Author Topic: No METAR/TAF  (Read 1830 times)

dave_kent

No METAR/TAF
« on: July 19, 2021, 08:35:55 pm »
So today I flew from Rochester to Goodwood via Mayfield and back, and every time I looked at the METAR page it was blank (just the headings).  I'm also unconvinced that I'm getting any of the MODE-S/3D functionality, so I'm probably doing something wrong.

I've checked the config screen and the "Mode-S/3D Select" is enabled, so what else could I be doing wrong please?

Thanks
David.

dave_kent

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2021, 08:08:13 am »
Here's the config screen

steveu

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2021, 08:33:45 am »
Are you getting any traffic info? If so, is it just ADS-B and basic transponder?

My first port of call would be to look at the home page and check that the P3i indicator is green.

It's via P3i that you get MLAT traffic info and METARs. If this is not green, then that's the problem.

Worth checking the antenna connections, and that the antennas are the right way round on the unit.

Ian Melville

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2021, 08:39:33 am »
Vector for your aircraft shows no ADSB, FLARM or Mode-S, yet shows some CAP1391. It also shows PilotAware.

So your PAW is transmitting P3I on 869Mhz, but possibly not receiving(No FLARM or METAR).
On the 1090Mhz dongle it only receives CAP1391, now that is odd unless there is no other traffic about, or you also have a SkyEccho2?

1st thing I would check is your power supply. Does it meet the requirements?
Can you provide a screenshot of the home page after it has been running a while, outside and away from buildings?

dave_kent

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2021, 09:50:40 am »
Yes I am getting some traffic info (on Skydemon), and also the coloured circle for bearingless targets. 

I always check the main screen before departure and I have all 4 green lights.  Unfortunately, I won't be flying again for a few days, but even in my house I get 4 greens (see attached).

The long aerial is in the 869.5 Mhz port, and the short aerial in the 1090 Mhz port.  This is the only EC device I have.

PSU is Anker Powercore 1000 and the lead is the Juicebitz approved lead.

Thanks, David
« Last Edit: July 20, 2021, 09:53:32 am by dave_kent »

Admin

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2021, 11:31:48 am »
settings all look correct, and you were seen by the groundstations during the flight.
this would have triggered them to send Metar data up to you

its a bit odd

are you using standard antenna, or the remote antenna ?
if standard antenna, where was the unit located

thx
Lee

dave_kent

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2021, 11:56:32 am »
Standard antennas, and the unit located in the right-hand side of the windscreen (C172, so just proud of the front of the wing).  The antennas are both vertical and the unit positioned so they are at the frontmost.

I've downloaded the trk files - is there anything I can look for in there?

Thanks
David

exfirepro

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2021, 12:54:00 pm »
Hi Dave,

I also looked at the PAW database earlier, but got distracted before I could post my comments.

I concur with Lee, there are plenty of PAW reports from 401DF2 on the 19th from a number of PAW Ground Stations, including Egerton, EGHJ, EGHN, EGKA, Hadfold, Ladding, Marley, Meopham, Palmers, Selsey, IOW, UKPAR and WHill, and your settings look fine, so I can’t understand why you wouldn’t have been getting Metar Uplinks.

Just a thought, - where were you looking for them? I take it you are aware that they only display via the PAW METARS tab or on the PAW RADAR Screen - both accessed via 192.168.1.1 . They don’t appear on your normal Nav Display if that’s what you were expecting.

WRT @Iain’s comment, there is definitely a Range report from 401DF2 on 17th July from a CAP1391 device (SkyEcho). Presumably another user with a CAP1391 device if as I suspect it’s a shareoplane.

Regards
Peter


dave_kent

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2021, 01:19:48 pm »
Yes it's a shareoplane, so someone must have still have it configured on their Skyecho device.

I was looking on the web portal screen - switching back and forth between that and Skydemon as there was a particularly nasty CB over MAY that I wanted to avoid (and only just scraped past in the end with the help of Farnborough LARS).  I wasn't necessarily expecting PAW to have the answer, but was getting desperate  :-[ :-X

How long would any reports stay on the page?  If they expire after a certain number of minutes then I might just have been unlucky.  Is there a specific browser on Android that works best with PAW?

Thanks
Dave

exfirepro

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2021, 03:34:46 pm »
Hi again Dave,

Thanks for the shareoplane confirmation, that accounts for the SkyEcho data from the 17th.

As I advised previously, the Metars usually display on the Metars Tab accessed from the PAW Home Screen via 192.168.1.1, and are also displayed on PAW RADAR. They can take a few minutes to upload after your PAW first establishes connection with a ground station and will update with subsequent uplinks. I'm afraid I don't know how long they persist after ground station contact is lost - Lee ??

Ref browsers, all should work equally fine, though I mainly use the default Google Chrome on my Android Devices and either the default Safari, or Chrome on my iPads.

Hopefully Lee can shed some light on persistence of data after uplink.

Best Regards

Peter

Admin

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2021, 03:49:45 pm »
once the Metars are available they only get deleted after they are no longer valid, unrelated to contact with a basestation

I cannot recall exactly how long this is, I seem to recall 90 minutes?
The report itself has the issue date/time, eg

UTC time 14:48 (as I write this)
report from Birmingham issued 20 minutes ago

EGBB 211420Z VRB04KT 9999 FEW046 27/15 Q1023

Thx
Lee

dave_kent

Re: No METAR/TAF
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2021, 09:56:30 am »
Hello again,

I went flying on Friday - Rochester, Ashford, Tunbridge Wells, Rochester, in a new shareoplane (G-BUEG) and this time I did pick up a METAR, but only one line from Calais, nothing from the UK.  I would have expected to see Lydd, and possibly Southend, Biggin Hill and Shoreham.  Any ideas why not?

Thanks
Dave