Invalid Locked Waypoints

[Kittster]

Hi,  I have been enjoying this TDS GTNXi Simulator since it first came out.  I am flying around the world with it and have gained more knowledge about it and found it superior to my old Reality XP version of the GPS.

Recently though have experienced a couple of issues where coming up the eastern side of Russia heading towards Nome Alaska, I have encountered unknown Invalid waypoints.  Typically, I plot out a long Flight Plan using Little Navmap and then chop it up into smaller segments as I fly of about 350 NM at a time.  The waypoints are not missing in Little Navmap.  If I save the Little Navmap to a Flight.PLN then I can import it into MSFS with no issues.  I can even start from scratch in MSFS and it will find all the waypoints as I type them in. 

It's when I export the flight plan in Little Navmap to a gfp file and then import that into the TDS GPS is when I get Invalid Locked waypoints.  I'll attach some screenshots to show the messages as well as the flight plans themselves in different formats.

I recall using the Reality XP version, that I had to change the database to something called Jeppesen when I was doing international travel - such as recreating Amelia Earhart's route.  I have tried to find when I can change the database, but all I can come up with is an empty screen on the initial startup database page.

Perhaps the development is not far enough along with remote locations like this that are not frequently flown.  I plan to follow the Artic circle basically on my way back to London, UK across Alaska, Canada and Newfoundland and hope maybe I am doing something wrong and there is an easy fix.  Going back to the G1000 in the Beech G36 is like going back to a Tricycle after riding a Two Wheeler.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated - Thanks - Kittster

PS - I just noticed that my files of the actual flight plan in lnmpln, pln and gfp are not allowed to be attached.  I'll just post my jpg screen shots instead.

The Flight Plan was:  UHPK - UOSO - UHPL - UHPT - UHPA

[adminOwner2]

Hello, we would need to analyze the gfp file for obvious errors, a locked waypoint means that the GTNXi is not able to load that waypoint, please send us the file at:
support@tdssim.com

Thank you.

[Tva]

Had the same issue, its because navigraph and TDS GTN have different airac, the one in the GTN is 2004 and cant be updated. If you import a flight plan that contains waypoints or airports not existing in the database you will get a locked on flighplan and you will need to delete that locked waypoint before activating the flight plan.
There is a solution, kinda, you could export a LNM flighplan as a Garmin GTN with user defined waypoints, that way it will export the whole plan with all the waypoints and the route will pe correct and complete but you will not have a named waypoints just generic u001, u002...etc

[adminOwner2]

Thank you for your input Tva, in cases as locked waypoints, the best solution is to always use custom waypoints in the lat/lon format inside the GFP file, this will get the waypoints imported as "user waypoints" inside the GTNXi without a problem.

[Kittster]

Thank you for your input Tva, in cases as locked waypoints, the best solution is to always use custom waypoints in the lat/lon format inside the GFP file, this will get the waypoints imported as "user waypoints" inside the GTNXi without a problem.

Thank you both for your input.  I am exporting the Little Navmap out as a gfp file with user defined waypoints.  Since my locked locations are not user defined, it failed to bring them in.  I guess, creating a custom waypoint for those invalid waypoints maybe the only way to go at the moment.  I hope the database eventually can get updated from 2004, but am not looking for that to happen anytime soon. I can live flying with the issues till then.
 
Once I get this 2nd world trip completed, then I will be flying in more generally populated areas which will probably show up in the GTNXi system w/o issues.
 
Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone - Kittster

[Tva]

When exporting with user defined waypoints every navaid is exported as a user waypoint you wont get a locked waypoint this way.
File-Multiexport flight plan options- check Flight1 Garmin GTN 650/750 with user defined waypoints and chose location c:\programdata\tds\gtnxi\fpl
then File-Multiexport flight plan
You can import then in GTN the flight plan will be complete and corect the only problem is all the waypoints will have generic naming. You could also just create a custom waypoint in GTN with lat\long I maily use that for airports not in the database but it will work with any navaid.

[Kittster]

I am exporting now with the User defined waypoints as you mentioned in your first paragraph to that location TVA. I'm assuming if Little Navmap can find the Departure and Arrivals inside their system, then they will be exported as waypoints into the GFP file. That's what I am currently doing. Maybe my assumption is wrong and they do not interpret Arrival and Destinations as Waypoints when it gets exported to GFP.

I can create the Arrival and Destination in this example as a manually created waypoint and it would probably work, but it seems like extra effort and you don't know till you try to import it into the GTN that an issue exists. I hope I'm doing something wrong, but I'm following your 1st paragraph to a 'T'.

I did some looking at airports along the Artic Circle across Alaska and Canada heading towards Finland. There are many out their in Little Navmap. I suspect I am going to have issues with the GTN trying to find these airports.

[Tva]

Seems like you are right, no sid and stars

Little Navmap allows to change the Garmin export to replace all waypoints with user-defined waypoints to avoid locking. While this is a sufficient approach to avoid the locked waypoints it comes with a few limitations:

Departure and destination airport are not saved as user-defined waypoints. These have to exist in the Garmin navigation database.
Navaid information like frequencies cannot be displayed since the waypoint cannot be related to the radio navaid.
Procedures like SID and STAR cannot be saved with the flight plan and have to be selected manually.
The GTN (not the GNS) changes all names to a generic USERWPT... scheme.

I think on the couple of ocasion when i used the function there were no procedures so it didnt affect me. Sorry for providing bad information.

[Kittster]

Seems like you are right, no sid and stars

Little Navmap allows to change the Garmin export to replace all waypoints with user-defined waypoints to avoid locking. While this is a sufficient approach to avoid the locked waypoints it comes with a few limitations:

   Departure and destination airport are not saved as user-defined waypoints. These have to exist in the Garmin navigation database.
   Navaid information like frequencies cannot be displayed since the waypoint cannot be related to the radio navaid.
   Procedures like SID and STAR cannot be saved with the flight plan and have to be selected manually.
   The GTN (not the GNS) changes all names to a generic USERWPT... scheme.

I think on the couple of ocasion when i used the function there were no procedures so it didnt affect me. Sorry for providing bad information.

No Problem Tva, bad information is better then no information.  I think we are all learning a little more about this situation day by day.  At least you admitted that you discovered its limitations when exporting to a GFP file.

I have been giving it some thought today.  My next leg to Nome Alaska is perfect, no invalid waypoints.  Should I get into trouble again, I may consider using the nearest airport feature in the GTN and grope my way across Canada that way.  There aren't a lot of Artic airports and that way, at least I can try to find something the GTN recognizes and fly to within fuel range.  There maybe a workaround.  I do appreciate all the help you guys are giving me.

Kittster

[Tva]

Creating airports in database is really easy, you just need the geographic coordinates. You could also create a waypoint 10 miles of the airport on the radial of the runway you want to land. That could help with the aproach or just land full visual.