Inexpensive portable IGC data recorders

[mfp...@gmail.com]

Hi all,

I'm doing some research for our club. I'm trying to investigate what options are available for 'inexpensive' portable IGC accepted data recorders. Our club would use them for SSA badges and OLC competitions.

We would like them to be portable so we can use them in different club ships, rather than being panel mounted.

As to what 'inexpensive' means - less than $1000 U.S., preferably less than $800.

I did look on the FAI page, ( https://www.fai.org/sites/default/files/all_igc-approved_frs_-_links_to_igc-approval_documents_manufacturers_general_info_history_-_2018-2-14_0.pdf ) and there's a lot to go through.

I'm aware of the Nano, Nano III, Colbri II and Colbri X. Any others that I'm missing? Any recommendations?

Thanks.

Mark

[disc...@gmail.com]

You can use a $10 app on your android phone IGCDROID
Glen

[Tony]

IGC Droid is neat but not useful for Badge work.

I think I would suggest the plain Nano for this mission

[Papa3]

Also consider FlywithCE. It's good for the most basic badges, which sounds like what you are after. Less than $200. Stone-axe simple. Note that it is a Position Recorder which is a lower level of approval, but good enough to get your Silver for example. http://wingsandwheels.com/avionics-instruments/gps-data-loggers/gps-data-loggers/flywith-ce-recorder-fr300.html

[ma...@snowgum.com]

For less than $200, FlyWithCE http://www.flywithce.com/ is an IGC approved Position Recorder, not Flight Recorder, that can be used for Silver and Gold badges and OLC https://www.fai.org/sites/default/files/documents/flywithce_fr_300_igc_pr_approval_ssa_v3a.pdf

[Tony]

I had the original FlywithCE and found the program that goes along with it to be basically a massive pain in the buttocks to use. For example you had to have an internet connection to get the flight signed for igc purposes. I had a hell of time getting flights downloaded and could never sort out what i was doing right/wrong where some flights would randomly appear and disappear and others would download multiple times. Anyway I bought a Nano and never looked back.

[Richard Pfiffner]

LXNAV Nano $470

http://www.craggyaero.com/lxnav_flight_recorders.htm

Full IGC approval easy to use.

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

[disc...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 6:19:31 PM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
> IGC Droid is neat but not useful for Badge work.
>
> I think I would suggest the plain Nano for this mission

He ask about recorders for OLC & Badges and the IGC Droid can be used for OLC and for the A,B & C Badges no recorder is needed and a GPS recorder is all you need for Silver to Gold. He was looking for inexpensive.
Glen

[markm...@gmail.com]

Best choice (IMHO) LXNAV Nano. Turn it on and fly. Easy download and good up to Diamonds. Great contest primary or backup. Wings and Wheels or Craggy or Cumulus Soaring. Highly recommended. At least by me.

[Tony]

Nano is actually good for All flights so not just Diamonds but World Records too!

[Mike Schumann]

SeeYou Recorder is a free iPhone app that works with OLC. I'm not sure if it can be used for badge flights. The only down side is that it doesn't have an engine monitor, so it can't be used with motorgliders.

[Dave Nadler]

On Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 9:02:45 PM UTC-5, Mike Schumann wrote:
> SeeYou Recorder is a free iPhone app that works with OLC.
> I'm not sure if it can be used for badge flights.
> The only down side is that it doesn't have an engine monitor,
> so it can't be used with motorgliders.

Motor-glider owners are by definition less concerned with super low cost ;-(

[Dan Daly]

> SeeYou Recorder is a free iPhone app that works with OLC. I'm not sure if it can be used for badge flights. The only down side is that it doesn't have an engine monitor, so it can't be used with motorgliders.

List of approved flight recorders; at the bottom, links to all their webpages.
http://www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/igc_approved_frs.pdf

[waremark]

It is worth mentioning in this thread the IMI Erixx - cheaper logger with top level IGC approval but it needs external power.

Consider paying more for a multi purpose device - Powerflarm or Oudie IGC.

[Tim Newport-Peace]

Position Recorders are Approved on a Country basis (not by IGC). For US the
only Position Recorders approved are:

FlyWithCE Flight Recorder FR300 -
https://www.fai.org/sites/default/files/documents/flywithce_fr_300_igc_pr_approval_ssa_v3a.pdf

FlyWithCE Flight Recorder - As far as I am aware, this unit is not longer
manufactured.

So in US, the only alternative to a fully fledged IGC Recorder is the
FlyWithCE Flight Recorder FR300 (which isn't a Flight Recorder, but a
Position Recorder).

All this information is available from https://www.fai.org/igc-documents

[Pieter Oosthuizen]

At 11:53 08 March 2018, Dan Daly wrote:

> > SeeYou Recorder is a free iPhone app that works with OLC.

Not free for Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?
id=com.naviter.seeyou&hl=en
"Please note: This is NOT a free App. You need a current SeeYou
Subscription in order to use all features of this software:
http://www.naviter.com/important-upgrade-information/

Without the subscription you can try most of the features but you are
limited in how many flights you can open:
Without SeeYou Cloud account you can only view the demo.igc
With SeeYou Cloud account but without current SeeYou Subscripotion
you may upload and view 7 of your own flights"

[Mike Schumann]

Just because we like nice toys, doesn't necessarily mean that we aren't otherwise frugal.

[Mike Schumann]

You are talking about See You Mobile, not See You Recorder. See You recorder is only a flight recorder. It doesn't let you look at your flight traces at all. It is a free app.

[David Lowe]

>
>FlyWithCE Flight Recorder - As far as I am aware, this unit is not
longe

>manufactured.
>
>So in US, the only alternative to a fully fledged IGC Recorder is th

>FlyWithCE Flight Recorder FR300 (which isn't a Flight Recorder, but

>Position Recorder).
>
>All this information is available from https://www.fai.org/igc-
documents
>

FR300 - recorders are still for sale on the manufactures website. They
are very simple to use, just turn it on. Charging is via any USB port, I
have tried to flatten the battery on one, but mine runs for 12+ hours
before needing changing.

http://www.flywithce.com/

[Tim Newport-Peace]

I never said the FR300 had seased production, just the earlier model.

>http://www.flywithce.com/
>
>

[Dennis vreeken]

Hey Dave, I’ve seen MG pilots argue over a litre of fuel !!!

[Pieter Oosthuizen]

>You are talking about See You Mobile, not See You Recorder. See You
>recorder is only a flight recorder. It doesn't let you look at your
flight
>traces at all. It is a free app.

Thanks, missed that.

[Mark Palmer]

The FR300 might be just what my club is looking for. Does anyone have any firsthand experience with them?

Mark

[moshe....@gmail.com]

I'm particularly puzzled by this statement on the FlyWithCE website: "Internet connection is required to generate secure IGC files."

- why would an internet connection be needed to secure the file? Seems like a contradiction in terms.

- does the logging device itself connect to the internet, or just the supplied software?

- if the latter, can the flight logs be extracted without that specific software?

Personally I wouldn't accept a recorder that does not generate stand-alone files in its memory that can be transferred to any computer as from any USB memory stick.

[mfp...@gmail.com]

If I'm reading the manual correctly (and I admit to just skimming it), it would appear the internet connection is only necessary to generate a secure file. You can download the file from the device and it's stored locally, but by connecting the FlywithCE server it then generates a secure file for OLC flights (and I presume, Silver and Gold badges). You don't have to connect to download the file and the device itself doesn't connect to the internet.

Mark

[Tim Newport-Peace]

IGC files all require a digital signature.

The FR300 uses a connection to it's server to digital sign an IGC file, so
that any post-flight changes can be detected.

This is probably more secure than the Private Key used by other flight
recorders. For this reason, I believe it is just time before this is
required of all future Flight Recorders.

IGC files can (AFAIK) be downloaded without a Server connection, but will
not be secure.

[Nick Kennedy]

I think for robust, durable, bullet proof, idiot proof logging I'd go with a Nano.
There is nothing worse than doing a flight you planned out, completed it and then having a logger failure. Been there, its a bummer.
Get a Nano and you will have trouble free logging for all levels of certification.

[Dan Daly]

I'm an OO; have worked with multiple FR300's with no problems (when there was internet nearby). I have had one failure with a Nano - last day at a Canadian Nationals I was scoring. It showed as corrupted usb drive; pilot had to open trailer and get the backup and we were a bit late for the dinner. Agree that generally they are very reliable, and good up to world records. The FR300's are inexpensive and work well for the price.