Tracker

My particular issue is that I don't "own" BB, but it's printed on my tail. At one point I "owned" 2BB, but shouldn't any more because I haven't paid the fee in years.

More to the point, many pilots fly different gliders at different contests, and the "ownership" of tail numbers is pretty broken. Many are taken by pilots who never fly contests, and most contest pilots consequently just put whatever they want on the tail. And keep a roll of tape around to put a "1" in front of it if a "real" owner ever shows up.

It would probably be better to link pilots to spot pages by ssa numbers. Those are required to fly a contest, and are a lot more stable and attached to the pilot than contest numbers.

Understood this is a small glitch that will wait for the winter.

For wasting time in the office, I just punch up the site and see all the gliders. Interesting that Cesar Creek seems to be on strike about uploading their tasks so that's the only way to watch them.

John Cochrane
2BB or not 2BB....ok, I've had enough fun with that one...

I believe the contest number renews automatically if you have competed within the last three years or if you are a life member of SSA. Otherwise you do have to pay the fee every three years I believe. I understand your point about people using contest numbers that may be different than the one assigned to them such as with a borrowed glider. We'll look at solutions this winter.

Lane
XF (my actual and painted on contest number!)

On Friday, June 14, 2013 4:18:05 PM UTC-5, wrote:
My particular issue is that I don't "own" BB, but it's printed on my tail. At one point I "owned" 2BB, but shouldn't any more because I haven't paid the fee in years.

You could contact the SSA Office and tell them you want to return 2BB. They take it off of "you", and then you shouldn't have an automatic over-ride of the contest ID you enter.

Problem Solved?

I find the tracking interesting, but I'm afraid it's out of my budget.

Instead, I have a 406 MHz beacon attached to my parachute harness. It has a
highly accurate GPS which feeds position to the SARSATs and a built-in
strobe. I figure I can deploy it in an emergency. If I'm unable to press
the button, then it doesn't much matter, anyway.

Dan


"Ramy" wrote in message
...
On Thursday, June 13, 2013 4:09:08 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Does the Spot talk directly to a satellite or can it connect to the cell

system when your phone can't?





wrote in message

...

On Thursday, June 13, 2013 2:35:58 PM UTC-4, wrote:

One of the more interesting uses of the new ssa sailplane tracker is

getting to follow some of our fellow pilot's adventures when they drive

around and forget to turn the spot off. Someone went from Mifflin to get
a

glider out of Baltimore today, and some how got in and out of the port
in

about 10 minutes. (It took two days the last time someone from our club

tried) http://ssa.org/sailplanetracker/default.asp?



Wait till the bosses learn about this.

Hookie? Me?

LOL

Dan, Spot is a sattelite messenger device, it only connects through
satellites.
I urge you to get one, even before powerflarm...
As for leaving the spot on, I know of at least one pilot who leaves his spot
on when driving home so his wife can time the dinner with his arrival,
although, with the typical 10-30 min delay I doubt this is working well for
him :-)

Speaking of tracking, at least on the ground, iphone users can use the free
"Find Friends" app which shows real time location as long as there is cell
service. According to my wife it is also working in the air reasonably well,
I guess when I am low enough. Works perfect for ground retrieve, as both the
crew and pilot can tell where each other is.

Ramy

DeLorme InReach has been outstanding in every way this spring for me and makes my old
Spot service look like utter crap in comparison.

SPOT: 10 minute updates, no altitude, no speed, no heading and highly unreliable.

DELORME: 1 minute updates, altitude, speed, heading and highly reliable.

Don't be cheap! Go out an purchase DeLorme instead of Spot junk (and Flarm while your at it)... we would all have great tracking systems that would look like real time tracking in soaring Grand Prix. Families would love it, people might actually watch it for fun.

Check out these tracks: (sort by last track) https://share.delorme.com/SeanFidler

:-)

Dan, if you can't press the button of your PLB it still matters a lot to your family and friends who may spend days/months looking for you and possibly risking their lives doing so, not to mention the cost of the search. It will also delay insurance payments...
The spot unit itself is almost free as they often give rebates, or you can find used ones on eBay for $50. The monthly subscription is a $13 a month. Is this really beyond your budget?
I know of at least one gliding operation who where involved in two multi days searches which will no longer tow you if you don't have a tracking device.

Ramy

You make really good arguments, Ramy. I'll give it a look.


"Ramy" wrote in message
...
Dan, if you can't press the button of your PLB it still matters a lot to
your family and friends who may spend days/months looking for you and
possibly risking their lives doing so, not to mention the cost of the
search. It will also delay insurance payments...
The spot unit itself is almost free as they often give rebates, or you can
find used ones on eBay for $50. The monthly subscription is a $13 a month.
Is this really beyond your budget?
I know of at least one gliding operation who where involved in two multi
days searches which will no longer tow you if you don't have a tracking
device.

Ramy

$25 for my Spot 1 unit if anyone can use it. I've switched to InReach. Spot 1 has much better battery life than Spot 2. My unit has a bit of residue on the back from 3M Dual Lock that I used to aid its attachment; functionally it's prefect though. I'll be at Moriarty Thursday and Friday and Hobbs Saturday.

Steve, bring it. I'll be towing Wed and Thu at Moriarty. I'll take it.

Dan


"Steve Koerner" wrote in message
...
$25 for my Spot 1 unit if anyone can use it. I've switched to InReach.
Spot 1 has much better battery life than Spot 2. My unit has a bit of
residue on the back from 3M Dual Lock that I used to aid its attachment;
functionally it's prefect though. I'll be at Moriarty Thursday and Friday
and Hobbs Saturday.

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013 5:28:37 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Steve, bring it. I'll be towing Wed and Thu at Moriarty. I'll take it.



Dan





"Steve Koerner" wrote in message

...

$25 for my Spot 1 unit if anyone can use it. I've switched to InReach.

Spot 1 has much better battery life than Spot 2. My unit has a bit of

residue on the back from 3M Dual Lock that I used to aid its attachment;

functionally it's prefect though. I'll be at Moriarty Thursday and Friday

and Hobbs Saturday.

Happy to read this Dan. Now we need to find you a good deal on powerflarm so you can replace the Zaon you just bought :-)

Ramy