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  #1  
Old 04-18-2012, 04:57 PM
hydroguy2's Avatar
hydroguy2 hydroguy2 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Townsend, Montana
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Default Tracking with Ipad

I'm heading out the door in the morning for a 1150nm trip to Texas. I borrowed a SPOT for emergency location, but the tracking service is not active...ie I have to push the button to summon help, but family can't follow me.

So i wondering if any one has used an Ipad App like "TrackMyTour" to update locations while moving across the country.

OR....is there something else/better way to track us from hither, thither and yon?
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  #2  
Old 04-18-2012, 05:14 PM
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You could use the "find my iPhone" app. It basically locates the iPad from any other ios5 enabled device so long as the person searching for your iPad has the apple ID and password.

Other than that I prefer APRS but of course you are no set up for that yet.
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  #3  
Old 04-18-2012, 05:25 PM
FLY6 FLY6 is offline
 
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Location: Burlington On. Ca
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Default Find Friends

Apparently "Find Friends" on I Phone works quite well.

Al
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  #4  
Old 04-18-2012, 05:34 PM
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erich weaver erich weaver is offline
 
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Dont know much about it myself, but if you are using SkyChartsPro, I believe it has a "breadcrumbs" feature that will relay your whereabouts. Cant beat the app price of $20

erich

Last edited by erich weaver : 04-18-2012 at 09:40 PM.
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  #5  
Old 04-18-2012, 08:07 PM
QueueCT QueueCT is offline
 
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Location: Redding, CT
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Will requesting flight following, with a discrete transponder code, allow you to be tracked
through Flight Aware?
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  #6  
Old 04-18-2012, 08:12 PM
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Flight following with a discreet transponder code is hit or miss as far as FlightAware. I use flight following and about 20% of the time I show on FlightAware. Not sure why it is not all the time.

TJ
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  #7  
Old 04-18-2012, 08:48 PM
acroflyrgirl acroflyrgirl is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ
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I flew in Dec and used Flight Aware for tracking. i just flew a trip today and tried the same thing and it doesn't show up on Flight Aware this time. My old trip from Dec still shows up though.
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  #8  
Old 04-18-2012, 08:50 PM
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tkatc tkatc is offline
 
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If you want to be tracked on flight aware, request that the controller providing flight following put you in "the machine". If the controller does this it will kick out a discreet transponder code and you will be tracked the entire flight so long as you are receiving flight following.

The controller has the option to issue you a "local" transponder code. If he does that, you will NOT show up on flight aware. I good rule of thumb to determine if you are on a "local" code or a "machine" issued code is if your first digit is a 0, you are more than likely on a local code. Any other digit and you are most likely IN the machine and will be tracked.

Some controllers that fly will know exactly what you mean, others will be clueless so you may have to explain it.
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  #9  
Old 04-19-2012, 06:34 AM
mrreddick mrreddick is offline
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Default Flight Following for Family

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying again! View Post
Flight following with a discreet transponder code is hit or miss as far as FlightAware. I use flight following and about 20% of the time I show on FlightAware. Not sure why it is not all the time.

TJ
I've never had vfr flight following show up on Flight Aware. You already have an iPad. For less than $20 a year you could use SkyChartsPro and turn on "breadcrumbs" in the Setup section. Enter an email your family has and they can track each leg of your trip. It looks a lot like Spot's display only I personally think it's a little better. At each reporting point you get info like coordinates, airspeed, altitude, etc.
Go to the App Store and read all about it.
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  #10  
Old 04-19-2012, 08:08 AM
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erich weaver erich weaver is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrreddick View Post
I've never had vfr flight following show up on Flight Aware. You already have an iPad. For less than $20 a year you could use SkyChartsPro and turn on "breadcrumbs" in the Setup section. Enter an email your family has and they can track each leg of your trip. It looks a lot like Spot's display only I personally think it's a little better. At each reporting point you get info like coordinates, airspeed, altitude, etc.
Go to the App Store and read all about it.
Yes, I also pointed this out in a previous post on this thread. However I don't think it's better than a Spot, since the iPad cannot be expected to maintain constant 3G contact while flying, which would be required for near real-time reporting. Spot relays the info by satellite and thus avoids this issue. On the plus side, currently SkyCharts costs a flat $20 - the annual subscription has not been enforced to date. Not sure how long that will last, and also not sure how long SkyCharts will be able to continue to operate given that their free access to digital sectionls is coming to an end. Enjoy while you can.

Erich
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