Problems with PowerFLARM 6.06.8249 firmware

[kirk.stant]

Ever since loading up the new PF software back in April, the two PF users in my club have been seeing greatly reduced performance (detection range dropped from 5- 8 miles down to about 1 mile) and the flarmnet ID feature no longer works (now we both get something like "94C" for the other glider ID instead of the correct contest number). PCAS and ADS-B range also seems reduced. Anyone else seeing this problem?

Almost as if stealth mode has been enabled by default! And yes, I checked and it's NOT enabled.

Plan is to re-download and install the latest .fw and .bfn files, and double check the FLARMCFG settings.

Frustrating, last year our PFs were working great...

Kirk
66

[Brian[_1_]]

We have also noticed a decrease in range with the update to 6.05.xxxx firmware.
Pretty easy to document with the Flarm Range checker using last years files for comparison.

Yesterday I updated to 6.06 and upgraded my Flarmnet file and lost the Flarmnet feature at least with the other glider I was testing with.
The Flarmnet feature might be the result of updating some for the Flarm information on the other glider. (Mode S ID, did not change)
Going to test today with a glider that their flarm setting has not been changed to see if it is my Flarm or the other Flarm causing the competition # not to show on my butterfly display.

Brian

[Ramy[_2_]]

I had plenty of flights since I upgraded and did not notice any degradation.. In the contrary I noticed significant improvement in range with couple of friends but this was due to antenna issues they had in the past. Detection range seem to be 2-4 miles, occasionally further. As for contest IDs, indeed some folks no longer showing their contest ID, but most do. Not sure what is causing this.

Ramy

[Brian[_1_]]

Checked flarmnet feature with another flarm today, it worked just fine. So pretty sure issue was that the 1st glider flarmnet setting had just not updated on the flarmnet website yet.

Brian

[[email protected]]

On Sunday, June 19, 2016 at 9:29:34 AM UTC-4, kirk.stant wrote:
> Ever since loading up the new PF software back in April, the two PF users in my club have been seeing greatly reduced performance (detection range dropped from 5- 8 miles down to about 1 mile) and the flarmnet ID feature no longer works (now we both get something like "94C" for the other glider ID instead of the correct contest number). PCAS and ADS-B range also seems reduced. Anyone else seeing this problem?
>
> Almost as if stealth mode has been enabled by default! And yes, I checked and it's NOT enabled.
>
> Plan is to re-download and install the latest .fw and .bfn files, and double check the FLARMCFG settings.
>
> Frustrating, last year our PFs were working great...
>
> Kirk
> 66

My experience agrees with Kirk's. Substantially reduced range and much more intermittent detection.
This is with exactly the same installation and antennas as last season and is reflected in both my gliders.
We got Stealth without asking for it.
UH

[[email protected]]

No issue for me still good range, and ID's are working. I had to change my Adsb setting to stop seeing every airliner that was flying at 30k+ :)

[kirk.stant]

On Monday, June 20, 2016 at 10:51:47 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> No issue for me still good range, and ID's are working. I had to change my Adsb setting to stop seeing every airliner that was flying at 30k+ :)

Interesting. So either is works better (Ramy, Cliff) or it is worse (UH, NR, myself). Something is going on, perhaps with the flarmview software?

Did you all use the 6.06.8249 firmware?

Kirk

[RickH]

On Monday, June 20, 2016 at 10:51:47 AM UTC-5, wrote:
No issue for me still good range, and ID's are working. I had to change my Adsb setting to stop seeing every airliner that was flying at 30k+ :)

Interesting. So either is works better (Ramy, Cliff) or it is worse (UH, NR, myself). Something is going on, perhaps with the flarmview software?

Did you all use the 6.06.8249 firmware?

Kirk

Just to add to Kirk's description- while ground testing, each of us was seeing the exact same Flarm ID for each other's gliders- how does that happen??

Rick
NR

[Dan Daly[_2_]]

On Sunday, June 19, 2016 at 9:29:34 AM UTC-4, kirk.stant wrote:
> Ever since loading up the new PF software back in April, the two PF users in my club have been seeing greatly reduced performance (detection range dropped from 5- 8 miles down to about 1 mile) and the flarmnet ID feature no longer works (now we both get something like "94C" for the other glider ID instead of the correct contest number). PCAS and ADS-B range also seems reduced. Anyone else seeing this problem?
>
> Almost as if stealth mode has been enabled by default! And yes, I checked and it's NOT enabled.
>
> Plan is to re-download and install the latest .fw and .bfn files, and double check the FLARMCFG settings.
>
> Frustrating, last year our PFs were working great...
>
> Kirk
> 66

Same flarmcfg.txt file FLARM ID in both would do it; or bad FLARMnet registration.

[[email protected]]

Here is my header in PF, it says firmware 6.05 I uploaded back in April I believe, not sure what is different in versions but it works, I would have thought it would quit working by now ifvit was not correct? :

AFLA8MZ
HFDTE190616
HFFXA500
HFPLTPilotincharge:Cliff Hilty
HFCM2Crew2:undefined
HFGTYGliderType:Ventus B
HFGIDGliderID:N60RH
HFDTM100GPSDatum:WGS84
HFCCLCompetitionClass:15 meter
HFCIDCompetitionID:CH
HFRFWFirmwareVersion:6.05
HFRHWHardwareVersion:1.0
HFFTYFRType:PowerFLARM-IGC
HFGPSType:u-blox NEO-6Q
HFPRSPressAltSensor:MEAS MS5607
I023638FXA3940SIU
C190616195247000000000100Empty
LFLA19524707FRW 6.05
LFLA195247 STEALTH OFF
LFLA195247 NOTRACK OFF
LFLA195247ID 1 A7C665
LFLA195247OB
LFLA19524707OBSTEXP
LFLA19524707DEVNO FLAPFC10A-000296
LFLA19524707BUILD 7862
LFLA19524707RANGE 20000
LFLA19524707ACFT 1
LFLA19524707FREQ 101
LFLA19524707CFLAGS 00
LFLA19524707RFTX 1
LFLA19524707MISC 00
LFLA19524707LOGINT 2
LFLA19524707NMEAOUT1 61
LFLA19524707BAUD1 2
LFLA19524707NMEAOUT2 1
LFLA19524707BAUD2 2
LFLA19524707PCASPFLAU1 0
LFLA19524707PCASPFLAU2 0
LFLA19524707XPDR 0
LFLA19524707PCASRANGE 7408
LFLA19524707PCASVRANGE 610
LFLA19524707ADSBRANGE 10000
LFLA19524707ADSBVRANGE 1000
LFLA19524707PCASCALIBRATION 30
LFLA19524707MODESALT 0
LFLA19524707MODEC 1
LFLA19524707PCASBEEP 1
LFLA19524707ADSBWARNINGS 1
LFLA19524707CAL57DBM 443
LFLA19524707CAP OBST;RFB;TIS;IGC;ENL;AZN;DLED;USBH;DP2;XPDR
LFLA19524707LIC AUD:0;ENL:0;AZN:0;IGC:1;RFB:1;TIS:1

[[email protected]]

Dan, I think the hex code for the glider given by the FAA is what is used, so yes if your FLARMcfg.txt file was the same you are telling the unit that is the ID to use and both must be the same.

[Ramy[_2_]]

Kirk, confirming I have the exact same version as yours.

Ramy

[K m]

On Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 12:10:06 PM UTC-6, kirk.stant wrote:
> Interesting. So either is works better (Ramy, Cliff) or it is worse (UH, NR, myself). Something is going on, perhaps with the flarmview software?
>
> Did you all use the 6.06.8249 firmware?
>
> Kirk

I loaded 6.06.8249 firmware the first day of the Nephi Nats and using Flarmveiw with latest version. Flying with 63 other Flarm equipped gliders and no issues so far.