a ClearNav) than it is to use your PC keyboard and the PC ClearNav Simulator.  The buttons on the handheld remote are easy to identify and use with your thumb.  I recommend printing the image at right to use as a reference when using the simulator.  To print it: right click on it and select "Print Picture".  You can download the PC Simulator here:
http://www.nkhome.com/support/instructions/CN_simulator_instructions.html

Printable Manual
It was never quite finished, but the ClearNav Manual I wrote is still available.  I recommend that you download it and print it - and read it!  It is a very large document, but it is a handy reference and good learning tool. 
http://www.nkhome.com/support/supportfiles/ClearNavManual.pdf

Free Online Resource for Generating ClearNav .stx Waypoint Files
A year or 2 ago, Lynn Alley created his
US Aviation Information site.  It can be used to create waypoint and airspace files for any location in the U.S. It is also a fantastic resource.  He recently added to the site the ability to generate airport data files in the .stx format - as used by the NK ClearNav.  You can ask the site to generate a waypoint file centered around your favorite gliding site, and it will create a file that works great in your ClearNav.  The site also generates waypoint files in .cup (SeeYou), .ndb (ILEC SN10), .dat (Cambridge and Glide Navigator II and others) file formats.  This is fantastic news for NK ClearNav owners!  Thank you Lynn!  - http://www.xmission.com/~lalley/aviation/

Upcoming:

  • Dual-seat support
  • Condor simulator support
  • More GUI improvements

A more complete list of bug fixes and enhancements is available here: http://www.nkhome.com/support/instructions/CN_whatsnew.html

A new VGA (480 x 640 pixel) version of the ClearNav is now available.  I have them in stock.  The original version of the ClearNav had a 1/4 VGA (240 x 320 pixel) display.  The new display is just as bright as the original one, but it is much sharper.  Lines and text look much more crisp.  Text is easier to read.  You can see the difference for yourself by clicking on the images below.  Upgrades are available for customers with the 1/4 VGA version.  Please contact NK directly for upgrades. 

VGA Version
(480 x 640 pixels)
Click on image to see larger version.

 

1/4 VGA Version
(240 x 320 pixels)
Click on image to see larger version.

On May 25th the NK ClearNav received IGC approval for use as a secure GPS flight recorder for all flights types (badges, records, etc.) at all levels (National, World) for both gliders and motorgliders.  ClearNav owners will need to send their units back to NK for hardware and software upgrades.  In the future, all software upgrades can be done using a downloaded file and USB Flash Drive. 

Online Contest
Hopefully the Online Contest team will make time soon to add the ClearNav to their list of approved flight recorders.  Their feedback so far has been that is will be done in the fall of 2009. 

NK has announced a few new mounting kits for the ClearNav.  The available mounting options now include: On Panel, Through Panel, Behind Panel, Tunnel Mount (recessed about 1.75 inches behind the panel) and RAM Arm Mount.  The Tunnel Mount option looks the best, uses the least amount of real-estate and will be very popular.  The RAM Arm mount option is popular when there is no room for even the Tunnel Mount.  See photos and ordering detail below.

The June edition of the Soaring Society of America's "Soaring" magazine features a very positive review of the ClearNav by "Soaring Tech" Editor Bill Collum. 

I have been working hard to complete the ClearNav manual.  It is not yet complete, but is very useful as it is.  It is available for download at http://www.nkhome.com/support/pdfs.html#Soaring.  I will finish it very soon.

First Impressions
I am extremely impressed with the hardware and software.  The display has a large and extremely bright screen without the overall dimensions being too large.  I didn't think I was going to like the lack of a touch-screen, but I find the remote to be easy to use and the software very intuitive.  The 3 software features that impress me the most are the way area tasks are supported, the "Glide Amoeba" glide range rings and the way it calculates estimated speed for the remainder of the task.  You can see some of those features in action in the screen captures below.

 

    

Mounting Options
Click on the small images below to view larger ones.
On Panel
(included)
Through Panel Behind Panel Tunnel Mount
(recessed)
popular
RAM Mount

 

Clear Navigator Software
Quick Overview of the Innovative Features Displayed on the Moving Map
(Screen captures from the PC simulator)

  • The purple arc is the "Glide Amoeba" to a user specified arrival altitude over the terrain
    You can make it to the purple arc and still have enough altitude for a safe pattern and landing. 
    The arrival altitude is user adjustable (1000 feet AGL in these examples).
    The left example is over flat terrain. Note how the rings are shifted to compensate for the wind. 
    The right example is in mountainous terrain with a ridge in the lower right quadrant of the screen.
  • The red arc is the"Glide Amoeba" to ground level.
  • The black circles are turn areas
  • The heavy black line is line from your current position to the active waypoint. 
    Simply turn the glider until the line is pointed straight up an you will be on course.
  • The fine black lines show the task course line.  They are drawn automatically.
  • The blue arc in the turn area is a locus of points of equal task distance.  Simply fly to any
    point on the blue arc and you will complete the task in the desired task time.  The blue
    arc moves out and back if you change the estimated speed around the course.  There is
    no need to move turn points within the turn area. 

Screen Captures from the PC Simulator
Click on the images below to view full resolution versions.


Customer Installation Photos
Please send me a photo of your ClearNav installation.
Click on the small images below to view larger ones.
From NK web site Jay Pokorski's ClearNav Installation in his ASW-20 Jay Pokorski's ClearNav Installation in his ASW-20 Jay Pokorski's ClearNav Installation in his ASW-20
Recessed mount in
Kolie Lombard's Diana 2
(made by Kolie - not NK)
Recessed mount in
Kolie Lombard's Diana 2
(made by Kolie - not NK)
VGA ClearNav
on RAM mounting arm
in Phil Jones' sailplane
ClearNav installed using
"Behind Panel" mounting kit
in Hal Loken's Genesis
Recessed mount in
Terry Stroud's sailplane
(made by Terry - not NK)
Recessed mount in
Terry Stroud's sailplane
(made by Terry - not NK)
Recessed mount in
Terry Stroud's sailplane
(made by Terry - not NK)
Recessed mount in
Terry Stroud's sailplane
(made by Terry - not NK)

The Team
The team of people working on the product is very impressive. It includes:

  • Richard Kellerman - Soaring Pilot (recent Hilton Cup Winner), businessman
  • Dave Ellis - Soaring Pilot, Ran Cambridge Aero Instruments for 14 years, Driving force behind the Cambridge C-NAV, M-NAV, L-NAV, S-NAV, and the first IGC Approved Flight Recorder - the GPS-NAV. He also developed the Cambridge 302 and 303. In my opinion the Cambridge products were industry leaders in regard to ease-of-use.
  • Chip Garner - World level soaring competition pilot, Software Engineer, developer of Glide Navigator and Glide Navigator II (originally Cambridge Pocket-NAV) soaring flight software. Big proponent of the "keep the instruments simple - keep your eyes out of the cockpit" instrument design philosophy.
  • Phil Schlosser - Worked with Dave Ellis at Cambridge Aero Instruments for 14 years or so. Firmware developer for the Cambridge 302 and many other products.
  • Rick Sheppe - Soaring Pilot, functional designer of the Cambridge S-NAV, L-NAV and GPS-NAV.
  • Paul Remde - Writing the manual for the ClearNav and creating a cockpit quick reference card

ClearNav Overview
I have sold PDA systems for use in gliders for many years. I'm a fan of graphical moving map displays because they present key information to the glider pilot in a clear way so that one can glance at the display and get a quick overview of how you are doing. You know instantly which airports are within gliding range. That is powerful information and dramatically enhances safety. The problem is that currently available PDAs have small screens that are quite difficult to read in sunlight - they just are not bright enough. NK has designed what I consider to be a fantastic solution. It is a large display that really is easy to read in sunlight.

Key Features

  • Large, extremely bright 5.5+" diagonal color LCD screen (the largest PDAs are 4" diagonal).
  • The display is not a touchscreen - to maximize screen brightness
  • Built-in GPS engine (calculating position and altitude 4 times each second) and connector for external GPS antenna
  • IGC Approved Flight Recorder - Recording at 1 second intervals
  • Remote Keypad - Simple operator interface for operating the screen
  • Moving map with selectable layers
  • Comprehensive task optimization
  • Glide "amoeba" (gliding range footprint) shows areas you can reach, taking wind, glider polar, and terrain into account
  • New Method for Area Tasks - A blue arc shows where to turn in the turn area.
  • Airmass history
  • Airspace Monitor
  • Landability status monitor
  • Size: 4.25"w x 5.83"h x 1.22"d (108mm x 148mm x 31mm)
  • Display Size: 3.39"w x 4.53"h (86mm x 115mm)
  • Screen Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels (1/4 VGA version), 480 x 640 pixels (VGA version)
  • Backlight: CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlight. Nominal luminance is 700 Candelas/m^2 (nits), achieved with a single lamp that goes around 3 sides of the LCD. NK provides lamp overdrive capability up to 1100 nits for severe ambient conditions such as flying into a hazy late afternoon sun. This increases battery drain, so the display is normally operated at its nominal luminance.
  • Weight: ~1 lb (450 g)
  • Operating System: Windows CE.NET
  • Memory: 2 GB of internal memory for turnpoint, terrain, map and airspace information
  • Data Transfer: USB Flash Drive and perhaps a built-in SD card reader
  • Power Requirements: 9 to 16 VDC
  • Power Consumption: 600 mA at full brightness, 300 mA at min. brightness, In power-save mode the backlight goes to full brightness when any key is pressed on the remote keypad. It backs down to min. brightness about 25 seconds after the last key press.
  • Compatible with Cambridge 302 - The ClearNav can receive Vector Wind (speed and direction), Real Time Headwind and True Airspeed from the 302. The Vector Wind (speed and direction) and Real Time Headwind can be displayed. The Vector Wind is used for final glide (as the auto wind) if it is available. The True Airspeed is used for the total energy final glide calculation.

Interesting Details
I was very intrigued when I learned that the ClearNav will have a built-in GPS and IGC Approved flight recorder. That eliminates the need to connect it to an external GPS - which makes installation much easier. I imagine it will take several months to a year to get the IGC approval (just a guess).

Area Task Support - Brilliant!
When I first started playing with my ClearNav demo I was extremely impressed with the brilliant new way the ClearNav handles area tasks.  Competitive software requires that you move the turn point within the turn area.  That can be cumbersome and even dangerous to do in flight.  The ClearNav is much simpler and more intuitive.  There is no need to move or manipulate the turn location in any way.  A blue arc is shown inside the turn area.  It is a locus of points within the turn area that lie along an ellipse such that making your turn at any point on the line will give you the same distance around the course.  The software places the blue arc automatically based on your estimated speed around the course and the task time.  Task course lines are drawn in fine black lines from the start point, to a point on the blue line and then on to the center of the next turn area.  If you are flying fast then blue arc moves to a point on the far edge of the turn area.  If you are flying slowly the blue arc moves to a point on the near side of the turn area.  When the blue arc reaches the far or near side of the area then the turnpoint in the next turn area moves away from the center of that area to compensate.  For example, if you are flying slowly then the blue arc will move to the near side of the turn area you are headed for and the turn point in the following turn area will move closer to the near edge of that area.  I think this way of handling turn areas is revolutionary and brilliant!  Congratulations Chip Garner, Rick Sheppe and the NK team on this innovation!  It is brilliant because you never need to move the turn point manually, you just glance at the screen and fly to a point on the blue arc.  That makes flying safer because you will keep your eyes out of the cockpit and it also makes you faster because you can focus your efforts on flying fast - not fiddling with the software.

Glide Amoebas
The glide amoebas show your gliding range graphically on the map.  They take into account the wind, glider polar, altitude and surrounding terrain.  Over flat terrain they look like circular rings.  Over mountainous terrain they look like, well... amoebas. A ridge shows up as a flat "impassable" line while long extended "fingers" show where it is possible to glide through mountain passes or down into valleys. In flat land soaring the footprint will be much more circular or ellipse shaped. This is a very powerful feature.  Past generations of soaring software highlighted reachable airports on the map - which is also nice, but in ClearNavigator you can see at a glance not just what airports are reachable (any airport inside the glide amoeba) but you also know how far you can glide over the ground - or down into a valley.  To me the most powerful feature of any soaring software is the ability to glance at the screen and know instantly whether or not you can make it to a nearby landing site. The Glide Amoebas makes that very clear and intuitive and easy to use in flight - Fantastic!

  • The purple arc is the "Glide Amoeba" to a user specified arrival altitude over the terrain You can make it to the purple arc and still have enough altitude for a safe pattern and landing.  The arrival altitude is user adjustable (1000 feet AGL in these examples). The left example is over flat terrain. Note how the rings are shifted to compensate for the wind.  The right example is in mountainous terrain with a ridge in the lower right quadrant of the screen.
  • The red arc is the "Glide Amoeba" to ground level.

Calculation of Estimated Speed for the Remainder of the Task - New - Powerful
The ClearNav has a very innovative and powerful algorithm for calculating the estimated speed for the remainder of the task - so that you can finish at the desired time.  The estimated speed is used to estimate how long it will take you to finish the task - and the total time on task.  In contest tasks top pilot do their best to arrive home as close to, but just after the minimum task time.  The reason for that is that the final glide will be a larger percentage of your total task time.  Since final glides are fast (no thermalling), your achieved speed is faster for the entire task when the final glide is as high a percentage as possible of the total task.  Since it is considered important to finish just at or just after the minimum task time, it is important for your soaring software to accurately calculate the estimated time on course.  All brands of soaring software do calculations for the approximate time on course.  In Glide Navigator II the pilot is required to enter his/her best estimate of the speed that will be achieved for the remainder of the task.  That is tough to do accurately because you have to take into account the remaining cross-country speed while thermalling and the speed on final glide.  Great contest pilots like Chip Garner have the experience to do that pretty accurately, but most contest pilots (myself included) have a hard time knowing what number to enter into Glide Navigator II for the estimated speed for the remainder of the task.  Other soaring software (SeeYou Mobile, WinPilot, etc.) have several options available for the calculation of the estimated speed for the remainder of the task.  Most pilots select the option to use the MacCready setting to calculate the estimated speed for the remainder of the task (taking into account thermalling and final glide phases).  They do a pretty good job but they are assuming that you don't find lift while gliding and don't work great when ridge running.  Chip Garner has designed a powerful new algorithm for the ClearNav that is better than all previous methods.  Before the start, it uses the MacCready setting. Once on course the speed is computed based on your climbing and gliding performance so far, predicted out and including the final glide. It includes the wind and a final glide at the current MacCready setting and altitude. If you exceed final glide height it switches to the MacCready glide speed corresponding to that height.  It is not very sensitive to the MacCready setting because it using actual calculated climb and glide data. The glide netto and average climb used in the calculation are shown on both the performance and task dialogs. The prediction works extremely well if conditions do not change appreciably, in which case you can adjust the speed. Chip Garner says he has been able to consistently finish within about 30 seconds of the minimum task time on area tasks using the ClearNav.  This is a very powerful and innovative tool for accurately arriving home at the desired time.

Pitot and Static Inputs
I recommend using a Cambridge 302 Variometer/GPS Flight Recorder with the ClearNav because the ClearNav can receive airspeed and wind data from the 302. 


Remote Control

A small remote control is used to control the software.  It includes Arrow Keys (Left, Right, Up, Down), Enter, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Focus (yellow), and Menu buttons.  The operation of the buttons is quite intuitive.  The yellow Focus button changes the focus of the software between the user selectable data shown on the bottom of the screen and a black rectangle in on the moving map.  The rectangle can be used to pan the map to view regions outside the current view, or to select items inside the rectangle.  For example, you can use the Arrow Keys to move the rectangle over airports or airspace on the map. Then press the enter key and you can view airport or airspace data or make an airport in the rectangle the active waypoint so you can fly directly to it.  The Ribbon key is used to display and hide the pop-up menu icons.  They are shown and described below. They appear near the top of the screen.

Ribbon Icons (from left to right)

  • Change active waypoint (sorted by distance from current location or by name)
  • Bugs (polar degradation)
  • Water Ballast
  • Map Orientation (North Up or Track Up)
  • Screen Brightness
  • Task Edit
  • Map Settings
  • Simulator Settings (speed, turn rate, altitude)
  • Settings Menu
  • Ribbon Options


Chip Garner (ClearNavigator software designer) playing with his ClearNav prototype at the Region 4 Soaring Contest in 2007

Waypoint and Airspace File Compatibility
The ClearNav comes loaded with maps and elevation data for the entire world.  It supports waypoint files in either the Cambridge (Glide Navigator II) ".dat" format or the SeeYou ".cup" format.  It supports airspace files in the Tim Newport-Peace ".sua" format.  Soaring site data is readily available on the internet at the Worldwide Soaring Turnpoint Exchange.  I often use SeeYou or StrePla to import the latest FAA database of public and private airports and then export a subset of local airports to a Cambridge or SeeYou waypoint file.

What Vario to Use with It?
In the long run NK has plans to manufacture a complete line of soaring instruments, but I don't expect any other new products until 2009 at the earliest. Many potential customers have asked me what vario would be the best option for use with the ClearNav. That is tough to say at this point as it is unclear what functions will be supported by the ClearNav in the long run. At the very least most pilots will want a good speed-to-fly variometer. The best option is a Cambridge 302 because the ClearNav can accept airspeed data from the 302 - eliminating the need for the optional Airspeed Sensor option.  Many will probably use a Cambridge 302 because it offers many features in a small box. The IGC Approved flight recorder in the 302 will be redundant in the long run, but who knows how long it will take NK to get IGC Approval for the ClearNav - it could take a year. If so, then a 302 is a great companion product. Once the ClearNav has IGC approval then the 302 would be a great back-up logger. Other units worth considering include the LX1600 and Borgelt B500. If you don't need a speed-to-fly vario then a Tasman V1000, Borgelt B400 or LX16 would work fine.  My guess is that most customers will use Cambridge 302 units with the ClearNav.  The ClearNav now also supports communication with Cambridge L-NAV (or S-NAV) and GPS-NAV combinations.

Price
The price is $2950.  Details on the included items are included in the price list below. I think it is a great value at that price. There are many glider pilots that are dying to replace their iPAQs with a larger and easier to read (brighter) display.  Keep in mind that this product is much more than a bright and large PDA replacement.  It also has a built-in GPS and IGC Approved Flight Recorder.

My Impressions
As stated above, I am very impressed with the product. I am a big fan of Dave Ellis and Chip Garner's "keep it simple - keep it safe" philosophy and the unit seems to keep to that principle well. I love the Glide Amoebas and the Area Task support.  I like that the screen is not overly cluttered and it is easy to hide the terrain data if you want to see only airports, airspace and "culture" data such as rivers, lakes, cities and roads.  The fonts are large and easy to read.

I must admit that 2 design items surprised me at first. I was surprised that the unit is not a touch-screen because I have long been a fan of the simplicity possible with touch-screens. However, I have been told that this compromise was necessary to ensure maximum screen brightness. Touch-screens consist of plastic layers placed between the LCD screen and the operator and they reduce the amount of light that gets to the pilot's eyes. Another reason to do without the touch-screen is that touch-screens are not ideal for use in a glider cockpit - while bumping along in ridge lift. A handheld or stick mounted keypad is a much better option for use in a glider. I am confident that the keypad solution will be an easy-to-use and intuitive alternative to a touch-screen. A nice side-benefit to the use of a keypad rather than a touch-screen is that there is no need to mount the screen in a location where it is reachable. Often PDAs are mounted on gooseneck or RAM arms to get them closer to the pilot - within reach. That is not necessary with the ClearNav - just mount the keypad within reach.

The new VGA (480 x 640 pixel) display on the ClearNav is very nice.  The text and maps look very crisp.

Second Seat Installation
The same mounting options and components are used when installing the ClearNav in the second seat in a 2 -seat glider. Two ClearNav systems installed in one glider will operate completely independently as they each contain a GPS and full functionality. If one ClearNav is connected to a Cambridge 302 for airspeed data, a CANbus extension cable may be used to connect the two Nexus Boards to enable sharing of the airspeed data. Additional data and function sharing may be available in the future.

Conclusions
This is going to be an extremely popular flight computer system.

- Manuals and installation documents are available here: http://www.nkhome.com/support/pdfs.html#Soaring

Screen Comparison With Competitive Products

The photo above includes (from left to right): NK ClearNav, iPAQ 310, iPAQ 210, iPAQ hx4700 (backlight getting dimmer as it is 3 years old).  The 3 units on the right are all running SeeYou Mobile software.  Click on the image to see a much larger version.  Note that this photo was taken indoors.  Screen brightness may be quite different outside in direct sunlight, or with the sun behind the units. The ClearNav is by far the brightest.  The iPAQ 310 uses a different screen technology than the iPAQ 210 and iPAQ hx4700 - which may make it better in sunlight.  To make the screen brightness comparison as fair as possible, all 4 devices are showing the same location on the map - Minden, NV.

ClearNav Flight Log Validation Program
The utility program below may be used to validate the security of flight logs generated by NK ClearNav units.  Download it to your PC and run it. To download it, right-click on it and select "Save Target As...".
IGCVerify-NKClearNav.exe


How to Order
To order a product, click on the
button next to the product. 
When you are ready to complete your order, click on the
button. 
Click on the small images to view larger versions.

Part # Description Photo
Click on image to view larger version

Price

Lead-time

NK-0600 ClearNav Core System Kit - Panel Mount - 1/4 VGA (240 x 320 pixel) Display
Note: Most customers will want the VGA (480 x 640 pixel) display version below.

The ClearNav is a large, bright, color, navigation display that runs ClearNavigator soaring flight software. The system kit includes everything required for operation and mounting on the front (pilot side) of the instrument panel.

Included

  • NK-0600-UNIT - ClearNav display unit
  • NK-0610 - Handheld Remote Control
  • NK-0640 - GPS antenna
  • NK-0641 - Nexus Junction Box and hookup wires
  • "On Panel" mounting hardware and instructions - For mounting the ClearNav so it is mounted on the pilot side of the instrument panel (not recessed into the panel). 
  • NK-0651 - Panel Mounted USB/Remote Extension
  • USB Flash Drive
  • Quick-Reference Card
  • Calibration Data Sheet

This assembly is the one most customers will order. Even if you are planning to use the RAM mounting option, you will want to buy this kit.

$2800 1 Week
NK-0602 ClearNav Core System Kit - Panel Mount - VGA (480 x 640 pixel) Display
The ClearNav is a large, bright, color, navigation display that runs ClearNavigator soaring flight software. The system kit includes everything required for operation and mounting on the front (pilot side) of the instrument panel.

Included

  • NK-0602-UNIT - ClearNav display unit
  • NK-0610 - Handheld Remote Control
  • NK-0640 - GPS antenna
  • NK-0641 - Nexus Junction Box and hookup wires
  • "On Panel" mounting hardware and instructions - For mounting the ClearNav so it is mounted on the pilot side of the instrument panel (not recessed into the panel). 
  • NK-0651 - Panel Mounted USB/Remote Extension
  • USB Flash Drive
  • Quick-Reference Card
  • Calibration Data Sheet

This assembly is the one most customers will order. Even if you are planning to use the RAM mounting option, you will want to buy this kit.


 
$2950 In Stock
NK-0612 ClearNav Stick Mounted Remote Control
These are extremely elegant stick-mounted remote control units for use with the ClearNav.  They are made of precision carved mahogany, or cherry, or American walnut, or European walnut.  The finish is a
natural hard wax which feels good in the hand, and is easy to refinish after “lots of sweating”. The 10-button remote control panel is mounted in top of handle for comfortable, ergonomic control of the ClearNav with the flying hand.  It includes all the same buttons in the same locations as on the standard handheld remote.  It includes a PTT (push-to-talk) button and wiring.  The hole for the stick is customized to the stick diameter. 

Please specify the stick diameter when ordering.  Rather than assuming that the stick diameters below are correct - I highly recommend using a calipers to measure the exact diameter of the control stick in your sailplane.

NK Stocks a variety of wood types and hole diameters.  Please call for available units.

Available Wood Types

  • Mahogany
  • Cherry
  • American walnut
  • European walnut

Hole Sizes

  • DG (18 mm)
  • Schleicher (18mm stick diameter, Schleicher installs a special stick handle with the usual 24mm coming up until the trim, but then it slopes down to 18mm for the top part that goes into the wooden handle. This solution is very elegant, since now the handle fairs into the 24mm tube without any change in diameter.)
  • Schempp-Hirth (19mm stick diameter)
  • Glasflügel, LS (20mm stick diameter)

 

$495 1 to 6
weeks

Call for
Available
Units

NK-0615 ClearNav Remote Control - Stick Module (stick not included)
This module is designed for use by customers that want to build their own stick mounted remote.  The control stick is not included.  It includes leads for the push-to-talk button and the CANbus cable for connection to the ClearNav Nexus Board.  10-button remote control panel designed for comfortable, ergonomic control of ClearNav with flying hand. 
It includes all the same buttons in the same locations as on the standard handheld remote.  It includes a PTT (push-to-talk) button and wiring.

Dimensions:
Width: 37 mm
Length: 39 mm
Depth (not including the buttons): 11 mm

$135 In Stock
NK-0630 ClearNav Through-Panel Mounting Kit
Note: This Option is Probably Going To Fade Away in Favor of the Behind Panel Mounting Kit below.

Aluminum bezel, standoffs, support bracket and template for mounting ClearNav display recessed into the panel.  The ClearNav does not sit flush with the front of the panel - it stands out about 9 mm (0.35 in).  This is the most clean and elegant way to install the ClearNav.  One subtle advantage to this mounting technique is that the unit will be underneath the instrument panel cover overhang – which will reduce glare and make the unit even easier to read in sunlight than it already is by design.

In the photos at right I used the yellow template as a stand-in for the instrument panel - to clarify which parts are on each side of the panel.

Note: The SD card reader slot is mounted on the side of the ClearNav Display and is not accessible from the pilot side of the panel when the ClearNav In-Panel Mounting Kit is used. That should not be a problem because a USB Flash Drive can be used for transferring files through the panel mounted CAN/USB Extension cable.

Dimensions
Width of black bezel: 123 mm (4.84 in)
Height of black bezel: 162 mm (6.38 in)
Thickness of black bezel: 1 mm (0.04 in)
Distance ClearNav stands out on the pilot side of the panel: 9 mm (0.35 in)
Distance from the back of the black bezel to the back of the aluminum mounting plate: 21 mm (0.83 in)
Distance (approx.) from the back of the black bezel to the back of the Nexus Wiring Board's largest connector: 54 mm (2.13 in)

$60 1 week
NK-0632 ClearNav RAM Mount Kit
In some gliders it is preferable to mount the display on a mounting arm that is attached to the instrument panel.  This is the case when there is not enough room in the panel to mount the unit on the panel.  When mounted on a mounting arm, the unit takes-up less panel real estate.  It is sometimes acceptable to partially block some instruments.  However, I think most customers will find that mounting the ClearNav directly on the instrument panel makes for a cleaner and classier installation than the RAM arm option, but those that prefer the RAM arm option will find that it is a rugged and reliable option.

A nice feature of the RAM Mount Kit is that the panel adapter is designed to fit the screw hole pattern for a standard small 57 mm (2 1/4 inch) instrument hole.  That makes it easy to attach through existing holes in a small panel hole, or to a hole reducer in a large 80 mm (3 1/8 in) hole.

The kit includes:

  • Short RAM "B" size arm
  • RAM-B-238 metal diamond base with 1” ball for use on instrument panel
  • RAM “B” size ball mounted to a square mounting base for use on back of the ClearNav
  • Mounting screws and nuts

The standard 1.75“ (44 mm) long arm plus the bases on both ends gives a total length of about 4 inches (102 mm) from base to base. If the standard short RAM arm is not long enough, you may want to add the optional 3 inch (76 mm) RAM-B-201 or 5.25 inch (133 mm) RAM-B-201-C arm.

Required Option

  • NK-0645 DB15 Extension Cable - Length: 2 feet

$120 In Stock
NK-0633 ClearNav Behind Panel Mounting Kit
This kit is designed to allow you to mount the ClearNav to the back of the instrument panel - while making the smallest hole in the panel possible.  The hole in the panel is the same size as the LCD screen.  That is much smaller than the hole that would be needed for the entire body of the ClearNav.   The body of the ClearNav is concealed behind the panel.
$45 In Stock
NK-0634 ClearNav Tunnel Mount Kit
This is an interesting and popular mounting option for the ClearNav.  A Powder-coated aluminum "tunnel" attaches to the rear of the panel to set the ClearNav unit 1.75" back from the panel surface. The cutout for this mount follows the perimeter of the ClearNav display window, and the recess allows installation of other instruments next to the panel cutout.  The additional shading provided by the recess also allows the use of a lower brightness setting, reducing power consumption.  Includes standoffs, support bracket and template.


$135 In Stock
NK-0645 Cable, ClearNav DB15 Extension, Length: 2 feet
The ClearNav DB15 Extension cable is designed to connect a ClearNav display on a RAM mount to the Nexus Wiring Board that is installed behind the panel. The cable is a custom 14-conductor 2' cable with low-profile DB15f female connector. The cable is extremely flexible and has an abrasion resistant jacket. The cable is run through a rubber grommet which fits into a 7/16” (11 mm) hole in the panel. One end is connected to the DB-15 connector on the back of the ClearNav display and the other end connects to screw-terminals on the Nexus Board. The conductors are pre-stripped and tinned.  A rubber grommet is included on the cable for use in the panel hole.  A wiring diagram is included. 
$95 In Stock
NK-0646 Cable, Cambridge 302 to Nexus Board
DB9/RJ22 CAN bus cable to connect a Cambridge 302 to a ClearNav Nexus Board to provide airspeed data for maximum wind accuracy.
$30 In Stock
CAI-Pnl-0.5-ClearNav-1 Cable, CAI 302 to NK ClearNav Nexus Board and Panel Connector for PC or PDA
This cable makes it easy to send Cambridge 302 data to either the NK ClearNav or a panel mounted connector for a PC or PDA.  It is used for downloading flight logs from the 302 or uploading waypoint files to the 302.  Includes 1 m cable from Cambridge 302 to NK ClearNav Nexus Board, and 0.5 m cable from 302 to DB-9f panel mounted connector for PDA or PCDB-9m connector at 302 end and RJ22 connector at NK ClearNav end, The 302 data out line is always connected to both the NK ClearNav and the panel mounted PC/PDA connector.  Includes panel mounted "PDA / ClearNav" switch for selecting whether the 302's data input line is connected to the panel connector (for PDA or PC) or the NK ClearNav. 5 v power from the 302 is made available at the panel connector at all times. Made by Goddard
$95.00 In Stock
NK-0647 Cable, FLARM to Nexus Board
RJ22 serial cable to connect a FLARM unit to a ClearNav Nexus Board to provide FLARM data for alarms and location of alerts.
$30 In Stock
NK-0649 Cable, Front Seat Nexus Board to 2nd Seat Nexus Board
RJ22 CANbus cable to link two ClearNav systems and permit sharing of airspeed data from a CAI 302, and FLARM data.

Second Seat Installation
The same mounting options and components are used when installing the ClearNav in the second seat in a 2 -seat glider. Two ClearNav systems installed in one glider will operate completely independently as they each contain a GPS and full functionality. If one ClearNav is connected to a Cambridge 302 for airspeed data, and/or a FLARM device for traffic data, a CANbus extension cable may be used to connect the two Nexus Boards to enable sharing of the airspeed data and/or the FLARM data. Additional data and function sharing may be available in the future.

$10 In Stock
NK-0652 ClearNav Portable Power Adapter
The Portable Power Adapter makes it easy to play with your ClearNav at home.  Just bring the ClearNav main display unit home along with the Handheld Remote and the Portable Power Adapter can be used to connect and power them.  It includes a wall charger which accepts 100 to 240VAC (50 or 60 Hz) and outputs 12VDC/1.25A. It also includes an RJ cable that plugs into the ClearNav handheld remote and a DB-15 connector that plugs into the back of the ClearNav. (ClearNav and Handheld Remote not included.)
$65 In Stock
System Components - Individual Components that are included in Complete ClearNav Systems
NK-0600-UNIT ClearNav Display Unit Only, with 1/4 VGA (240 x 320 pixel) Display
Note: Most customers will want the VGA (480 x 640 pixel) display version below.
Display Unit with box and instructions.  No remote, antenna, Nexus Wring Board, or panel extension included. To be used as part of an "a la carte" system.

Included

  • ClearNav display unit
  • "On Panel" mounting hardware and instructions - For mounting the ClearNav so it is mounted on the pilot side of the instrument panel (not recessed into the panel).  It is different from the NK-0630 "In Panel" kit below.  This "On Panel" kit includes only a few mounting nuts and does not increase the cost of this package.
  • Quick-Reference Card
  • USB Flash Drive
$2300 1 Week
NK-0602-UNIT ClearNav Display Unit Only, VGA (480 x 640 pixel) Display
Display Unit with box and instructions.  No remote, antenna, Nexus Wring Board, or panel extension included. To be used as part of an "a la carte" system.

Included

  • ClearNav display unit
  • "On Panel" mounting hardware and instructions - For mounting the ClearNav so it is mounted on the pilot side of the instrument panel (not recessed into the panel).  It is different from the NK-0630 "In Panel" kit below.  This "On Panel" kit includes only a few mounting nuts and does not increase the cost of this package.
  • Quick-Reference Card
  • USB Flash Drive
$2450 1 Week
NK-0610 Handheld Remote Control
Handheld 9-button wired remote control with RJ-22 connector. Slim, contoured and comfortable for use in non-flying hand. Recommended for backup and out-of-cockpit use even if installing stick remote.  This item is included in the standard ClearNav system kit.
 
  $125 In Stock
NK-0640 GPS Antenna
The ClearNav has a built-in GPS engine but an external antenna is required. It is included in the standard ClearNav kit. It consists of an amplified external GPS antenna and Dual-Lock mounting strips. The connector attaches directly to the back of the ClearNav.  This item is included in the standard ClearNav system kit.
$45 In Stock
NK-0641 ClearNav Nexus Junction Box
Compact junction box with speaker, CAN bus connectors, RJ22 connector, screw-terminal strip and power cable. Mount directly to DB15 on rear of ClearNav, or install anywhere behind panel and connect to ClearNav using NK-0645 DB15 Extension cable.  This item is included in the standard ClearNav system kit.
 
$225 In Stock
NK-0651 Panel Mounted CAN/USB Extension
The Panel Mounted CAN/USB Extension brings USB and RJ-22 connectors out to a convenient panel mounted connector.  It fits into a 1" (25 mm) round hole in the panel. The USB connector is used as a receptacle for a USB Flash Drive for transferring flight logs from the ClearNav and uploading waypoint and airspace files and software updates to the ClearNav.  The RJ-22 connector is used by the Handheld Remote Control.  A template is included for making the required holes in the panel.  This item is included in the standard ClearNav system kit.
 
$105 In Stock


Paul E. Remde

8661 Connelly Place
Savage, Minnesota 55378
USA


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