Messages

256

General Discussion / Re: GPS connection loss in flight

« on: January 18, 2016, 09:50:09 am »

Hi Federico

I had a similar episode when testing at home using EVFR.  after one particular start-up of all the systems It appeared that the Nav programme was losing Flarm GPS after a few minutes.  As i was also using a second tablet to follow the traffic table on WiFi server I noticed that this also dropped out saying could not connect to the server but yet both tablets were still showing that they were connected to the PAW hotspot.
disconnect from the WiFi and reconnect and off it went again for a few minutes and then dropped out.  After 3 or 4 times with the same result I eventually did the standard computer thing, Switched off all power and rebooted all units from scratch, hey ho all was good again and it  has not re-occurred.

Regards
Alan

257

General Discussion / Re: Enhancement Requests

« on: January 15, 2016, 05:30:19 pm »

Hi Lee
What a brilliant answer, i wish i had thought of that but here's a quote from an email on the subject of "Mode A/C/S alerts" I sent on 06/01/2016, I think to Rob at EasyVFR and yourself:-

"Lets not forget there are still aircraft flying without radio never mind xpdrs or PAW. I'm not sure if it was intentional but it is my belief that the PilotAware system is very well named and should be marketed as just that.  It should not be viewed as a Collision Avoidance System but a devise to make pilots aware that there is other traffic in their vicinity and to keep a sharp lookout."

Anybody got an old Mosquito Nightfighter radar set I can stick in the nose of my Quik?

Regards
Alan

258

General Discussion / Re: Enhancement Requests

« on: January 14, 2016, 12:55:04 pm »

Hi
EasyVFR currently has voice alerts for traffic and other infringements switchable by the operator, although I'm not sure if this is just in the Beta version I am currently testing prior to a new release.
Maybe not quite ATC standard but enough to get your eyeballs where they need to be.

Alan

259

General Discussion / Re: Moving Forward

« on: January 13, 2016, 10:31:37 pm »

Hi

Below is a copy of a post I made in the limited Engineering Group and lets you know that there is still a fair bit of work going on in the background whilst we wait for the certification of the new P3I unit
It will be of more interest to users of EasyVFR as that is the Nav s/w I use and am testing with but others are doing similar testing with S/Demon etc.  Hope it is of some interest to some of you.

Hi All
I've had an interesting week or so liaising with Lee and Rob Weigers, (of PocketFMS, the developers of EasyVFR nav software.) to assess how Lee's engineering s/w changes displayed the "Bearingless Targets" in EVFR.  Originally these were purely based on the "Flarm" alerts received by EVFR and just displayed as a text list at top left of the screen. Black text when detected and Red text when within 1000ft separation.  This did not stand out too well and I initially preferred Lee's approach with S/Demon of the coloured aircraft piggy backed on top of your own a/c.  Rob, understandably was not keen to emulate rival software so came up with an amendment to the original list which uses Lee's coloured scale of alerts as background and an increase in text size to the list.  (see screenshots)  This now realy grabs your attention even in peripheral vision. 
I'm going to be lazy now and just copy from an email to Lee/Rob after trying out the beta version of EVFR supplied by Rob.

Hi Rob/Lee
Thanks Rob for the Beta SW version I'm already loving it.  Only testing from my window sill just now as the weather is again atrocious here in Scotland. I am now getting Red Alerts from MLAT a/c leaving EGPH before they appear on FR24.  (3.4nm SE of airport, window is opposite side of house) On take off they are consistently going through Red, to Amber to Green. There can then be some fluctuation between Green & Amber for a short time and then for a longer period they fluctuate between Green and No Signal as they obviously pass behind obstructions to my line of sight. 
Depending on whether they turn toward or away from my position I can follow them on the Green Alert up the edge of the traffic zone (10nm radius) and beyond when they come around to the side of the building which my PAW unit is facing. I can pick up higher altitude over-flying traffic from greater distances on the Green alert but of course this is with parameters set to 30,000ft on PAW and 50,000ft in EVFR so all of these and much of the Amber/Green & Green/No Signal alerts will be filtered out when set to realistic levels so I believe you are onto a winner here. The Mode A, C, S Alerts really stand out now and attract your attention as they pop up or change even in peripheral vision as I'm typing this email. I also like the increase in text label size when the ADSB traffic turns red as this means I can see the changes in altitude easily. I note that in this Beta version I am now no longer able to leave EVFR using it's own GPS and still receive the Flarm service.  I now have to have "use Flarm GPS as EVFR GPS" set to on whereas in 3.82 I could choose to leave it off and still get flarm traffic to the screen.  I used it this way so that if there was any interruption in the PAW system or its GPS the Nav Software carried on as if nothing had happened.  Now I would need to fiddle with removing a glove to be able to change touch settings in EVFR to continue with Navigation only.  Not handy in a flexwing. I appreciate that this may be deliberate to ensure both systems are singing from the same hymn sheet (GPS) for separation altitude accuracy so can live with it if I have to.
Hope this helps!!! 
I cannot congratulate you guys enough for the effort and results you are obtaining here.  I sincerely hope that you get the recognition and benefits that you deserve.

 Hopefully below is a link to the screenshots I took of an MLAT equipped a/c leaving EGPH. Not sure if they will be in the correct order but you can follow it's progress from the altitude readings.

https://web.cloud.virginmedia.com/?shareObject=48e62c15-2321-1a9b-01a7-956d1a0e6424

Regards
Alan 

260

General Discussion / Re: Imagine if Wellingtons had PilotAware.

« on: December 26, 2015, 10:29:09 am »

Duly signed with pleasure.

Alan

261

General Discussion / Moving Forward

« on: December 09, 2015, 09:24:47 pm »

Hi Guys and Gals

Now that we have arrived at this holding phase whilst we await the arrival of the new RF shield it begs the question, “how do you hold on to the momentum which has built up around this innovation?”  There is a real danger that once the focus is lost on a project like this it is difficult to re-energise it again.  It is the RF part of PAW that is of the greatest interest to me, and I suspect many others, as this is what is going to make the smaller GA traffic “visible.”  I don’t have too much trouble seeing the ADS-B traffic as it is usually much bigger and higher than me and easier to spot.  It’s the little guys creeping up behind or below me that are more invisible to the No1 eyeball.
Maybe there is time now to look at the Mode A & C transponder traffic as others have mentioned earlier as unless you can persuade all of these to take a PAW they are still going to be missing from our screens.  Somehow you have to keep people talking about this and attracting even more followers on the forum
Already the pace of postings on the forum is slowing as the hot topic has cooled and there is little left to discuss about the ADS-B part of the system which is working very well.  I sincerely hope that this does not fall off peoples “radar” (oh dear)  and the current level of interest can be maintained and multiplied many times over.
A great project guys that deserves every success. 

Regards
Alan

262

General Discussion / Re: New ARF module frequency

« on: December 09, 2015, 12:21:18 pm »

Hi Alan (et al)

I am afraid the new RF unit is not compatible with the old ARF.
The IC Vendors data format is totally different.

Thx
Lee

OK Lee, no problem, I'm on the email list for when the new ones become available.
I'll leave it in meantime as it 's mounted on the JC baro shield so I can still get the use of that.

Thanks
alan

263

General Discussion / Re: New ARF module frequency

« on: December 09, 2015, 10:01:52 am »

I am struggling to thing of any good reason why you would want to do this Alan?

Ok, even with buy back the new RF module is not free, but it does work in the role it was intended for.

Hi Ian
Firstly, I am outwith the cutoff date (deliberately, as I thought it unlikely that all the existing units would be rendered unusable, no gripe, it was my choice, I was warned).  From my avid reading on this forum it seems that the results with the ARF unit had been mixed and some had worked reasonably well though I could be wrong on that also.  So before I dump the current setup which I fitted to one of JCs baro shields I would give it the benefit of the doubt if there is still a chance they will communicate.  Maybe in Bonny Scotland we have less spurious emissions flying about to interfere with the signal.    

Regards
Alan

264

General Discussion / Re: New ARF module frequency

« on: December 08, 2015, 11:33:00 pm »

Hi,


is it possible to know if the new module will transmit/receive in a legal Italian frequency ?


Federico

Hi federico
The module is targetted at the 868mhz g3 band, this outlined in etsi 300 220.
This is a European standard, and hence this is legal in Italy

Thx
Lee

Hi Lee
This being the case does it mean that the new module will still talk to the original ARF module which I understand is 868mhz or have you shifted it within the 868 band

Regards
Alan

265

General Discussion / Re: Software Updates

« on: December 07, 2015, 08:13:51 pm »

Silly Question, I'll ask it if no one else will.     What are the new feature on the configure page all about?
Extra logging options and TX options below.  Or do i just not need to know that.   

Cheers
Alan

266

General Discussion / Re: EasyVFR

« on: November 27, 2015, 07:53:56 pm »

Roweda & Lee

Thanks for the prompt response guys.  That's what I suspected.

Alan

267

General Discussion / Re: EasyVFR

« on: November 27, 2015, 05:19:44 pm »

Hi
Can anyone tell me if it is PAW or EVFR that determines the red coloured conflict aircraft on the screen.
I had the first airbourne test of my setup yesterday and was surprised to see so many red aircraft that were many miles away from me.  They were, I assume, within 1000ft altitude of me (I find it difficult to read the on screen height and speed in cockpit situation) but more than 20 or 30 miles away.  I had assumed that as well as the  height difference parameter there would be a horizontal parameter too so that only aircraft in a fairly nearby proximity at similar height would be red.  Although I suppose the fast jet jockey's wouldn't take long to close from 20/30 miles but I'm not sure if they're included in this set-up anyway are they?  Do they transmit ADS-B?
I currently have the original ARF unit installed but nothing to test it against so waiting with bated breath for whats coming at the show.  Only wish I could be there.  however other than the issue above I was amazed at the coverage of ADS-B traffic from just the supplied dongle antenna which in effect has no ground plane as it is just velcroed onto the GRP pod of my flexwing behind the windscreen.
An amazing job by all concerned.

Alan

268

General Discussion / Re: PilotAware Map

« on: November 19, 2015, 11:37:55 am »

Another one to add to the few north of the border.  Flying flexwing out of East Fortune.  ADSB with GPS only at the moment.  J. Curtiss shield and Baro on the way and still considering sending for ARF as another club member has the full kit but not put together yet.
Potential for further testing on the ARF range etc. 

Alan

269

General Discussion / Re: First Time Booting

« on: November 18, 2015, 09:02:00 pm »

Hi Richard
Thanks for responding but I've just spotted my dyslexic error.  I had reversed the letters at the end of my Mac Address when requesting the licence.  I have got a new licence code  and I think all is well with the world.  I have spotted my first aircraft leaving and arriving at EGPH.  I'm about 3.4nm SE of the airport and am now seeing traffic from my bedroom window including 1 at high altitude beyond Dundee.  Lower stuff tends to come and go but I assume that's down to being indoors and pissisting down.  Only using the antenna that came with the DVB-T dongle.
Great job every one involved with this!   

Alan

270

General Discussion / Re: First Time Booting

« on: November 18, 2015, 07:31:29 pm »

Hi
I have just completed building the ADSB only system and booted everything up following the installation guide by Ian
All goes fine up to inputting the licence No and I then reboot.
The system messages start again on the screen attached to the PAW but after a few seconds a message appears on my tablet saying "connection failure"  "the connection to the server timed out"  the onscreen message continue untill it gets to "starting Pilot aware server" then reverts to the licence fail messages repeating continuously.
it appears thet the wifi connection to the tablet is broken during the reboot but re-establishes itself as soon as it reaches the licence fail messages on the monitor.
I also note that during the reboot that the light on the wifi dongle goes out.
Any ideas what I am doing wrong. I have checked and re-checked the licence code issued in the email.

Regards
Alan