Track file format

[Deker]

Lee, please could you throw a little light on the current file format?  For the following record :-

$PFLAA,0,1266,2844,757,1,C3E566!#G-ZERO#,47,,60,,8*3F

I would guess that the third and fourth fields, 1266,2844, are position relative to 'me', and the fifth, 757, is the altitude.  All in metres?  If so, I detected G-ZERO at 9k, and lost him at 6k, not too bad for a broadband monopole with indifferent wiring.

Could well the same as documented in this...
http://www.gliding.ch/manuels/flarm_dataport_v3.00_en.pdf

From the doc linked:-
PFLAA,<AlarmLevel>,<RelativeNorth>,<RelativeEast>,<RelativeVertical>,<IDType>,<ID>,<Track>,<TurnRate>,<GroundSpeed>,<ClimbRate>,<Type>

[Richard W]

Could well the same as documented in this...
http://www.gliding.ch/manuels/flarm_dataport_v3.00_en.pdf

Nice one, thanks.

[Richard W]

Are you near Byfield / Cannons Ashby?

Deker, sorry to alarm you  No, I am just north of M1 Junction 15.  The ID was set to NN46LA-BASE, as suggested by Lee, but perhaps that looks a little like a US registration during moments of stress.  Perhaps GROUND-<postcode> would be better?

Richard

[Deker]

Hi Richard,

Interesting then, as I think the closest I got to you would have been about 20KM
I was no further east than Turweston.

I'll have to check the track log as I'm sure there was another station much closer, you might of been off screen.
Deker

[Paul_Sengupta]

Would be good if SD would have a setting to allow the adjustment of the font size, (maybe related to the threat level) at the moment it's far too small to read quickly.

I've asked Tim Dawson about this before, but only on the Flyer forum. I suggested that as well as a setting for your own aircraft, there could be a setting for the size and colour of the traffic aircraft. I've also suggested a white box, bordered in black, around the reg and height details. I've not had a reply on any of this. I haven't asked on the Sky Demon forum though, maybe I should. I'm not even registered on the forum I don't think!

[exfirepro]

Lee, please could you throw a little light on the current file format?  For the following record :-

$PFLAA,0,1266,2844,757,1,C3E566!#G-ZERO#,47,,60,,8*3F

I would guess that the third and fourth fields, 1266,2844, are position relative to 'me', and the fifth, 757, is the altitude.  All in metres?  If so, I detected G-ZERO at 9k, and lost him at 6k, not too bad for a broadband monopole with indifferent wiring.

Richard,

I'm still getting my head round decoding these sentences myself, but the main bits of the one you quote above are that the contact 'G-ZERO' is 1266 metres north of you and 2844 metres east at a relative altitude of 757 metres above you. The # # brackets round the callsign denote that this was a P3i contact with the same group ID as yourself (presumably the default 'PAWGRP') transmitting an 'Official ICAO' (defined by the code '1') ID of C3E566 - though a search on G-INFO shows this to be the incorrect ICAO for G-ZERO, so either someone using a made-up callsign in a PAW or G-ZERO with the wrong Hex Address entered in the PAW. As Jeremy says, you can research further information from the FLARM document he posted a link to, as PilotAware uses standard FLARM protocols to pass data to your nav system.

Hope this helps,

Regards

Peter

Edit:- Reading on to the end of the thread after answering this, guess you have probably already sorted this. Note to self - Read the whole thread before answering!! - Sorry.

Interesting to note the apparent conflict between the 'Aircraft Registration' and ICAO Hex ID - unless I am misreading the data of course.

[Richard W]

Interesting then, as I think the closest I got to you would have been about 20KM
I was no further east than Turweston.

Deker, now that I can read the file, G-ZERO was tracked heading approx 040T, from 9KM SW of M1 J15 to 4KM NE, on Sunday, 13:02 local.  I suppose it could have been someone pretending to be G-ZERO, the ICAO 24 bit address was C3E566 instead of the correct 402357.

Richard

[Deker]

Deker, now that I can read the file, G-ZERO was tracked heading approx 040T, from 9KM SW of M1 J15 to 4KM NE, on Sunday, 13:02 local.  I suppose it could have been someone pretending to be G-ZERO, the ICAO 24 bit address was C3E566 instead of the correct 402357.
Richard

Hi Richard,

Nope you are correct, I misread your first post- I went to Connington on Sunday as well a bimble on Sat.
I have the random address set
Screen grab of the SD log to show track below.
ATB
Deker.

[exfirepro]

Hi Deker,

Some clarity at last - I was beginning to wonder what was going on here. I guessed that C3E566 was a randomly generated 'PAW' hex address, rather than a real one. These are generated to allow PAWs to be potentially used in 'aircraft' which don't have an ICAO hex and Lee took great care to ensure the system can't generate a genuine Hex by accident. I am however confused by why the $PFLAA string reports this as a 'code 1' which implies that it is a 'genuine' ICAO Hex. Perhaps Lee can advise.

Can you confirm that your aircraft Reg is G-ZERO. I would be a bit concerned if aircraft are flying around transmitting 'made-up' Reg/IDs - especially those belonging to someone else - rather than their own allocated ID - as I feel sure would the CAA! Whilst we are using an 'unlicensed' frequency, this does NOT mean we can do as we please. We are still subject to CAP 413 and all other aviation licensing rules and regulations! The last thing we should be doing is risking the wrath of the 'powers that be' by deliberately or erroneously transmitting inaccurate or potentially illegal data.

I really like Richards's suggestion by the way that all ground stations be named 'GROUND - xxxx' as this makes them immediately identifiable as such even to a casual glance at your nav screen.

Best Regards

Peter

[Paul_Sengupta]

Were you following the Roade? 

In your position on that map you'd just overflown the Buttermilk Farm strip. It isn't on the map. It's on the bit where the canal goes through the tunnel.

[Deker]

Hi Deker,
Can you confirm that your aircraft Reg is G-ZERO.
Best Regards
Peter

Hello Peter, Yes, the reg is G-ZERO and the ICAO hex is PAW generated.
It might be helpful for the user guide to include some info on where to find the correct ICAO code for a particular reg (maybe it does and I need to RTFM ;-) ). This is all very high tech geeky stuff (which I love) compared to my old days of drawing fan line on a chart so any help for us dummies would be appreciated :-)

In your position on that map you'd just overflown the Buttermilk Farm strip. It isn't on the map. It's on the bit where the canal goes through the tunnel.

Hi Paul,
I would expect passing at 2,700ft+ (shown in the virtual radar) would not cause an issue with Buttermilk strip?
Regards,
Deker

[JCurtis]

Hi Deker,
Can you confirm that your aircraft Reg is G-ZERO.
Best Regards
Peter

Hello Peter, Yes, the reg is G-ZERO and the ICAO hex is PAW generated.
It might be helpful for the user guide to include some info on where to find the correct ICAO code for a particular reg (maybe it does and I need to RTFM ;-) ). This is all very high tech geeky stuff (which I love) compared to my old days of drawing fan line on a chart so any help for us dummies would be appreciated :-)

In your position on that map you'd just overflown the Buttermilk Farm strip. It isn't on the map. It's on the bit where the canal goes through the tunnel.

Hi Paul,
I would expect passing at 2,700ft+ (shown in the virtual radar) would not cause an issue with Buttermilk strip?
Regards,
Deker

According to G-INFO at the CAA your HEX code should be 402357

[Paul_Sengupta]

I would expect passing at 2,700ft+ (shown in the virtual radar) would not cause an issue with Buttermilk strip?

No issue, just mentioned it for your information, something to look for from the air! 

[exfirepro]

Hello Peter, Yes, the reg is G-ZERO and the ICAO hex is PAW generated.
It might be helpful for the user guide to include some info on where to find the correct ICAO code for a particular reg (maybe it does and I need to RTFM ;-) ). This is all very high tech geeky stuff (which I love) compared to my old days of drawing fan line on a chart so any help for us dummies would be appreciated :-)

Regards,
Deker

Hi Deker,

Point taken. The new PilotAware Operating Manual...

http://www.pilotawarehardware.com/dl/PAWOperationManual.pdf

...does cover inputting your Hex Address (on Page 28) to stop your PAW reacting to your own Transponder (if fitted), but doesn't make it clear that if your aircraft has an official ICAO 'Hex' address, you should in any case preferably replace the randomly automatically generated PAW one with your actual one, whether you have a transponder or not. As Jeremy C says, the correct Hex address for your aircraft is 402357 - derived for UK registered aircraft from the CAA GINFO Database which can be found at...

http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?appid=1

I will bring this to Keith's attention for inclusion in the next revision of the Manual.

Regards

Peter

and thanks for clearing up the confusion 

[Keithvinning]

Thanks Peter

I will make the change when I get back from holidays

Keith