Messages

316

OGN-R PilotAware / Re: New station naming error.

« on: October 20, 2020, 09:35:59 pm »

I have finally got my Atom station up and running, it's only taken about 5 months (but I did have to build the hangar to screw it to first!).
We are at Linton microlight strip, just south of Maidstone.

Well done!!

We have had a fair few come on stream in our neck of the woods, Laddingford, and one close to Rochester.

I put in a second Pi running in kiosk mode with a screen so we could see Radar and METARs before aircraft were pushed out or fired up.

317

OGN-R PilotAware / Re: OGN Upgrade - ATOM ground station

« on: October 10, 2020, 09:31:55 pm »

The 0.2.8 decoder has a few advantages

Which are? Unless I'm much mistaken we all already have PAW reception? And we don't get stuff via the OGN servers?

Interested to learn if wrong...

'If its not broke don't fix it' attitude will leave us all stagnant

Agreed for the developers, but users bricking something when the developer has advised you against a course of action might not be progress?

YMMV...

318

OGN-R PilotAware / Re: OGN Upgrade - ATOM ground station

« on: October 10, 2020, 06:27:24 pm »

I'm interested in this as a discussion, but Keith told me definitely not to mess about with the underlying OS, and I think Lee has also warned me off. I obey this for the story and reasons below.

As I understand it, with Raspbian just like with any Linux, compatibility issues exist and these are often resolved by things like pinning or fixed upgrades when the next release of everything is out and all the modules are know to be compatible. You'll sometimes see this if you use Linux Mint as it can lag behind Ubuntu, which lags behind Debian. I had an eeePC once, unlocked it to a full Linux desktop, then got sick of the lack of software choices and currency and added the mainstream Debian repository with no pinning, in anticipation of a lot more software choice, and totally bricked it, in terms of what knowledge I had. I had to do a full reset and start back at square 1.

BS from unqualified Southern oik:

When you sudo apt-get update, you only get update info from the repositories listed in the software sources. If the repository that the ogn software is in isn't listed, then it won't update.

If you add the repository that it lives in, without some sort of pinning or upgrade hierarchy, then the new version could bring in another load of new packages as dependencies which don't work with other, needed packages on the system. Broken...

You may know all this already, apologies if so...

As I understand it, and I'm interested in discussing this purely academically, the ATOM releases are with all known packages and are compatible. The replacement will also have a complete set of packages that are all compatible.

In between and unconnected may be Raspbian upgrades to various packages which work, negatively impact the ATOM ground station or break it.

As I understand it, the ATOM will auto update from one known all packages compatible release to the next, if it is after the release named as requiring a manual kick to the next one.

To provoke an auto update, if one exists, you could switch your station off, leave it ten minutes then switch to back on. Caveman approach to IT, but it works.

Mine's still on a time switch so it's off for about 3 hours a night.

Overarching engineering principle:

When it's working correctly, always, always, walk away.

The obvious conclusion is that it doesn't need mending.

If you attempt to mend it, the only expected change of state is from working to not working.

Engineering own goal.

I occasionally log in, ps ax, top and nc localhost.

Just to remind myself how it works and the password.

Otherwise, I just use it...

We ran up a new PAW Rosetta today before installation, and checked out the new functionality direct on  tablet and via SkyDemon.

Brilliant.

319

General Discussion / Re: How to mute audio

« on: October 09, 2020, 11:09:52 pm »

I am now pulling the plug from PAW when I get to my destination. Too many alerts interfering with the radio.

It's been touched on elsewhere, but the output from your PAW, if that's where your audio is direct from (and not via SD) is on a 3.5mm jack.

You want a switch (for off) or a simple in line volume control if it can be placed where you can get to and it still connect to your PAW.

Suggestion 1:

https://www.kenable.co.uk/en/audio-cables/audio-adapters/7811-35mm-headphone-volume-control-for-stereo-35mm-jack-cables-adapter-007811-5055383478118.html

Suggestion 2 with shorting plug in input 2:

https://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-audio-switch-AB-Selector/dp/B0787VHMJH

You need something designed for TRS stereo audio not stereo audio plus mic as TRRS.

Failing that, make something up with male and female TRS 3.5mm plugs with a changeover/off/short to earth switch in the middle. Input 2 I'd have the L/R shorted to deck via 600 Ohm resistors, but that's just old fashioned.

I favour the flicked switch. Again, intercom dependent, but not what the OP wants to hear.

320

Technical Support / Re: Best antenna location

« on: October 09, 2020, 09:50:04 pm »

i fly a PA32 - what's the best location for the two extension (horn) aerials? the Rosetta box itself will be in map pocket on P2 side

Locations for two horn antenna:
1) at the bottom of dash on front windscreen, both next to the centre pillar
2) at the bottom of dash on front windscreen, but one on 1 further left nearest P1 and one further right near P2
3) as (1) but at the highest point of centre pillar
4) as (2) but at the highest point of the windscreen

finally - what about the GPS mouse

The mouse will need to have the best view of the sky with as little metal in it as possible. The right way up, looking up through the clear stuff as high up as possible.

As for the antennas, look at each one in each of your proposed positions and think about how the line of sight transmission will be obscured by your aircraft metal work, and which position gives most line of sight without being obscured. I'll guess position 4, but if you fly CoA exotica, can't you just get a £140/hour engineer to tell you the answer? :-)

321

General Discussion / Re: How to mute audio

« on: October 08, 2020, 12:20:29 pm »

Depends on your radio/intercom set up.

Looking into a PilotAware install in an SSDR with Microavionics intercom, no screen but intending to use audio alerts, and it says in the manual that any incoming radio RX on the main radio input will mute the auxiliary inputs for audio.

Anyone with a Microavionics system able to confirm this?

322

General Discussion / Re: Why no ADSB ( again )

« on: October 07, 2020, 09:18:05 pm »

Just go and buy a Sky Echo 2, claim the rebate, and move on...

Or alternatively, provide the certification costs for an ADS-B module... got a six or seven figure sum doing nothing?

323

General Discussion / Re: Flyer forum... sigh...

« on: October 06, 2020, 08:47:59 am »

I added my tuppence worth.  I'm Caps_Pin_Removed on that site.  (Remove the CAPS pin to arm the parachute before flight.  In case you don't fancy doing the landing yourself.)

i applaud your stance.

However, my original post was partly about the sense of entitlement you see on Flyer Forum, the same sense of entitlement is prevalent on PPRuNe as you can see from the attempts to silence you and another member of this forum, by questioning your right to have any sort of say.

The attitudes in some sections of the aviation community really do beggar belief, those are attitudes that come from the 70s.

The 1870s.

There really is a belief that some of us should not be allowed to fly as we cannot afford or will not pay for the certified solutions that have been tested in NATS trails and found to be roughly equivalent to the COTS uncertified solutions now available.

324

OGN-R PilotAware / Re: Closure of Melisa Jenkins’ OGN Range Tool

« on: October 05, 2020, 09:05:00 pm »

What exactly does the coverage of a PW station say on gliderradar.com?

Is that coverage based on seen traffic with PAW equipped devices?

I am puzzles, because the coverage of the Flarm part of the station is so much different/more than the coverage of the PW part of the station.

I think the PW part of a ground station includes PAW and ADS-B. When I look at the furthest away aircraft on my ground station, they are often ADS-B at height.

We need to think about the design objectives of the different technologies.

FLARM is first and foremost and anti-collision technology, not a tracking one. Aircraft within 1km, significant risk, multiplied when head on, 5km away smaller risk, 20km away no imminent danger. 30km away, unless you want to pimp their lift in the long term, no one gives a ****.

ADS-B is also about anti-collision, but also about long term a planning, approach and departure, etc...

My FLARM beacon only just occasionally reaches my ground station from about 15km away. That's a fair distance for FLARM, and is because of the high gain antenna the ground station uses.

The PilotAware team know more, but it has been a busy month for them with iOS connection problems, trouble shooting it with Skydemon and fixes, and now a rebate scheme where they are getting a load of orders in.

325

Technical Support / Re: iOS14 / SkyDemon connection issues

« on: October 04, 2020, 08:20:37 pm »

Looks like there are more problems generally for iOS:

https://apple.slashdot.org/story/20/10/04/1730206/battery-drain-problems-after-iphone-upgrade-apple-suggests-complete-data-wipe

326

General Discussion / Re: METARS download facility

« on: September 30, 2020, 04:59:13 pm »

Could someone remind me of a good link to show ground station network map/status? Thanks.

https://ognrange.glidernet.org

327

Technical Support / Re: Project: PAW Rosetta+Flarmbat+3D Printed Box

« on: September 27, 2020, 11:09:42 am »

It looks brilliant but I would just be slightly concerned about the alignment of the hole and the Rosette fan.

When it's installed , it would be interesting to see what the heat situation is...

328

Technical Support / Re: Hanging error message “Connecting to Device” - revisited

« on: September 27, 2020, 11:04:47 am »

I don't have Flarm so cannot actually use that workaround but I am delighted to see you say that its an Apple matter that will be resolved in a couple of days. Thanks. The PAW software is SO astonishingly impressive that what I don't understand is why this problem, clearly affecting so many, exists at all since this is not a Beta update and as such, one imagines was vigorously tested and found to work.

You don't need to have FLARM.

What is being suggested is that the FLARM protocol is used to send information from your PAW to the device running SD.

In order for this to work you would need to select this in both your PAW and Skydemon on the receiving device.

Please see destructions for both ends...

329

General Discussion / Re: Release notes for latest version.

« on: September 20, 2020, 09:32:58 am »

It is Apple’s way of making you buy new devices

Or, in Keith Lemon speak, "It's Apple's way of tearing you a new one..."

A high quality device lasts much longer that it needs to for the financial viability of the manufacturer. So, planned obsolescence is always part of the plan. Apple has recently settled a class action over this, for slowing down older phones on a newer iOS.

Unlike Android and the hardware which is fairly open and has alternative ROMs to load on older devices, the walled garden is actually a prison.

OK, Richard Stallman rant ends now...

iOS devices are good and top quality whilst they are allowed to work. Enjoy them for what they are.

Later.

330

General Discussion / Re: Flyer forum... sigh...

« on: September 14, 2020, 09:36:24 am »

I was referring only to the introduction of a different airfield colour state system compared to the one which already exists in the UK; the other features of Pilotaware are of no concern to me personally, however what should be of some concern is the amount of information fed to the pilot via Pilotaware; some pilots might concentrate on this and forget to look out of the window and thus not see an aircraft approaching which is not emitting any type of ellectronic conspicuity.

I am quite amused by this remark.
Implying that the fitting of a traffic display is dangerously detrimental to ones lookout.

It's the prejudice around lack of knowledge of the product too...

There is no need to fit a traffic display if the audio is injected into the intercom. And the traffic display could be integrated into an EFB, with the CAA all telling us to use moving maps and avoid infringements. Or receive the phone call...

That then gives the traffic service all the time that some get a stiffie over and that is always mentioned in AAIB reports on MAC that "neither of the aircraft were receiving a traffic service at the time of the incident".

Has anyone ever tried giving a traffic service to a glider surrounded by 4 others in thermal? Is it possible? Why was FLARM invented, then?

However, spare some sympathy for the metaphorical firemen of the aviation industry. The steam era has ended, and they either move on or move out.

Added to which the access to affordable aviation via microlights, hang gliders and paragliders has changed things, with those of us previously regarded as unsuitable oiks proving that we can all fly, and that there is no such thing as a class or group of anointed ones.