Am 09.01.2011 19:33, wrote:
On Jan 9, 11:16 am, Peter wrote:
Am 09.01.2011 13:14, Martin Gregorie wrote:

On Sun, 09 Jan 2011 01:04:10 +0100, Peter Scholz wrote:

Am 08.01.2011 15:28, wrote:
PowerFlarm will be more capable than Flarm units in use in Europe.

Do you have any details about the additional capabilities?

Essentially PCAS and data-out for a transponder with squitter.
Seehttp://www.powerflarm.com/

I'm aware of that, but what would be the "sporting implication" of that
additional information, as mentioned by UH?
--
Peter Scholz
ASW24 JE

Look at the web site for LS8000. One feature is the use of Flarm info
to identify a marker ("target") in the distance, get his climb info,
and calculate your arrival height at his thermal. This, and other
potential developments of these principles(display of the "better"
target to chase), have quite significant implications on the character
of gliding competition in my view. I seem to remember, but haven't
confirmed, that PowerFlarm will have greater range than current Flarm.
UH

LK8000 (as all other peripheral devices) can only interpret the
information it gets from the Flram device. Since Version 4.0 targets in
stealth mode will NOT transmit Track,TurnRate,GroundSpeed and
ClimbRate in the PFLAA record. RelativeVertical will be transmitted
degraded, unless the target is concidered to be a danger target.

Therefore there is IMHO no way to get the (tactical important) data from
a Flarm target in stealth mode. So it's up to the pilot by setting
stealth mode ON/OFF to decide if other pilots can receive those tactical
information or not.

Re. range: from my experience the effective transmit range of the FLARM
signal is strongly influenced by the position of the Flarm aerial,
especially with modern CFK gliders. On my flights I typically receive
Flarm targets in a distance of up to 15-20km. But some targets are
barely visible at all, due to a bad antenna position.

Even if PowerFLARM has an extended range compared to standard FLARM
devices (although I have found no confirmation yet for this), it would
not change much, as any information about a gliders height & climb rate,
that is further away than 25km, would not influence my tactical short
term decisions very much. 25km are a long way to go for my ASW24, and in
the heigths we operate, I would usually need another lift on the way to
get there comfortably. Maybe that is different where you fly,

I have never flown a contest in the US, but here in (continental) Europe
no one seems to have a problem with the possible additional tactical
information you can get with FLARM in a contest. Those who worry can set
the stealth mode.

So, relax, fly your contests with FLARM for a year, and I predict the
discussion about mandatory stealth mode etc. will be over before the end
of the seasan 2011.
--
Peter Scholz
ASW24 JE