Display of Data in SD

[julianwebb]

Hi Lee

I have a question on the display in SD via the FLARM interface:-

I listened to this  http://omegataupodcast.net/2014/03/143-collision-avoidance-with-flarm/ which is the Development Manager of FLARM explaining how the FLARM algorithm works. If anyone has an hour its really interesting.

Basically it says the FLARM system 1) determines if the Glider is circling or 2) going in a straight line then 3) calculates where the Glider will be in the next 20 seconds in a number of steps ie 5 seconds 10 seconds 15 seconds 20 seconds and then broadcasts these steps to other FLARM units to compare with its own forecast position in the next 20 seconds and if required give warnings (all based on a "cubes of airspace").

My question then is in the interface to SD (based on the FLARM interface in SD) I guess the forward positions are not calculated by PAW to feed to SD? If not and SD does not calculate them (as it does for our own aircraft) will we only see the aircraft on SD and not its forward forecast position based on speed and bearing - ie like we can see our own planes forecast position based and speed and bearing?

Kind Regards

Julian

[julianwebb]

Hi Lee

Please forget this as I've seen the standard interface file that is fed from FLARM to other applications.

It looks like the forward positions are not in the interface so it will be down to SD to display these maybe as a future enhancement. Will need to lobby SD to include this.

Kind Regards.

[Paul_Sengupta]

While you're asking Sky Demon about traffic features, can you perhaps also ask them if they can make it possible to select the colour of traffic contacts and that of the text next to them - or perhaps even draw some sort of box round the text, clearing the background map underneath it making it easier to read - all selectable of course.

[julianwebb]

I phoned SD about another matter a week or so ago and mentioned PAW. They are very aware of it but the lady I spoke said there was no activity at present to do any changes for SD which I can understand until its known what the take up of SD users will be.

If you look at the SD user manual it states that the FLARM interface provides the data for the display including the GPS data (rather than any internal source). The standard SD system keeps the targets white unless one of the targets has an Alarm status sent by FLARM then it goes Red with a warning message.

This will all of course depend what Lee has coded into the interface sentences as the alarm status of each target is determined by FLARM and sent to SD to display. So if PW sends no alarms the targets will all stay white which would not really be of much use especially on a small screen with pilots of a certain age who cant read the numbers on screen without reading glasses.

Another point is if you look at the product reviews of the TM250 and PowerFlarm the most useful feature is the audio warning. That is, you keep your eyes out of the cockpit and only look at the system as a "heads-up" to any threats. If the SD cannot be made to send an audio alarm to the Headset when certain events occur then this would also not be good and might even be worse than nothing as it would not be good to have pilots looking at screens trying to read small print whilst other aircraft are in close proximity.

Of course the practical way forward is to all lets start using it and see what the issues are then develop it over time 

[Paul_Sengupta]

When CaptCaos and I did trials with the original RF dongle, Sky Demon flagged up red, gave an audible alert and gave a banner warning when CC and I flew towards each other in close proximity.

I don't know if this is still the case, but I don't see why it shouldn't be. It's reported in another thread that this doesn't happen any more, at least with just ADS-B but I'll do some trials after receiving the new RF dongle.

[Robski]

So if PW sends no alarms the targets will all stay white which would not really be of much use especially on a small screen with pilots of a certain age who cant read the numbers on screen without reading glasses.

Another point is if you look at the product reviews of the TM250 and PowerFlarm the most useful feature is the audio warning.

These issues (size of screen, visibility of screen, audible alarms) are more to do with how you build/install/interface SkyDemon (be it Android, Ipad, PC, SD/Windows CE device) into your aircraft, rather than any shortcoming in PAW!

How do you currently discover that SD is warning you about airspace, terrain, timer timeout (change tank, for example) etc? A traffic proximity warning is simply another alarm similar to one of these!

Personally I have a decent sized screen prominently displayed. I tried hooking the sound from my tablet through the plane's intercom (Permit aircraft - don't you just love 'em) but I had a noise problem when running the tablet off the plane's power. I guess I need a way to decouple the resulting loop, or get a 'quieter' USB power adaptor, but either way, this is my problem - not PAW's!