Exactly! Furthermore, the only thing happening when you set up stealth mode
is that you are sending a special information, together with your traffic
info through the radio, saying "I want stealth mode".
Other Flarms receiving this information with your traffic data will not send
out to the data port the complete data as usual.
Instead, they will work it out to make them somehow "unusable" for data
mining scope.
But the core flarm is receiving all info, and it is processing it as usual
concerning alerts and safety.
An intelligent approach in my opinion, because when you are close to the
traffic danger, the information is passed to data port integrally.
So nothing happens around safety.
Everything is about data outgoing to external instruments.

However in my opinion the stealth mode is not enough "strong" for the
purpose.
For example, the altitude is scrambled with sort of a white noise,
numerically, but averaging the value will most likely return the real
altitude to programmers.

There is another aspect about leeching with traffic advisors: range.
Range is fundamental if you want information about what is going on ahead of
you, say 10km away, 20km away.
First you need to extend the "range" flarm should use while sending out to
data port traffic info.
This can be done programmatically by the external instrument (LK offers a
button to do it).
But then, you actually need to be able to receive the radio transmission,
which is weak at 10mw if I remember correctly.
Those of use who are radio entusiasts know too well that the antenna makes
the big difference !
A good antenna will catch weak signals, and let you know what's happening
far away.
The standard antenna will not.
The antenna is attached with a standard SMA connector, and for 10 dollars
you get so many antennas to choose from!

So here is an example of what you can obtain from LK software, and probably
other (not sure):
- you sort the traffic by direction ahead of you, and you see the lift
values, suppose at 20km distance: a thermal ahead of you.
- you are about to leave you thermal and decide to go for the next one,
under that big cumulus.
- you know the lift value under there, and the exact position for best lift.
- you select the traffic position and make it a virtual waypoint, and you
immediately know the MC you can use to get there.
- You start the fast glide over there, and when you approach the cumulus
there are no more gliders under it, but you still get their traces drawn in
green red blue on the map, so you know exactly where to pull up.

It is also possible to calculate the MC value someone is flying with,
knowing the aircraft type (and thus its polar).

paolo




"Dave Nadler" wrote in message
...

On Saturday, October 20, 2012 5:30:05 PM UTC-4, Don Johnstone wrote:
... I was very uncomfortable with the concept of instructing
pilots to lessen the efficiency of an anti-colision assistance device.

Stealth mode in no way lessens the efficacy of FLARM anti-collision.
It gives you warnings when there is a collision hazard regardless.

Hope that is clear,
Best Regards, Dave