The truth about Flarm Stealth and Competition definition...

OK, the peanut gallergy is driving me crazy. So I did a quick internet search and found this very relevant document from FLARM:

How to Use FLARM(R) in Gliding Competitions?
http://www.segelflugbedarf24.de/flar...mpetitions.pdf

The document includes some pretty interesting descriptons of what "stealth and competition mode" are and, more imortantly are not. Based on the discussions here...I am shocked. I honestly have no idea what the RC is expecting Flarm to magically become...whith a new version of competiton mode. I have a guess...MORE DANGEROUS! USELESS?

From the document...

COMPETITION MODE: Basically, according to FLARM, this simply TUNES DOWN the number of alerts. THATS IT!
Competition Mode
Traffic alerts are issued based on an algorithmic assessment of potentially dangerous traffic. These algorithms have been greatly improved in version 4of the firmware. Nevertheless, as a competition pilot, you might want this assessment to result in less alerts, i.e. increase the level of danger above which an alert is issued. Consequently, if you check 'Competition Mode (less Alarms)' in the official FlarmTool PC software, then alert distances and alert times are reduced by approximately 2 seconds; this reduces nuisance alerts in high-density traffic but REQUIRES FASTER ACTION.
Other things to do if FLARM is too distracting:
- turn volume down / off (don't forget to turn it up again) - double-click the button (suppresses alarms for
5 minutes, but other aircraft will still get alarms)

REQUIRES FASTER ACTION? WFT? WTF?

STEALTH MODE: From Flarm itself..."Stealth mode inherently reduces some of the benefits of situation awareness for yourself and surrounding aircraft. We do not recommend the use of Stealth mode, but it is better than turning FLARM(R) off for tactical reasons."
"Stealth Mode
The data FLARM(R) receives from other is available at the serial port to external devices like PDA's or graphical displays which can thus display the nearby environment in detail. While this information is useful for you, you might not want your competitors to make use of this information, and others might have the similar asymmetrical preferences. With the stealth mode (named 'Privacy' before) in FLARM(R), you can choose the trade-off acceptable for you between two modes:
* 'Stealth Mode' unchecked: you have full access to the data you receive from others with Stealth Mode disabled and, and others have full access to the data you send about yourself if they have Stealth Mode disabled, or
* 'Stealth Mode' checked: you have limited access to the data you receive from others and, and others have limited access to the data you send about yourself independent of their Stealth Mode setting.
Stealth mode inherently reduces some of the benefits of situation awareness for yourself and surrounding aircraft. We do not recommend the use of Stealth mode, but it is better than turning FLARM(R) off for tactical reasons.
Note that the FLARM(R) flight log-file stores the information on stealth settings and changes so a competition authority could easily enforce the use (or non-use) if desirable. Changes to stealth mode are effective with a two minute delay, see the manual for details."

Again: Flarm states, "STEALTH MODE INHERENTLY REDUCES (R E D U C E S) SOME OF THE BENIFITS OF THE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS (S I T U A T I O N A L A W A R E N E S S.....!!!!!) FOR YOURSELF AND SURROUNDING AIRCRAFT!!!!!!!!"

WIth that, I have absolutely no idea what we are expecting "competition mode 2.0" to solve for us. It must a flavor of Stealth mode that the RC must be pushing. You know, the one that requires FASTER ACTION! Competition mode actually DE-TUNES close in alerts as not to annoy a pilot who is highly tuned and alert to traffic already. WFT? DE-TUNES SAFETY? Probably why they dont recommend it, hmmm?

Anyway, I thought this document was interesting. If it has not been previously shared, Im shocked. But just encase, there you go.

We need to stop the madness and think about what we are doing...THIS IS MADNESS.

Sean