[Sooty25]

Neither a moneymaker server in Sweden, nor a potential Rotax thief watching that server, would be the intended recipients of any EC signal transmitted by me!

I guess one good thing about "carry on" devices, is while there may be an obligation to "turn it on", there is no obligation to actually "carry it on"!

[rf3flyer]

Nice distinction Sooty.

[kanga]

Neither a moneymaker server in Sweden, nor a potential Rotax thief watching that server, would be the intended recipients of any EC signal transmitted by me!
..

I believe there's a quite complex saga of US judicial case law, some involving the US Supreme Court, on when evidence may be 'admissible' if obtained in violation of an individual's 'reasonable expectation of privacy'

[Red]

@Sooty25 - we've been over this before. When you broadcast your position, everyone is an intended recipient. The system is intended to be received by all, so if you use one of these systems (ones that FR24 etc pick up), you are happy to have everyone as an intended recipient.

I would dispute " intended" and "happy"

[Straight Level]

This Soft RF TTGO T-Motion USB dongle looks interesting. https://github.com/lyusupov/SoftRF/wiki/Dongle-Edition
Although it is a transceiver similar to the TTGO @gaznav has reviewed, it appears that it can also be put in RX only mode.
Plugging this into Pilot Aware would (might) provide direct Flarm (or FANET etc) receive.

Could be worth a £20 punt to see how (if) it works.

SL

[gaznav]

@Sooty25 I’ve only removed the pictures showing me transmitting. That would be a bit like the fools that show their GoPro footage of doing 100mph on a motorbike on country roads when they know they shouldn’t be doing it!

Looking at the WT Act, which is Criminal Legislation, then imprisonment is possible (although unlikely) but hefty fine of ~£1,000 is probable (and likely). Especially, as I now know that a Board is unlawful to use as transmitter without the proper test paperwork or a developers’ authorisation. Of course they have to catch you at it, but I would rather not take the risk of a criminal record when that could be a sackable offence for me.

[Flyin'Dutch']

Falling foul of the law and being found criminally guilty would also mean a criminal record - probably best to avoid that one too.

[Sooty25]

reviving this thread....
and starting from...

I’m still at a loss on how to connect SkyEcho and SoftRF (even in RX only) to an iPad. I don’t think it can be done as tablets tend to have only one Network ‘Card’. Also, for iPads, then you can’t connect via USB and do WiFi if I understand it correctly. Even if I could, I’m not sure if the likes of SkyDemon or ForeFlight can take 2x individual GDL90 data feeds. I did think I might be able to do it on my MacBook but then realised that neither SkyDemon nor ForeFlight will run as a stand-alone App!

So it comes down to what I am looking for - a single unit that can do:

Direct Air-to-Air with no ground station required
ADS-B In/Out
FLARM In/Out (minimum FLARM In)
FANET In/Out (minimum FANET In)
PAW In/Out (minimum P3i In)

Ground station receive capabilities
FIS-B Weather
TIS-B feeding traffic not on the main EC formats that I can directly see

I want that in a small self-contained carry-on package, I want it below £500 and it needs to work on a suitable EFB App.

However, I suspect that lot for £500 is too much of an ask, which is why I have a £450 SkyEcho 2 and a £47 SoftRF right now, that ticks most of the boxes above, but I can’t connect it up on one device.

If a method of combining the two devices, SkyEcho 2 and a SoftRF set to receive only, on to a single display was established, what would we have and what would be missing?

yes, you might be sensing a slight change in my attitude towards EC

[gaznav]

I couldn’t get it to work on an iPad as you can only connect to one WiFi hotspot at a time.

[Sooty25]

I couldn’t get it to work on an iPad as you can only connect to one WiFi hotspot at a time.

If a method of combining the two devices, SkyEcho 2 and a SoftRF set to receive only, on to a single display was established, what would we have and what would be missing?

I asked, because I think I know how to do the WiFi bit.

My problem is sorting out the "dogs breakfast" of what data would be there from the two devices, and what wouldn't.

[gaznav]

Well, if you could then you could use the SkyEcho for ADS-B direct receive only and the SoftRF for FLARM direct receive only? I’ll happily send you my SoftRF if you want to have a go with it? Drop me a DM if you do.

[Sooty25]

Well, if you could then you could use the SkyEcho for ADS-B direct receive only and the SoftRF for FLARM direct receive only? I’ll happily send you my SoftRF if you want to have a go with it? Drop me a DM if you do.

Thanks for the offer, I've already got a SoftRF laying on my desk at the moment, for £20 for the bare board it was worth having just to play with, however it hasn't detected a single aeroplane yet in PAW receive only! Probably due to the tin roof, but hardly any traffic around here either.

A situation that could have developed in to a near miss or worse a few weeks ago is making me reconsider my whole stance on EC. Just wish it wasn't the mess of protocols it is, and didn't have the privacy issues either.

I'll see if it will connect using the method I have in mind, but the proof will be with a SkyEcho as well.

[Dave W]

Well, if you could then you could use the SkyEcho for ADS-B direct receive only and the SoftRF for FLARM direct receive only?

Why would anyone in practice bother, though? SkyEcho receives directly both ADS-B and FLARM already.

Is the potential FLARM subscription saving after 2 years (accounting for SoftRF price) worth the hassle?

[Sooty25]

Is the potential FLARM subscription saving after 2 years (accounting for SoftRF price) worth the hassle?

So, FLARM receive via SkyEcho requires an ongoing subscription?

TBH, my thoughts on the SoftRF were primarily for PAW receive, alongside the SkyEcho.

[Dave W]

So, FLARM receive via SkyEcho requires an ongoing subscription?

Not quite. Displaying SkyEcho received FLARM requires the subscription, collected by e.g. SkyDemon and paid to FLARM.

It's not absolutely clear to me how SoftRF get round this, assuming they do.