When will my portable powerFLARM have its logger functionality?

[Sean F (F2)]

If it already does, my apologies. Its been a year and a half. When will this feature be available to me as it was a significant part of the reason that I purchased one. I am becoming less and less fond of the permanent indefiniteness of this process.

Thanks,

Sean
F2

[Andrzej Kobus]

Delays and delays I wonder if it will be months or years...

[K]

I have V2.6 which is (Or was when it was loaded) A beta version of the logger. Will let you know how it works in April.

[ifee...@hotmail.com]

I intend to install PowerFLARM for 2014 and I'm starting to wonder if the IGC approval will be completed by then, let alone this season.

[Tim Newport-Peace]

At 07:56 18 February 2013, ifee...@hotmail.com wrote:
>I intend to install PowerFLARM for 2014 and I'm starting to wonder if the
>IGC approval will be completed by then, let alone this season.
>

Have patience. Powerflarm only arrived with IGC on New Years Eve.
Only a politician (whose promises are worth what?) would promise a date,
but expect it ‘real soon now’.

[waremark]

Is the European 'Core' version going to be an IGC approved logger? Will this apply to units already supplied?

[Darryl Ramm]

Looks like they are planning on it as a paid upgrade. See http://www.powerflarm.aero/index.php/en/powerflarm-d/40-powerflarm-core-traffic-sensor-en

[Evan Ludeman]

For Europe. US Info: http://powerflarm.us/specs/

T8

[SteveB_Z5]

Who will get IGC approval first, Flarm or ClearNav? (I now have 2 "almost" loggers in my glider.)
Steve

[cochra...@gmail.com]

>
> Looks like they are planning on it as a paid upgrade. See http://www.powerflarm.aero/index.php/en/powerflarm-d/40-powerflarm-core-traffic-sensor-en

Rather, it looks like they are planning to sell a cheaper version without ADSB and IGC logger. Those of us who bought cores in the US got the fancy version. We won't pay more, but may regret not having waited for the option to pay less.

If they have logger software submitted to IGC, I don't get why we can't use the logger now without IGC blessing. US contests no not require IGC blessing, we just need IGC files.

John Cochrane

[Evan Ludeman]

On Monday, February 18, 2013 3:47:47 PM UTC-5, cochra...@gmail.com wrote:

> If they have logger software submitted to IGC, I don't get why we can't use the logger now without IGC blessing. US contests no not require IGC blessing, we just need IGC files.
>
>
>
> John Cochrane

We can't use it because it hasn't been released!

Also waiting on the capability to update my Butterfly display thru powerflarm brick. Spring's coming guys....

T8

[Sean F (F2)]

Exactly right John.

PowerFLARM. Please "cough up" the software today as an unapproved (soon to be, of course ;-)) logger release that we can, for example, use for OLC. Waiting for the IGC is not necessary. Prove to us that this is in the pipeline :-)!

It may calm the mob for a few days...

It would take about 5 minutes to upload this file to your website and make the announcement. Thanks in advance!

Sean

F2

[cochra...@gmail.com]

On Monday, February 18, 2013 2:47:32 PM UTC-6, SteveB_Z5 wrote:
> Who will get IGC approval first, Flarm or ClearNav? (I now have 2 "almost" loggers in my glider.)
>
> Steve
>

Better, who will let us download an IGC file with G record first, IGC blessing or no IGC blessing. I too have two almost loggers and two real loggers, and anxious to get rid of a few!

John Cochrane

[FLARM]

http://flarm.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=468&p=1397
I guess we should not have hidden it that well...
Will make files on powerflarm.us available within 24h.
Next release will shortly after we get the IGC approval (='real soon now')

[Sean F (F2)]

Thanks! That is awesome!

Sean

[noel.wade]

Thank you! Yes, some of us can't keep up with every message board out
there. :-) Announcements via RAS, SSA e-News, Soaring Cafe, or other
"news" sites are good. :-)

So if I get this right, we simply update the PF unit with this
firmware:
http://flarm.invisionzone.com/index.php?s=f837b24ec0bf9e787121dde5c7496926&app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=17

Then Log files will be written to an attached USB stick when the USB
stick is attached to the device during power-up.

Question #1: Does the device only write the _last_ flight (IGC file)?
Or all flights? Or does it check the USB directory and write only
missing flights?
Question #2: How does one clear out old logs (so the device memory/
storage system does not get full)? Does it automatically overwrite old
files? Or is there a manual process for clearing? Or do files get
wiped out as they are written to a USB stick?

Thanks again,

--Noel

[FLARM]

On Monday, February 18, 2013 2:34:34 PM UTC-8, noel.wade wrote:
> Thank you! Yes, some of us can't keep up with every message board out
>
> there. :-) Announcements via RAS, SSA e-News, Soaring Cafe, or other
>
> "news" sites are good. :-)
>
>
>
> So if I get this right, we simply update the PF unit with this
>
> firmware:
>
> http://flarm.invisionzone.com/index.php?s=f837b24ec0bf9e787121dde5c7496926&app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=17
>
>
>
> Then Log files will be written to an attached USB stick when the USB
>
> stick is attached to the device during power-up.
>
>
>
> Question #1: Does the device only write the _last_ flight (IGC file)?
>
> Or all flights? Or does it check the USB directory and write only
>
> missing flights?
>
> Question #2: How does one clear out old logs (so the device memory/
>
> storage system does not get full)? Does it automatically overwrite old
>
> files? Or is there a manual process for clearing? Or do files get
>
> wiped out as they are written to a USB stick?
>
>
>
> Thanks again,
>
>
>
> --Noel

For v2.60 go to http://powerflarm.us/manuals-software-updates-and-release-notes/
then scroll down to "Firmware Updates for Portable and Brick"
Don't worry about the 'Beta' this was released in October and we have not found a bug in the flight recording yet.

Q1&2 PowerFLARM keeps the last flights in internal memory and overwrites oldest when the memory gets full. If a USB stick or SD card (depending on model) is detected it writes all the internal files out onto that media.
There is a way to manually clear all flights, but why would you care?

[Matt Herron Jr.]

I flew with a PowerFlarm Brick and V2.6 last weekend, and was able to get a log file via the USB method. It opened in SeeYou just fine. USB downloads is a real pain though. I am waiting eagerly for Serial downloads through my V7 to my Oudie, please...

And send the Naviter guys a portable and brick ASAP, please. They don't have one to debug their end!

Matt

[ifee...@hotmail.com]

Somewhat off topic, but I was recently asked what the altitude information that the PowerFLARM unit broadcasts for collision prevention is derived from. One person thought it was GPS but I assume it is pressure altitude. Couldn't find the answer on their site.

[Darryl Ramm]

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 11:35:04 PM UTC-8, ifee...@hotmail.com wrote:
> Somewhat off topic, but I was recently asked what the altitude information that the PowerFLARM unit broadcasts for collision prevention is derived from. One person thought it was GPS but I assume it is pressure altitude. Couldn't find the answer on their site.

Been discussed on r.a.s. many times, all Flarm units broadcast altitude based on GPS.

Darryl

[ifee...@hotmail.com]

Thanks Darryl! My assumption that it would be pressure altitude was just based on transponders using pressure altitude too. In the mountains I fly in I've only ever lost 3D GPS data three times so I guess GPS altitude should work alright.

[kirk.stant]

On Friday, March 1, 2013 9:54:33 AM UTC+1, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:

> For "Real Soon Now" read "Now!"

Excellent!

Kirk
66

[Paul Remde]

Thank you Tim for everything you do for soaring!!!!

It is great news that the PowerFLARM Core (Brick) and Portable have now been
IGC approved!!!

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
______________________________

"Tim Newport-Peace" wrote in message
news:i2bfKCAJ...@spsys.demon.co.uk...

X-no-archive: yes
In article <d3685706-7ab8-4d4d...@googlegroups.com>,
FLARM <in...@flarm.com> writes

>Will make files on powerflarm.us available within 24h.
>Next release will shortly after we get the IGC approval (='real soon now')

For "Real Soon Now" read "Now!"

See IGC web-page and:

http://www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/approvals/powerflarm.pdf


Tim Newport-Peace t...@spsys.demon.co.uk

"Indecision is the Key to Flexibility."

[John Carlyle]

Tim,

Thanks for the notice. But, there's a problem: I downloaded the 2013-2 update DLL for Flarm, and it is not recognized by the IGC Shell program. I renamed the DLL from the default IGC-FLA2.dll to IGC-FLA.dll, but it still is not recognized.

So, even if we record an IGC file with the PowerFLARM, there's no way at the moment to validate it.

-John, Q3

On Friday, March 1, 2013 3:54:33 AM UTC-5, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
> X-no-archive: yes
>
> In article <d3685706-7ab8-4d4d...@googlegroups.com>,
>
> FLARM <in...@flarm.com> writes
>

> >Will make files on powerflarm.us available within 24h.
>
> >Next release will shortly after we get the IGC approval (='real soon now')
>

[K]

read "Now!"
Badge City here we come!

[son_of_flubber]

The logger and PCAS bundled with PowerFlarm is starting to make the price seem much more reasonable.

PowerFLARM Portable $1695
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/flarm.htm


Or you could buy the flight recorder and PCAS stand alone for $1094
($595 + $499)

LXNAV Nano GPS Flight Recorder $595
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/lxnav.htm#LXNAV-Nano

Zaon MRX PCAS $499
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/zaon.htm


Looking at it this way, the Flarm function costs $601, and I have one less box.

I figured that I would add the Flarm function eventually, at some point in the future when it became more popular, so why not add it now and possibly avoid a collision in the meantime? There are three other gliders at my home field that have Flarm and I might travel somewhere where it is popular and recommended. I did not already have a PCAS or a Flight Recorder, so that maximizes the economy for me.

[Andy]

On Friday, March 1, 2013 8:07:14 AM UTC-7, John Carlyle wrote:
> Tim, Thanks for the notice. But, there's a problem:

What firmware version are you running? The beta logger was in 2.6 but the approval is for 2.71 or later

"FIRMWARE. This approval is for firmware version 2.71 or later. Earlier firmware versions are not IGC-approved and apply to units
made before IGC-approval. The firmware version is listed in the header record of IGC files in the form:
"HFRFWFirmwareVersion:2.71". This can be seen by using a text editor to view the start of the IGC file."

[Luke Szczepaniak]

On 03/01/2013 3:54 AM, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
> X-no-archive: yes
> In article <d3685706-7ab8-4d4d...@googlegroups.com>,
> FLARM <in...@flarm.com> writes

>> Will make files on powerflarm.us available within 24h.
>> Next release will shortly after we get the IGC approval (='real soon now')
>

> For "Real Soon Now" read "Now!"
>
> See IGC web-page and:
>
> http://www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/approvals/powerflarm.pdf
>
>
> Tim Newport-Peace t...@spsys.demon.co.uk
>
> "Indecision is the Key to Flexibility."
>

According to the document, the approval is only for hardware version 2.4
or later.


> 1.2 Hardware Version. Version 2.4was the original IGC-approved hardware standard. Earlier versions refer to previous
> standards of PowerFLARM before IGC-approval. The Version number is shown in the header record of IGC files in the
> form "HFRHW Hardware Version:2.4 " which can be seen by using a text editor to view the start of the IGC file. See para
> 11 below for later Versions.



What happens with the early adopters? Here is a snip prom my header,
HW=1.0. It was my understanding that the hardware I purchased was
supposed receive approval with the release of a new FW.

HFRFWFirmwareVersion:2.60
HFRHWHardwareVersion:1.0

Luke

[John Carlyle]

Andy,

The problem isn't with the actual verification. It's with getting IGC Shell to recognize the new 2013-2 update of the FLARM dll.

I downloaded the IGC shell program this morning. Next I downloaded the 2013-2 update of the FLARM dll (it comes in as IGC-FLA2.dll). Run IGCshell.exe, and you get a notice saying "the specified module could not be found" (before the IGC-FLA2.dll was downloaded this morning there was no such notice). Rename IGC-FLA2.dll to IGC-FLA.dll, and you get the same notice.

I think there's something wrong with IGC-FLA2.dll. What do you think?

-John, Q3

[FLARM]

Great news isn't' it!!!

Many thanks to GFAC / IGC for the efficient and skilled processing of the application.

Now everybody please relax!
We will need a few weeks to clean up and test the final releases of everything.
This includes the approval document ;-)

Rest assured that all US PowerFLARM (with the tamper-evident IGC stickers on the side) will eventually be able to update to an IGC approved flight recorder at no additional cost and without sending in the device, as promised.

We may be a little slow at times, but we *always* deliver.

FLARM

[John Carlyle]

Hi, Tim,

Yes, it's in the proper directory, right there along with IGCshell.exe, igc-imi-dll, igc-gcs.dll, and igc-xxx.dll. Running IGCshell, I see IMI Gliding 1.0, Erixx; Garrecht Avionik GmbH 1.02, Volkslogger, and Acme Instruments 2.0, XL 100, 200. I download the old Flarm dll (igc-fla.dll)I see Flarm Technology 1.4, Flarm-IGC05, Flarm-Igc06, LXN. However, if I download the new FLARM dll (it's IGC-FLA2.dll), I do not see it - I just get a message that "the specified module cannot be found".

Did you try downloading the new FLARM dll today directly from the FAI web site?

Best regards,
John

On Friday, March 1, 2013 11:34:40 AM UTC-5, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
> Hi John,
> It works for me.
>
> http://www.spsys.demon.co.uk/temp/fl2.jpg
>
> Are you putting the DLL in the right folder?
>
> Best regards,
>
> Tim.

[Paul Remde]

Hi Luke,

You have a very good point. As a FLARM dealer in the USA I have sent a note
to FLARM to ask how they will be handling this. I'm sure they will be
announcing the plan ASAP.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

"Luke Szczepaniak" wrote in message
news:5130D1FB...@silentflight.ca...

[te...@orbital.co]

> Who will get IGC approval first, Flarm or ClearNav? (I now have 2 "almost" loggers in my glider.)

Sorry to chime in here. ClearNav has been IGC approved for quite a while. I had serial #3 in my old glider and only flew a few flights before it got full approval. And... I fly quite a lot so tranlate few flights = not long at all.

[mattm...@gmail.com]

On Friday, March 1, 2013 1:00:39 PM UTC-5, te...@orbital.co wrote:
> > Who will get IGC approval first, Flarm or ClearNav? (I now have 2 "almost" loggers in my glider.)
>
>
>
>
>
> Sorry to chime in here. ClearNav has been IGC approved for quite a while. I had serial #3 in my old glider and only flew a few flights before it got full approval. And... I fly quite a lot so tranlate few flights = not long at all.

We're talking about the ClearNav vario. The upgrade due this spring includes
an igc logger function.

Matt

[John Carlyle]

Hi, Tim,

Thanks for sending your dll file. I'm responding here so others can see what transpired afterwards.

I downloaded your file, unzipped it, and put it in the directory where my copy of IGCshell.exe resides. When I execute IGCshell, I get a message that "the specified module could not be found", and when I look at the available instruments in the drop-down box only Acme, Erixx, Volkslogger and the original 1.4 Flarm instruments are available.

Here's the specifics about what I've done to get to this point:

1. I'm running Win XP Pro SP 3 on a Lenovo T400 laptop. The IGCshell program was never present on this computer until this morning.
2. I downloaded from http://www.fai.org/gnss-recording-devices/free-software the zip file for the IGC Shell Program (dated 08 August 2012).
3. I created a C:/IgcDll folder, ran Unzip on the IGC Shell.zip file, selected "all files in archive" and "use folder names", pointed to C:/ and pushed the extract button. Accessing the C:/IgcDll folder, I verify that the IGCshell.exe and the IGC-XXX.dll files are present (plus a lot of other files).
4. I downloaded from http://www.fai.org/gnss-recording-devices/free-software the FR manufacturer dlls for Garrecht (dated 06 Sep 2011), for IMI (dated 29 Aug 2012), for the old Flarm (dated 05 Aug 2012, and for the updated Flarm (dated 14 Feb 2013), and put them into the C:/IgcDll folder. Accessing the C:/IgcDll folder, I verify that the igc-gcs.dll, the igc-imi.dll, the igc-fla.dll, and the igc-fla2.dll files are present.
5. I run the IGCshell.exe file by double left clicking on that name inside the c:/IgcDll folder using Windows explorer, and I get a message that "the specified module could not be found". When I look at the available instruments in the drop-down box only Acme, Erixx, Volkslogger and the original 1.4 Flarm instruments are available. There is no difference in this behavior if I use Cmd, change to the c:/igcdll folder, type in IgcShell and hit return.

Tim, I'd appreciate it if you'd run through these steps and see what you get.

Best regards,
John


On Friday, March 1, 2013 12:55:12 PM UTC-5, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
> I've just downloaded it and done a byte compare, which shows no
> differences. I'll email you a copy.
>
> Tim Newport-Peace t...@spsys.demon.co.uk

[John Carlyle]

On Friday, March 1, 2013 4:10:26 PM UTC-5, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
> In article <1fffcb8e-4685-4c84...@googlegroups.com>, John
> Carlyle <jmca...@gmail.com> writes

> Hi John,
>
> I have tried on two PCs now (Both XP-Pro SP3) and I cannot reproduce
> your problem.
>
> Is anyone else in this group having the same problem?
>
> Best wishes,
> Tim.
> --
> Tim Newport-Peace t...@spsys.demon.co.uk

Hi, Tim,

Thanks to Marc Ramsey, the problem I was having with the FAI dll for PowerFLARM (see above) has been solved. Unlike the other dlls I got from the FAI for Volkslogger, Erixx and the original FLARM, the PowerFLARM dll needs a Microsoft C++ library, MSVCR100.DLL. My machine didn’t have this library in a place where the PowerFLARM dll could find it.

If you get an error message and then cannot see a listing in the drop-down box for PowerFLARM when running IGCshell after the PowerFLARM dll is added, you can get around it in two ways. First, as I did, search your computer for the 753kB file MSVCR100.DLL, copy it and paste it into the folder where IGCshell and the PowerFLARM dll reside. Second, as Marc suggests, install the 4.9 MB Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package, either x86 or x64 version, depending on what OS you're running:
x86: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5555
x64: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14632

The best solution, of course, would be for FLARM to re-write the PowerFLARM dll so it does not require this library, since it cannot be guaranteed that every machine out there will have it.

-John, Q3

[FLARM]

Thanks for the detailed description John, R&D has been notified.
FLARM

[JS]

For the older FLARM units, Flarmtool is used to update firmware and preferences or download IGC files. The current version is 2.0 with firmware 5.09. Using the Flarmtool program is easy.
Will there eventually be a tool for the PowerFLARM?
Jim

[Dave Nadler]

Ehh ? Easier than just copying the firmware onto a USB stick
or uSD card ???

[Karl Kunz]

> >Next release will shortly after we get the IGC approval (='real soon now')
>
>
>
> For "Real Soon Now" read "Now!"
>

> http://www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/approvals/powerflarm.pdf
>
>

So is V2.71 firmware available now or is this something that is coming soon ?

[Paul Remde]

Hi Karl,

There was a post by FLARM a day or 2 ago stating that the new firmware has
not been released yet but will be in the next few weeks. Also, they are
working to resolve the issue with the hardware version on the approval
document. They have given assurances that all PowerFLARM units delivered
with a security seal on them should be upgradeable without the need to send
them in.

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

____________________________

"Karl Kunz" wrote in message
news:b7061f4f-c35e-4d1f...@googlegroups.com...

[JS]

Evidently I shouldn't have mentioned that Flarmtool does uploads. From other peoples experiences with flight logs, the downloading part appears to have gone backwards from the simple use of Flarmtool or SeeYou with Swiss or Australian FLARMs.
Jim

[gerhar...@gmail.com]

> The best solution, of course, would be for FLARM to re-write the PowerFLARM dll so it does not require this library, since it cannot be guaranteed that every machine out there will have it.

Hi John,

My development machine has about a dozen copies of MSVCR100.dll (not all
the same, btw...), which is why this problem went unnoticed.

I updated the FLARM IGC tools as you suggested and it is available for
download here:
http://flarm.com/support/updates/flarm-igctools-1.5.1.zip

Thanks for the heads-up!

Best
--Gerhard (dev mgr FLARM and PowerFLARM)

[gerhar...@gmail.com]

> So, even if we record an IGC file with the PowerFLARM, there's no way at the moment to validate it.

Logs from PowerFLARM 2.60 should just validate OK in OLC and any other
system which validates Classic FLARM logs. You can also use the command line
tool vali-flarm-nonigc.exe. If it doesn't, please let us
know at info at flarm dot com.

The IGC shell and DLLs will be relevant only for the next version with strong security which was just approved by the IGC/GFAC.

Best
--Gerhard (dev mgr FLARM + PowerFLARM)

[John Carlyle]

Hi, Gerhard,

Thanks so much for making the fix and providing the link. Glad I could help!

-John, Q3