picking up own aircraft transponder

[Russ_H]

Hello, testing a friends unit in the air this evening, we were picking our own mode c/s transponder signal through pilotaware ( confirmed by cycling the transponder on and off)
it alternated between a yellow and green ring.

Anyone else had this?, is seperation between the PilotAware and transponder antennae important?, they are close (about 3 inhes in this installation)

cheers, Russ

[Ian Melville]

Russ, Can you post a screenshot of the config page? I suspect the "Mode C/S Select" needs to be set to "Mode-CS+Filter(Beta)", which filters out your own transponder. If that has been done, then the "Hex ID" has not been set to the same as the transponders.

[exfirepro]

Russ,

The screenshot Ian has asked for will help us to confirm the cause, but I agree that the most likely causes of this problem are wrong ICAO Hex ID set in PilotAware (it automatically sets a 'default' non-ICAO hex for use in unregistered aircraft or as a base station), or in your transponder. To enable filtering, you MUST set your official ICAO hex as per 'G-INFO' in both units. If you want to use the PAW in different aircraft, you can configure different aircraft profiles in the PAW 'Configure' Screen, saving each in turn, but remember to select the correct aircraft profile whenever you change it to a new aircraft.

As you have a transponder, you MUST run 'Mode C/S Select' in the 'Mode CS + Filter (Beta)' setting option.

I would also recommend much greater separation between your antennas. Squirting 100Watts + from a transponder directly into your PilotAware antenna at short range will at best desensitise it (make it deaf) and at worst could do it some serious harm.

Let us know how you get on.

Best Regards
Peter

[Russ_H]

Thanks for replies, it was after all  simply the hex address, which is strange because I put it in when i set up initially and the problem had not shown till that flight, so didn't bother checking the config when this happened.
It's quite possible that the owner who is definitely a steam gauge  man and a bit swamped with his recent adoption of Pilotaware, skydemon and ipad touchscreens all at the same time had a go fiddling with the config  .

[exfirepro]

Hi Russ,

Glad you got it sorted. As you say he may just have been looking around. With touch screens, it's quite easy to make a change without realising that you have done so, though these types of changes aren't usually saved. No harm done though.

Regards

Peter