Getting traffic from both the Aero Tracker and the SafeSky app in SkyDemon?

English
1

Is it possible to start the SafeSky app and connect it to the Aero Tracker, and then use “GDL90” in SkyDemon to get the combined traffic displayed?

I know that I can connect directly from SD to Aero Tracker, but then I don’t get SafeSky traffic from ipad’s mobile data connection.

And I can of course start the SafeSky app without connecting to Aero Tracker, send it to the background, and then connect to that from SD (using the GDL90 option).

But I’m not sure if it’s possible to get the combined traffic, for me it didn’t work for now.

I either get an error in SD saying “channel already connected” or it refuses to connect.

Thank you,

Tomislav

2

As far as I know, the data the Aero Tracker receives via its LTE data connection is identical to what the SafeSky app receives. There is no need to do what you are trying..

Or have I misunderstood something?

3

In theory yes, but they use different SIM cards and the coverage could be different. A union of both could be useful.

My AeroTracker’s LTE LED is blinking red from my balcony (in Switzerland), even though my phone and iPad get mobile data just fine.

I saw this in flight as well, at ~4000ft, at the same time when iPad’s SafeSky app did see nearby traffic just by using its mobile data, connecting to AeroTracker lost this traffic.

4

Okay, I think this is a technical question for the SafeSky team to answer/resolve.

My understanding of LTE data is it auto switches between different mobile networks, so in theory you should not be getting a red LTE status LED if your regular phone/device is getting good mobile data..

5

Also, are you aware that LTE data flow stops after about 10 minutes, if the Aero Tracker is not moving?

This is done to limit excessive data usage when the Tracker is not being used in an aircraft.

To reset the 10 minute timer simply power cycle the Tracker..

6

Thank you Antony for your help!

I wasn’t aware of the 10min limit, but it probably doesn’t affect me in this case.

7

Is your Aero Tracker located in a good position for reception of all signals?

That is, GPS, LTE and air to air transmissions?

Usually the best location is it mounted on the instrument panel, with antenna above any metal and with a good unobstructed view forward.

8

I’ve been testing from my balcony, with both my phone and my ipad having 3 (out of 4) bars of mobile data reception.

I know LTE is not working because I don’t see myself on the https://live.safesky.app/ map if I rely just on the AeroTracker, without my iPad having internet.

And it’s blinking red.

9

Is your LTE status LED always showing “red”, even within the first 10 minutes of power up?

10

Yes, it’s red from the start.

11

Did you purchase the correct LTE subscription for users based in Switzerland?

I think it is different for Swiss users when compared with users in other European countries.

Hopefully the SafeSky technical team will reply to you soon..

12

Yes I have the Europe Plus.

It could be the coverage between the two is different, or that phone/ipad antennas are more sensitive.

Thank you Antony!

13

OK I confirmed that my LTE works OK from another location, so it is about coverage.

Still, the original question of this thread still stands, it would be good to combine both sources.

The SafeSky app can do it, the FAQ says “If your smartphone or tablet running SafeSky also has an LTE connection, it can further enhance visibility by combining traffic received via the Aero Tracker and your phone or tablet device.”.

But then sending this to SkyDemon in addition is maybe problematic.

14

I think the restriction may be with SkyDemon. I am fairly sure SkyDemon can only take one source of data at any one time.

15

It doesn’t have to take two sources, it just takes SafeSky over GDL90.

And SafeSky is connected to AeroTracker, combining the traffic. This I know it can do.

Maybe the GDL90 port is already taken by the SafeSky app communicating with AeroTracker, so it cannot be used for SkyDemon <> SafeSky communication as well.

16

It is indeed possible to use both your AeroTracker and the SafeSky app together to enhance traffic reception and visibility, but there are a few important conditions.

This setup only works when using Wi-Fi mode with GDL90 in SkyDemon. In that case, SkyDemon will receive and combine the traffic coming from both the SafeSky app and your Airotracker.

If your AeroTracker is connected via Bluetooth, this is unfortunately not possible. As confirmed by @tnowak , SkyDemon has a limitation where it can only receive traffic from a single source, and when using Bluetooth, that source is exclusively the connected device.

In practice, many users still prefer Bluetooth because it can be more stable and simpler to set up compared to Wi-Fi. That said, performance can vary depending on your environment and configuration, so it’s worth testing both options to see what works best for you.

Fly Safe,

Tristan