Logging software

[rogellis]

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Has anyone made some software to take the flight log (track) and output it onto a map display, to replay past flights?   These systems are quite common for gliders, so you can replay the previous flight on a map and see where you have been (also for badge flights).    Glider loggers can can input several data logs simultaneously, so you can see multiple gliders race each other across the map. 

Cheers,
R

[Ian Melville]

I wrote a program a while back that took the output from OGN/R and converted it into a file that could be read in Google Earth. It used timelines, but I found that is function of Google Earth less that satisfactory. There was zero interest from others so I never bothered to refine it. I could dig it out and adapt to read the PAW log file ( *.trk). But only if there is sufficient interest.

[Admin]

If I recall, google earth accepts kml files, which are your own position
can this accept others positions as well, because I think this has a slider bar for time, and hence would be very useful

we could probably use the additional annotations for the bearingless targets to be displayed

needs an expert web programmer, I think I could format the data - if I knew the format it required

Thx
Lee

[PaulRuskin]

Two obvious routes:

1.  Convert the log into an igc file (which is what glider pilots use) and use any of the gliding software - See You, or a couple of free ones (eg http://glidingweb.org/igcWebview/index.html).  Conversion ought to be trivial.

2. Convert to KML and look at the track.  (Glider pilots sometimes go from igc to kml then look at Google Earth.  It's quite useful.  There exist igc-kml converters (eg http://cunimb.net/igc2kml.php

Paul

[Ian Melville]

As I said above, I have already covered the conversion to KML, from a text file. I just need to change that text file to *.TRK

Will supply an example this evening

[Admin]

Paul the two references you provide, do these accept GPS traffic data in addition your own GPS data?
if so that sounds really useful

Thx
Lee

[Ian Melville]

Have a look at this KML file. It is a capture from the OGN station point of view. One with a poor range as it does not have a proper antenna yet. I don't think it will be too difficult to amend the code to plot your own flight and aircraft around you.

Each aircraft can be turned on or off, and yes I could change it to callsign rather the than Hex code. The hex is also used to set the colour.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gx2myfirm3cmc02/testplot2.kml?dl=0

[rogellis]

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Thanks, this is interesting.

It is beyond my present capabilities, but I am sure if the PAW data-file could be converted to the same file-format as the glider files, someone at the club will show me how all this works.  The cross country pundits are all into this flight tracking business, and will get it running in a trice.

When we get our first cross country of the year, I will ask again about converting the resulting file and running it on their standard glider software.

Cheers,
Roger

[Ian Melville]

I am not 100% sure but IGC files are only for single aircraft and cannot include traffic around you. The display software perhaps imports muliple IGC files from all the competitors? What software can do this? A quick skim of 'IGC Flight Verification Unit (FVU)Data File Standard' pdf shows nothing that will help.

GPSBable can do a lot of conversions to and from igc

I could also create individual igc files for each aircraft found in a PAW *.trk file, but that is a hell of a lot of work. If glider pilots are serious about using PAW rather than Flarm I could be persuaded.

[PaulRuskin]

Paul the two references you provide, do these accept GPS traffic data in addition your own GPS data?
if so that sounds really useful

Thx
Lee

Only one of them is a display, but no I think it only accepts one track.

If you want to look at multiple tracks - See You (https://www.naviter.com/products/seeyou/ lets you do 'snail races' of multiple aircraft.  Keeps glider pilots occupied for hours after the event.  Still need to convert your data to .igc first though.

Paul

[rogellis]

I am not 100% sure but IGC files are only for single aircraft and cannot include traffic around you. The display software perhaps imports muliple IGC files from all the competitors? What software can do this? A quick skim of 'IGC Flight Verification Unit (FVU)Data File Standard' pdf shows nothing that will help.

Glider loggers are single aircraft files.  But the map software allows the loading of multiple single-aircraft files from multiple gliders, to produce the tracks of all the competitors on one page.  They then alter the timelines to a common start-point, to produce a false race over the task. 

All very entertaining...

R

[Ian Melville]

Are you refering to the software in Pauls link? Or something else?

[Ian Melville]

Paul and Rog, Had a quick look at NavITer. 149 euro is a bit more than I am willing to pay for an experimant. Do you know the limitations of the trial version?

I am willing to investigate a PAW *.trk file to multi *.IGC file converter, but it will be done at my pace. I need to fully understand the IGC format first as some of it is not important if it is not being used for competitions. For now I can test against the online IGC display tools.

At this time I have other pressing issues at home, so stand-by.

[rogellis]

Are you refering to the software in Pauls link? Or something else?

I dont know what software they use, but knowing glider pilots it will not have cost more than £5.   I will ask them what it is called this weekend.

R

[Ian Melville]

...but knowing glider pilots it will not have cost more than £5.