PowerFLARM News Updates on my FLARM web page

Hi Andy,

The limited time of the free upgrade was in the official note that FLARM
sent to dealers. Your dealer should have passed that along to you. The
upgrades are still available after May 31st, but it would cost you $100 plus
shipping and handling. The fee is there to strongly encourage PowerFLARM
Portable owners to upgrade their units ASAP. The pilot is less safe without
the upgrade as the range is better with the upgrade. FLARM also used the
word "mandatory" upgrade. I think it is great that it is a completely free
upgrade. They are paying for shipping both ways and are even giving
customers a free USB to memory card adapter as a way of thanking customers
for taking the time to do the upgrade.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

"Andy" wrote in message
...

On Sunday, March 3, 2013 2:36:25 PM UTC-7, Paul Remde wrote:
Hi, I have pulled together the latest PowerFLARM news and put it onto my
FLARM web page.


That site states "The upgrade must be completed by May 31, 2013. After that
date the upgrade will cost $100 plus shipping and handling."

What was the source of this information. I own a portable as was not
advised of this restriction.

thanks

Andy

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 10:24:47 AM UTC-7, Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Andy, The limited time of the free upgrade was in the official note that FLARM sent to dealers. Your dealer should have passed that along to you.

Thanks for the update. The dealer has not communicated with me and information about the recall was passed to me by an intermediary. Maybe different vendors have different policy on this. Are you communicating directly with purchasers or through group purchase co-ordinators?

To be technically accurate I think it worth pointing out that the range of a portable that is not subject to out of band interference will be less with the SAW filter, not greater. Introducing the filter adds, depending on the filter, 1-3dB of signal loss. Unless of course the recall modification increases the gain elsewhere in the receive signal path. Does the mod compensate for the filter loss or was it considered insignificant?

Andy

Hi Andy,

If you bought your PowerFLARM as part of a group purchase it would make
sense for the dealer to a pass the information to you through the person
that organized the group purchase - since the dealer may or may not have
everyone's email address. I sent news about the recall/upgrade directly to
the end customers because I didn't want to further burden the kind people
that organized the group purchases - and because I wanted to get the
information to everyone ASAP.

I can't speak to your comment below about the change in range. I have no
idea how it was implemented. However, customer feedback has been positive -
range is what they expected it to be.

Paul Remde

"Andy" wrote in message
...

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 10:24:47 AM UTC-7, Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Andy, The limited time of the free upgrade was in the official note
that FLARM sent to dealers. Your dealer should have passed that along to
you.

Thanks for the update. The dealer has not communicated with me and
information about the recall was passed to me by an intermediary. Maybe
different vendors have different policy on this. Are you communicating
directly with purchasers or through group purchase co-ordinators?

To be technically accurate I think it worth pointing out that the range of a
portable that is not subject to out of band interference will be less with
the SAW filter, not greater. Introducing the filter adds, depending on the
filter, 1-3dB of signal loss. Unless of course the recall modification
increases the gain elsewhere in the receive signal path. Does the mod
compensate for the filter loss or was it considered insignificant?

Andy

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 12:44:27 PM UTC-5, Andy wrote:
Does the mod compensate for the filter loss or was it considered insignificant?

The loss is insignificant.
All boards were designed with a place for the filter just in case.
Good thing.
It really does work better !

Its a PITA because units are now (more) different for different
countries. Fortunately most USA pilots don't regularly move
their gliders between countries with differing freqs...

See ya, Dave "YO electric"

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 5:48:42 PM UTC-7, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 12:44:27 PM UTC-5, Andy wrote:

Does the mod compensate for the filter loss or was it considered insignificant?



The loss is insignificant.

All boards were designed with a place for the filter just in case.

Good thing.

It really does work better !



Its a PITA because units are now (more) different for different

countries. Fortunately most USA pilots don't regularly move

their gliders between countries with differing freqs...



See ya, Dave "YO electric"

As you say - a PITA. If FLARM had the foresight to realize a filter may be needed why wasn't provision made for a filter for each frequency band with automatic filter selection based on region. The SAW filters cost about $1, an insignificant cost compared to the retail price of the unit.

Why does FLARM feel it necessary to threaten customers to get this modification made? The email dated today from the dealer that sold mine includes this:

"If the user does not upgrade, we will decline any support or warranty claims in the future (if allowed by law)"

Andy