No fly day, K index

[gpauk]

Well, quite apart from the high winds (gusting 40mph, the sun is very active), K index of 5. That's not good for GPS lock.
Interesting article here on solar disturbance and gps: http://www2.unb.ca/gge/Resources/gpsworld.may03.pdf

And, if you want an easy update on the K index,

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.kijk.Kmonitor provided by Noel is very handy.

http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10988&hilit=k+index

 

[tubino]

Yup, just back from three batteries of PV flying with GPS. it was a bit dodgy at times. But it worked pretty well when I had 11 or 12 satellites. at one point I was flying near a water tower, very large, about 200 feet up, and it seemed to be pulled towards the tower as if it were a magnet.it wasn't really very strong, but enough to freak me out for a moment.

 

[JimDE]

Mac has a nice free app for that too called mag storms

 

[OI Photography]

Is it still reading 5 for you over there? Noel's app showed me 5 last night when I went to bed, but this morning it's back down to 3...not optimal, but not nearly as concerning either.

 

[gpauk]

It's dropped to 3 this afternoon... I was using NASA spaceweather site

The wind, however, has not dropped at all!!

 

[2trickpony]

It's dropped to 3 this afternoon... I was using NASA spaceweather site

The wind, however, has not dropped at all!!

Yep, the wind is terrible today.

 

[OI Photography]

Fortunately the wind level readings here today are only "annoying" but not quite "prohibitive" so I'm going to brave it as soon as I hear the magical tones from my battery charger

 

[Noël]

My app pulls the data every 1 hour.

You can bypass this by pushing the k-Index value in the process bar, or by pushing the icon of the app itself.

If needed I can change the pull data to 1/2 hour or even less.

I've just done a small update of the app, and with a bit of luck Google play will soon push it to the users.

 

[gpauk]

Great app, btw.. Handy for amateur radio too....

 

[Noël]

It can even be used as an Aurora (Northern Lights) alert I've been told (-:

http://www.auroraskystation.com/

 

[Big Ben]

Why all the permissions? Why keep tabs on the WiFi networks for example? I don't like apps with (lots of) unnecessary permissions. The less permissions the better I like them.

 

[Noël]

1- Network communication is needed to download the needed data (data connection or over wifi)
2- Phone calls is needed to see if it's in Flight mode or not.
The "Vibration" permission is not really needed anymore as I've removed the option, but forgot to remove it's needed library (will do so on next update)
No more permissions are needed / used.

If you do not like it, than please do not install it.

One more thing. Apps can be coded that will show no permission needed, but that will have them and use it! Do not always trust the shown permission needed message!
If you want to be safe do not install anything on your device!

 

[Big Ben]

It's the Phone status and identity that's not needed imho. Nor whether WiFi is enabled and the reading of existing WiFi networks names and which I'm connected to. Of course I get it needs to connect to the internet to retrieve the relevant data from the NASA site but whether I switch to flight mode and internet connection is lost is something I will keep tabs on. Now it can read my phone number and numbers of people with whom I make phone calls. In combination with internet access that information and info about the WiFi networks and connections could be sent to the maker of the app or some data mining company or...? I'm not saying this app does that but I don't like having to judge whether I think the maker can be trusted or not. After all I have no reliable way to do so. By not having such permissions it becomes much easier for the discerning user to decide whether he wants to install an app or not. Many/most people pay (too) little attention to permissions but others do and they don't install apps with too many unnecessary permissions or they root their devices and install apps that curtail these permissions and block them.

Other solar activity apps (Sun Activity and Solar Flux) only have internet access permission which is needed to retrieve the data it needs to give the user the information he wants. Nothing more. That's what I'd prefer to see.

 

[Noël]

I understand your worries, and again please do not use the app if you do not trust it.

My app works different as you might have seen. One thing for sure is the way it's checking the connection and if it's in airplane mode or not.

I'm of to get some sleep now (it's just before 12pm) but will try to explain things better tomorrow if needed.

Again. Feel free to use it or not.

 

[Noël]

Okay.. Got some time now.

That permission (Read phone status) is required to get AirplaneStatus and get notified of connection changes.
Unless it is used, the only other option available is to constantly pool the webserver (say for example do it every minute).
This would obviously drain the battery way faster. It would also use more bandwidth as it needs to pool every minute to see if it's got an internet connection.

Not sure what the other apps do when going into airplane mode, but mine will instantly go into "sleep" mode (less battery usage and CPU cycles)
As soon as the phone is put back into normal mode AND has an internet connection (WiFi or data) the app will wakeup and retrieves the new K value.

** Edit **
Forgot to mention:
"Read phone status and identity" are all in the same API when the phones is running Android 1.6 or higher.
IE: I cannot only call read_phone_status without also calling identity.