Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
  • 1
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
#1876201
@Dave W

The SoftRF also transmits a basic FLARM signal that other FLARM users can detect (if I understand correctly). So it would be a “see and be seen” advantage as far as I can work out. Also, I have some better quality FLARM antennae that should see better classic FLARM reception ranges than I see from SkyEcho. Finally, with UAT weather/traffic starting to become an option, I could use the SkyEcho for that and the SoftRF for FLARM. I hope that makes sense? However, to do all that, I really want to be able to connect both devices to one display.
User avatar
By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1876217
Yes, I know it transmits FLARM.

It was receive (and display) specifically I was responding to, from your comment here:
gaznav wrote:Well, if you could then you could use the SkyEcho for ADS-B direct receive only and the SoftRF for FLARM direct receive only?
#1876245
@Dave W

Okey dokey, but there are also these advantages that I mention for receive only too:

Also, I have some better quality FLARM antennae that should see better classic FLARM reception ranges than I see from SkyEcho. Finally, with UAT weather/traffic starting to become an option, I could use the SkyEcho for that and the SoftRF for FLARM.
#1876287
Dave W wrote:
Sooty25 wrote: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.


Ah, no EFB subscription, just going to display on EasyVFR airspace version, assuming I can merge the data.

I think the FLARM protocol has been published if not officially, so if SoftRF can decode it free of subscription, thats fine. We've already established that anything transmitted can be received and used. Maybe SkyEcho should have used the same code as SoftRF! Main issue now being the SoftRF was to receive PAW, unless we are saying FLARM is more important?

If I'm going to do this, it is to display as much traffic as reasonably possible, whilst being visible on the recognised standard.
#1876303
Dave W wrote:How does EasyVFR get by the need for other EFBs to collect a subscription to display FLARM traffic, I wonder?


The SoftRF uses the Open Glider Network decoding stack (same stuff PAW ground stations use) to decode the Flarm data, which then sends it unencrypted to the EFB.

You could probably feed the output of SoftRF via rs232 into PAW to give PAW the ability of Flarm direct airborne reception. PAW could also just pass encrypted Flarm data to the EFB just like skyecho2 does and then use the EFB Flarm subscription to decode. However this would remove one of the reasons for the ground stations, so not something I believe they would do.

Its not easy or practicable to combine Skyecho2 data and SoftRF data into one and then feed it into EFB as Skyecho2 has no input and only outputs via WiFi.
Dave W liked this
#1876387
VinceGod wrote:The SoftRF uses the Open Glider Network decoding stack (same stuff PAW ground stations use) to decode the Flarm data,


Not strictly true, softrf (and I presume skyecho) only listen on one frequency, flarm hops between 2 frequencies 868.2/868.4
The ogn/atom receiver is wideband and listens to fanet, flarm (both frequencies) and paw

You could probably feed the output of SoftRF via rs232 into PAW to give PAW the ability of Flarm direct airborne reception.

Softrf can be configured to provide both gps and Flarm messages over usb (rs232 over usb), paw would simply decode these as though you were connected to a flarm device by replacing the gps device by softrf

This is not condoning the use, we have no idea to what qualifications this module has been tested, but PAW could not determine if it was a FLARM clone, or genuine FLARM

Thx
Lee
Sooty25 liked this
#1892235
I’m still slowly working on this. I have now managed to connect SkyEcho and SoftRF to my iPad at the same time - the SkyEcho via WiFi and the SoftRF (in receive only) via Bluetooth.

Image

It seems that it can send GDL90 data via Bluetooth. I can also run split screen on a later iOS to run different EFBs at the same time:

Image

The only snag now is finding some EFB software that will run on an iPad that will take GDL90 data via Bluetooth. Some can take this data set up for the Dual XGPS190, but sadly I can’t get that software to recognise the SoftRF device.

Anyone got any ideas on a Bluetooth enabled EFB?
#1892297
gaznav wrote:
Sooty25 wrote:Have you tried EasyVFR?


It was one of the first I looked at. It seemed to only do WiFi for traffic, but it will do Bluetooth for aural warnings.


Does either, the EFB app accept data via the USB port?
Or
The SoftRF output data via its USB port?
#1892473
gaznav wrote:Sadly not, as I understand it. As you can’t connect 2x WiFi devices on an iPad, then I saw the BlueTooth option as the best way ahead - but I can’t find an EFB on iPad that will do it either.


I did actually buy a SoftRF months back and dug it out today. Also re-read some of the earlier messages and noticed that Lee had already mentioned that it did output via USB (serial RS232). So I've got the SoftRF plugged into a laptop and viewing the serial output using a program called hyperterminal.

The SoftRF does output NMEA0183 GPS data at 38400 baud. RMC, GGA and GSV strings.

It also outputs a Flarm sentence in a similar format using the #PFLAU,0,0,2,1,0 ,*4D as an example. I think this is basically a "heartbeat" string just to confirm it is on when no traffic.

Adding GDL90 adds further data in a format I can't really decipher but here it is
~€}]¨]~~e SoftRF SoftRF  ™~~
ûÇ%T^9¹™ˆˆPAFBC71C]ë~~

€~$

So, my thought then was to set the NMEA outputs to Bluetooth and see what appears on my Samsung tablet. But, then noticed you can't output GDL90 to Bluetooth.

Not that that matters as I can't even get the GPS output from the SoftRF into my samsung via bluetooth either!
Does work using TCP though, as you would expect.

So, the only thing I could possibly have left to try is feeding the serial data in through the USB connection of the tablet, but with no serial option in EasyVFR, I doubt that will work.

Bridging the two WiFi signals does seem the only way forward and as yet I can't find a solution to that.

However clever EFB's are, they can't cope with the mess EC currently is.
gaznav liked this
#1892602
Funnily enough….

If you plugged the SoftRF USB dongle into PilotAware, in place of the supplied GPS, then the GPS position and FLARM traffic messages will be handled in the same manner as an attached FLARM device would behave

Thus providing combined data to your EFB, or to your PilotAware RADAR Screen, eg
Image

Clearly we cannot warrant the efficacy of the SoftRF device if this were to be done

Thx
Lee
gaznav, Sooty25 liked this
  • 1
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8