See Spots Run

Okay, that's what I would like my crew to be able to do while I'm
trying to keep up with 21 in Parowan.

I understand that the SPOT Messenger service includes a KML feed from
a server that's updated every 15 minutes. (I think they're working on
a server with a higher caching frequency.) I would like to set up a
web page (off of justsoar.com) that takes, as daily input, a list of
SPOT messenger IDs (contest pilots) and the day's turnpoints and task,
and displays the flights (in connect-the-dot fashion) for the crew(s)
on the ground.

Has anyone started efforts on something like this? (I don't want to
duplicate any work.)

~ted/2NO

On Jan 2, 5:09*pm, Tuno wrote:
Okay, that's what I would like my crew to be able to do while I'm
trying to keep up with 21 in Parowan.

I understand that the SPOT Messenger service includes a KML feed from
a server that's updated every 15 minutes. (I think they're working on
a server with a higher caching frequency.) I would like to set up a
web page (off of justsoar.com) that takes, as daily input, a list of
SPOT messenger IDs (contest pilots) and the day's turnpoints and task,
and displays the flights (in connect-the-dot fashion) for the crew(s)
on the ground.

Has anyone started efforts on something like this? (I don't want to
duplicate any work.)

~ted/2NO

This sounds great, I would like to make it easy for anyone especially
crew and contest staff to find everyone. If you could sort the data
by area that would be a big help, so you could find the traces of
everyone that took off in a certain state or region on any particular
day.

Last spring we tried to get contest staff to have access to our SPOT
traces and log in if needed, but the whole system was complicated for
an overworked staff. Spot has made access to their system better
since then, but if you could make it even simpler that would be great.
Chris

Have a look at
http://www.glidingmaps.com/wiki/
They used SPOT trackers for the Australian Qualifying Grand Prix at
Narromine.
http://www.australianglidinggrandprix.com.au/
John Wharington and Scott Penrose set the tracking site up.
Jim

I had each of the pilots in the contest, forward to my e-mail account,
their link to their spots. And then, luckily I had a volunteer (well,
ok, she was working on her laptop inside the hangar)....who could then
pop up any of the spots if we had a question. It REALLY came into
play in a helpful way for the contest organizers. We had a down
pilot, with spot, and we could tell where he was and that he wasn't
moving...good sign that he was on the ground! before he could get to a
phone to call us. Cell phone signal is really weak in the Utah
Mountains!

I definitely think that is a GREAT tool to have. I would like for it
to be easier to display all the pilots one one screen to project on
the wall/screen for visitors/crew/staff watch. It would give us on
the ground some more fun too!
Micki

On Jan 2, 3:09*pm, Tuno wrote:
Has anyone started efforts on something like this? (I don't want to
duplicate any work.)

I hacked up a filter for their OK/Help email messages to provide a
more user friendly position report providing distance and bearing to a
home waypoint and to the nearest other waypoint. Makes the SMS
message the crew gets a bit more user friendly.

Visit http://www.serkowski.com/SPOTme.php for more info or to sign up.

For live tracking, our club has a web page with links to all our
pilots' shared tracks. Usable, but it sure would be nice to see them
all on a single display.

Looking forward to seeing what you do, Ted.

-Tom

On Jan 4, 1:45*pm, 5Z wrote:
On Jan 2, 3:09*pm, Tuno wrote:

Has anyone started efforts on something like this? (I don't want to
duplicate any work.)

I hacked up a filter for their OK/Help email messages to provide a
more user friendly position report providing distance and bearing to a
home waypoint and to the nearest other waypoint. *Makes the SMS
message the crew gets a bit more user friendly.

Visithttp://www.serkowski.com/SPOTme.phpfor more info or to sign up.

For live tracking, our club has a web page with links to all our
pilots' shared tracks. *Usable, but it sure would be nice to see them
all on a single display.

Looking forward to seeing what you do, Ted.

-Tom

Do you think the rules committee would consider SPOT as a substitute
for an ELT? I have a spot and a PLB, but not an ELT. I had been
waiting for the 406 MHz ELTs to get affordable. Now I'm wondering
whether I really need three devices in the cockpit - and I'd hate to
have the one device I don't have (and the most expensive one) be the
thing contests start requiring.

9B

I have my fingers crossed that contest managers that currently require
ELTs will accept SPOTs. (R4S are you listening?

2NO

Todays news on this subject from the Aus-Soaring group...
In North America, you should be able to watch tomorrow's tracking
each evening.
It looks like you can overlay select BLIPMAPS too.
Jim

Our tracking has been very successful over the last month and we are
in the progress of expanding our system to better support club
operations and self management.
We are now on to our third competition - the Victorian State Champs:

http://track.glidingmaps.com/event/gcv/current/display

Some work has gone into improving IE support, but it is still very
flaky - so I recommend Safari, Firefox or Chrome.
Enjoy
Scott