GliderLink - New team soaring app for airborne location sharing

Spring has sort-of almost arrived here, and I finally got to try Gliderlink in the air. Only briefly, since the other glider with the device didn't stay up very long. But I got solid reports of his whereabouts from more than 10 miles away, even after he landed.

The new version of the app, which uses GPS time to synchronize the units (rather than the Android system clock), makes it easy to turn on the spare old phones that I have dedicated for this purpose and get the app working in short order. Thanks Ben.

Looking forward to some actual buddy flying with it. Anybody else using it?

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Looking forward to some actual buddy flying with it. Anybody else using it?

Exactly, finding a buddy interested in trying out useful gadgets like this one is the issue for me. Ionia, Michigan.

On Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 9:43:14 PM UTC-4, Tom BravoMike wrote:
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Looking forward to some actual buddy flying with it. Anybody else using it?

Exactly, finding a buddy interested in trying out useful gadgets like this one is the issue for me. Ionia, Michigan.

I've had some people tell me that if you want to buddy-fly you should stay within visual range. I think there are different types of buddy flying possible, which this technology makes easier. E.g., I'll look for lift on this ridge, you check out that other ridge 3 miles away, then we'll rendezvous again wherever the lift is better. Another issue is the distraction of having to look at yet another screen. I wish it was integrated with the glide computer that I am using anyway, but not there yet*. I expect to only look at it occasionally when needing to find each other. And if I am planting the device in a glider with a less experienced pilot, for a "mentoring" flight, my plan is to put it out of reach behind that pilot's seat, thus no distraction - I'll be the one finding them. Anyway that's the theory, to be tried out soon.

*) I gather there is some sort of integration with XCsoar, but only if both are running within the same device. I use a Nook for Tophat (larger, higher-contrast screen) and a spare smartphone for GliderLink (new enough, unlike the Nook which is Android 2.x and no Bluetooth).

GliderLink integration is now available in the beta version of XCSoar. GliderLink must be running (and connected to a goTenna) at the same time as XCSoar. GliderLink passes glider locations to XCSoar, and XCSoar displays them the same way it shows Flarm targets.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...xcsoar.testing

On Monday, May 13, 2019 at 8:18:27 PM UTC-7, wrote:
GliderLink integration is now available in the beta version of XCSoar. GliderLink must be running (and connected to a goTenna) at the same time as XCSoar. GliderLink passes glider locations to XCSoar, and XCSoar displays them the same way it shows Flarm targets.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...xcsoar.testing

Great news, Ben! I hope to try out my GoTenna devices soon, finally.

So I tried some buddy flying with Gliderlink recently. For a while it worked, and my buddy (who is not used to Gliderlink at all) thought it was great. Then we stopped "seeing" each other on the gizmo. I never figured out why, but I think one of us accidentally hit the goTenna "slide switch" and thus turned off the connection. This brings forth two suggestions:

(1) for users, play with it on the ground and get used to the app, so that you can solve app problems in the air without needing more attention than we can muster while flying. It also may help if you mount the goTenna somewhere where you can see it, then if it disconnects you will see its LED blinking.

(2) for Ben: perhaps move that switch to somewhere less prone to an accidental tap, e.g., inside the goTenna status menu item.

Moshe, some possible reasons that you stopped seeing each other on GliderLink:

1) If the phone loses it's GPS fix, it will stop broadcasting your location. This can happen if the phone is in a pocket without a clear view of the sky. I will add a notification to GliderLink when this happens.

2) If the goTenna firmware has not been updated to the latest, it may be suffering from the known problem that causes it to lose the bluetooth connection to your phone.

3) The goTenna battery may have died. This is less likely because the goTenna battery lasts quite a while.

On Monday, June 17, 2019 at 12:50:15 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Moshe, some possible reasons that you stopped seeing each other on GliderLink:

1) If the phone loses it's GPS fix, it will stop broadcasting your location. This can happen if the phone is in a pocket without a clear view of the sky. I will add a notification to GliderLink when this happens.

2) If the goTenna firmware has not been updated to the latest, it may be suffering from the known problem that causes it to lose the bluetooth connection to your phone.

3) The goTenna battery may have died. This is less likely because the goTenna battery lasts quite a while.

The firmware is from this past spring. And the battery was fine. Loss of GPS signal could have happened. But it was working up to that point, and never started working again after that point in the flight. What happens if one taps the goTenna slider accidentally? Presumably disconnecting from the goTenna and not reconnecting again unless one taps it again?