Topics

1

Technical Support / Rosetta securing threads

« on: July 19, 2019, 03:38:50 pm »

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Any idea what diameter and thread of bolt will fit the brass threads in the Rosetta?  I tried a few bolts at the local hardware store, and could not get one to fit.  It does not appear to be metric.

Thanks,
R

2

Technical Support / Radio interference fully cured....!

« on: July 14, 2019, 01:17:38 pm »

At last, I have radio silence ... oh joy.  And it is not very difficult to achieve, either.

Problem one:
I had a cheap Chinese dc converter on the PAW, which was hugely noisy.  Bad move.
Squelch on setting 14 (max)

Solution one:
I fitted an Anker dc converter instead.  Much better.
Squelch on setting 10

Problem two:
I had a cheap Chinese dc converter on the radio, which was hugely noisy.  Bad move.
Squelch on setting 10

Solution two:
I fitted the dc converter that came with the radio - which was a bit better.
But then I fitted a voltage regulator instead of a dc converter - much better.
Squelch on setting 6.

Problem three:
Some interference was still getting in from the Anker converter powering the PAW.  Grrr....
Squelch on setting 6

Solution three:
Fit a thrice-wrapped ferrite core to the Anker Feed Line.
Squelch on setting 2.

Harmony and bliss.....

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Notes:

a.  The new voltage regulator for the radio is VERY RF quiet, but not very efficient.  Not too bad on receive (1 W), but only about 65% efficient on transmit (11 W).  So it is wasteful of energy, and needs a heat-sink.   You could also run the PAW from a voltage regulator, which would be fine if you have a generator, but no good if you run on batteries.  So for battery opps, the Anker is the only choice.

b.  However, while the Anker is a great unit, it is still pumping some RF back down the 12v cables that feed it, turning your whole electrical system into an RF transmitter.  Bad news. 
The huge ferrite core I used came with the radio, and is meant for the 9v lines that feed the radio.  But it made little difference there.  So I took this core, and thrice-wound it onto the 12v cable feeding the Anker, and the radio interference dropped immediately.
I then tested a 2m long 12v cable to the Anker.  All the cable leading up to the ferrite core was RF quiet, while all the cable on the Anker side of the core was RF active.  (You only need to bring the Anker feed-cable next to the radio feed-cable, and you get interference.)   So by placing the ferrite core right next to the Anker, the amount of cable causing interference is minimal, and the radio goes quiet.

So I am now running on squelch 1 with the PAW off, and squelch 2 or sometimes 3 with it on (some frequencies are more naturally noisy than others.)

Happy listening....


P.S. 
The voltage regulator is a T-220 9v unit (L78S09CV).  Cost 43p from Farnell.
Plus two capacitors, which were about 2p each.
And a simple circuit that even I could understand and solder....!!

Note:  This voltage regulator is not big enough to run a PAW, and is of the wrong voltage...


RE

3

Technical Support / Rosetta brackets

« on: June 10, 2019, 05:21:24 pm »

Looking for some support brackets or cradle for the Rosetta.

I would like the Rosetta affixed under the coaming, with the antenna poking through.   But to do this the PAW would have to be upside down, to get the antenna sticking far enough out of the coaming (coaming is carbon fiber).  So a strap or bracket would be nice, as the usual fixing is on the other side of the unit.

The alternative would be remote antenna, as I did with a previous unit. 

RE

4

Technical Support / PAW noise on radio (SOLVED)

« on: May 15, 2019, 05:15:59 pm »

The new Rosetta is up and running, and providing a lot of RF noise on the radio, so that I need full squelch to stop it.

I did suspect it was coming down the charging lead into the radio, so I disconnected the charger and the noise remained.  So the interference is definitely airborne RF.  (I can hear the standard PAW ‘signature buzz’ on the radio speaker.). 

In fact, the radio will pick up the buzz if I put the antenna anywhere near the power cabling to the PAW.  So the RF is being transmitted by the power leads to the PAW.

I covered the PAW unit with bacofoil, to no effect.    I took off the PAW antenna, to no effect.   I also tried a ferrous core on the PAW power leads, to no effect.  But turning off the PAW does stop it.


It seems I need some kind of suppressor on the power leads.  Would something like the following be effective?  And which lead should it go on, the +ve, the -ve, or both....?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-CAR-AUDIO-NOISE-FILTER-HUM-KILLER-ENGINE-REMOVAL-SUPRESSOR-POWER-WIRE-SOUND/202630119474?hash=item2f2db24032:g:GaIAAOSw7D1cSJm4


Thanks,
RE

5

Technical Support / More visible warnings

« on: May 14, 2019, 03:58:22 pm »

More visible warnings.

Have to say that the new Rosetta is much better than the old PAW.  It fires up quicker, and does not seem to have any outages.

My Rosetta is buried under the coaming, so no lights are visible.
It would be nice to have a separate LED on the instrument panel, to show power is on.

And (Or) it would be nice to have the green lights on the Home page, repeated on the Radar page.  At present, you look at a blank screen with no traffic, and don’t know if it has lost gps, adsb, or alt inputs, and is not working.

Likewise when outputting to the Aircrew display.  Not sure how this displays, but it would be nice to have some reassuring green lights when there is no traffic displaying.

RE

6

Technical Support / Rosetta, power consumption

« on: April 16, 2019, 03:48:38 pm »

Just laying out the (all electric) instruments for our new super-lightweight** Me7 glider, which goes on sale this summer.  And was thinking of installing a PAW unit as standard in each one. 

Q.
Could anyone give me the standard (average) power consumption of the new Rosetta, as I hear it has reduced from the original 5w.   

Roger

** Single seat,  carbon fiber airframe,  32:1 glide, total airframe weight 105kg,  MTOW 240 kg.

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7

Technical Support / Changing Host-ID MAC address to aircraft registration

« on: January 26, 2019, 03:00:45 pm »

Can we change the Host-ID on the Sleap PAWs to the aircraft registration...?

We have four C-152s on the apron, all sending out PAW wifi codes, and nobody knows which one to log into.  If the MAC address was the aircraft reg, this problem would be solved.

I can change the MAC address on my PAW unit to the aircraft reg, and this works fine.  But then I will have a different MAC address to your records, when it comes to paying for the annual subscription.  Could your side be changed as well, so we are all singing from the same hymn sheet...?

Thanks,
R

8

Technical Support / Dedicated screen interface

« on: January 03, 2019, 07:22:34 pm »

Has anyone ever replaced the wifi USB, and run the USB output straight into a screen?  Would that even be possible?

We are looking at ways of simplifying the device for pilots, many of who are put off by the complexities of connecting via wifi.   It would be nice to have a screen, powered by the USB, that automatically connects and displays the radar screen - reducing power-up to an on-off switch.

Would that take a lot of work, to achieve that?

Thanks,
R

9

Technical Support / Problem with Android connection

« on: December 08, 2018, 02:57:23 pm »

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We have just got all the club aircraft fitted with PAWs, but have noticed a problem with two Android devices not connecting.   But an iPad connected with no problem. 

All devices say ‘no internet connection’, but I know that is normal - it does not stop the iPad from working.   But when going to the browser (Chrome) the Android says ‘no internet connection’, while the iPad connects without a problem.

I note one other question like this, from June.  Was this problem ever resolved?

Roger

10

Technical Support / PAW for gliders

« on: May 24, 2018, 03:33:16 pm »

PAW for gliders.

As many will know, I adapted two PAW units for use in gliders.  This has borne mixed results.

 ... The hardware needed adapting with a battery, dc converter, amplifier, GL isolator, and speaker - all in a new box (no cooling fan in this box, just a vent over the ADSB dongle...).  This adaption seems to have worked quite well, and technical details are available.


 ... Due to their bubble canopy, the Kobo is the preferred display in gliders (no screen reflections or bright-outs).  But the Kobo is proving to be a troublesome unit, as it is too complex (too much button pressing) and has issues connecting with the PAW.  (It will connect when working with XC-Soar, but not very well when using the web-browser and PAW Radar.)  Some of this may be due to the age of the Kobo units, which are two years old.  Better results were obtained with a new Kobo.


 ... Both the PAW and the Kobo give off RF, which interferes with the glider radio.  The PAW gives off a lot of RF on starting, but then settles down.  The Kobo is leaky all the time.   It may be better to have the PAW in an aluminium box to cut this RF down, with all aerials being remote.  Still looking at what to do with the leaky Kobo.  The RF is not coming from the DC converter, as a 5v battery produced the same result.    (But it was noted that the Flarm Mouse unit on another club glider did much the same.) 


 ... The start-up procedures on the Kobo are too complex.  There is resistance to using the PAW anyway, and having to press too many buttons on the Kobo means some pilots simply switch it off.    In contrast - the Kobo also runs XC-Soar (a Nav program).  And it has somehow been configured so that when you turn the Kobo on, XC-Soar is the first page.  You only need to press 'FLY', and it is away.   If the first page was re-configured to present 'PAW Radar' (perhaps PAW or XC-Soar) it would be used by everyone.  But at present, I have to dial the Kobo into the PAW each morning, otherwise it is not being used.


 ... Calls and Warnings. 
     Not enough data on this yet, because of under-usage. Certainly there are less audio warnings than people expected, because close gliders often stay within a PAW audio zone.   But there is no collision warning.  (Sky Demon does give a collision warning - but only if you use the S.D. Nav system.) 

Note:  Gliders often fly in formation.  In competitions, you might see 20 gliders, all in the same 500m-wide thermal, all circling together).

The little Flarm system we have on another glider does give a collision warning.  It is a very simple unit that ONLY tracks the closest contact it can see, and with a few led lights gives a rough bearing and an above-below indication.  And when someone is on a collision course, it beeps three times.   It sort of works, but there are no selections on the system (so it can give indications of an aircraft 3,000 ft below you), and the collision warning is far too late. 

SUGGESTION...
Perhaps the same might be done with PAW audio warnings.  You dont need a warning of EVERY contact in your area, only the closest ones.   So perhaps the PAW could be filtered so that only the CLOSEST TWO or THREE contacts trigger a warning.   And as another (third or fourth) contact wanders in, and becomes closer than the others - it takes over as being one of the closest three that trigger warnings.   Just a thought....

Also -  the b/w Kobo display is not as good as an iPhone, because there are no colour changes as a contact moves closer to you.  The closest contacts on the PAW Radar may need highlighting somehow, to make them distinct.   Perhaps flashing occasionally, when they enter the closest zone.  Perhaps synchronised flashing, when the audio alarm is triggered


 ...  It would be nice to have different symbols or icons on the PAW radar screen, so that you know if you are getting close to a jet or to a hang-glider.  Your reactions will be very different.  The track-speed line is a good indication, but a different icon would be better still.   (NOTE - Ian says this mod is being considered, and may appear in a later update.)


I will post more info, as it becomes available.

R

Devise a warning system for this lot - go on, I dare you....   

11

Technical Support / Linking to the Kobo

« on: March 29, 2018, 10:11:31 pm »

Has anyone else linked to a Kobo tablet?  (E-reader touch)

I have linked into XC-Soar on the Kobo, and that seems sucessful (although it seems to always show all aircraft of all altitudes).

But there seems to be no ability to install a web browser, and therefore no way of installing the PAW ‘radar’ screen.  Is there any way of adding a web browser to the Kobo?  Any ideas?

RE

P.S.   The Kobo only seems to link to the PAW wifi using 192.168.1.21.  Not sure why.

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12

Technical Support / Magnetic monopoles

« on: February 14, 2018, 01:39:26 pm »

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Just noticed that the base of the ADS-B single pole antenna has a magnet in it.  I would suggest that any magnets are removed from the cockpit area, and the antenna stuck down with 3M sticky pads, or perhaps velcro.

Any thoughts?

R

13

Technical Support / Logging software

« on: February 01, 2018, 09:55:07 am »

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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

14

Technical Support / Excessive audio alerts - could be reduced

« on: January 30, 2018, 02:54:11 pm »

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I have noticed that an aircraft will give an alert as it leaves an alert zone, as well as when it enters an alert zone, giving a number of additional alerts.   This is unnecessary, as the departing aircraft is not a threat.  I think it would be easy to stop the alerts, when transiting from a close-in zone to a zone further away.

Also:
When tracking an aircraft in the circuit, the PAW gave two alerts on long final, because the aircraft crossed the 5km threshold and the 1,000 ft threshold almost simultaneously.  It also gave two alerts on short final, because it crossed the 3km threshhold and the 500 ft threshold together.   To prevent this, the system would have to realise the aircraft was in the complete zone, and not give a second alert because the vertical or horizontal limit of that zone has also been breached. 

Also:
We also had an aircraft in the circuit, oscillating between 4.9 and 5.1 km, and between 950 ft and 1050 ft.  So it was crossing the alert boundaries quite often, resulting in 20 alerts per circuit.  To prevent this, the system would have to remember that an alert had just been given for that aircraft, 5 or 10 seconds ago, and not give another.   (The problem was doubled, because it was giving an alert leaving the zone, and another alert for reentering the zone, again and again.)


This was in ADSB-PAW mode, but the same was happening with the c/s mode too. If the altitude or signal strength was oscillating about a zone boundary, the audio alerts were almost continuous.  (Two c/s mode helicopters doing very close-in circuits.)

Roger

15

Technical Support / Aircraft turning red quadrant

« on: January 30, 2018, 02:28:27 pm »

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I am a little confused as to which way the aircraft is supposed to be turning, when using the radar presentation.  In general the aircraft turns away from the red quadrant, but I have also seen them turn into the red quadrant.  Is there a standard presentation for turning...?

Rog