PilotAware

British Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: EricC on November 07, 2015, 07:41:12 pm

Title: In flight tests.
Post by: EricC on November 07, 2015, 07:41:12 pm
I have a unit that I can power up in anyone is flying around the Blackpool area.
Location is approximately one mile south of Poulton vrp north of Blackpool.
       Call me on 07905336066 and more than likely I will be able switch on.
My unit works ok tried locally  on the ground.  BO 4567.
 
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: rwheeler on November 20, 2015, 05:14:31 pm
I took advantage of the brief blue skies around Denham and had a short test of PAW – had it sitting on the P2 seat of our venerable C177RG so was not expecting much but as you can see from the attached I picked up two contacts of note.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h4vwnfe00l20hoq/IMG_0168.PNG?dl=0


The one on the left was keeping close to Weston on the Green and I could see it beneath the sct layer – I am guessing a glider with FLARM

The more interesting contact was OXF30 which was tracking towards me and climbed above a sct layer then reversed course and flew directly back over my track 1000’ above – it was a twin so I am assuming had ADSB-Out enabled on its transponder. Since we were both doing general handling and there was a sct layer this was a real test and most useful.

Lots of other traffic around with Farnborough giving plenty of warning calls even for basic service for traffic which I didn't see! so as always the danger of TCAS in general is that unless EVERYONE is transmitting there is danger of fixating on the "live" targets and not the ones that will really hit you!

Looking forward to more testing and further enhancements esp on the separate topic of Mode C/S detection - the whole concept is brilliant!
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: Paul_Sengupta on November 20, 2015, 05:28:20 pm
The one on the left was keeping close to Weston on the Green and I could see it beneath the sct layer – I am guessing a glider with FLARM

Unlikely since the PAW doesn't pick up FLARM...
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: rwheeler on November 20, 2015, 05:35:07 pm
Good point and of course I new that... ::) So at least two GA chaps with ADSB-Out enabled which is encouraging. We have a TRIG mode C transponder and G430's in the panel so at some point will look into making the necessary connection.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: EricC on November 21, 2015, 08:09:48 pm
Calmer weather allowed me to perform some airborne tests today
with the kind help of a pilot in his Robin aircraft.
Departed EGHN routing north to the south end of Coniston returning
south to EGNH.

No PAW equipped aircraft observed,  lots of adsb returns with the 1/8 wave aerial.
Departing traffic from EGCC observed passing 1300/1500 on the climb out.

Plan to bring PAW to Telford Sat 28th.   Any chance of loading my micro card with the
latest download.   No luck with Widows (!) 10
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: Admin on November 23, 2015, 09:06:03 am
Quote
Plan to bring PAW to Telford Sat 28th.   Any chance of loading my micro card with the
latest download.   No luck with Widows (!) 10

I will have my laptop with me, so I can probably do this

Thx
Lee
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: exfirepro on November 23, 2015, 09:42:47 am
Not exactly 'in flight' but I took a run down to East Fortune yesterday with my new PAW ADS-B running in the car. Mini mag mount on the roof and the unit attached in front of my rear view mirror (windscreen side) so the GPS had a good view of the sky. I saw lots of CAT traffic out of EGPH on SkyDemon on the way down. In the end, I didn't manage to get my plane out, but the CFI took a student up for a 1 hour lesson late on (ADS-B out equipped) and I was able to follow them all the way on SkyDemon except for a brief period when they disappeared to the south west behind the hangars.

There was also a fair bit  of commercial traffic well to the north and out over the sea and I was able to demonstrate PAW to quite a few club members in the comfort of a warm car!

Hopefully will get it in the plane soon.

Peter
p.s. Meant to say, I was really impressed with the positional accuracy of the unit. With SkyDemon zoomed in to the airfield plate PAW accurately showed my position outside the hangar and I could clearly see that the 'target' aircraft was tracking along the taxiway - as opposed to the adjacent runway. On their return, their aircraft changed to red as it crossed in front of me (while landing) and again as it taxied in towards me at the hangar. All in all a very worthwhile proving session.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: EricC on November 23, 2015, 01:23:22 pm
Thank you Lee. 

Be there on Sat.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: ianfallon on November 23, 2015, 08:11:56 pm
Plan to bring PAW to Telford Sat 28th.   Any chance of loading my micro card with the
latest download.   No luck with Widows (!) 10

I've had a look for (free) partitioning software on Windows 10 but not found anything that seems to work so far.
If we can find something that works, I'll add steps for it to the Software Guide.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: Ian Melville on November 23, 2015, 09:12:18 pm
Has anyone tried formatting the card in a camera? Seen this as a suggestion on RPi forums.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: EricC on November 24, 2015, 08:13:18 pm
Formatted my card in my Fuji FinePix S5700.
Unfortunately no go.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: Ian Melville on November 24, 2015, 11:53:20 pm
Oh well, worth a try.

Odd hat some Win 10 users have an issue, others not.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: colinmackenzie on November 25, 2015, 02:20:27 pm
Don't know if it makes a difference on the source.

My version was the free download from Microsoft as a Windows 8.1 user.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: Ian Melville on November 25, 2015, 05:41:08 pm
Colin, are you able to format the SD card OK?

Any of those with the issue,  have PCs deliverd with Win10 installed?

Those that work have upgraded front WIN 7 or 8?

If this runs true then there could be a runtime version on Win 10, that is not replicating an earlier function.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: colinmackenzie on November 25, 2015, 07:44:51 pm
Hi Ian,

I haven't had any problems formatting cards. I have a total of 3 that have been reformatted a few times with the s/w copied to them.

Of the 3 cards, 2 are Kingston and 1 is Sandisk.

My machine is a Dell with built-in reader/writer.
Title: Re: In flight tests.
Post by: AlanB on November 25, 2015, 08:02:58 pm
I use a MAC to format mine and have noticed that some of the micro SD adaptions don't get recognised by the operating system and some do.

I've therefore identified a specific SD Card adaptor or USB SD Card reader to format mine and they work first time.

Might be worth trying a different adaptor.