FLARM - Which version do I need to be on?

On Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 7:48:50 AM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 2:35:48 AM UTC-4, WaltWX wrote:
OK, the first flight of the season here in Southern California with fellow FLARM pilots showed a failure to identify each other.

WX is on v6.02
JS is on v6.05

We both could not see each other's position. I though that as long as I'm on v6.xx, the different point numbers are not significant. Apparently, I'm incorrect. After scouring the FLARM.com web site, it is not clear. This statement is not very clear:

"From the March 2015 Update, every FLARM device needs to be updated with the latest firmware version at least once per year (rolling 365 days). This has to be part of the Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP). The entry in the AMP is to be made during installation. If you have a FLARM installation that is not previously monitored by the AMP, an entry should be made as soon as possible."

Well, I did update my FLARM once in April 2015... is that not "once per year"? I don't understand what the AMP thing is about.

If I (WX), upgraded to the "latest firmware", v6.06, would I be compatible with my fellow FLARM user on v6.05?

I don't see a contact address or support forum on the FLARM web site. Can anyone here clear up the version policy of FLARM firmware?

Walter Rogers WX

WX,

AFAIK (I'm simply another end user), all 6.X versions talk to each other, but 6.02 self destructed on April 1. It's like bad 60s TV, but without the spooky cool theme music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA2KmJMKFrQ

best,

Evan Ludeman / T8

6.02 release notes:

http://flarm.com/wp-content/uploads/...leaseNotes.pdf

It claims that the expiration date is 2017. Either I'm wrong or that's a misprint. IIRC I got a warning message from flarm about impending expiry on my panel display in mid March... I didn't pay much attention to this because I had the software update ready to install anyway. Perhaps someone else will confirm.

best,
Evan

On Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 1:51:04 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 7:48:50 AM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 2:35:48 AM UTC-4, WaltWX wrote:
OK, the first flight of the season here in Southern California with fellow FLARM pilots showed a failure to identify each other.

WX is on v6.02
JS is on v6.05

We both could not see each other's position. I though that as long as I'm on v6.xx, the different point numbers are not significant. Apparently, I'm incorrect. After scouring the FLARM.com web site, it is not clear. This statement is not very clear:

"From the March 2015 Update, every FLARM device needs to be updated with the latest firmware version at least once per year (rolling 365 days). This has to be part of the Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP). The entry in the AMP is to be made during installation. If you have a FLARM installation that is not previously monitored by the AMP, an entry should be made as soon as possible."

Well, I did update my FLARM once in April 2015... is that not "once per year"? I don't understand what the AMP thing is about.

If I (WX), upgraded to the "latest firmware", v6.06, would I be compatible with my fellow FLARM user on v6.05?

I don't see a contact address or support forum on the FLARM web site. Can anyone here clear up the version policy of FLARM firmware?

Walter Rogers WX

WX,

AFAIK (I'm simply another end user), all 6.X versions talk to each other, but 6.02 self destructed on April 1. It's like bad 60s TV, but without the spooky cool theme music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA2KmJMKFrQ

best,

Evan Ludeman / T8

6.02 release notes:

http://flarm.com/wp-content/uploads/...easeNotes..pdf

It claims that the expiration date is 2017. Either I'm wrong or that's a misprint. IIRC I got a warning message from flarm about impending expiry on my panel display in mid March... I didn't pay much attention to this because I had the software update ready to install anyway. Perhaps someone else will confirm.

best,
Evan

I've just finished updating my CORE. In the 6.06 release notes (which you cannot cut and paste since it has an encrypted password):

"Compatibility
Every FLARM device has to be updated with the latest firmware at least once a year (rolling 12 months). This will ensure compatibility with all other FLARM devices. If you haven't updated your device within the last 12 months, you have to update now!

The firmware may no longer be compatible with other FLARM devices 12 months after being downloaded from www.flarm.com. In addition, the firmware will automatically stop to operate [sic] on 30 September 2017.

The data port (serial interface) is fully compatible with previous 6.0xx releases. Remote displays, moving maps, etc. will therefore not require and update because of this release."

In the PFC00xxx.txt (which describes what is going on as the device boots; xxx is my serial number) file, it now says:
{bunch of stuff deleted}...
00011.521 INFO Soft firmware expiry: 2017-09-01 (1504224000 seconds after epoch)
00011.521 INFO Hard firmware expiry: 2017-10-01 (1506816000 seconds after epoch)
....
so it looks like you'll get a warning from 1 Sep to 29 Sep 2017, and it will shut down on the 30th.

Dan
2D