Messages

481

Technical Support / Re: 12v to 5 v power supply

« on: September 22, 2016, 11:18:18 pm »

I bought one of these...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Car+Charger+DC-DC+Converter+Module+12V+To+5V+3A+15W+with+Micro+USB+Output+Cable&_id=311320284184&&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2658

Cheap and it is rated to 3A so has capacity to spare - designed for wiring in but you could stick a lighter
plug on the end if you want to use a socket? The lead even has the correct plug on it for a PAW

Regards

Chris

Hi Chris.
When you have it installed in your aircraft can you let us know whether it interferes with your air band radio or not. This is the key to the effective use these inexpensive type of switched mode power supplies which can often be quite noisy.

Thanks

Keith

482

General Discussion / Re: PilotAware at Wellesbourne

« on: September 22, 2016, 11:13:10 am »

Why would a ground based PAW need to transmit if the purpose was just to monitor arrivals, aircraft in the vicinity and general situational awareness?
Tony Nowak

Hi Tony they wouldn't have to transmit at all if all they wanted to do is receive. That is why we have included the facility to turn it off. Flexibility.

I know that one customer has used his PilotAware set up as a temporary ground station to act as a beacon for a summer fly in which was quite innovative.

I don't see transmitting ground stations becoming prolific but they could be useful. Temporary cranes and wind Farms?

Keith

483

General Discussion / Re: PilotAware at Wellesbourne

« on: September 21, 2016, 08:41:31 pm »

Hi Graham as always you have a valid point.

If the alert becomes a problem then it can very easily switched off by the ground station. Others have a different view that's why we have made it selectable.

At Wellesbourne a check can be made to see if it is a real problem. I will be doing some tests over the next week to see if it is a problem with the tower transmitting P3I and the aircraft on approach getting a warning and when. The reason for the post was to let people know that there is a PilotAware there if they wanted to visit this brilliant and centrally located airfield with the best cafe available. At the moment at most airfields Binoculars are used, plus possibly a feed from Flight Radar 24 to pick you up if you have a transponder (but Flight Radar MLAT does not show you below 3000ft)  and not at all if you don't have a transponder.  So much better to declare yourself as inbound PilotAware and the controller saying yes have EC contact.

In my experience so far, when I am on approach I get bearing less alerts from ground based mode C/S which I register. As PIC I am concentrating on landing with a very alert and double portion of visual scan as pedestrians, birds, dogs and FOD (Foreign Objects and Debris) don't transmit anything and on local friendly farm strips and some unlicensed airfields circuit patterns are........ ahem local.

Recently an aircraft at Long Marston made an incorrect call of "Finals 20" instead of "Finals 02" which could have been tricky at an international airfield, fortunately the others in the area recognised the mistake because they had a double portion of visual scan on landing.

The moral of the story Visual Scan. The culprit of the mistaken radio call ME!! the person who noticed LEE MOORE and DOMINIC flying with PilotAware. Not ideal and I have been eating humble pie since. 

So lets get some empirical data and publish the findings. In the meantime recognise that at the moment PilotAware will do its job and let you know that aircraft transmitting mode C/S are about, which is information that the PIC should use in any decision. If anyone feels that they cannot use this information wisely or it is overloading them please SWITCH IT OFF until you become more aware and competent.

In the end we will all benefit. Graham thanks for the post, any other views on Ground Stations at Airfields and Airstrips?

Keith
 

484

General Discussion / PilotAware at Wellesbourne

« on: September 21, 2016, 03:49:41 pm »

A PilotAware unit has been installed at Wellesbourn Airfield Control Tower and is running during the week whilst the airfield is open. Its a PiB+ running as a transmitting ground station with the name WELLESBOURNE GND. If your passing give them a call and let them know that you are also PilotAware. Several other pilots at Wellesbourne have installed or are installing PilotAware so the unit in the tower is a very useful addition for the controllers there.

Several other Airfields are interested in setting up similar ground stations. If you are interested please let us know.

Keith
 
 

485

General Discussion / Re: PAW website

« on: September 21, 2016, 03:21:43 pm »

Hi Jim

Apologies for this. We are updating the PilotAware website and it has a lot of information on it. We are getting this done as soon as possible. In the the meantime the old website can be found at pilotaware.co.uk

486

Technical Support / Re: 12v to 5 v power supply

« on: September 20, 2016, 02:29:07 pm »

What I have used very successfully is a cigarette lighter socket

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Charger/dp/B005LURIM2

with an ANKER adapter

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Charger-PowerIQ-Technology-Motorola-Black/dp/B00VH84L5E/ref=pd_lpo_23_bs_lp_t_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P95BA2PD4PD5QZ060YKP

This gets hidden behind the dash and forgotten. No noise whatsoever and excellent charging output


Keith

487

Technical Support / Re: Mode C and S detection - SkyDemon oddity...or not

« on: September 15, 2016, 06:36:29 pm »

Hi Richard
I guess that it's PilotAware doing its job. However it is distracting. We need to think about how to overcome this operationally in a better way than pulling the plug

Keith

488

Technical Support / Re: Mode C and S detection - SkyDemon oddity...or not

« on: September 15, 2016, 06:16:54 pm »

At Wellesbourne Jon in the tower is very tech savvy as you will know from the weather website. Initially he is going to use his own personal copy of Sky demon. But I think that he will also investigate XC Soar, free and less cluttered as you say. Although I must add that sky demon can be very effectively de cluttered and works well.

Other brilliant navigation packages are also available 


Keith

489

General Discussion / Re: External Antenna

« on: September 14, 2016, 08:14:15 pm »

Hi All My two pennyworth

The antennas that you describe are expensive and not necessary. The 1090Mz reception is so good that a PilotAware monopole is good for use either as a 1090 or 869MHz monopole with ground plane.

I will confess here that both my antennas on the Sporscruiser were sourced from Paddy Magee at Lumen electronics (google it). He build them bespoke an they revery good. Both Monople about each£8 

Keith

490

Technical Support / Re: Mode C and S detection - SkyDemon oddity...or not

« on: September 14, 2016, 07:56:34 pm »

Wellesbourne QNH was 1008Mb as reported by the tower.
PAW QNH was 1009mb, QNE was 265ft and GNSS was 154ft.

Hi Robert et Al

Sorry for getting to this thread a bit late but my internet has been out for 3 weeks thanks to a thunderstorm and a VDSL modem that took a lighting strike.

So I was down at Wellesbourn today and have loaned them a PilotAware unit so that Jon in the tower can set up a virtual radar for you good PilotAware users when you are in cct. This will also allow you to take photos of your transmissions if you want to convert Mode S to ADS-B and present them to CAA.

However, the control tower is made up of two shipping containers stacked on top of each other with a pod on the top is at a rough estimate 20-25ft high. The difference between 1008 and 1009 Mb is 27.4ft so I think that we can discount the inaccuracy of the barograph.

Ken Richardson and Alan Brame? have both got PAW so we should get a little cluster going at Wellesbourne.

Robert I guess that when you are in circuit you should let Jon Mike, or Frankie know that you are Downwind PilotAware so that they get used to using the facility.

That would be great if the standard at all provincial and private airfields and airstrips became G-ABCD Downwind - PilotAware. Then you would know that you are being seen.

At the moment Wellesbourn, Tatenhill and Damyns Hall have set up or are in the process of setting up ground stations for this facility. Do you think thesis a good idea?

Cheers

Keith
 

491

General Discussion / Re: LAA Rally

« on: September 10, 2016, 02:33:33 pm »

I guess your antenna on the coaming might have been shielded to an extent by the engine on your initial approach to Sywell as ours was at ground level, hence the 'lower' initial contact range than some. 13.5Km is however as you say much further than I for one can see (and I have just had my eyes tested!!).

Yes when Lee and I did some testing with 2 PAW in the Sportscruiser one on the dashboard comparing it with the other plumbed in with the PAW antenna underneath, we noticed a point where we would lose the ground station , on the one on the dashboard as we got closer which was intriguing!. However after some thought we lowered the nose considerably (dived in fact) and as this removed the engine from line of sight it came back in. Sweet and proved the point.

Cheers

Keith
 

492

General Discussion / Re: LAA strut speaker

« on: September 10, 2016, 02:25:24 pm »

Paul

We have tea and biscuits.

Even better.

Cheers

Keith

493

General Discussion / Re: Help with ADS B out (Funke TRT 800) please

« on: September 09, 2016, 08:23:12 pm »

Hi David

There is a thread on this on this forum 

ADSB out from Funke TRT 800H

The last post is


I recently enabled ADS-B on my Trig TT31 through PAW.
Trig recommended the Farnell USB-RS232-WE cable, costing about £12. The connections are, TXD (orange wire) to transponder serial input, Ground (black wire) to transponder ground.

This worked fin for me.

I know this is for Trig but it should give you a clue on the colour coding

Hope this helps

Keith

494

General Discussion / Re: LAA strut speaker

« on: September 09, 2016, 08:07:01 pm »

Richard

My full apologies. The Presentation that I did in the summer was at Full Sutton Airfield for the LAA Yorkshire strut which I have obviously got mixed up.

So choose date and I will be there. Apologies again. In fact I'll do it twice to make up

Keith

495

General Discussion / Re: LAA Rally

« on: September 09, 2016, 12:46:30 pm »

In trials, I was able to visually spot aeroplanes at about 2nm, so maybe 3 or 3.5km.

13.5km

Hi Paul

Yes I agree with you that you can only visually see aircraft at max 3.5Km even if you know where they are.

However 13.5Km is rather on the low side where do you have the pAW antenna located? you should be able to do better than that with a clearer in line view.

Cheers

Keith