SkyDemon and SE2 running with a Samsung smartphone

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tnowak
Posts: 505
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am

SkyDemon and SE2 running with a Samsung smartphone

Post by tnowak » Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:16 am

I use a Samsung S8 Galaxy smart phone to run SD and communicate with my SE2.
I have also subscribed to the SD FLARM reception capability.

Everything works fine except, very intermittently, I get warnings of aircraft many thousands of feet above me. Typically airliners at FL 150 or whatever and I am at 1500 ft...

One thing I have noticed is, post flight when I analyse my flight, I have some "red dots" on the SD virtual radar display.
SD say this indicates a loss of GPS height data from the SE2.
Note that I have never seen any warning messages on SD about issues with WIFI or loss of SE2 data.

I have done some testing and can confirm:
1. The occasional loss of SE2 GPS height data isn't connected with the installation in my aircraft.
I get the same issue when I test SD/SE2 in my car. Note, SE2 has an excellent view of the sky both in my aircraft and car.
2. My SE2 has been tested by uavionix but with SD running on an IPAD. No red dots at all when it was tested in flight.

So, it may be an issue with the Samsung Galaxy and WIFI communications.

If anyone is using the same phone and setup as I am can you please have a look at your flights in SD and see if you have a similar "red dot" issue that I do?

Thanks

Tony
Tony Nowak
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mcfadyeanda
Posts: 67
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:23 am

Re: SkyDemon and SE2 running with a Samsung smartphone

Post by mcfadyeanda » Wed Nov 10, 2021 5:38 pm

I don't have your 'red dot' issue with SE2 running with a Galaxy S6 'phone. Obviously the 'phone needs to be set up to ignore powersaving functions that shut things down.
However, I did have an earlier problem with the Wifi dropping out (on SE2, not the 'phone) which is now resolved (by SE2 firmware update I believe).

The 'phone itself romps through the battery, gets too hot and drops the app (EVFR) from time to time, which is annoying, but at least SE2 is still broadcasting in the interim.

Drop out of the transmitted ADSB signal as indicated by FR24 and Vector (particularly the latter) are common it seems, even with an optimised internal mounting position in a composite aircraft; I'm about to start experimentation with an external mounting (a la 'minicamera'). But I would expect air-to-air to be better than ground station reception.

Duncan McF.
Duncan McFadyean
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tnowak
Posts: 505
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am

Re: SkyDemon and SE2 running with a Samsung smartphone

Post by tnowak » Thu Nov 11, 2021 8:19 am

Duncan (and others),

I should have mentioned that my SE2 is used as an ADS-B In and FLARM receiver ONLY.
No transmit function as I have a separate Mode ES transponder with ADS-B Out.
My phone runs fine and doesn't shut down at all. Doesn't get noticeably warm either.

I have the latest SE2 firmware loaded so it can't be that....

Tony
Tony Nowak
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