Displaying FLARM as VGA?

[peterh337]

Is there any way to do such a thing?

Some MFDs (e.g. the KMD550) can take NTSC video...

Then, if you install an active TCAS system you will see the output of that (delivered via ARINC) under the "Traffic" button, etc, and you could see any FLARM returns under the NTSC video button.

It's a poor solution, but better than nothing, and miles better than running cables etc all over the cockpit, with cigar lighter power, which is the only way to run the uncertified FLARM products.

[goldeneaglepilot]

If the output is NTSC then its likely to be in the form of a composite signal - you will need a composite to VGA convertor, £15 - £20

[peterh337]

Yes that's easy - I have several of those right here :)

What I can't see is a FLARM product which outputs anything other than beeps and LEDs :) Though I recall seeing one which had a sort of panel mount LCD display, for homebuilt aircraft obviously.

[riverrock83]

I understand that there are data outputs from FLARM devives ( such as the Garmin TIS interface) and there are ones designed for permanent installation which then link into an mfd like tcas would. Maybe two mfds - one connected to TCAS, one to FLARM?

I suppose there aren't many users who have need of both TCAS and FLARM as there are few people who have the luxury of a full TCAS system who operate outside of controlled airspace. Perhaps you're one of the few?

Why not get a Power FLARM which will give you FLARM and PCAS?
I'd be very surprised if there are any FLARM devices which can natively output video (maybe you can take a portable one apart and get access to the screen connector...). Then use the data output from that.

PowerFLARM® Devices (http://www.powerflarm.aero/index.php/en/powerflarm-d)

[Prop swinger]

Dedicated Flarm graphic displays:
LX Avionics LED display (http://www.lxavionics.co.uk/flarm.htm) (about 1/3rd of the way down.)
Butterfly display (http://www.butterfly-avionics.com/index.php/en/products/butterfly-displays-en)

Navigation software that displays Flarm traffic:
XCSoar (http://www.xcsoar.org/discover/screenshots/)
See You Mobile (http://www.naviter.si/content/view/44/165/1/9/lang,en/)

There are a couple of devices that you can connect to your Flarm which then Bluetooth the GPS position & the Flarm traffic data to your nav software. When I get time over the next few days I'll try to find out what they are & report back.

[dublinpilot]

FLARM doesn't output a VGA signal (at least none of the units that I'm aware of).

Instead they output a data stream, which software such as PocketFMS (http://www.pocketfms.com) can read and overlay onto the moving map.

If your GPS system doesn't support it, then I don't see how you could add it without the manufacturer updating their software.

dp

[peterh337]

That XCsoar product runs on all the right platforms. One can get a VGA output from a little Android smartphone, or an old Pocket/PC PDA...

http://www.xcsoar.org/discover/screenshots/flarm_radar1.png

Well found :ok:

[Duma]

Running XCSoar on a Raspberry Pi would be an inexpensive solution (The Pi is capable of NTSC output on its composite video port).

[Jan Olieslagers]

I've been looking into that Raspberry thing. Incredibly low price for what it offers.
But didn't I understand deliveries are lagging behind? Victim of its own success, perhaps?

[Prop swinger]

I could only find the one Bluetooth device:
http://www.soartronic.com (http://www.soartronic.com/)

[peterh337]

Bluetooth isn't really an issue here.

If one can get a suitable display of targets around oneself, on a (say) 640x480 LCD, and the device has a VGA output, then NTSC is trivial to achieve from that.

Having said that, I briefly borrowed a FLARM box from a very helpful colleague and flew with it a few times, and didn't get a single alarm... maybe it really is just gliders that use it in the UK.

When I go abroad, I go IFR at high altitude (FL100 plus) and mostly in CAS, so the vulnerable bit is the terminal phase (a funny way to put it ;) ).

I plan to get the Avidyne 605 system installed later this year. It needs an additional card (KAC-504) to be installed in the KMD-550 MFD, for the ARINC data from the Avidyne box, and this card has more than one ARINC input, so there are perhaps other ways to skin the cat, but nobody I know has any data on this card.

[Fitter2]

FLARM is fitted to very few aircraft other than gliders and glider tugs in UK, although in Europe (especially Alpine countries) a growing number of GA have it fitted.

FLARM's only built in output is serial (RS232 at 19200 baud) datastream with open source format.

It is most useful (I would suggest) input to an MFD as an overlay on the Nav screen. Most soaring nav systems have the ability to do this.

For GA, I would suggest , TPAS info from a device like the Zaon XRX is even more useful. Higher level Garmin portables (496 up) can do this.

Most useful would be the ability to display TPAS and FLARM; the only device I know with software support for both is the Flymap L. I have done an installation of the relevant bits on an Aquila AT1 to do this, and it works fine.

The problem of adding this capability to a certified avionics installation is the paperwok in interfacing non-certified devices to a certified installation. To put it kindly, EASA has not made this any easier.

[dublinpilot]

Most useful would be the ability to display TPAS and FLARM; the only device I know with software support for both is the Flymap L.

PocketFMS can also do both.

[riverrock83]

PocketFMS can also do both.

PowerFlarm can too. I presume you can use the data output from PowerFlarm into other devices.

Would be interesting what happens if a plane has both FLARM and a transponder - since it is difficult to get accurate information from the transponder - is there a danger that a plane is double reported, causing confusion?

[Fitter2]

PocketFMS can also do both.


Pocket FMS is software (and very cost -effective). I knew it could in principle do either, I did'nt know of a hardware setup with 2 (or more) separate RS232 inputs running it, and whether the software would support both simultaneously.

If anyone has implemented that, it would be nice to know.

[dublinpilot]

Hi fitter2,

Ok I see your issue regarding two serial port inputs. I suppose not many systems will have two serial ports. The Zaon units do have a Bluetooth adapter too which could solve the issue.

[stickandrudderman]

I have dual AFS4500 Advanced Flight Systems (http://www.advanced-flight-systems.com/) in my LAA a/c and one of the things I am lacking is traffic info. AFS are an american company and over there nearly everyone has traffic info but they use a different system, the technicalities of which are beyond me.
There are rumours that AFS will soon support Pocket FMS but I think I'll need help in installing it if they do. Any takers?

[Afolt]

I might be a little off topic but maybe someone here can help me out.

We are using a the Triadis Floice system which can display other Flarm traffic together with mode-S ADS-B extended squitter through a Garrecht TRX-1090 on any Garmin TIS compatible display using RS232.

Unfortunately the Garmin G500H in our helicopter is only accepting ARINC as source for traffic information. We know that probably the following labels on the RS232 are used for the TIS.

Absolute Traffic:

$PGAV5,<age_of_position_data>,<hexaddress>,<lat>,< lon>,<gnssAlt>,<baroAlt>,<flightid>,<track>,<groun dspeed>,<verticalspeed>,<rssi>,<category>,<dataSou rce>,<rssiDistance>,<ageMDS>,<ageVelocity>,<agePos ition>,<squawk>*<nmeachecksum>

Relative Traffic:

$PFLAU,<RX>,<TX>,<GPS>,<Power>,<AlarmLevel>,<Relat iveBearing>,<AlarmType>,<RelativeVertical>,<Relati veDistance>,<ID>

The challenge is now to specify the exact ARINC labels (probably 735) used by the Garmin G500H to display traffic. We have found a company that can program a converter to translate the data labels but we need to specify them first. Garmin has not been helpful and is not willing to give us any information, as the Flarm is not officially supported equipment. We could purchase a commercial TAS or TCAS but would still miss out on all the numerous gliders equipped with Flarm in the Swiss mountains.

Does anyone know the exact labels used by the Garmin G500H for traffic display?