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DanB
07-06-2012, 03:54 PM
Today I was able to get out and fly a little testing what I call my poor mans SPOT. It works using a GPS signal sent to a tracking circuit which broadcasts a position packet via a Ham Radio transmitter. Pass a test to get the Ham license, buy or build the equipment, and that's it. There is no fee to operate after that.:)

Todays flight: http://aprs.fi/N314DW
DesertFox4
07-06-2012, 06:39 PM
Looks like it worked just fine Dan. Has you flying at 61 mph but other than that it looks good.:)
SkySteve
07-06-2012, 07:05 PM
Dan,
Very cool. Did you ever make it back home? Looks like you went somewhere and stopped. Do you need us to send the scouts out to bring you back?
DanB
07-06-2012, 07:52 PM
Dan,
Very cool. Did you ever make it back home? Looks like you went somewhere and stopped. Do you need us to send the scouts out to bring you back?

Ha, yeah I failed to mention I flew from Falcon Field to Chandler, got gas and then turned on the unit.
DanB
07-06-2012, 08:00 PM
Looks like it worked just fine Dan. Has you flying at 61 mph but other than that it looks good.:)

Steve, I had a 11MPH crosswind from the right (I was landing 220 and that last beacon showed my heading at 231) so I may have been a bit hot right there. Still working on those landings. :cool:
DesertFox4
07-06-2012, 08:02 PM
All the spots I clicked on then went to the "info" page showed 61 mph. But that is a nice economy cruise speed.;)
DanB
07-07-2012, 01:11 AM
All the spots I clicked on then went to the "info" page showed 61 mph. But that is a nice economy cruise speed.;)

Hmmm, Don't know why it would do that. The only spot that indicates 61mph here is my last one on approach to FFZ.:confused: Anyone else get the same readings?
rwaltman
07-07-2012, 04:22 AM
Anyone else get the same readings?

When I tried, not all points behave the same, and they not behave the same all the time.
(We are talking about the red dots along the path, right?)
For example, lets take the the first point NE of San Tan Valley.
The two pictures below where grabbed 1 or two minutes apart.

Roberto.
DanB
07-07-2012, 06:30 AM
ok, thanks Roberto. Mine does that too...the trick is to move the mouse cursor to the dot until it shows a line to where the signal was picked up...when the line is showing, then click on it and it should work.
DesertFox4
07-07-2012, 06:43 AM
Dan, I was reading the speed after clicking on the info button. I do see different speeds on the initial pop up on each dot. When you go to "info" on each dot it always shows 61 mph.
rwaltman
07-07-2012, 12:22 PM
Dan, ... When you go to "info" on each dot it always shows 61 mph.

Of course. That's because Dan's mastery of the craft is so precise that the average speed at any point in the flight was 61 +/- 0 MPH.

Roberto.