Hello SafeSky team.
I recently purchased a LILYGO® T-Echo with SoftRF (aka Badge Edition), and this little cheap device, loaded with the SoftRF OpenSource software, can receive and transmit some of the most popular protocols for tracking/collision avoidance of the free flying world: OGN Tracking / Fanet+ / Flarm / PilotAware.
It also comes with e-ink display with a nice “radar” view making it very handy for aircrafts without a proper cockpit, like paragliders.
As described in the compatibility section of the SoftRF, the device can communicate to external device via Flarm NMEA/ Garmin GDL90, depending on which tracking protocol is picked.
Will this device (and/or the rest of the SoftRF devices) be made compatible with SafeSky?
The device already integrates with Stratux, but I would be interested in a direct communication between the T-Echo and the SafeSky app. The most interesting part would be being able to relay the data the T-Echo is reading into the SafeSky network.
Myself, I am flying with lillygo T beam v2 flashed with softrf and assigned to OGN. during testing I was getting, a little dealy warning, on my running SafeSky app in flight. Others on the ground where also able to track me wit altitude and heading information.
Hi elgandoz,
I spent hours to connect my t-echo badge(SoftRf) to any Android navigation app via Bluetooth but I couldn’t create any connection.
The only app which works is the SoftRF Tool App.
What is your experience with T-Echo possible connections?
It would be a dream to get safesky connected additionally
Many thanks for any idea
Regards
Harry
You can connect your T-Echo to your gliding navigation software (like XCSoar, LK8000, XCTrack/Air3, SeeYou Navigator/Oudie N and others) via Bluetooth LE, via NMEA protocol. I believe you could also use USB.
This allows to visualise the traffic received directly from the device on your phone, as explained in the official page:
Let me know on a private message if you need help to get it to work.
I’m not sure if any of the other General Aviation electronic flight bag apps support the NMEA protocol.
This is also the issue (and kinda request) I exposed to @Tristan about the compatibility with SafeSky, which, at the moment, only supports Garmin GDL90 protocol.
Therefore, for the time being, you can only use the SoftRF with a gliding app and then use SafeSky independently, without connection to the app. The advantage is that you’ll “be seen” by other pilots but you won’t see the ones from SkySafe (unless you swap app in flight, far from ideal).
If SafeSky had a NMEA protocol compatibility over a localserver, it would allow to rebroadcast the traffic incoming from the SoftRF and allow the pilot to see such traffic in flight app, just like it currently happens for EasyVFR, AviaMaps and similars.
Hi elgandoz;
Thx a lot for your ideas!
My favourite nav app is VFRnav which has a really good traffic modul.
My second electronic, which I deal with, is the powerflarm device with a wifi modul I designed in. This works perfect. With bluetooth and t-Echo no chance.
For testing I tried a bluetooth connection t-echo badge<—>xcsoar
I don’t find any port monitor:SoftRF-xxxxxx in the xcsoar app…
Otherwise, any "bluefruit connect " connection works perfect…as written on the softRF homepage.
So, I don’t understand the connection mechanism softRF<—>xcsoar!
Regards
harry
Hi, Also trying to connect xcsoar to a LilyGo Badge device.
I can connect the device to my phone using using bluetooth, and get it to appear in the devices list but everything i try just has No Data.
There a re 4 Engine type options - whatever that is - None, 2S1I,2S2I, and 4S1i. Any ideas if they do anything? I tried them all with no luck.
Hello,
The year 2023 device was working perfect and i could see other flarms and also it transmited signal to them. This year i tried and see that not working anymore.
Looks that original flarm did some updates and liligo do not see them.
Maybe someone know how to update Lilogo device with newer soft ans is it even possible?
I have the Lilygo T-Echo only for a short time, and I don’t know which previous versions are still working. But I updated mine to version 1.5.1 and I can see other pilots flying with Skytraxx. So it seems to work. The protocol is set to “Legacy”.
