SSA sailplane tracker - too complex

Can someone explain how you are supposed to use the SSA sailplane tracker?
It seems way overly complex. You should have the option just to zoom and pan to an area of interest and see all the live tracks.

However it seems you have to figure out what airport the pilot took off from and what contest they are part of on what date etc.

It should be as simple as this, go to the map, see the aircraft, done!
https://www.flightradar24.com/

If I ever go missing it look hopeless that someone could find a broadcasting spot.
Or do you have to be registered with glideport.aero?

How do we get our club's current airport to be listed as an option?

thanks
Chris

Chris

Sorry the SSA Sailplane tracker is giving you trouble. You are correct in that registering with GlidePort.aero will open up additional features.

The app you compare us to is a different animal entirely. That app track aircraft that are active in the national airspace system (talking to ATC). Our app does not interact with the national ATC system.

To use our app you will need SPOT, InReach or the free smartphone app (glide track or IGC Droid).

Regarding your crew locating you in an emergency I trust that they will at least know the state you departed from and can find your track via a simple look down the list of sites reporting tracks that particular day. What tracking device are you using? For additional assistance you may refer to the two articles in Soaring magazine or the Sailplane Tracking Committee web page on the SSA web. There are several PDF manuals.

Hopefully the Tracker will become easier as you explore its features. We can't automate every flight at once because it would slow the animation down severely. Notice the site you referred to does not provide 3D imaging, track history, altitudes or instrument panel view.

Lane

On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 7:14:50 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Chris

Sorry the SSA Sailplane tracker is giving you trouble. You are correct in that registering with GlidePort.aero will open up additional features.

The app you compare us to is a different animal entirely. That app track aircraft that are active in the national airspace system (talking to ATC). Our app does not interact with the national ATC system.

To use our app you will need SPOT, InReach or the free smartphone app (glide track or IGC Droid).

Regarding your crew locating you in an emergency I trust that they will at least know the state you departed from and can find your track via a simple look down the list of sites reporting tracks that particular day. What tracking device are you using? For additional assistance you may refer to the two articles in Soaring magazine or the Sailplane Tracking Committee web page on the SSA web. There are several PDF manuals.

Hopefully the Tracker will become easier as you explore its features. We can't automate every flight at once because it would slow the animation down severely. Notice the site you referred to does not provide 3D imaging, track history, altitudes or instrument panel view.

Lane

Hi Lane,

I'm with Chris.

A simple, intuitive tracker that works reliably with all smart phones would be of significantly greater value (no registration or agree-to-terms pages, please).

I don't care about simulated 3D, instrument panel views, weather or any other "enhancements", thank you. I want Joe club member to be able to go to the SSA site and very quickly account for the local fleet and see at a glance if someone is on the ground and requires assistance.

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8

Evan, how about this one. http://xcfind.paraglide.us/ PG biased but there are some sailplane pilots listed. Might be able to get a club specific page setup.

On Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 9:21:02 AM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 7:14:50 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Chris

Sorry the SSA Sailplane tracker is giving you trouble. You are correct in that registering with GlidePort.aero will open up additional features.

The app you compare us to is a different animal entirely. That app track aircraft that are active in the national airspace system (talking to ATC).. Our app does not interact with the national ATC system.

To use our app you will need SPOT, InReach or the free smartphone app (glide track or IGC Droid).

Regarding your crew locating you in an emergency I trust that they will at least know the state you departed from and can find your track via a simple look down the list of sites reporting tracks that particular day. What tracking device are you using? For additional assistance you may refer to the two articles in Soaring magazine or the Sailplane Tracking Committee web page on the SSA web. There are several PDF manuals.

Hopefully the Tracker will become easier as you explore its features. We can't automate every flight at once because it would slow the animation down severely. Notice the site you referred to does not provide 3D imaging, track history, altitudes or instrument panel view.

Lane

Hi Lane,

I'm with Chris.

A simple, intuitive tracker that works reliably with all smart phones would be of significantly greater value (no registration or agree-to-terms pages, please).

I don't care about simulated 3D, instrument panel views, weather or any other "enhancements", thank you. I want Joe club member to be able to go to the SSA site and very quickly account for the local fleet and see at a glance if someone is on the ground and requires assistance.

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8

How would you track all club ships? I'm sure things are changing, but
I've never seen a club or rental glider with a transponder and I'll
wager that a lot of people (including me) don't have data plans on their
cell phones. Maybe when we're all ADS-B Out equipped...

On 7/24/2016 7:20 AM, Tango Eight wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 7:14:50 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Chris

Sorry the SSA Sailplane tracker is giving you trouble. You are correct in that registering with GlidePort.aero will open up additional features.

The app you compare us to is a different animal entirely. That app track aircraft that are active in the national airspace system (talking to ATC). Our app does not interact with the national ATC system.

To use our app you will need SPOT, InReach or the free smartphone app (glide track or IGC Droid).

Regarding your crew locating you in an emergency I trust that they will at least know the state you departed from and can find your track via a simple look down the list of sites reporting tracks that particular day. What tracking device are you using? For additional assistance you may refer to the two articles in Soaring magazine or the Sailplane Tracking Committee web page on the SSA web. There are several PDF manuals.

Hopefully the Tracker will become easier as you explore its features. We can't automate every flight at once because it would slow the animation down severely. Notice the site you referred to does not provide 3D imaging, track history, altitudes or instrument panel view.

Lane
Hi Lane,

I'm with Chris.

A simple, intuitive tracker that works reliably with all smart phones would be of significantly greater value (no registration or agree-to-terms pages, please).

I don't care about simulated 3D, instrument panel views, weather or any other "enhancements", thank you. I want Joe club member to be able to go to the SSA site and very quickly account for the local fleet and see at a glance if someone is on the ground and requires assistance.

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8

--
Dan, 5J

On the initial use of the Tracker you must agree to the terms (this was a requirement of the SSA retained lawyer). After first sign in the Tracker never requires that computer to acknowledge terms again.

If you want to quickly go to your clubs site, just bookmark that map page in your browser.

We can track all your club ships, if they have tracking devices onboard.

Remember please that this is a fee service that requires some equipment and knowledge on the users part. We will never be able to track gliders without devices, pop up on your computer without you pointing your browser, customize views for every pilot or just in general please all the people all the time. But hey, it's free!

Lane

And it does work really well with all "smart" phones. We will not be able to make it work with non data plan phones. If you know a way please drop Pedja an email.

Lane

It does work with "all smart phones".

Apple = Glide Track - free
Droid = IGCDroid - $10 one time purchase (free trial)

Lane

On Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 6:21:02 AM UTC-7, Tango Eight wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 7:14:50 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Chris

Sorry the SSA Sailplane tracker is giving you trouble. You are correct in that registering with GlidePort.aero will open up additional features.

The app you compare us to is a different animal entirely. That app track aircraft that are active in the national airspace system (talking to ATC).. Our app does not interact with the national ATC system.

To use our app you will need SPOT, InReach or the free smartphone app (glide track or IGC Droid).

Regarding your crew locating you in an emergency I trust that they will at least know the state you departed from and can find your track via a simple look down the list of sites reporting tracks that particular day. What tracking device are you using? For additional assistance you may refer to the two articles in Soaring magazine or the Sailplane Tracking Committee web page on the SSA web. There are several PDF manuals.

Hopefully the Tracker will become easier as you explore its features. We can't automate every flight at once because it would slow the animation down severely. Notice the site you referred to does not provide 3D imaging, track history, altitudes or instrument panel view.

Lane

Hi Lane,

I'm with Chris.

A simple, intuitive tracker that works reliably with all smart phones would be of significantly greater value (no registration or agree-to-terms pages, please).

I don't care about simulated 3D, instrument panel views, weather or any other "enhancements", thank you. I want Joe club member to be able to go to the SSA site and very quickly account for the local fleet and see at a glance if someone is on the ground and requires assistance.

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8

In a large part of the US West, cell phone trackers are effectively useless, because cell phone coverage does not exist there. Some of the cell phone tracking apps save up track points and upload when they can later connect, for finding a down pilot this is obviously useless.

I don't find GlidePort to be all that difficult to use, certainly if you can master something as obscure as SeeYou it is quite accessible.

On Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 8:15:25 PM UTC-4, jfitch wrote:
On Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 6:21:02 AM UTC-7, Tango Eight wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 7:14:50 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Chris

Sorry the SSA Sailplane tracker is giving you trouble. You are correct in that registering with GlidePort.aero will open up additional features.

The app you compare us to is a different animal entirely. That app track aircraft that are active in the national airspace system (talking to ATC). Our app does not interact with the national ATC system.

To use our app you will need SPOT, InReach or the free smartphone app (glide track or IGC Droid).

Regarding your crew locating you in an emergency I trust that they will at least know the state you departed from and can find your track via a simple look down the list of sites reporting tracks that particular day. What tracking device are you using? For additional assistance you may refer to the two articles in Soaring magazine or the Sailplane Tracking Committee web page on the SSA web. There are several PDF manuals.

Hopefully the Tracker will become easier as you explore its features. We can't automate every flight at once because it would slow the animation down severely. Notice the site you referred to does not provide 3D imaging, track history, altitudes or instrument panel view.

Lane

Hi Lane,

I'm with Chris.

A simple, intuitive tracker that works reliably with all smart phones would be of significantly greater value (no registration or agree-to-terms pages, please).

I don't care about simulated 3D, instrument panel views, weather or any other "enhancements", thank you. I want Joe club member to be able to go to the SSA site and very quickly account for the local fleet and see at a glance if someone is on the ground and requires assistance.

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8

In a large part of the US West, cell phone trackers are effectively useless, because cell phone coverage does not exist there. Some of the cell phone tracking apps save up track points and upload when they can later connect, for finding a down pilot this is obviously useless.

....and that's why we use things like spot & inreach, of course.


I don't find GlidePort to be all that difficult to use, certainly if you can master something as obscure as SeeYou it is quite accessible.

It's not surprising that you personally don't find it difficult, but you're not the guy I have in mind. I'm suggesting that the target for ease of use ought to be closer to facebook than SeeYou.

best,
Evan