Power FLARM as logger

On Monday, December 3, 2012 6:57:47 PM UTC-8, Ramy wrote:
Marc, slightly of topic, but can you explain why some flight recorders can be approved for badges but not diplomas? I can understand world records with all their fame and groupies that follows them may have more strict requirements, but what is the difference between diamond and 1000km diploma? I mean, who else cares but me if I have diamond or 1000km diploma?? Other than the IGC and flight recorder manufactures, does anyone else think that we need "approved" flight recorders for badges and diplomas? Anyone?

It is time to end this nonsense.

I take it I should not be expecting any flowers or chocolate from you.

Flight recorders exist at various approval levels, as some achievements are considered more noteworthy than others, so a higher level of flight documentation security would seemingly be called for in those cases. Rather than having everyone one buy a flight recorder with all of the required bells and whistles for world record use, lesser options are available for those who choose to save a few bucks.

Make a proposal to your IGC delegate to initiate the two year process needed to make this sort of alteration to the Sporting Code. Perhaps a return to cameras and barographs?

On Monday, December 3, 2012 8:39:03 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, December 3, 2012 6:57:47 PM UTC-8, Ramy wrote:

Marc, slightly of topic, but can you explain why some flight recorders can be approved for badges but not diplomas? I can understand world records with all their fame and groupies that follows them may have more strict requirements, but what is the difference between diamond and 1000km diploma? I mean, who else cares but me if I have diamond or 1000km diploma?? Other than the IGC and flight recorder manufactures, does anyone else think that we need "approved" flight recorders for badges and diplomas? Anyone?



It is time to end this nonsense.



I take it I should not be expecting any flowers or chocolate from you.



Flight recorders exist at various approval levels, as some achievements are considered more noteworthy than others, so a higher level of flight documentation security would seemingly be called for in those cases. Rather than having everyone one buy a flight recorder with all of the required bells and whistles for world record use, lesser options are available for those who choose to save a few bucks.



Make a proposal to your IGC delegate to initiate the two year process needed to make this sort of alteration to the Sporting Code. Perhaps a return to cameras and barographs?

Marc, you deserve flowers and chocolate regardless :-)
But in case it wasn't clear, my proposal is not to get rid of flight recorders all together, but to just get rid of the approval requirements for badges and diplomas which are just personal achievements.

Ramy

Marc

Thank you for your response I am just starting out and appreciate the information.
My question came from the realization that I will have 3 GPS units (Power FLARM, Nano, and Nexus 7) in my glider and thought that it might just be a bit of over-kill as I remember the old days flying in Papua New Guinea with a wet compass and an incomplete map that said something like "maximum elevation not believed to be over 14,000".

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 1:38:16 AM UTC-8, Ramy wrote:
But in case it wasn't clear, my proposal is not to get rid of flight recorders all together, but to just get rid of the approval requirements for badges and diplomas which are just personal achievements.

They may be just personal achievements, but there still needs to be a little something there that keeps mostly honest people, like myself, from "forgetting" the little things that sometimes make flights not quite valid. Like, managing to complete a 1000K flight except for the tiny little detail of still being 20 or 30 miles out on final glide at official sunset in a glider with no lights. Or, making a flight and somehow forgetting that Class A airspace begins at 18000 ft in our corner of the world. Or my personal almost, but not quite, achievement, the one time I managed to declare my perfect 1000K triangle out of TPH, climbing out with full water at 9:15 am, zipping out to Utah in no time, making it all the way back past Mt Grant to 10 miles out from my last turnpoint with essentially no turns, which should have been followed by an easy ride back to TPH. Except, the turnpoint was smack underneath a shelf of over-developed clouds, which were already dumping water. Since I wanted the "personal achievement", I had to try, with the pretty much inevitable result that I didn't make it back to TPH until the next day. Or, I could have just declared a moral victory, turned 10 miles out, and made it back for the BBQ, but somehow, it wouldn't have been the same.

I think the rules are there for valid reasons, and part of any achievement is managing to comply with the rules while making the flight. Without some independent means of demonstrating compliance with the declaration and rules, all you have is the pilots word. There is still a significant difference between "making" a 1000K flight, and actually getting the FAI diploma. So, yes, I still think we need flight recorders...

The approval process has been initiated, but we need to finish and test ENL and a 'good' encryption for the certified G records.
As communicated from the start, are applying for a 'up to and including diamonds' approval (same as for 'Classic FLARM'), not 'all flights' as that would have serious implications on cost, both for manufacturing and maintenance.

Current US PowerFLARM hardware will be upgradeable for free and with no change in hardware if (if !) everything goes as planned.
No firm date on completion, obviously, but it is our #1 focus at this time.

If you have missed the news, IGC format recording, including G record, is available since over a month and seems to work very well.

And yes, someone should buy Marc, Tim and other GFAC members flowers and chocolate, but it shouldn't be us, obviously...
You could ask them for their mailing address, then use http://www.ftd.com/, worldwide.
;-)

I just did a test on PowerFLARM as a logger:
Set it outside, powered up and waited. Nothing happened for hours. All surrounding trees are still standing.
Those darn FLARM folks have really overpromised! Or maybe I need to change configuration settings? Or handicraft my own antenna? Or read the manual?

I suspect it will need a hard- and software update; maybe if someone can point FLARM to an autonomous chainsaw with serial interface (ideally IGC specification) they could finally deliver what has been promised:
FLARM as a logger.

Timber!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo

Now, if it could only make coffee...

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 11:48:43 PM UTC, ursus wrote:
I just did a test on PowerFLARM as a logger:

Set it outside, powered up and waited. Nothing happened for hours. All surrounding trees are still standing.

Those darn FLARM folks have really overpromised! Or maybe I need to change configuration settings? Or handicraft my own antenna? Or read the manual?



I suspect it will need a hard- and software update; maybe if someone can point FLARM to an autonomous chainsaw with serial interface (ideally IGC specification) they could finally deliver what has been promised:

FLARM as a logger.



Timber!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo



Now, if it could only make coffee...

Most loggers don't start recording an IGC file until you start to move above a certain speed. What did you expect your PF to do in those circumstances?

And did they promise it would be a logger? When I recently bought a PF Core (European version) I did not receive any such promise.

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 4:51:14 PM UTC-8, waremark wrote:
On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 11:48:43 PM UTC, ursus wrote:

I just did a test on PowerFLARM as a logger:

Set it outside, powered up and waited. Nothing happened for hours. All surrounding trees are still standing.

Those darn FLARM folks have really overpromised! Or maybe I need to change configuration settings? Or handicraft my own antenna? Or read the manual?

I suspect it will need a hard- and software update; maybe if someone can point FLARM to an autonomous chainsaw with serial interface (ideally IGC specification) they could finally deliver what has been promised:

FLARM as a logger.

Timber!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo

And did they promise it would be a logger? When I recently bought a PF Core (European version) I did not receive any such promise.

I think the Joke only works in English, a sure sign that Urs has been with us too long ;^)

Marc

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 5:17:55 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 4:51:14 PM UTC-8, waremark wrote:

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 11:48:43 PM UTC, ursus wrote:



I just did a test on PowerFLARM as a logger:



Set it outside, powered up and waited. Nothing happened for hours. All surrounding trees are still standing.



Those darn FLARM folks have really overpromised! Or maybe I need to change configuration settings? Or handicraft my own antenna? Or read the manual?



I suspect it will need a hard- and software update; maybe if someone can point FLARM to an autonomous chainsaw with serial interface (ideally IGC specification) they could finally deliver what has been promised:



FLARM as a logger.



Timber!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo



And did they promise it would be a logger? When I recently bought a PF Core (European version) I did not receive any such promise.



I think the Joke only works in English, a sure sign that Urs has been with us too long ;^)



Marc

Uh oh a Monty Python sense of humor. Now I'm more interested in looking for hidden Monty Python easter eggs in the UI than I am with waiting for IGC approval.

Darryl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo

And did they promise it would be a logger? When I recently
bought a PF
Core (European version) I did not receive any such promise.

I think the Joke only works in English, a sure sign that Urs has
been with
us too long ;^)

Marc


There is also a continental European version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
NR=1&v=aiVOG199X2c&feature=fvwp

;^)