PowerFlarm at Uvalde?

On 08/09/2011 5:42 PM, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 8/9/2011 1:01 PM, Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 12:58 AM, Rob Cluxton wrote:

Where are your GPS antenas located? 30cm away from GPS antennas AND the
compass is not realistic in most gliders...

How can the compass interfere with the GPS signal?

I'm not sure but here is a quote from the manual:


"The PowerFLARM® and any associated aerials should be located as far
away as possible -- at least 30 cm (1 ft) -- away from any other GPS
aerial and the magnetic compass."

Luke

At 21:48 09 August 2011, Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 5:42 PM, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 8/9/2011 1:01 PM, Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 12:58 AM, Rob Cluxton wrote:

Where are your GPS antenas located? 30cm away from GPS antennas AND
the
compass is not realistic in most gliders...

How can the compass interfere with the GPS signal?

I'm not sure but here is a quote from the manual:


"The PowerFLARM� and any associated aerials should be located as far
away as possible -- at least 30 cm (1 ft) -- away from any other GPS
aerial and the magnetic compass."

Luke


You guys ARE joking, right??

Cookie

On 8/9/2011 2:48 PM, Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 5:42 PM, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 8/9/2011 1:01 PM, Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 12:58 AM, Rob Cluxton wrote:

Where are your GPS antenas located? 30cm away from GPS antennas AND the
compass is not realistic in most gliders...

How can the compass interfere with the GPS signal?

I'm not sure but here is a quote from the manual:


"The PowerFLARM® and any associated aerials should be located as far
away as possible -- at least 30 cm (1 ft) -- away from any other GPS
aerial and the magnetic compass."

Maybe it's the aerials that interfere with the compass.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 5:42 PM, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 8/9/2011 1:01 PM, Luke wrote:
On 08/09/2011 12:58 AM, Rob Cluxton wrote:

Where are your GPS antenas located? 30cm away from GPS antennas AND the
compass is not realistic in most gliders...

How can the compass interfere with the GPS signal?

I'm not sure but here is a quote from the manual:


"The PowerFLARM® and any associated aerials should be located as far
away as possible -- at least 30 cm (1 ft) -- away from any other GPS
aerial and the magnetic compass."


The PowerFLARM would interfere with the compass, not the other way around.
The paragraph in the manual immediately following the quoted one makes this
clear:

"After installation, an inspection must be made to ensure that the
device does not interfere with any mechanical, electrical,
electronic (radio) or magnetic (e.g. compass) system, and this
fact must be recorded in the aircraft documents."

As a pragmatic matter, if the unit has to be placed within 30 cm of the
compass (and even if it isn't,) then simply turn it and all other
electronic flight equipment on and make a note of the magnetic deviation
using the usual procedure. It's a portable device, so such a note probably
woudn't be made on the permanent deviation card.

On Aug 8, 9:00*am, Dave Hoppe wrote:
I find it odd that there's no posts regarding the first-time use of
PowerFlarm in a US contest. Surely they're all flying with them.

Part of the reason is that google groups was dead for a while and many
(like me) gave up. rest day, google back, you may get more feedback.

The unit is slick and intuitive. Very professional-looking. Yes, it
chews up batteries. Also the battery indicator is not that reliable.
Put in new batteries every day no matter what. For rental, go buy a
bucket of batteries. For permanent installations, power it externally
or go for rechargeables. (Rental might want to go rechargeable too).

The major issue is where to put it. As expected the power flarm is a
tad bulky for a tape it in and go installation. That's why we clamored
for and got the brick.

The good news is that tape it in and go is possible and works
reasonably well. The rental program should work out fine. I got mine
the night before the contest and installed it in the half hour before
grid time.

It's a bit tougher on Schleicher gliders. The only place I've seen
anyone manage to put it (including mine) is sideways on the left hand
side of the glareshield. This isn't optimal since the GPS is pointing
at a 45o angle in level flight and 90 degrees when banked hard. (It
won't fit on the top of the glareshield)

I think a triangular bracket that would allow horizontal placement of
powerflarm above the lower left side of the glareshield or on the
canopy rail would make a good installation. Alas the two hardware
stores I went to were out of aluminum sheet and then I gave up on the
project. A Ram mount (if you're willing to drill holes) or an old
camera mount on the rail would be perfect. Some mechanical type needs
to make a bunch of clever brackets.

It will fit on top of a Schempp-Hirth glareshield but don't put it
directly on top of another GPS! If your Nav GPS is right under the
glareshield, the powerflarm will work great but you won't get a log.

I can't give details on performance. It picked up lots of gliders that
were close in thermals and running out on course, and I was especially
delighted to know about gliders behind, above and below, and off to
the side while running. I was able to connect PF to the clearnav and
see the "threats" on the CN display. Either the range is short, or
it's set not to show lots of other gliders.

The screen is visible, but not offset. Mount it so it's pointing at
you.

We have one report already of a near-collision averted by Flarm. A
pilot on tow heard the flarm go off, found the target, and quickly
told the towplane to alter course, which he did, saving the day.


John Cochrane

On Aug 11, 3:14*pm, John Cochrane
wrote:
On Aug 8, 9:00*am, Dave Hoppe wrote:

I find it odd that there's no posts regarding the first-time use of
PowerFlarm in a US contest. Surely they're all flying with them.

Part of the reason is that google groups was dead for a while and many
(like me) gave up. rest day, google back, you may get more feedback.

The unit is slick and intuitive. Very professional-looking. Yes, it
chews up batteries. Also the battery indicator is not that reliable.
Put in new batteries every day no matter what. For rental, go buy a
bucket of batteries. For permanent installations, power it externally
or go for rechargeables. (Rental might want to go rechargeable too).

The major issue is where to put it. As expected the power flarm is a
tad bulky for a tape it in and go installation. That's why we clamored
for and got the brick.

The good news is that tape it in and go is possible and works
reasonably well. The rental program should work out fine. I got mine
the night before the contest and installed it in the half hour before
grid time.

It's a bit tougher on Schleicher gliders. The only place I've seen
anyone manage to put it (including mine) is sideways on the left hand
side of the glareshield. This isn't optimal since the GPS is pointing
at a 45o angle in level flight and 90 degrees when banked hard. (It
won't fit on the top of the glareshield)

I think a triangular bracket that would allow horizontal placement of
powerflarm above the lower left side of the glareshield or on the
canopy rail would make a good installation. Alas the two hardware
stores I went to were out of aluminum sheet and then I gave up on the
project. A Ram mount (if you're willing to drill holes) or an old
camera mount on the rail would be perfect. Some mechanical type needs
to make a bunch of clever brackets.

It will fit on top of a Schempp-Hirth glareshield but *don't put it
directly on top of another GPS! If your Nav GPS is right under the
glareshield, the powerflarm will work great but you won't get a log.

I can't give details on performance. It picked up lots of gliders that
were close in thermals and running out on course, and I was especially
delighted to know about gliders behind, above and below, and off to
the side while running. * I was able to connect PF to the clearnav and
see the "threats" on the CN display. Either the range is short, or
it's set not to show lots of other gliders.

The screen is visible, but not offset. Mount it so it's pointing at
you.

We have one report already of a near-collision averted by Flarm. A
pilot on tow heard the flarm go off, found the target, and quickly
told the towplane to alter course, which he did, saving the day.

John Cochrane

thanks for the input John. I'm going to be working on a shelf tonight
in the Cherokee. working on getting a rental (maybe the one you have)
delivered up to Llano for Region 10. will stock up on the batteries

Most people own RJ45 (network) cables with one end that needs
cutting off. It is very easy to make a power cable from that "junk"
cable.
It's the same pin configuration as other loggers that use RJ45, like
Volkslogger. *
The timing ended up being a rush to get units to Uvalde. Perhaps
power cables will be supplied with all the rental units in the future.
There's already a circuit in my panel for the brick. Just need to
plug it in to the fused Anderson PowerPoles connector on the RigRunner
4008 labeled "FLARM", and find out where the antennas would like to
be.
Jim

* RJ45
Pin 1/2 Ground/Common/-VDC
Pin 3 Receive data
Pin 4 Send data
Pin 7/8 +10 to 28VDC
Pin 1 is on the left with the locking tab away from you and the cable
towards you.