Author Topic: Enhancement suggestion: traffic alert ‘memory’  (Read 1319 times)

GeoffreyC

Enhancement suggestion: traffic alert ‘memory’
« on: August 09, 2020, 09:43:19 am »
Been meaning to post this for some time, finally remembered...

One of the few annoying things with PilotAware i find is repeated audio alerts.  You’re flying along in loose formation with other aircraft, ahead or behind you, and so of course one or the other of you will invariably be blocking the signal depending on the antenna position.  Usually with paw in the front of the aircraft it’s the lead aircraft’s pilot that causes this, his body absorbing the signal as it radiates out to aircraft behind.

What I find happens is that paw will often not see the aircraft, and then of course the track/ signal shift slightly and the other aircraft is seen and you get an audio alert.  Signal blocks and when it resumes you get another alert.

Repeat this over the course of a flight and you can get a lot of alerts for the same aircraft.  Having a transponder and paw on of course gives twice the opportunity for such repeating alerts.

I don’t think it does but it would be useful if paw had some form of memory of what alerts it has recently given out.  If the “new” traffic is the same as a traffic alert in say the previous 30 seconds (and the distance/bearing is constant ie no relative movement) or it’s for the same traffic that was seen say 15 seconds ago (and momentarily disappeared) then the alert is suppressed.

Geoffrey

exfirepro

Re: Enhancement suggestion: traffic alert ‘memory’
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2020, 11:33:31 am »
Hi Geoffrey,

Lee and I were discussing this very subject (annoying 'repeating' voice alerts) just the other day (following a prompt from me after a similar experience during a recent test flight), so we are aware of the issue.

After having given it a bit of thought, Lee now has a much better idea as to what is causing the problem, (it's actually much more complex than your explanation implies), but no 'solution' yet - so it is on the 'to do' list, but with so much else is going on at the moment we may have to wait a bit for a proper fix. In the meantime you can minimise the alerts by running PAW on 'Short Range' when flying in a group - Just keep your eyes open for other aircraft (as you should of course be doing anyway).

(Don't worry, I won't let him forget)  ::)

Best Regards

Peter

GeoffreyC

Re: Enhancement suggestion: traffic alert ‘memory’
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2020, 12:44:00 pm »
Hi Geoffrey,

Lee and I were discussing this very subject (annoying 'repeating' voice alerts) just the other day (following a prompt from me after a similar experience during a recent test flight), so we are aware of the issue.

...

(Don't worry, I won't let him forget)  ::)

Best Regards

Peter
Thank you Peter for your (and Lee's) swift response and recognising the issue. 

Another one for the product enhancement backlog !

BTW,  is there any outlook on when the next product upgrade is due out?   Been over a year with this one, not that I'm complaining, just be nice to have some new toys for when my plane is fixed and I can go flying again

Thanks, Geoffrey

exfirepro

Re: Enhancement suggestion: traffic alert ‘memory’
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2020, 01:22:53 pm »
Hi Geoffrey,

There’s lots of new stuff in the forthcoming software update (which I can’t talk about) so it’s currently undergoing extensive testing by a wider test group. I have flown with it a couple of times this last week (and of course with earlier beta versions), with no issues and we have had positive reports from other testers, so I would guess release will not be far away. Definitely worth waiting for.

Best Regards

Peter