Power & Installation Guide

Getting Stratux set up in your cockpit properly.

Power Requirements

Stratux needs a 2+ amp USB power source. This is more than some phone chargers provide.

Recommended Batteries

• From Crew Dog: Power Supplies — tested and known to work
• Included: EasyAcc 6,000mAh — supports pass-through charging
• Long flights: Any 20,000mAh bank (2A+ output)

Pass-Through Charging

The EasyAcc battery (included with pre-built units) supports pass-through charging — you can plug aircraft power into the battery while it powers the Stratux. Best of both worlds.

Not all batteries support this. Check before buying.

USB Cable Quality Matters

A bad USB cable can cause: - Intermittent power loss - SDR resets - GPS dropouts - WiFi disconnection

Signs of a bad cable: - Unit reboots randomly - Works at home, fails in flight (vibration) - Only works at certain angles

Solution: Use a quality cable. Short is better. The included cable is tested.

Reduce USB Port Wear

The micro-USB port on the Raspberry Pi is fragile. Repeated plugging/unplugging wears it out.

Protective accessories: - Check Crew Dog Replacement Parts for tested cables - USB extension to move the connection point

Mounting Locations

Glareshield

Pros: Good antenna sky view, easy to reach Cons: Can obstruct view, hot in direct sun Tip: Suction mounts available at Crew Dog Store

Rear Window/Deck

Pros: Out of the way, excellent sky view, cooler Cons: Harder to access, AHRS orientation needs adjustment Tip: Set AHRS orientation in settings to match physical position

Side Window

Pros: Works well in bubble canopies Cons: Partial sky view, may affect reception Tip: Antennas should point toward sky, not sideways

Bag on Seat

Pros: Easy access Cons: Poor GPS and ADS-B reception, AHRS unusable Not recommended for actual use

Antenna Positioning

The Basics

• Antennas should be vertical (pointed up)
• ADS-B signals are vertically polarized
• Tilting antennas reduces reception (but still works)

Spacing

• Keep antennas at least 10cm apart
• They can touch the case but shouldn’t wrap around each other

Ground Plane

The antennas work best with a ground plane. The case provides some, but a metal dashboard or external mount helps.

AHRS Orientation

The case has a “this side up” marking. For AHRS to read correctly:

Calibration: 1. Place Stratux level in aircraft 2. Go to http://192.168.10.1 → AHRS page 3. Click “Set Level”

Heat Management

The Raspberry Pi can throttle when hot. The fan helps, but: - Avoid direct sunlight - Ensure fan vents aren’t blocked - Consider rear window mount for cooler operation

Interference

Some avionics can interfere with Stratux (or vice versa): - Transponder — usually fine - COM radio — usually fine - GPS — keep Stratux GPS away from panel-mount GPS antennas - Strobe power supply — some cause RF noise

If you see GPS dropouts timed with strobe flashes, move the Stratux GPS away from strobe wiring.

Good installation = reliable operation. Take time to mount it right.