microTracker/microRecorder

In article . com, Bob wrote:
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

I saw a prototype earlier this year and looked it over. The
concept is really good. The unit is simple to use, it just
presents itself as a USB storage device, like many cameras.

Given the problems people have with traditional units that
deliver logs over serial connections I think this is going to
be a very popular logger.

It's very compact too.

The external antenna is a mixed blessing. But you can always stick
it to the top of the unit.

--
Philip Plane _____
|
---------------( )---------------
Glider pilots have no visible means of support

Downloading the flights as a USB drive is one thing. A VERY good thing
I think. But that doesn't explain how little things like task
declarations and pilot/glider info get into the device in the first
place. Gotta have some sort of program or protocol to get it in there.
Hopefully they won't be assuming that this info will be configured
into the device before a user leaves home. That just is NOT realistic.
Hopefully they have allowed for it to be easily done from a PDA
device. As a developer of one of those PDA programs, it would be nice
if this didn't entail having to implement yet another protocol for
doing these things. But alas, my gut feeling is that this will not be
the case. Creativity breeds individuality as well as complexity I'm
afraid.

Later!

-Mark
Philip Plane wrote:
In article . com, Bob wrote:
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

I saw a prototype earlier this year and looked it over. The
concept is really good. The unit is simple to use, it just
presents itself as a USB storage device, like many cameras.

Given the problems people have with traditional units that
deliver logs over serial connections I think this is going to
be a very popular logger.

It's very compact too.

The external antenna is a mixed blessing. But you can always stick
it to the top of the unit.

--
Philip Plane _____
|
---------------( )---------------
Glider pilots have no visible means of support

Hi Mark,

Good point. All Pocket PCs (and Palm OS devices I believe) are USB slaves.
They can't therefore talk to another USB slave such as this device.
Hopefully, they have also included an RS-232 serial port on the device so
that PDAs can send it a task declaration before flight. Otherwise a laptop
would be required.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde

"Mark Hawkins" wrote in message
oups.com...
Downloading the flights as a USB drive is one thing. A VERY good thing
I think. But that doesn't explain how little things like task
declarations and pilot/glider info get into the device in the first
place. Gotta have some sort of program or protocol to get it in there.
Hopefully they won't be assuming that this info will be configured
into the device before a user leaves home. That just is NOT realistic.
Hopefully they have allowed for it to be easily done from a PDA
device. As a developer of one of those PDA programs, it would be nice
if this didn't entail having to implement yet another protocol for
doing these things. But alas, my gut feeling is that this will not be
the case. Creativity breeds individuality as well as complexity I'm
afraid.

Later!

-Mark
Philip Plane wrote:
In article . com, Bob
wrote:
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

I saw a prototype earlier this year and looked it over. The
concept is really good. The unit is simple to use, it just
presents itself as a USB storage device, like many cameras.

Given the problems people have with traditional units that
deliver logs over serial connections I think this is going to
be a very popular logger.

It's very compact too.

The external antenna is a mixed blessing. But you can always stick
it to the top of the unit.

--
Philip Plane _____
|
---------------( )---------------
Glider pilots have no visible means of support

Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Mark,

Good point. All Pocket PCs (and Palm OS devices I believe) are USB slaves.
They can't therefore talk to another USB slave such as this device.

Our two T-3 Palms talk to each other very well, for many purposes. How
is that different?


Jack

I guess my issue is mounting the item. I don't see any mounting
bracket, lugs, flanges, etc. The documentation states the following;

"The microRecorder may be installed in any convenient position. Velcro
tape is ideal for the purpose."

VELCRO? Even though it only weights 300g (10.5oz) I am unsure if I
want it coming loose at an inopportune moment and becoming a projectile.

Those were the first Palm devices that had the ability to become USB
masters.

The webpage says that the devices outputs NMEA data for moving map
displays. I've emailed them to ask about task declarations as well.

Later!

-Mark

My comments.

First, serial ports are fast disappearing from all computers. USB
PCMCIA adapters are clunky and problematic. At some point we are going
to need to get all of our flight recorders migrated over the USB and
stop being ludites. It appears that this device is the first to do so.
Hurrah for them and not getting stuck in the past! I am sure that RAM
can come up with a USB version of their cradles for use with a PDA.

Second, this device has a wonderful feature that when you plug it into
your computer it appears as another "hard drive" similar to a thumb
drive. Theoretically that should work with both Windows and Macintosh.
Wow, is that slick or what? No software, no problem with uploading
and downloading. Very cool.

Soap-box warning Lastly, the proprietary nature of the communications
channel may or may not be an issue, time will tell. However it seems
that every FR out there is proprietary at some level. Has anyone
stepped forward to set a standard (like NMEA for GPS communications)
for FR = PDA communications? If they haven't, and I don't think
that they have, they certainly should do so like most every other
industry. At first going non-proprietary seems like the fast track to
loosing previous market share, but once you see past this stumbling
block the market grows and everyone wins. Witness 802.11 Wi-Fi. Who
would have thought that it would be so huge? Standards made that
happen. Where would we be if our 3/8" socket set was unique at 11/16"
or 15/32"? 5x as expensive. /soap-box warning

Hi,

The latest version of the LX Colibri can also talk to a PC over a USB port.
But it also has an RS-232 serial port for talking to a PDA. PDAs can
download flight logs and upload task declarations to it. I hope the new
device can do the same. It does look very interesting.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde

"ContestID67" wrote in message
oups.com...
My comments.

First, serial ports are fast disappearing from all computers. USB
PCMCIA adapters are clunky and problematic. At some point we are going
to need to get all of our flight recorders migrated over the USB and
stop being ludites. It appears that this device is the first to do so.
Hurrah for them and not getting stuck in the past! I am sure that RAM
can come up with a USB version of their cradles for use with a PDA.

Second, this device has a wonderful feature that when you plug it into
your computer it appears as another "hard drive" similar to a thumb
drive. Theoretically that should work with both Windows and Macintosh.
Wow, is that slick or what? No software, no problem with uploading
and downloading. Very cool.

Soap-box warning Lastly, the proprietary nature of the communications
channel may or may not be an issue, time will tell. However it seems
that every FR out there is proprietary at some level. Has anyone
stepped forward to set a standard (like NMEA for GPS communications)
for FR = PDA communications? If they haven't, and I don't think
that they have, they certainly should do so like most every other
industry. At first going non-proprietary seems like the fast track to
loosing previous market share, but once you see past this stumbling
block the market grows and everyone wins. Witness 802.11 Wi-Fi. Who
would have thought that it would be so huge? Standards made that
happen. Where would we be if our 3/8" socket set was unique at 11/16"
or 15/32"? 5x as expensive. /soap-box warning