Re: Powerflarm nusiance alarms

[[email protected]]

For the Powerflarm technical gurus in the community:

This is an update of a problem from earlier in the year regarding very frequent PCAS nuisance alerts on my PF display which I am still trying to resolve (described above). After a trial and error process I've narrowed the problem down to an interaction between my Trig xpdr and the PF Core. The PF Core installation manual has the following text:

"To ensure best alert quality, PowerFLARM Core does not use ADS-B data to
compute alerts for glider targets. Instead, it will exclusively rely on the target's much more precise FLARM data. This requires that all gliders which are equipped with FLARM and ADS-B transponders correctly configure their ADS-B out emitter category to glider."

I just ran my ADSB compliance report to check the system, and despite that fact that the Trig software is correctly set to Glider the compliance report states that the emitter category that is transmitted is for Parachutist/Skydiver.

So, the focused question I have is whether anyone knows if this emitter status is used by PF in any manner that could be related to the nuisance alerts? I'm working with the manufacturer to get the software glitch fixed, but it would be nice to know if this emitter category mismatch is a material contributor to the problem I'm experiencing.

[George Haeh]

What is the ICAO id set to in the PF and Trig?

If different you will get an alarm.

[[email protected]]

On Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 8:45:05 AM UTC-8, George Haeh wrote:
> What is the ICAO id set to in the PF and Trig?
>
> If different you will get an alarm.

Thanks, George. Unfortunately, all the obvious stuff has been checked already through trial and error multiple times. The hex addresses are the same, multiple antenna placements have been tried, xpdr set correctly for Mode S, tried toggling OWNMODEC parameter, verified current xpdr and PF firmware versions, PF flarm reception works without xpdr. I just need to figure out whether this xpdr configuration error is worth pursuing further as lead.

[Dan Daly[_2_]]

On Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 1:27:58 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> On Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 8:45:05 AM UTC-8, George Haeh wrote:
> > What is the ICAO id set to in the PF and Trig?
> >
> > If different you will get an alarm.
>
> Thanks, George. Unfortunately, all the obvious stuff has been checked already through trial and error multiple times. The hex addresses are the same, multiple antenna placements have been tried, xpdr set correctly for Mode S, tried toggling OWNMODEC parameter, verified current xpdr and PF firmware versions, PF flarm reception works without xpdr. I just need to figure out whether this xpdr configuration error is worth pursuing further as lead.

Have you tried resetting the FLARM to factory settings, then doing the settings (flarmcfg.txt, display (if any), flarmnet)? See Luke's comment in https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.aviation.soaring/reset$20flarm$20luke%7Csort:relevance/rec.aviation.soaring/hYQ8WNFITbA/Hzx35EMpDQAJ ;

his suggestion:
quote
I've had issues with my FLARM since putting the in stealth mode at the 2015 15m Nationals at Harris Hill. After the contest the range dropped considerably. This morning completely blew away my config by loading a flarmcfg.txt that only contained a single line;

$PFLAR,99


After that I put in a fresh config file generated using the flarm website and my ranges came back to what I was seeing before Elmira.

FWIW
Luke Szczepaniak
unquote

I have had issues with a few of the club FLARMs and reset this way, and it sorted the problems (range, and inability to transmit). I will now reset all club FLARMs in the spring (northern hemisphere), and my own. It probably is worthwhile for you to try as well.

Dan