Australian Formula 1.0 Grand Prix Contest

[Darryl Ramm]

US Pilots: Tony Condon is down in Australia flying in the Formula 1.0 Grand Prix. Nice online tracking...

https://www.f1gp.com.au
https://tracking.f1gp.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/formula1point0

[Darryl Ramm]

On Thursday, December 27, 2018 at 9:08:41 PM UTC-8, Darryl Ramm wrote:
> US Pilots: Tony Condon is down in Australia flying in the Formula 1.0 Grand Prix. Nice online tracking...
>
> https://www.f1gp.com.au
> https://tracking.f1gp.com.au
> https://www.facebook.com/formula1point0

Tony was reporting 13 knot thermals. He must have meant 6.7 m/s in sensible units :-)

[Tony[_5_]]

Today I left a 9 knot climb to join a libelle in a 13 knot climb. Amazing soaring in SE Australia the last few days. Have fun following along!

[Duster[_2_]]

As of now (12/31/18; 11pm est) the first two of three groups is on task. Tony is in second place, but just a few hundred feet behind the leader. Overall, Tony is tied for 2nd place in points for his group. Live tracking on Darryl's link.

[Gary Wayland]

On Monday, December 31, 2018 at 11:14:44 PM UTC-5, Duster wrote:
> As of now (12/31/18; 11pm est) the first two of three groups is on task. Tony is in second place, but just a few hundred feet behind the leader. Overall, Tony is tied for 2nd place in points for his group. Live tracking on Darryl's link.

I have been watching. Amazing. I had a Libelle 201B. Flew it 250 hours the first year I had it. It's a homesick angel. I have an ASW27b and still would love to get another Libelle.

How are we seeing this? What technology are they using?

And, I can't figure out what the timer is above the screen?

Gary

[Gary Wayland]

On Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at 12:54:03 AM UTC-5, Duster wrote:
> >
> > And, I can't figure out what the timer is above the screen?
> >
> > Gary
>
> It's a clock in viewer's zone, not a timer. Click on the "graph" button in the lower left corner to view the race in vertical dimension...nice feature.

Holy Mackanolie! I just hit the graph button! Wow! They need to put this somewhere that can be seen easier!

Also, how are they tracking this? What technology is this?

Thanks,

Gary
ASW27b
"SQ"

[Tony[_5_]]

The trackers are custom built for the contest. They seem to me to be very similar to the cell phone trackers using igc Droid or similar, but they are stand alone devices which read out GPS altitude and groundspeed. We are using the GPS altitude for height control on the start. The scores are calculated as soon as you land using the tracker trace. No uploading. No waiting.

[Gary Wayland]

On Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at 2:18:20 AM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
> The trackers are custom built for the contest. They seem to me to be very similar to the cell phone trackers using igc Droid or similar, but they are stand alone devices which read out GPS altitude and groundspeed. We are using the GPS altitude for height control on the start. The scores are calculated as soon as you land using the tracker trace. No uploading. No waiting..

Thanks, Tony for the info. Very impressive. I'm sitting here in Florida watching the gliders in Australia. Nice! I would assume they are on their Cell phones since one day I could see some pilots at home or in town. I would assume the tracker was in the car and not mounted in the plane permanently.

Gary

[[email protected]]

It's a custom hardware 4G tracker and custom website both made by Sanderbuilt (pilot of competing glider AU, https://www.sanderbuilt.com)
I expect he'd sell the SSA a set.

[Gary Wayland]

On Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at 12:58:55 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> It's a custom hardware 4G tracker and custom website both made by Sanderbuilt (pilot of competing glider AU, https://www.sanderbuilt.com)
> I expect he'd sell the SSA a set.

I went to his site! Nice! And, the first thing I see is a sand rail! I'm working on my Myers Max Dune buggy right now. Just built a 2110 CC VW engine... That is some impressive CAM designs.

I don't know what the SSA has, or anybody else here in the USA. Somebody chime in if we are doing this in the States...

Gary

[Frank Whiteley]

On Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at 10:58:55 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> It's a custom hardware 4G tracker and custom website both made by Sanderbuilt (pilot of competing glider AU, https://www.sanderbuilt.com)
> I expect he'd sell the SSA a set.

At prior year AU contests, trackers were available using 2G COTS equipment. 2G networks were being shut down in the US for 4G deployments. Who knows what 5G deployments will bring, though national coverage is several years out. Do you know if 4G trackers are also being used at the Lake Keepit contest?

[[email protected]]

“Do you know if 4G trackers are also being used at the Lake Keepit contest?“

Hi Frank,
Yes they are. Link here: http://gtracklive.com/event.php?eventID=46

You can follow live “during” or watch the replay later.

CJ
B3

[JS[_5_]]

On Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 1:48:51 AM UTC-8, Frank Whiteley wrote:
>Do you know if 4G trackers are also being used at the Lake Keepit contest?

Yes indeed, just put one on the charger.
Jim

[Frank Whiteley]

On Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 4:06:19 AM UTC-7, JS wrote:
> On Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 1:48:51 AM UTC-8, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> >Do you know if 4G trackers are also being used at the Lake Keepit contest?
>
> Yes indeed, just put one on the charger.
> Jim

Are they also Sanderbuilt trackers?

Frank

[[email protected]]

On Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 6:46:58 PM UTC+1, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> On Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 4:06:19 AM UTC-7, JS wrote:
> > On Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 1:48:51 AM UTC-8, Frank Whiteley wrote:
> > >Do you know if 4G trackers are also being used at the Lake Keepit contest?
> >
> > Yes indeed, just put one on the charger.
> > Jim
>
> Are they also Sanderbuilt trackers?
>
> Frank

No. They're the GFA official solution at the moment and predate the Sanderbuilt trackers by several years.

[JS[_5_]]

The GFA trackers, currently being used at Lake Keepit, came from:
http://www.queclink.com
They would like a minimum rder of 100.
I am advised that ordering a couple of samples for testing first is a good idea.
They won't be as efficient in the Sierra Nevada / Basin and Range, since coverage there isn't great.
Not without problems. It seems that Kathy Fosha has to restart the tracker after about three hours.
Jim