<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>
          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>
> >>>
> ...  I would like to
> hear from anyone flying with any version of uplinked or downlinked weather
> maps/text in the cockpit.
<snip>
> Here's a relatively inexpensive way to get some wx info into the cockpit:
>
> http://www.cheapbastardsoftware.com/
> <<<

The guy camping next to me at oshkosh had this running on a palm 7.
The palm 7 has a built in two way pager modem. The palm 7 costs a few
hundered bucks.

The display was quite crude on the palm, but it did work. In about 60
seconds of fiddling with the stylus he had the current NEXRAD map
displaying.

He said he had used it on the way to OSH, then his wife chimed in that
it required a second pilot just to run the palm.

He was also able to call up current conditions reports from flight
service.

What struck me as the breakthrough here was internet access, in flight,
via the pager network.  As I understand it the FCC (not the FAA) disallows
the use of cell modems in flight because the transimssion from the
aircraft hits many cells at once.  But, the pager system is less
demanding. Paging doesnt require perfect real time 2 way contact.
Packets can be repeated. So, the FCC DOES allow pager use in flight. (or
so i was told).

So, even though the palm was clumsy, the in-flight internet access was
very interesting. Using this system, manufacturers of MFD's could add a
very simple modem and write the code to automatically download weather
images, pireps, and notams from their own web site or others. Chart
updates could be made automatic. You could even udpate the MFD's own code
(thats a bit scary, though)  If a data standard is established the MFD's
could poll multiple sites for redundant info. Then, perhaps the MFD
manufacturer would not have to worry about maintaining a high reliability
web site. A site like ADDS could do that job.

All of this data uploading could be done with minimal pilot interaction
excessive pilot interaction was the main problem with the palm system.

Is there already a weather data standard format through AGATE or some
other research program?

Pager modems can't cost more than $100. Nationwide internet pager
contracts start at $9/ month.

I bet you are very rarely out of contact in flight, since your pager
modem sits on top of a 5,000 foot "antenna tower".

i wonder if the multiple contacts confuse the pager modem?

Very interesting.

-Jeff Peterson

LNC2, 80%


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LML website:   http://www.olsusa.com/mkaye/maillist.html
LML Builders' Bookstore:   http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair

Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>