I suggest some careful observation this week during the SSA's "Perry contest" in order to experience how interesting and compelling the SSA tracking is in general. Someone is at least adding the tasks into Glideport.aero (this means that the tasks display on the Glideport.aero tracking map, providing context to the viewer). Task info being added into Glideport.aero at SSA contests is actually very rare. Watching tracks without the context of the task is painfully boring. As an example, tasks were not added to Glideport.aero for the Seniors contest. The real question is, from a home viewer perspective, do enough pilots trackers work in Perry, with enough detail, to make actually following the tasks interesting? This will depend on what trackers are being used (Spot, InReach, or mobile and at what refresh rate), and by whom (attention to detail from the pilot to ensure the device is working properly during the entire contest). Hence my previous post on the need for a standard SSA tracking device that is simple to use, highly detailed in its tracking product, affordable, and highly reliable.

Another issue is that 98% of US tasks are TAT (usually very wide areas). These tasks are not the most exciting follow via tracking, to say the least.

I think some of you are misunderstanding my previous post. My point was that SMART PHONE TRACKING APPS are not 100% reliable, or easy to use and can (per recent experience, often do) stop working in flight. An improved level of overall performance in our current SSA tracking viewer "investment" (Glideport.aero) would be realized if all pilots (of all technical backgrounds) were provided, or had affordable access too, the same reliable, ultra simple tracker hardware and we're not "on their own" to decide what to use. Dedicated tracker units (provided by the SSA, perhaps at a bulk price or for free) are what I was referring to in being simple to use, not smart phones.

Dedicated tracker units (such as LiveTrack24) have only one button (on/off switch). All you need to do is keep them charged and turn them on before flight. From that point forward they "simply work!" They are much smaller devices than smart phones, and therefore are much easier to mount properly up above the canopy rail (in order to have clear line of sight to the ground) which is essential with mobile based trackers. They also don't have touch screens to accidentally touch, etc. They also don't require programming or configuration with a Glideport.aero account, etc. Mobile apps require several steps and a working knowledge of some smart phone basics. This can be confusing to those not used to smart phones. Finally, and most frustratingly, mobile apps can stop tracking for numerous reasons (battery life, pilot accidentally hits screen and turns app off, not configured properly, forget to turn tracking app on, other apps interfere, etc., etc.). The iPhone app "GlideTrack" is a beta app, has never been updated and is notorious for such problems, for example.

In Australia, for example, their "SSA" (the GFA) has procured 70 dedicated LiveTrack24 units for their GFA members to use during all Australian contests and events.

LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN...IN ALL CAPS...

"IN AUSTRALIA (their SSA) BOUGHT AND MAINTAINS 70 LIVETRACK24 TRACKING UNITS FOR THEIR MEMBERSHIP AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO THE SSA (GFA)."

The GFA model is an excellent model for us here in the USA to consider (SSA). Their LiveTrack24 units are maintained by the GFA (SSA). They travel in a custom case from event to event and have designated managers supporting them during those events (pilots sign them out/in, manager volunteers ensure they working properly, support the pilots, etc). This solution was impressive and avoids many challenges currently faced here in the USA with the SSAs current tracking experiment. The GFA trackers were used to absolute perfection at the recent Benalla WGC. The result was some of the best tracking that we have seen during any Gliding event to date, worldwide, ever!

We could have this level of reliability, performance, simplicity and increased adoption and enjoyment here in the USA as well if we would just get out of our own way and do something meaningful...for once............sigh.

I'm already getting the typical emails explaining how this is too expensive, too hard, etc. I just shake my head. See above in CAPS. See Australia. It's not hard. It's simple.

In further support of my statements, here is a full library of the Benalla WGC tracking (using LiveTrack24 trackers owned by the GFA (Australia's SSA)) for all WGC competition days (another great FAI SGP innovation) your review: http://www.wgc2017.com/live!/trackin...ontestID=25898

Sean