unusual PowerFlarm problems

[Mitch Polinsky[_2_]]

I've been having unusual problems with my brick PowerFlarm for several
flights.

Here's the history of my use of PowerFlarm: It was installed by Rex Mayes
during the winter/spring during my annual inspection. I first flew with it
about two months ago, and have had about ten flights total. About two or
three weeks ago (after May 13) I uploaded the latest firmware for the
PowerFlarm brick and for the Butterfly display. I think, but am not sure,
that the problems described below all occurred after I uploaded the lastest
firmware.

Here's what I've experienced:

(1) It seems to work fine on the ground, and usually initially during the
flight, but periodically during the flight it goes into the following mode:
There's a warning message on the screen saying "Waiting for Flarm." Last
week I was flying in close proximity to three other gliders all struggling
to stay up in the same area, and during a period lasting over an hour my
PowerFlarm failed to work, with the above message constantly on the screen.
Later in the flight it resumed working again. It's been doing this for
several flights.

(2) Periodically the TX square turns from green to red, while the GPS
square remains green.

(3) Once, while in flight, the screen turned to the boot-up sequence I saw
previously when I was uploading software using the USB key. This has not
happened again during the subsequent several flights. (The USB key was not
attached while I was having this or the other problems.)

* * *

Anyone else having problems of this sort? If so, I'd love to hear how you
solved them, it you did.

If you want to reply privately, my email address is:

Thanks,

Mitch Polinsky

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

Mitch Polinsky wrote, On 6/13/2013 3:44 PM:
> I've been having unusual problems with my brick PowerFlarm for several
> flights.
>
> Here's the history of my use of PowerFlarm: It was installed by Rex Mayes
> during the winter/spring during my annual inspection. I first flew with it
> about two months ago, and have had about ten flights total. About two or
> three weeks ago (after May 13) I uploaded the latest firmware for the
> PowerFlarm brick and for the Butterfly display. I think, but am not sure,
> that the problems described below all occurred after I uploaded the lastest
> firmware.
>
> Here's what I've experienced:
>
> (1) It seems to work fine on the ground, and usually initially during the
> flight, but periodically during the flight it goes into the following mode:
> There's a warning message on the screen saying "Waiting for Flarm." Last
> week I was flying in close proximity to three other gliders all struggling
> to stay up in the same area, and during a period lasting over an hour my
> PowerFlarm failed to work, with the above message constantly on the screen.
> Later in the flight it resumed working again. It's been doing this for
> several flights.
>
> (2) Periodically the TX square turns from green to red, while the GPS
> square remains green.
>
> (3) Once, while in flight, the screen turned to the boot-up sequence I saw
> previously when I was uploading software using the USB key. This has not
> happened again during the subsequent several flights. (The USB key was not
> attached while I was having this or the other problems.)

I can't comment on the symptoms, but I suggest first checking all
connections, and if nothing obvious is found, downloading the latest
Core and display software, then reloading them.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

[Tim Taylor]

On Thursday, June 13, 2013 4:44:12 PM UTC-6, Mitch Polinsky wrote:
> I've been having unusual problems with my brick PowerFlarm for several
>
> flights.
>
>
>
> Here's the history of my use of PowerFlarm: It was installed by Rex Mayes
>
> during the winter/spring during my annual inspection. I first flew with it
>
> about two months ago, and have had about ten flights total. About two or
>
> three weeks ago (after May 13) I uploaded the latest firmware for the
>
> PowerFlarm brick and for the Butterfly display. I think, but am not sure,
>
> that the problems described below all occurred after I uploaded the lastest
>
> firmware.
>
>
>
> Here's what I've experienced:
>
>
>
> (1) It seems to work fine on the ground, and usually initially during the
>
> flight, but periodically during the flight it goes into the following mode:
>
> There's a warning message on the screen saying "Waiting for Flarm." Last
>
> week I was flying in close proximity to three other gliders all struggling
>
> to stay up in the same area, and during a period lasting over an hour my
>
> PowerFlarm failed to work, with the above message constantly on the screen.

[Ramy]

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013 7:40:37 PM UTC-7, Tim Taylor wrote:
> On Thursday, June 13, 2013 4:44:12 PM UTC-6, Mitch Polinsky wrote:
>
> > I've been having unusual problems with my brick PowerFlarm for several
>
> >
>
> > flights.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Here's the history of my use of PowerFlarm: It was installed by Rex Mayes
>
> >
>
> > during the winter/spring during my annual inspection. I first flew with it
>
> >
>
> > about two months ago, and have had about ten flights total. About two or
>
> >
>
> > three weeks ago (after May 13) I uploaded the latest firmware for the
>
> >
>
> > PowerFlarm brick and for the Butterfly display. I think, but am not sure,
>
> >
>
> > that the problems described below all occurred after I uploaded the lastest
>
> >
>
> > firmware.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Here's what I've experienced:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > (1) It seems to work fine on the ground, and usually initially during the
>
> >
>
> > flight, but periodically during the flight it goes into the following mode:
>
> >
>
> > There's a warning message on the screen saying "Waiting for Flarm." Last
>
> >
>
> > week I was flying in close proximity to three other gliders all struggling
>
> >
>
> > to stay up in the same area, and during a period lasting over an hour my
>
> >
>
> > PowerFlarm failed to work, with the above message constantly on the screen.
>
> >
>
> > Later in the flight it resumed working again. It's been doing this for
>
> >
>
> > several flights.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > (2) Periodically the TX square turns from green to red, while the GPS
>
> >
>
> > square remains green.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > (3) Once, while in flight, the screen turned to the boot-up sequence I saw
>
> >
>
> > previously when I was uploading software using the USB key. This has not
>
> >
>
> > happened again during the subsequent several flights. (The USB key was not
>
> >
>
> > attached while I was having this or the other problems.)
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > * * *
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Anyone else having problems of this sort? If so, I'd love to hear how you
>
> >
>
> > solved them, it you did.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > If you want to reply privately, my email address is:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Thanks,
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Mitch Polinsky
>
>
>
> Mitch,
>
>
>
> My unit arbitrarily shut down and restarted three times in flight today. Similar of just all the sudden seeing the initialization screen and then restart. Frustrating was that it seems to change my V7 vario setting when it restarts. The log file was good but very odd.
>
>
>
> TT

This one sounds like a power issue to me, especially that another unit (V7) seem to be affected the same time. otherwise I cant imagine how it will change settings in unrelated instrument.

Ramy

[polinsky%[email protected]]

Tim,

I think Ramy may be right. I think my problems *might* have been caused by an insufficiently charged plane battery. Check yours and if after getting it fully charged you still have problems, please post this information.

Ramy,

Thanks for the suggestion re the problem. So far the evidence suggests that you are right. I fully charged my batteries and didn't have any unusual behavior of the PowerFlarm on the next flight.

Mitch