Polar diagram shows no activity with PilotAware - Now Resolved!

[Keithvinning]

Also, check that the 90-degree adapters are not reverse polarity.

[exfirepro]

Good point Keith - it wouldn’t be the first time that issue has popped up. I completely forgot about that possibility 

David - in case you are unfamiliar with the term, reverse polarity (RP-SMA) connectors are commonly used in WiFi installations, and so are readily available on the internet. Where a standard polarity SMA Male (as used in the PAW antennas or SMA cable ends) has a ‘male’ pin in the centre, an RP-SMA Male has the same outer connection, but has a ‘female socket’ in the centre and there will therefore be two ‘sockets’ back to back with no pin between them. Due to the close proximity, there can be some signal transfer, but it will be minimal - which would explain your weak report.

Regards

Peter

[crisisguy]

i flew this morning after checking the cable connections, the cable shows infinite resistance between the inner cable and outside shield.

I also unplugged and replugged the aerial in

I think the 90 degree connectors only fit one way - male one end and female the other

These are the connections ive used, I purchased them in June 2019 so perhaps its been a long standing issue?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CTKQP7G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ive just noticed they do say RP so perhaps thats the issue!  Ive just purchased a non RP pair to try for next time.

Ive rechecked the Vector plot for this morning  flight for the PA output  it was only a short flight, Elstree to Turweston

Still showing poor coverage for the PA when compared to the ADSB

Thanks for the help - Keith and Peter and others, BTW Keith Im David Perl at Watford ATOM Ground station

[PaulSS]

That looks like a great PAW polar diagram to me. Good distance and no obvious black holes. ADSB is always going to give greater range than PAW, your transponder is a more powerful box of tricks.

[exfirepro]

David,

Well done! Thanks to Keith’s prompt, that has clarified the situation completely and we now have the definitive answer. Those adapters are definitely SMA Female - which accepts the Male ‘pin’ connector on the end of the cable, but to RP-SMA Male, which will screw onto the SMA on the PAW, but has a female socket inside the ‘Male’ connector instead of a ‘pin’. This results in two female sockets back to back at the PAW SMA Female connector - and hence (at best) absolutely minimal P3i signal transmission. Swap these for ‘Non-RP’ SMA Female to SMA Male adapters and the issue should be resolved. As a temporary work around, you could carefully insert a short piece of stiff copper wire of the correct diameter in place of the missing pin, but replacement with the correct part is by far the better course of action.

Let us know how you get on.

p.s. Paul, the above polar diagram gives the combined PAW and ADSB signal. If you look carefully, you can see that the screenshot has been taken before ‘Go’ was pressed after selecting PilotAware - so in view of the incorrect SMA adapter it is in effect simply an ADSB report from the aircraft’s transponder. I have attached the most recent PilotAware Vector diagram below for comparison.

Best Regards

Peter

[PaulSS]

If you look carefully, you can see that the screenshot has been taken before ‘Go’ was pressed after selecting PilotAware

What twisted mind would do such a thing to me  Why wouldn't they just press 'Go' before producing a Polar Diagram!

You're right; his real Polar Diagram is crap.

Mutter, mutter.....stupid 'go' buttons not being pressed before posting........ mutter, grumble

[crisisguy]

apologies - my error for not pushing the go button

would this also impact my ability to see PA Atom ground stations?

[exfirepro]

Hi again David,

would this also impact my ability to see PA Atom ground stations?

No - that will be a result of the lack of (effective) continuity in the P3i antenna cable. If it’s not transmitting it won’t be receiving either - and also won’t trigger the transmissions from the ATOM stations as they are only triggered by an active in-range PAW.

Pressing the ‘Go’ button on Vector actions the ‘selection’ (i.e. in the above case ‘PilotAware’). Failure to press ‘Go’ after making a Mode Type selection change means Vector continues to show the results for the previously selected Mode - in this case the combined virtually non existent PAW, and obviously good ADSB outputs - as reported at the Top/Left of the report header.

(Paul is just mildly upset because he missed it - guess a flight to Barnard Castle may be required, Paul    )

p.s. I flew over Barnard Castle on my way down to the Popham Show back in August - fully self-isolating of course, so my eyesight must be fine!. It’s very pretty from the air!  I did think about visiting you in the IOW on my way back, but the Wx had other ideas.

Best Regards as Always
Peter

[PaulSS]

You'll have to let me know if you're ever planning to visit the IOW and I'll try to make sure I come and say 'hello'.

I've only just worked out how you managed to see the 'Go' button hadn't been pressed. Good spot. And there was me thinking the excellent ground plane properties of an RV7 produced such a fantastic PAW Polar diagram 

[crisisguy]

i think its now working as it should

image attached from todays flight -Elstree - Lee on solent - Lydd- Elstree

BTW - the go button doesn't appear on my iphone when in landscape mode- can only see the go button on the desktop version

appreciate all the help, would never have solved this on my own

[exfirepro]

Hi David,

That’s MUCH more like it  !

Glad to see it’s all working now. Thanks for the feedback.

Oh, and you are very welcome - glad to have been of assistance.

I will update the thread title to indicate that this issue has now been resolved (for the benefit of future searchers).

Best Regards

Peter