PowerFLARM deployment issues

OK, PowerFlarm is coming to the USA

The orders are in, mostly, at least everyone that wants one in the
first phase.

We get to wait until April (or there about) to actually see what we
are buying.

In the mean time, now the work begins to make this a successful
deployment.

Unfortunately the timing SUCKS; The new units arrive just as the
Northern US pilots prepare for the first flights of the season. No
one wants to have their ship down for more than a few days for this
new device. I'd hate to see this deployment delayed for any reason
and wanting to fly is the biggest reason to postpone installation.

The $64K question: What can we prepare in advance or need to prepare
to really get the installation to be dirt simple?

I encourage the whole soaring community to chime in here and list
potential installation issues in the hopes that the more we identify
before the actually installation, the more we can resolve ahead of
time. FLAMERs and WHINERS backoff! Let's make this a constructive
process, Please.

Some of my thoughts, in no particular priority:

1) Software programmers need details about whatever changes are needed
in the various flight computer programs:
How to display an ADS-B equipped aircraft?
What does the mode-C transponder alert look like?
Any changes in the NMEA stream from the existing FLARM systems?

2) Mounting systems, brackets, possible locations for both the Brick/
Display and the Standalone unit.

3) These systems have a more powerful radio transceiver, I know
testing is taking place, but how about sharing some details so we can
start planning the changes in our cockpits? How can we avoid potential
interference with communications or other GPS systems? (two GPS
antenna in close proximity can have some problems, I've been told)

4) How do we do input into audio systems for power tow planes so that
alerts can be heard in the noisy cockpit?

These are just a few of the first concerns I have. What are you
thinking will be a challenge for your installation(s)?

Mike

On 12/3/2010 4:30 PM, SoaringXCellence wrote:
OK, PowerFlarm is coming to the USA

The orders are in, mostly, at least everyone that wants one in the
first phase.

We get to wait until April (or there about) to actually see what we
are buying.

In the mean time, now the work begins to make this a successful
deployment.

I'd REALLY like to have manuals for both the brick and the portable unit
as soon as possible, preferably before I need to make choice between the
two. That would answer my questions.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl
- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what
you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz

I'll second Eric's request: a manual now would be a very big help, to
operators, to instructors, to avionics shops, and obviously to the
software folks who will be working on compatibility issues. Let's get
those manuals out! Fred

Let me try to speak for all of Europe here (hmmm..)

Apart from the usual teething problems with software driven devices, the one
single issue that has crystallized over the years where the European FLARM
has been in use, is the placement of the Flarm antenna (not the GPS antenna,
not the transponder-related stuff (I think Powerflarm has 3 antennas?), but
the Flarm antenna)

The placing of this antenna is crucial to the performance (range, blind
spots) of your FLARM. The antenna must be out in the open, as far away from
metal parts and other items that could block its view as possible.
There is information on the FLARM homepage and Forum, and there is also a
software tool to analyze your FLARM's range.

So if you can only focus on one thing at a time (as your wife will probably
tell you is the case), focus on this installation issue.

Cheers,
Lars Peder
DG-600 EE, Denmark


"SoaringXCellence" wrote in message
...
OK, PowerFlarm is coming to the USA
,,,

The $64K question: What can we prepare in advance or need to prepare
to really get the installation to be dirt simple?

I encourage the whole soaring community to chime in here and list
potential installation issues in the hopes that the more we identify
before the actually installation,

On Dec 4, 12:38*am, "Lars Peder Hansen"
wrote:
Let me try to speak for all of Europe here (hmmm..)

Apart from the usual teething problems with software driven devices, the one
single issue that has crystallized over the years where the European FLARM
has been in use, is the placement of the Flarm antenna (not the GPS antenna,
not the transponder-related stuff (I think Powerflarm has 3 antennas?), but
the Flarm antenna)

The placing of this antenna is crucial to the performance (range, blind
spots) of your FLARM. The antenna must be out in the open, as far away from
metal parts and other items that could block its view as possible.
There is information on the FLARM homepage and Forum, and there is also a
software tool to analyze your FLARM's range.

So if you can only focus on one thing at a time (as your wife will probably
tell you is the case), focus on this installation issue.

Cheers,
Lars Peder
DG-600 EE, Denmark

"SoaringXCellence" wrote in message

... OK, PowerFlarm is coming to the USA

,,,

The $64K question: What can we prepare in advance or need to prepare
to really get the installation to be dirt simple?

I encourage the whole soaring community to chime in here and list
potential installation issues in the hopes that the more we identify
before the actually installation,



BTW PowerFLARM has dual Flarm antennas, one standard and a connector
to allow an additional external mounted antenna as an option.

PowerFLARM (at least in the the USA) also operates at higher power
that Flarm in Europe etc. -- this is for technical reasons due to the
915MHz band it is operating on in the USA. This may reduce sensitivity
to antenna placement.

We'll need to see how all this works in practice once we have units in
out hands.

Darryl

As far as preparation goes...
Add a circuit to your electrical system for the FLARM.
It's the same connector and wiring as Volkslogger, one end of a CAT5
cable (you likely have one somewhere with a broken latch on the other
end).
If you're buying the "brick" behind the panel version, build a shelf
for the brick that you can mount when the unit finally arrives.
Set-top box you can use heavy duty Velcro on top of the panel, if you
will still be able to see. Look at Darryl's blog for a cardboard
cutout you can fool around with.
http://www.darryl-ramm.com/2010/08/b...m-paper-model/
There are images depicting transponder traffic on gliderpilot.org,
for example:
http://www.gliderpilot.org/FLARM-who-will-I-see
Jim

On Dec 5, 12:34*pm, JS wrote:

* There are images depicting transponder traffic on gliderpilot.org,
for example:http://www.gliderpilot.org/FLARM-who-will-I-see


I'm a bit concerned that the present definition of the data displayed
in response to a proximate transponder is less than I get with my ZAON
PCAS. I'd like the FLARM folks to add the target altitude rate
information. ZAON MRX just shows an up or down arrow but there seems
to be room on the PowerFLARM display to put an up/down arrow and an
altitude rate number. I'd like the option to make the arrow and alt
rate number either absolute for the target or relative to my current
climb rate.

Andy