Improved live tracking for the SSA membership?

That's strange Sean, for IGCDroid I just turn it on before takeoff. I charge my cell phone every night. I've had it on for almost every soaring flight I've.made, broadcasting to the SSA tracking page, for the last two years

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

As a couple of others have said, in Europe, the Flarm Net system has
essentially set itself up, at no additional cost to pilots. In the UK, we
have gone from nothing, to almost 100% coverage in a couple of years, as
people saw the utility of the system, and just expanded it.

In the UK it is entirely a voluntary system, with both individuals and
clubs able to make their own decisions on whether to install a Flarm,
whether to register it, or whether to carry on as they are. While I've no
real evidence base, I think the majority of private owners have installed
Flarm, but with a lower proportion registering (unregistered flarm shows on
the network, but with no a/c details). Many clubs have also chosen to
install Flarm in club a/c, which both improves safety and allows them to
track the fleet. On the back of this, more enthusiasts have developed
software that allows flight logging (see Jim White's post) and live
competition scoring and tracking (onglide). In the UK it is now normal to
see crews and visitors following the comp either on a tablet or smartphone
or on screen provided by the organisers.

All of this has happened almost by accident. It started with an enthusiast
building a receiver and publishing the results on sites like this. Others
decided to replicate, and the network grew. While many of the receivers
are now based at gliding sites, most are still built and maintained by
volunteers. There may be some challenges in the USA due to geography.
Better solutions might come up, but this is available now, and given the
very low costs, you have virtually nothing to lose. Until you try, you
won't know. If just a couple of those in favour build a receiver, and tell
others it's there, you might be surprised by the results.

On Monday, 17 April 2017 08:59:56 UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
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.

True, but even with that extra Guy Byers effort to make it "easy" for contest organizers to migrate tasks directly, the reality is that tasks are almost never active in Glideport.aero for SSA contests. Just look at Perry right now. And honestly, entering a task doesn't really have to be integrated.. Entering a task into GP.aero is simple and takes under a minute. Less with a few days of practice. Obviously, see adoption and usage statistics, it was probably not worth the hassle to build this integration.

The key problem (in my view) remains the hodge-podge of various trackers (or no tracker at all) and complete lack of leadership and standards. Here is my report from today:

"---SSA Tracking Report Day 1 Perry---

...............And there off!.............I think? Where are they going? We have no idea. No tasks. Zzzzzzz. And, moving on....in roughly thirty seconds to something useful...

1) No Tasks are programmed into Glideport.aero, so we no idea where they are going.
2) Only about 10% of the gliders have altitude information (Mobile App or InReach). These tracks provide some value at least.
3) 60% of the sailplanes are using Spot trackers (awful). Many of those are updating far less than every 10 minutes.
4) 25%-40% of the competitors appear to have no tracking device, whatsoever....
5) Nico Bennett track is showing up in Perry's 18m class, even though he is flying a long flight in Florida (actually much more interesting than watching Perry as he has a good high quality continuous Mobil track, GO NICO!)

Dismal."

Obviously, todays Perry "tracking experience" was not very exciting, so I stopped almost immediately. But here are some screen shots for each class for reference.

Like 🇦🇺 Australia's SSA (GFA) has shown us, the SSA desperately needs a standardized, unified tracking device for all SSA contest pilots. At present, all the effort that has been put into Glideport.aero is being COMPLETELY WASTED. The SSA needs to require the contest organizers (just as they are required to meet certain guidelines) to take the two minutes necessary to enter the tasks into GP.aero. At the end of the day, successful, well adopted and exciting tracking will come down to the SSAs vision and leadership. So far, the current results are no surprise.

Here are some "riveting" screenshots of the SSAs "state of the art" tracking system from today's Perry Contest on GlidePort.aero (which is an amazing tool...if...the competitors and organizers feed it with good data)...

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0tGWBC59GlHo6c

On Monday, 17 April 2017 14:48:32 UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
True, but even with that extra Guy Byers effort to make it "easy" for contest organizers to migrate tasks directly, the reality is that tasks are almost never active in Glideport.aero for SSA contests. Just look at Perry right now. And honestly, entering a task doesn't really have to be integrated. Entering a task into GP.aero is simple and takes under a minute. Less with a few days of practice. Obviously, see adoption and usage statistics, it was probably not worth the hassle to build this integration.

The key problem (in my view) remains the hodge-podge of various trackers (or no tracker at all) and complete lack of leadership and standards. Here is my report from today:

"---SSA Tracking Report Day 1 Perry---

..............And there off!.............I think? Where are they going? We have no idea. No tasks. Zzzzzzz. And, moving on....in roughly thirty seconds to something useful...

1) No Tasks are programmed into Glideport.aero, so we no idea where they are going.
2) Only about 10% of the gliders have altitude information (Mobile App or InReach). These tracks provide some value at least.
3) 60% of the sailplanes are using Spot trackers (awful). Many of those are updating far less than every 10 minutes.
4) 25%-40% of the competitors appear to have no tracking device, whatsoever...
5) Nico Bennett track is showing up in Perry's 18m class, even though he is flying a long flight in Florida (actually much more interesting than watching Perry as he has a good high quality continuous Mobil track, GO NICO!)

Dismal."

Obviously, todays Perry "tracking experience" was not very exciting, so I stopped almost immediately. But here are some screen shots for each class for reference.

Like 🇦🇺 Australia's SSA (GFA) has shown us, the SSA desperately needs a standardized, unified tracking device for all SSA contest pilots. At present, all the effort that has been put into Glideport.aero is being COMPLETELY WASTED. The SSA needs to require the contest organizers (just as they are required to meet certain guidelines) to take the two minutes necessary to enter the tasks into GP.aero. At the end of the day, successful, well adopted and exciting tracking will come down to the SSAs vision and leadership. So far, the current results are no surprise.

Here are some "riveting" screenshots of the SSAs "state of the art" tracking system from today's Perry Contest on GlidePort.aero (which is an amazing tool...if...the competitors and organizers feed it with good data)...

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0tGWBC59GlHo6c

The integration with WINSCORE IMHO was the way to go as the tasks have to be entered for scoring purposes anyway.

Your statement of 'The SSA needs to require the contest organizers (just as they are required to meet certain guidelines) ...' is hilarious at best. The SSA cannot require this type of action, at best they can encourage. What is the SSA going to do, fire the people, fine them or invalidate the results of the contest? We are fortunate that folks are willing and able to organize and run events and the SSA should not place any more requirements on them then what is absolutely necessary.

Most organizers are concentrated on the logistics of the day, getting everyone off and on the airport safely and keeping equipment in great shape for safety purposes. After that anything else is a bonus.

If you look at the R5 Regional FB page you will see pictures that show their priorities are geared more towards social events and providing a great experience for folks that are attended and paying the entry fee then providing desk chained folks tasks on the tracking map.

If you really want to see this happen put a proposal together for the SSA BOD and ask them to spend part of the ~$22K per year they collect in contest sanctioning fees on tracking hardware and what is needed to ship them around. I am sure if you are willing to coordinator for the first couple of years that would really help.

The SSA already requires its sanctioned contest organizers do several things in order to be sanctioned. Thing such as writing a pilots kit, securing a CD, submitting a budget, buying Costello event insurance, following SSA rules and guidelines, etc. Trust me, this is not a very high bar for an organizer to get over.

These SSA standards are similar to FAI events standards. The FAI also requires certain standards to be met. Same for FAI SGP.

So the quality of the event is generally governed by the organizing authority.

Moving forward, SSA contest organizers should be required to take the two (measly) minutes each day to enter the tasks into Glideport.aero per some new SSA contest guideline/requirement. Or required them to simply use the integration to push the task out of winscore. Or the SSA should designate someone enter tasks for all contests remotely (organizer is required to send that person an email each day with the task). SOMETHING! ANYTHING! It's simply not being done. It needs to be done consistently. Otherwise all the effort in developing Glideport.aero is a complete waste. This requirement would be a wonderful improvement for an SSA organization which (thru its apathetic attitude towards technology) has created (for itself) a sport with an average (and increasing steadily) age of the upper sixties (per almost zero focus on youth for decades now) and is therefore so obscure to outsiders that it's "sport" (are all TATs even a sport or is it more of a pastime, like golf?) is almost impossible to follow, even for people who know exactly what they are looking for, even in today's modern world (well, that is to say modern outside the SSA)...

If the idea of requiring the SSAs tracking investment (Glideport.aero) to be used (properly) by contest organizers hilarious to you, I'm not sure what to say. For me, what is hilarious (and sad) is how ridiculously low the contest organizer bar is being allowed to be. What's hilarious and sad is how poorly the SSA represents itself outside of the the SSA insiders club.

The SSA, IN SO MANY WAYS, needs to raise itself off the floor and to have some respect for itself and it's brand (outside of the good old boy network that controls it).

The first step in improving Glideport.aero tracking for SSA contests is to REQUIRE contest organizers enter the tasks into Glideport.aero. The second is that pilots ensure that their trackers are operating properly. The third is for the general group to actually give a **** and stop walking around in three day old clothes (so to speak).

Clean yourself up SSA! Have some respect for yourself. Care enough to ask the organizers to use your own tracking investment.

The SSA already requires prospective contest organizers to do several things in order to be sanctioned. Things such as writing a pilots kit, securing a CD, submitting a budget, buying Costello event insurance, following SSA rules and various other guidelines, etc. Trust me, this is not a very high bar for an organizer to get over. If they fail to do so the SSA will, I assume, refuse to sanction the event. For example: if an organizer used FAI rules (and ditched SSA rules), the event would no longer be sanctioned and an emergency SSA BOD meeting would be immediately called to order to deal with said blasphemy ... ;-)

So, SSA requirements exist. The FAI also requires certain standards to be met. Same for FAI SGP.

So the quality of the event is generally governed and maintained by the organizing authority thru these requirements.

Today, the SSA tracking investment is a miserable failure. In large part due to it not being managed by the contest organizers.

Moving forward, SSA contest organizers should be required to take the two (measly) minutes each day to enter the tasks into Glideport.aero per some new SSA contest guideline/requirement. Or required them to simply use the integration to push the task out of winscore. Or the SSA should designate someone enter tasks for all contests remotely (organizer is required to send that person an email each day with the task). SOMETHING! ANYTHING! It's simply not being done. It needs to be done consistently. Otherwise all the effort in developing Glideport.aero is a complete waste.

Adding this requirement would be a wonderful improvement for an SSA organization which (thru its apathetic attitude towards technology) has created (for itself) a sport with an average (and increasing steadily) age of the upper sixties (per almost zero focus on youth for decades now) and is therefore so obscure to outsiders that it's "sport" (are all TATs contests even a sport? Or are SSA TAT "socials" more of a pastime, like golf?) is almost impossible to follow, even for people who know exactly what they are looking for, even in today's modern world (well, that is to say modern outside the SSA)...

If the idea of requiring the SSAs tracking investment (Glideport.aero) to be used (properly) by contest organizers hilarious to you, I'm not sure what I can say to you. For me, what is hilarious (and sad) is how ridiculously low the contest organizer bar is being allowed to be. What's hilarious and sad is how poorly the SSA represents itself outside of the the SSA insiders club. What is hilarious is how poorly the SSAs tracking system is turning out to be (people, process, technology).

The SSA, IN SO MANY WAYS, needs to raise itself off the floor and to have some respect for itself and it's brand (a focus outside of the anti technology good old boy network that controls it).

The first step in improving Glideport.aero tracking for SSA contests is to REQUIRE contest organizers enter the tasks into Glideport.aero. I'm asking for two minutes day one, 30 seconds a day after). The second is that pilots ensure that their trackers are operating properly. The third is for the general group to actually give a **** and stop walking around in three day old clothes (so to speak).

Clean yourself up SSA! Have some respect for yourself and your investments.. Care enough to ask the organizers to use your own tracking investment.

LEADERSHIP. Where is it?

I should not have to submit a proposal. I'm not an officer of the SSA. These are simple table stakes. Are we inept or are we not?

Next time an Australian race with trackers is on see if you can get nonflying friends or coworkers to sit through it. Let us know how it goes.
On Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at 10:50:30 AM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
The SSA already requires prospective contest organizers to do several things in order to be sanctioned. Things such as writing a pilots kit, securing a CD, submitting a budget, buying Costello event insurance, following SSA rules and various other guidelines, etc. Trust me, this is not a very high bar for an organizer to get over. If they fail to do so the SSA will, I assume, refuse to sanction the event. For example: if an organizer used FAI rules (and ditched SSA rules), the event would no longer be sanctioned and an emergency SSA BOD meeting would be immediately called to order to deal with said blasphemy ... ;-)

So, SSA requirements exist. The FAI also requires certain standards to be met. Same for FAI SGP.

So the quality of the event is generally governed and maintained by the organizing authority thru these requirements.

Today, the SSA tracking investment is a miserable failure. In large part due to it not being managed by the contest organizers.

Moving forward, SSA contest organizers should be required to take the two (measly) minutes each day to enter the tasks into Glideport.aero per some new SSA contest guideline/requirement. Or required them to simply use the integration to push the task out of winscore. Or the SSA should designate someone enter tasks for all contests remotely (organizer is required to send that person an email each day with the task). SOMETHING! ANYTHING! It's simply not being done. It needs to be done consistently. Otherwise all the effort in developing Glideport.aero is a complete waste.

Adding this requirement would be a wonderful improvement for an SSA organization which (thru its apathetic attitude towards technology) has created (for itself) a sport with an average (and increasing steadily) age of the upper sixties (per almost zero focus on youth for decades now) and is therefore so obscure to outsiders that it's "sport" (are all TATs contests even a sport? Or are SSA TAT "socials" more of a pastime, like golf?) is almost impossible to follow, even for people who know exactly what they are looking for, even in today's modern world (well, that is to say modern outside the SSA)...

If the idea of requiring the SSAs tracking investment (Glideport.aero) to be used (properly) by contest organizers hilarious to you, I'm not sure what I can say to you. For me, what is hilarious (and sad) is how ridiculously low the contest organizer bar is being allowed to be. What's hilarious and sad is how poorly the SSA represents itself outside of the the SSA insiders club. What is hilarious is how poorly the SSAs tracking system is turning out to be (people, process, technology).

The SSA, IN SO MANY WAYS, needs to raise itself off the floor and to have some respect for itself and it's brand (a focus outside of the anti technology good old boy network that controls it).

The first step in improving Glideport.aero tracking for SSA contests is to REQUIRE contest organizers enter the tasks into Glideport.aero. I'm asking for two minutes day one, 30 seconds a day after). The second is that pilots ensure that their trackers are operating properly. The third is for the general group to actually give a **** and stop walking around in three day old clothes (so to speak).

Clean yourself up SSA! Have some respect for yourself and your investments. Care enough to ask the organizers to use your own tracking investment.

LEADERSHIP. Where is it?

I should not have to submit a proposal. I'm not an officer of the SSA. These are simple table stakes. Are we inept or are we not?

On Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at 10:50:30 AM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:

Today, the SSA tracking investment is a miserable failure. In large part due to it not being managed by the contest organizers.

Maybe you misunderstand the purpose of the tracker.

I think there is a lot more interest on seeing at a glance who's still flying, who's landed (& where) than watching bug races. The really excellent thing about the tracker as is is that it takes takes one link that works anywhere you happen to be. Very cool & well done Lane and Pedja.

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8