Volume too quiet

[marioair]

Until recently, I’ve been feeding the audio output from the Rosetta into a passive mixer alongside a input from SkyDemon. These are then routing into the auxiliary input into my panel mounted Garmin intercom.

The audio from the PilotAware is very quiet on the ground and almost unreadable in the air. I had thought that this was due to the passive mixer I was using and I’ve tried different combinations. However, after plugging the PilotAware output directly into the Garmin, it’s still very quiet.

Any suggestions?

[steveu]

Until recently, I’ve been feeding the audio output from the Rosetta into a passive mixer alongside a input from SkyDemon. These are then routing into the auxiliary input into my panel mounted Garmin intercom.

The audio from the PilotAware is very quiet on the ground and almost unreadable in the air. I had thought that this was due to the passive mixer I was using and I’ve tried different combinations. However, after plugging the PilotAware output directly into the Garmin, it’s still very quiet.

Any suggestions?

Solution 1.

Get both traffic and airspace alerts from Skydemon. Unplug the PAW audio. Then you no longer need audio from PAW, as PAW data is vocalised by Skydemon along with airspace and the two don't talk over each other. If your SD audio is loud enough, then this is one stop shop.

Solution 2.

Get a small active mixer that can be powered by USB. However, airspace and traffic may talk over each other.

[marioair]

Thanks. To clarify

I want to maintain PAW audio to pick up mode C/A which SD doesn’t annunciate.

Ignore the mixer - the volume is low even when paw is connected directly to the garmin aux in. If I connect anything else the volume is fine.

[steveu]

Ignore the mixer - the volume is low even when paw is connected directly to the garmin aux in. If I connect anything else the volume is fine.

We have dealt with this before on this forum - as the Pi is primarily an education device the output volume is low even at maximum.

1. Check the volume is set to 10 in the web GUI.

2. Are you using any sort of isolation transformer in line with the PAW feed to get rid of hum? If so, there will be a big drop in volume.

If you search the forum, you'll see the previous posts about low volume.

Have you turned up the volume on the Garmin aux in? This is in a menu IIRC. Another user found this to be the solution, turn up the aux input to make the PAW audible, then turn down the Skydemon audio to match.

[marioair]

. Check the volume is set to 10 in the web GUI.

2. Are you using any sort of isolation transformer in line with the PAW feed to get rid of hum? If so, there will be a big drop in volume.

Yes set to 10. No transformer direct 3.5mm out/in.

Will have a look at the garmin settings

[marioair]

Update. It’s a Garmin GMA 345. The aux inputs (MUSIC 1 and 2) don’t have any independent volume/gain control

[steveu]

Active mixer with gain or accept quiet PAW...

[marioair]

Is PAW team willing / able to publish stats on what proportion of detections are Mode C/A bearing less.  This might sway me to using SD audio.

[Keithvinning]

This amplifier works well

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neoteck-Headphone-Amplifier-Portable-Rechargeble/dp/B07G953GHH/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544616056&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Neotec%2BNTK059&th=1

[marioair]

Thanks Keith. Assume it’s the gain version but bass?

[exfirepro]

Hi Marioair,

Is PAW team willing / able to publish stats on what proportion of detections are Mode C/A bearing less.  This might sway me to using SD audio.

As you know, we had this discussion a year ago here...  http://forum.pilotaware.com/index.php/topic,2348.msg24310.html#msg24310

I can't give any precise figures, but in the intervening year, numbers of aircraft emitting solely pure Mode-C, or emitting solely Mode-S in areas where this is unlikely to be triangulated and uplinked via ATOM, SkyGRID or iGRID have further reduced significantly to the point where I hardly ever see bearingless target alerts these days.

Don't get me wrong, I would still prefer that FX detect and report at least bearingless Mode-S, where out of ground station or triangulation range, but I am told this just isn't possible with the current chipsets used in FX. I live in hope that this function will be re-introduced in a future version as more powerful and effective chipsets become available. In the meantime, however, I am prepared to take the risk for the additional efficiency and reliability benefits of the completely in-house developed FX (used with SkyDemon audio alerts).

Best Regards

Peter