Pilotaware and Weather info

[SimonM]

Following on from the CAA announcement regarding ADS-B.....

 Is the PilotAware Team planning to add weather info via 978Mhz in the future?

[Keithvinning]

Hi Simon

Who is transmitting at 978 MHz and where?

[AlanB]

Try the recent announcement from the CAA

[exfirepro]

Keith,

Look over on the Flyer Forum. Everything I have picked up from my various sources over the last several months suddenly fits together and makes sense. It also explains what I said to you earlier about Dundee.

No public detail as to who will be transmitting on 978 MHz or from where, but Tim D seems to be significantly involved in terms of provision of weather services and it seems it will be officially sanctioned (at least for trials) in September

Cub is even being positive about the ADSB Out support and multi-platform receive capabilities of PAW.

Regards

Peter

[Keithvinning]

Hi chaps yes I have been following the flyer forum of course.
But I am still unclear as to the who where and when questions of the 978Mhz uplink.

Any answers?

[grahambaker]

Tim Dawson did seem to imply that at least initially, SkyDemon would only present the data if connected via the GDL90 protocol.

[Deker]

There is a bit in the Flyer News section:-

A trial at Dundee Airport (run by Highlands and Islands Airports) to investigate a low cost system receiving Mode-S and ADS-B data to provide air traffic controllers with more information on aircraft operating outside of controlled airspace.
The transmission of weather data from the ground direct to a GA aircraft cockpit via 978MHz. This trial is being undertaken by an equipment manufacturer (uAvionix) and aeronautical information service provider (SkyDemon). In the longer term this system may also assist drones in safely integrating into the UK’s airspace.

Says IS i.e in the process of, so I take that as not will or has been undertaken.
?

Deker.

[SimonM]

As previously mentioned the transmissions are going to be carried out by UAvionix and from my reading so far I understand that any transmission on 978Mhz is open for anybody to receive as long as they have the correct RX kit.
Who transmits the live data once the trials have finished has not been announced as far as I am aware.

Do you think that the receiving and displaying of this weather data (and anything else that comes over 978Mhz) will be something that Pilotaware will plan to/would like to add in the near future or is it not in the scope for future projects?

[Admin]

Hi All

We are very pleased to hear that the CAA plan to provide this capability, this is clearly a positive move.
It appears that the transmission protocol will be 978/UAT based, in which case to implement this on PilotAware systems can be achieved with additional development.
We are disappointed that the CAA has, once again, excluded sharing information with us during this trial, but sadly this is unsurprising. Perhaps there will be a change of heart from the CAA, in sharing information in the future for the benefit of ALL airspace users, including PilotAware and FLARM.

We were surprised to read this statement, which does not appear to include ourselves, as we have never had any requests or contact from the CAA

All will be undertaken in close cooperation with the GA community and equipment manufacturers to make sure that we can implement the findings as quickly as possible

Therefore once information is in the public domain, rather than privately held between the CAA and their preferred partners, we would endeavour to add this functionality for the benefit of all GA.
Until that time, whilst this position persists, then we can only await any further disclosure from the CAA

[brinzlee]

I am sure with a little jiggle and an additional RTL receiver.....and your magic we can achieve this fairly easily.....My only worry we will then be running out of USB ports as some already use an FTDi for ADSB OUT...maybe a transition to the PI 3 with built in WiFi is the next step with a beefed up PSU

[Richard]

We were surprised to read this statement, which does not appear to include ourselves, as we have never had any requests or contact from the CAA

I'm Not sure you are aware, but there is a survey about this and PAW is mention on what device is currently been used. It may help to fill in the survey.

https://www.caa.co.uk/News/ADS-B-can-help-reduce-airspace-infringements-and-mid-air-collisions,-says-CAA/?catid=4294967430

[Kevin W]

Hi

It is in the public domain now that Skydemon and uAvionix are doing a trial of Wx upload using UAT - not least the recent Release notes for SkyDemon say "3.8.4 Forthcoming Live rainfall radar, TAF and METAR updates can now be received by SkyDemon in flight when using a compatible device and receiving UAT".

They have 1 upload station so far (SkyDemon HQ) and a small number of test uAvionix devices in test aircraft feeding into SkyDemon.

PilotAware has many upload stations (UP-OGN), and many hundreds of receivers in the air.  The UP-OGN stations all already have internet connectivity.  So we already have all the components we need to get wx info broadcast to SkyDemon over the P3i protocol with no additional hardware?

I am sure Lee is already ahead of me, but food for thought...

Cheers
Kev

[exfirepro]

Hi Kev,

I seem to remember reading a post somewhere (perhaps Flyer Forum) from Tim Dawson saying that this will only work over the GDL90 protocol, but I'm sure Lee is already considering the options.

Regards

Peter

[Ian Melville]

That's correct Peter, it was on the Flyer Forum

[Kevin W]

Not that I am saying it is easy, nothing ever is when coding, but the GDL90 protocol spec is available, as are code examples of using it - so should be very feasible to talk GDL90 rather than / as well as Flarm.

Cheers
Kev