Aerovision v4 troubleshooting

[Ryansintx]

Looking for some troubleshooting guides or a FAQ on the system. I have had the turbo system for a few seasons and I absolutely love it. Unfortunately recently I started getting huge swings in altitude data. I'm not talking about a random -200ft to +400 (however I'm frequently getting more then normal negative to positive swings). The issue has been happening over a week or more daily with both the standard and omni antennas.

It's more like every data update its bouncing around to a point where I dont trust the data to be even close to accurate. For example the bird is at a constant height of 500ft in a soar. The gps will go from 50ft above, next update 800ft, then 200ft, then 500ft, then back to 50ft, -4000, 250,500.
I haven't changed any of the hardware or software iPad compass is calibrated and up to date. Same results with 4 different batteries. I'm a member of the user group on fb but you have to wade through a ton of post to find anything relevant. Any help on calibration would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ryan S.

[jdrmd]

Which mode are you running the transmitter in?

[Ryansintx]

John,
Of course I forgot to add that to the post. I run in Eco mode. I average about four hours of on the wing time a day usually 6 days a week.

I haven't ever seen that big of + or - swings from what I would call a static height. I totally understand the typical error correction for a consumer gps unit, but I'm seeing 300-400 foot or more variance from a static height.

I'm going to mess around with the modes today and see if that corrects the issue.
Thanks,
Ryan S

[Steve Jones]

Try changing the setting from "above me" to "above start." When you use "above me" it uses the GPS in your iPad to figure your height, and subtracts that from the birds height. When using "above start" it only uses the GPS in the bird's transmitter and just subtracts the starting number. It will be more accurate, because many times the GPS on your iPad will have inaccurate numbers, and it takes that completely out of the equation.

[Ryansintx]

Good tip Steve thanks!
I ended up swapping from Eco to HD and back seems like that might of cleared things up. I will give it another shot in an hour and see what happens.
Thanks,
Ryan S

[qball]

HD mode seems to sooth it out as well.... but those are big swings

[Ryansintx]

Yeah some wacky stuff going on got a bird in the air now had about 10 minutes of negative -300 to -600ft. Once the bird got up about 300ft above it hit 0 then 50ft then 150ft. Bird must of been 400+ at the time. Scratching my head now. (I'm in tx not flying off a mountain so the -600ft not possible)
Ryan S

[dboyrollz76]

Open the app, let it stay open for a few minutes before you start your pocket link. Then let your pocket link stay on for a few good minutes before you start your transmitter. If the app is opened then you immediately turn on the pocket link then the battery. Sometimes it glitches because the app may be open but if you start up to fast the start up steps don’t go in order wether it’s the app being slow or the pocket. Things get wacky and they start completely out of order

[Steve Jones]

Also, if you are using "above start" make sure the transmitter has a good fix on satellites before starting the recording. If it has an inaccurate fix when you start, all the readings after that will be off because it thinks you started at a different altitude. It sounds like in your example in post #9 that it had an inaccurate reading of 300 feet higher altitude than actual when you hit start. That would put all readings after that 300 feet lower than they actually are.

I put it in "EXT" mode when I start running my dog. When I get a point I switch it to "HD" mode. It uses very little battery in "EXT" mode, and this gives it plenty of time to get a real good fix on satellites. When I get a point I switch it to "HD" mode. It switches real fast, and has a good accurate reading for the start of the flight.

[Ryansintx]

Steve,
I was thinking the same thing, but I was running in the "above me" mode. Same session I swapped into Hd got what looked like normal readings. Went back to Eco and had a 500ft reading. I Confermed it visually, looked good... bird was starting to ride a thermal. Went from 500ft to 250ft to negitive -400ft, 250ft then 600ft.... ect. The bird never lost any altitude or line of sight. Typically I would see the usual + or - 50ft, but this odd swinging just kind of started out of nowhere.

I use the same boot sequence every time, and the transmitter or pl havent been abused. I do admit I might power up the pl to fast after opening the app, but i have done it that way for 3 or 4 seasons. I just started having issues like a week ago.

I'm starting to think it's linked to either Global warming, Trump,
Or malware from to much internet porn possibly all 3 (not necessarily in that order). One more day of testing and then I will give customer service a call.
Thanks guys,
Ryan S

[JRedig]

I have seen lots of huge varying data in eco mode. But that’s only when I turn the transmitter on, I only fly in HD and that goes away as soon as HD is acquired.

[Ryansintx]

Jeff,
I have had random spikes when a bird is on the ground or on top of the truck, but I see that as normal. I'm guessing that's what your referring to?

I'm talking about having a bird on the wing for an extended period of time at a constant height and seeing swings of 400 to 500 feet or more. From my experience with Eco mode when a bird is just on a soar the data coming back is usually fairly consistent with the actual altitude of the bird.

Lately the random glitch in the matrix has become a lot less random. I guess I'm just looking for that magic uninstall/reinstall, memory wipe, restore to factory default button. Just to make sure I'm not going crazy.
Ryan S

[xjturnerx]

Use hd mode for Data accuracy. Eco for extended locating. Data in eco is too far off for correct height and speed. Also as the bird gets higher the data is less accurate. Even in hd. Anything above 700-800’ and your bird will be higher than the reading. Confirmed on the drone with multiple test and by Marshall.

[Ryansintx]

I agree with ya Jordan,
I'm mostly using the gps at work so I have birds waiting on for hours at a time so I need to conserve battery power. That's why I run Eco.

Just did a test in HD mode and I got the same crazy results. I will just give you the high and low readings for example. (Keep in mind the bird was ringing and didnt lose any altitude).
419ft continuously decreasing to 0...down to negative -381.... then back up to +50....107....down to negative -484...+50....negative -251...+50...-282....+348....-100..then 50ft ending on the lure. I'm guessing the bird was between 400-600ft for most of that recoding. I was in HD mode so the data stream was continuous between the values I posted.

I'm pretty convinced there is an issue with either the ipad, the transmitter or the pl. The only thing that has changed is the transmitter. I got it back in November as a replacement to one I had lost. It had been working fine up until a week ago.
Ryan S

[Steve Jones]

Have you tried it in "above start" mode?

[Ryansintx]

Steve,
I did just switch to running all my tests in above start mode. Unfortunately its resulting in more negative altitude then positive. I have a bird up now and he hasn't gone below my eye level, and the data is between -300 and -600. I wish there was like a 1 to 1 inverse flip so I could at least make some sense of it (-100 = + 100). Seems completely random though.

The bird is +300ft above me slope soaring and my values are between -600 and 0 for the most part. I need to put the screen away for awhile and just enjoy the flying, because I'm frustrated to the point of looking for a hammer in the back of truck.
Ryan S

[Steve Jones]

Sounds like it's giving inaccurate readings more than accurate ones. Probably time to talk to Marshall.