Flarmnet

It would be great if somebody came up with a non-proprietary, affordable equivalent to FLARM.

Thanks in advance if anybody ever does it. I like the concept. I really do. But not enough to fork this much cash.

Thanks in advance if anybody ever does it. I like the concept. I really do. But not enough to fork this much cash.



It only needs to work once to pay for itself, and it has
already done that for me.

Shaun
Once you spend a week flying with others at a Flarm mandatory event you will be AMAZED at how many gliders you never see and how many close calls you will have but would have NEVER even seen.
As Joe Simmers stated you only need one save for it to pay for itself, I've had many.
Cheap insurance if you ask me and IT WORKS GREAT!

Sorry to hijack this thread but Shaun someone already has. $60 plus a smart phone running XCSoar is all you need.

https://github.com/lyusupov/SoftRF/w...e-Edition-MkII

On Tue, 03 Mar 2020 19:34:25 -0800, Wyll Surf Air wrote:

Sorry to hijack this thread but Shaun someone already has. $60 plus a
smart phone running XCSoar is all you need.

https://github.com/lyusupov/SoftRF/w...e-Edition-MkII

There's a big problem with that system: most other aircraft, which -if
they carry any conspicuity device, will have ADSB, UAT, PilotAware, FLARM
or PowerFLARM, won't be able to see it.

Given that FLARM is the defacto global standard system, the last thing we
need is yet another conspicuity device that's not FLARM-compatible.

Having Pilot Aware is bad enough, but at least that system can see where
FLARM-equipped aircraft are via the OGN network.

However, it IS interesting to know that you think your life isn't worth
£1000 ($1300).



--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

@Martin that us just plain wrong. The Soft RF can be picked up by any Flarm or Power Flarm equipped aircraft. I have used it at contest before and I was able to see all my competitors and they were all able to see me. I agree it would be nice to have ADSB in as well but for $60 you can get 80% of what flarm does for 5% the cost. Paired with a good transponder and it works well for me. I think technology's like this are the future of soaring. If we can't make the sport more affordable then we run the risk of it dying out all together.

I don’t want some idiot staring at his flarm hoping it saves them or me. I want that idiots eyes OUT of the cockpit and scanning for traffic. How did most of us ever keep from smacking into each other in pre-flarm decades when we had 70 plus glider contests doing out n returns? We managed just fine cause guys knew they had to depend on their vigilance to stay alive.. And before you rush in and say back in the “old days� we did have a bunch of midairs, let me remind you that the vast majority of those were in gaggles with a bunch of guys where a flarm is useless and only your eyes and personal vigilance counted.

On Wed, 04 Mar 2020 11:23:24 -0800, uneekcowgirl wrote:

I don’t want some idiot staring at his flarm hoping it saves them or me.
I want that idiots eyes OUT of the cockpit and scanning for traffic. How
did most of us ever keep from smacking into each other in pre-flarm
decades when we had 70 plus glider contests doing out n returns? We
managed just fine cause guys knew they had to depend on their vigilance
to stay alive. And before you rush in and say back in the “old days� we
did have a bunch of midairs, let me remind you that the vast majority of
those were in gaggles with a bunch of guys where a flarm is useless and
only your eyes and personal vigilance counted.

A FLARM makes rapid, loud beeps that get your attention if a problem is
shaping up, so you don't have to look at it at all if you're in traffic.
Also, if everybody is being sensible the FLARM should not sound off at
all. I've often been in multiply occupied thermals with FLARM staying
silent because everybody was paying attention and flying safely.

I use the old-fashioned clockface display with 12 green/red LEDs for
direction and another two for bandit above/below. It may not show as much
detail as an all singing, all dancing multicolour display, but its easy
to see what you need to know in a rapid single glance before looking out
in the relevant direction, seeing the bandit, and acting accordingly.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

Martin, the issue is dependance on an alert vs scan diligence. I fly pipeline patrol in the winter in and out of naval moa’s. I have dual garmin 430’s with adsb in out and every bell n whistle one could dream of including audible warning annunciation. The problem comes when encountering someone who’s adsb is inop or not on etc. I have encountered naval training flights on three separate occasions who had no signal presence.. I found them in my scan and avoided. The problem becomes a real one and is becoming more so every day when folks are subconsciously “trusting� their flarm to alert them.
Dan

On Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:10:24 -0800, uneekcowgirl wrote:

Martin, the issue is dependance on an alert vs scan diligence.

Fair point. It's a long time since I've flown a glider without FLARM
fitted. All our club gliders are equipped as well as my Libelle, which
got it installed nine years ago. My eyes are outside despite having FLARM
because there are still some non-FLARM gliders around as well as blind GA
drivers.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org