Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Audio Gremlin in my a/c

« on: December 20, 2017, 12:18:27 pm »

Good news!

The isolator worked perfectly. No noise at all! My homemade one is a bit of a bodge so I'll certainly order one of the ones you linked to.

Yet to perform a proper flight test so unable to check if there is any RFI going on from the USB supply, but I feel like I'm half way there.

Cheers!

2

General Discussion / Re: Audio Gremlin in my a/c

« on: December 20, 2017, 08:20:43 am »

PaulSS, what you've linked to there is pretty much exactly what I am planning to test today, but in a much smaller form factor. If today's test works then I'll get that smaller one, so thanks for the link!

It's basically a 1:1 transformer, so a coil on each side, where audio in one coil induces the same audio in the other coil, without them being physically connected, so no ground loop.

Fingers crossed

3

General Discussion / Re: Audio Gremlin in my a/c

« on: December 19, 2017, 07:12:57 pm »

Cheers both.

I have a few more tests to do tomorrow, and hopefully one or more will help:

1. As per Seanhump, check if the audio is clean from the PAW itself without plugging into the panel
2. Check if another music source is OK while the PAW is powered up
3. Try a different audio cable. The one I am using is VERY thin and probably not well sheilded
4. I've just found an audio isolator and wired some new ends to it. I will try that out. It will eliminate any ground loop type issues because there will be no electrical connection between the PAW and the Audio Panel.

With regard to the power supply, that is still suspect because the problem does disappear when I am not using the aircraft's power. I am ordering one of the recommended Anker ones to try as well.

4

General Discussion / Audio Gremlin in my a/c

« on: December 19, 2017, 03:56:31 pm »

I have an annoying problem which is preventing me from "semi-permanently" installing PAW in my group a/c, a Grumman Tiger.

I am using an RavPower 12v - USB power supply plugged into the aircraft's cig lighter. it was ordered as a high quality one and it feels nice and solid, so hopefully not Chinese crap.

I am also connecting the PAW audio to my audio panel, an GMA 340 with a dedicated 'music' input.

With these both connected a get a constant whining noise in my headset, which disappears as soon as I either:

- Disconnect the PAW audio, or
- Power PAW from a battery pack

I have tried to wrap both the USB power lead and the audio lead around a ferrite core to act as a choke, but that's not helping.

I am not 100% certain this is RFI from the power converter, or perhaps a ground loop caused by having two connections to the aircraft, but I am sure they'd all have a common ground, anyway.

One other thing to note is that the GMA 340 is certainly interpreting the whine as 'audio' coming in, because when I speak and the intercom is active, the whine stops, to then restart when I stop talking.

Any ideas on what I can try to isolate this?

5

General Discussion / Re: First Flight Report

« on: October 16, 2016, 04:15:11 pm »

It was you! I even took a screenshot.

http://i.imgur.com/FRhk7FH.jpg

I had to look up the reg too, as while it's different to mine it was "suspiciously" similar.

G-BJAJ here based at Draycot farm just south of Swindon. Glad you saw this

6

General Discussion / Re: First Flight Report

« on: October 16, 2016, 11:00:08 am »

Cheers for the advice guys, I'll leave bearingless on for now but tweak the altitude threshold.

With regard to the other PAW contact, it was certainly legit. My avionics were off at this point and I saw him tracking to my southwest. Because of the similarity of the call sign and the same 'type' I did initially suspect I was looking at myself but this was not the case.

Cheers
James

7

General Discussion / First Flight Report

« on: October 15, 2016, 06:39:04 pm »

Finally got to fly with the system today albeit only for a short flight.

Everything seemed to work well however I do need find a way of mounting the unit into the aircraft using some Velcro or something.

During my 30 minute flight around Swindon I received several Audio alerts from bearingless targets which I could not spot. I also spotted another aircraft in my 12 o clock position crossing left to right at my altitude which I received no warning for which was a shame.

The real value of course will be other targets using PAW. When I was on the ground I looked at the logs and did see one other PAW contact which strangely enough was another AA5 like mine.

I'm looking forward to using it again but I might turn off the bearingless targets option as it was not very useful. I'm pretty sure it was warning me about aircraft on the ground at one point!

8

General Discussion / Re: Shipping time?

« on: October 02, 2016, 09:33:18 pm »

Dave, Peter

Thanks for your messages and I completely understand. I hope that my message wasn't taken as any sort of complaint, but rather as from someone excited to get their new gadget!

My unit is waiting for me at the local post office delivery depot and looking forward to picking it up.

Cheers
James

9

General Discussion / Re: Shipping time?

« on: September 30, 2016, 12:00:59 pm »

Looks like mine was just despatched today. Perhaps in future the store can have pre tested and ready to go kits in stock ready to go. These days the expectation is that stuff marked as 'in stock' is generally send out the same or next working day.

Hopefully yours is on the way too Arcticash!

10

General Discussion / Re: Shipping time?

« on: September 29, 2016, 10:51:27 am »

Thanks, appreciate it!

Fingers cross it's here for the weekend...

James

11

General Discussion / Shipping time?

« on: September 29, 2016, 09:53:51 am »

Orded my classic kit on Monday but no sign of it yet or any shipping notification. Looking forward to using it of course, and when one is used to getting free next day shipping on most things these days,  paying over £8 gives you high hopes!

12

General Discussion / Re: Composite out on first boot not working

« on: October 22, 2015, 09:20:50 pm »

Thanks guys. Was actually following the instructions in the root of the SD card image which I guess is just left over from NOOBS

Will just let it boot next time and see if I get an access point.

13

General Discussion / Composite out on first boot not working

« on: October 22, 2015, 06:55:15 pm »

Hey all. I am a PPL who is also into IT and Amatuer Radio so I was stoked to find this resource and in fact have pretty much all the kit laying around to make something to at least receive in flight.

Has anyone been able to install Pilotaware using a composite screen? I usually use my Raspberry Pis complete headless but looks like it will be easier to use a monitor to set this up.

The problem is that on initial boot the monitor is blank and pressing '3' as per instructions has absolutely no effect. If I wait until the activity lights on the Pi have settled down and power cycle, I am then able to press '3' and get the display online - only to see the system kernel panic due to being unable to mount the root filesystem.

Presumably my power cycling has interrupted some process?

How can I install either headless or using composite out?