Good evening. I’m enjoying using the SafeSky app linked to SkyDemon, and have recently bought a PilotAware to supplement this. Could you please tell me If it’s possible to use SafeSky at the same time as the iGrid data feed feature on PilotAware? Or you can only use SafeSky + PilotAware in its normal configuration?
Also I am using my phone to provide SIM card + SafeSky, and a tablet to display SkyDemon with the traffic. Both phone and tablet are connected to the PilotAware Wi-Fi. Can you please confirm when I start SkyDemon and click “go flying,” with SafeSky + PilotAware in Normal configuration, do I press “use gdl90 compatible device” or “use PilotAware?”
Simple answer - Yes
Reality - It needs a bit of effort before flight to get it to work OK.
I have used PilotAware and Safesky to display traffic in SkyDemon on a tablet and it works quite well.
SafeSky uses GDL90 to communicate with SkyDemon, PilotAware by default uses a different format so PilotAware needs to be configured to use GDL90 (I prefer to set it up to send both). Whilst you are in the PAW settings go to network settings to allow PAW to be used as a router (its off by default), this will allow SkyDemon to get to the internet, update weather and Notams etc.
You need to change the settings in Safesky to allow traffic from the PAW and traffic to SkyDemon.
After this Selecting Goflying with GDL90 will show both PAW and SafeSky Traffic, when it first appears there may be duplicates, but they quickly merge into single tracks. GoFly with PAW will only show PAW tracks.
I would connect the Tablet to the PAW WiFi and connect PAW to the phone’s hotspot, with some phones connecting it to the PAW WiFi as well as the hotspot can cause issues with the routing.
What you are doing there is pretty much what you would get with Pilot Aware when the iGrid is working. Obviously you don’t get the few people who are using SafeSky alone though so I like the idea and will read what’s been said a few more times to understand it and have a go. I have PAW and Safesky.
The key issue for me is the phone signal. There’s a discussion on the Pilot Aware forum about using a 4G dongle, this is similar to the test SafeSky did with the 4G router but the dongle will be a lot cheaper. I’m just trying to find a dongle with an external antenna connection to fit to my aircraft.
If we can get it working at a bit more altitude both the iGrid and Safesky should work higher up without too much extra investment. At the moment both of mine stop the data driven contacts quite quickly as I climb.
There’s a few suggestions on the 4G dongle already on the thread look on the Pilot Aware Forum ‘General Discussion’ for ‘4G Router iGRID’
Further to my post above. I fitted the 4G dongle (£24) to my Pilot aware unit recently. I augmented it with an external 4G antenna that connects to the dongle with 1m cables. The results are so far excellent, no drop out on a 120nm flight with much of it at 4000’.
I suggest those that use Safesky look at an option that enables them to use such a dongle with external antenna.
Regards, Clive