Featherweight Tracker Build 2021-10-28 (Build 185)

[kjs]

Before getting started on some of the next requests, I have made Build 185 available as a pre-release at public link:

https://testflight.apple.com/join/mSlrjwGP

To install it, you must first have Test Flight on your phone and then use your phone browser to go to the above link.

It is expected this build will replace currently active Build 183 in the next week or two. Users can either update via the link above, or wait for the normal notification.

There are no firmware updates in this build - only phone app updates.

Featherweight User Build 185
- Updates for screen layout on GPS page (jbr)
- Updates for the COMM page for layout and labels (TonyL)
- Cleaned up the text in the Track page a little where there was overlapping fields with gray areas.
- Contains fix for crash that could occur when using a phone with no GPS connection with a GS2 device (which has no GPS so relies on the phone).
- Added display of the firmware dates to the Settings tab

- This build will switch to using the phone GPS for tracking if the Ground Station is turned off or the BlueTooth connection is lost for more than ~5 seconds.
- You obviously can't get Tracker updates with no Ground Station connection, but you can still track with the arrow to the last packet received.
- Indications that you are in 'phone tracking mode' is that the "BattGS" (GS Battery) field will be grayed out. It will display either the last voltage seen for your GS, or "BattGS" if you start iFIP without any GS powered on.

To explain the last three items, the previous build only updated your local GS/Phone location if BlueTooth packets were being received from the GS (even if you were using a GPS-Less Ground station which uses your phone GPS for location). With this update, after ~5 seconds of no GS packets, the app will switch to using the phone GPS/location. This feature will be leveraged more in future updates.

I'll be reviewing what goes into the next build and will provide updates as they are available - and may PM some of you for 'alpha testing'.

Thanks!

 

[kjs]

One thing I should probably add before the full release is a Notification / OK button that tells you that you are operating without GS communications.

I have had a couple people named Sharon and Wayne walk over to me asking what is wrong with their tracking - and my first question is "where is the ground station...?" and they (with a "sudden knowing look on their face") point to their canopy (which is out of blue tooth range) and sheepishly walk back into GS range (and to be clear, Sharon and Wayne never walk "sheepishly"...)

 

[ChristineZ]

The screen layout is better in 186 than 185! But since I just received mine about 25 minutes ago, it's going to have to wait a few before a real test. It was super easy to set up...following the simple screen prompts was all it took.

Thanks, may need to order a 2d tracker now!

 

[manixFan]

The screen layout is better in 186 than 185! But since I just received mine about 25 minutes ago, it's going to have to wait a few before a real test. It was super easy to set up...following the simple screen prompts was all it took.

Thanks, may need to order a 2d tracker now!

I have two trackers in addition to my ground station. What I've started doing to increase my launch cadence is flying a rocket, making sure I have a good recovery tracker to it, and then flying a second one, and then recovering them both at the same time. Often they land fairly close to each other if they are going to roughly the same altitude. When the recovery is a couple miles away, sometimes in difficult terrain, making one slightly longer trip is so much better than two trips of nearly the same duration. If more flight is your goal, a second tracker really makes a difference.


Tony

PS: I had three until one of my rockets decided to do a core sample. When I start flying in earnest again I'll have to replace it.

 

[kjs]

I went ahead and added Build 187 with the enhanced voice stuff to the public link at the start of this thread. Note this is a pre-release link. Build 186 is the current 'production' release.