Compare MRX with PF Portable

On Tuesday, August 6, 2013 7:38:19 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Tuesday, August 6, 2013 1:24:46 PM UTC-4, Andy wrote:

Now that my PowerFlarm PCAS performs as well or better than my Zaon (thanks to the latest firmware and the shorter antenna)







Just last weekend I flew another side by side comparison between the ZAON MRX and my Power FLARM portable.







For about half of the flight the Power FLARM indicated a spurious warning of my own mode C transponder. (Yes, I do have it configured so it knows I have a transponder)







I am using the antennas supplied with the portable but have them extended away from the unit with about 12 inches of RG58U. That allows me to get everything on the glareshield of my PA28.







As I reported earlier, the detection range of the PFP is much improved with the latest firmware update. Hovever, the spurious alerting of ownship tranponder is a signicant issue as this alert will take priority over any other transponder targets. I don't know if it also inhibits FLARM and ADS-B warnings.







My MRX won't be for sale for a while yet.







Andy



I have mod S transponder and I experience the same issue but not as frequently probably once every 10-15 min sometimes only sporadic sometimes more often. I get an alert and the altitude difference would be jumping around +/- 75 feet but eventually the thing settles and goes away. I was debating if I should not put my ZAON back in.



I sent a dump file to FLARM months ago because I was having some issues with less than optimum PCAS. Included were some alerts which appeared suddenly and it appeared that the PowerFlarm was detecting my own transponder. Within the dump file were a number of comments which said something along the lines of "failed to detect own transponder signal or reply" I sent this with a polite note asking for help to Flarm. Month or so later, I again asked for help. Month or so later I sent an email to the US rep I purchased from to see if he could muster some help. Reply from Flarm to date... NONE.....NONE....NONE...and more NONE....

In contrast, I sent a note to Winter asking for a couple of ASI dials with a change to the orientation to the zero position. They shipped them the next day , the price was a bargain, and were super awesome to deal with. THAT's customer service! Thanks Winter!