PlanePlotter 6.6.5.3 Released

[Triple7]

From Bev,

Hi,

PlanePlotter version 6.6.5.3 is on the web site now.
http://www.planeplotter.com#download

For Win XP platforms.  "www.coaa.co.uk/planeplotter6_6_5_3XP.exe" is available without the IPv6 feature.

---Usual boilerplate---
Updates are free to registered users.

You may need to exercise your browser Refresh function to force it to show you the new version of the PlanePlotter web page. If you post a message complaining that the web page is still pointing to an earlier version, you pay a forfeit - unless I forgot to update the web page, in which case I pay a forfeit!

You can install the new version over the old one but you *must* close/exit PlanePlotter before installing the new one. Nic's installer will warn you if PlanePlotter is still running when you try to install the new version. Your settings from the previous installation will be preserved.

If you have a version-specific firewall or security system, you may have to reassure it that the new version is permitted to access the Internet. Be aware that increasingly, security systems treat any new file as a threat without any justification except that it is new. Please don't write to me about it; write to your security system provider and ask them to make their program smarter.
-----------------------
Beamfnder improvements

If you are interested in the Beamfinder feature, this release includes a wholly new and simpler way to evaluate candidate radar sites in your area.
Tools for radar sites..Log and analyse all pings...Quick/extended
This takes quite a while for the data collection and analysis, and the extended option takes even longer.  The quick option simply reports the best ten or so radar sites that are detected.  The extended option reports all the possible radar sites, which will certainly include many that are nonsense, and it also saves to your log directory a screen grab of the best fit intersection for each one (many!).  The screen grab for each one makes it easy to eliminate the ones that are not worth pursuing if they don't show a pleasing convergence of beams.
In both cases, the new data replaces your existing "radar.txt" file, if any.  It does not import or upldate anything from the pre-existing file; it simply replaces it. However the old file is saved to a new file name with the date and time added so you can reinstate it if the new data is not an improvement.

After the quick or extended analysis, you will want to use "Tools for radar sites..Edit radar site locations"  This displays all the sites that it has just reported.
If, for example, you see that some of them are in the sea, Control-Shift-Left click will delete them.  You can review the performance of each one by double clicking on it, which will display only that site together with a rotating radial line that represents the beam sweeping around.  Small circles will appear if a matching ping is received from an aircraft.  After it has synchronised for a while, if the little circles pop up close to the rotating radial, it is probably a good site to use.  If not, double click again to exit that mode and Control-Shift-Left click to delete that site from the file.

This recapitulative list shows changes since the last formal release 6.5.9.7.  In view of the large number of changes, there might be some issues arising so if you are not in a hurry, it may save you some effort to wait a day or two in case there need to be any corrections.

6.5.9.8
fix ping rate consolidation rate multiple vulnerability
slightly relax criterion for radar site to be included in radar.txt

6.5.9.9
fix polar diagram susceptibility to neighbouring reception

6.6.1.1
add separate font for OpenAIP labels

6.6.1.2
line width options for Outlines, GPX overlays, OpenAIP overlays
ignore hypersharing requests if busy with other tasks

6.6.1.3
reverted

6.6.1.4
fix unintended Fonts..OpenAIP ..labels colours

6.6.1.5
new format OpenAIP

6.6.1.6
Refresh solar system objects every ten minutes
Detect home location JPG fails
Add Help...Test networking...Display Home Location in Google Maps
Add Options...Home Location...Display Home Location in Google Maps
Fix bug in flight number format accessing flightroute.sqb

6.6.1.7
update MapQuest API domain name

6.6.1.8
reduce polling rate for local GPS to set Home location

6.6.1.9
save and restore "Suspend 5km rule" between sessions

6.6.2.1
do not check Shift for keyboard "+" (which requires shift on UK keyboard)

6.6.2.2
"=" has same functions as "+" (to avoid Shift on UK keyboards)

6.6.2.3
correct typo in Mode-A/C ping validation algorithm
in View..Aircraft extend text colour to end of line for designated aircraft

6.6.2.4
remove option to share to FlightAware and FR24 - no longer available

6.6.2.5
new radar site analysis method B-2

6.6.2.6
re-centre outline on Home using Shift-left click

6.6.2.7
orthomorphic outline option is now a toggle which persists

6.6.2.8
increase capture time for automated radar site search

6.6.2.9
increase sig figs for Beamfinder site coordinates
enable toolbar Map button in Ortho mode

6.6.3.1
fix unexpected changes to ortho map display

6.6.3.2
auto radar site survey uses method B2

6.6.3.3
auto radar site survey
revised radar search algorithm
save all measurements to radarsitemeasurements.log
save best 10 or so results to radar.txt

6.6.3.4
restore ctrl-shift-click to initiate Mlat on chart

6.6.3.5
harmonise Beamfinder Mode-A ping selection

6.6.3.6
two options (quick and extended) for automated radar site survey

6.6.3.7
fix scale error when changing from outline to chart with quick buttons

6.6.3.8
rationalise B2 method for Mode-A and Mode-S radar sites in automated site survey

6.6.3.9
purge II/SI rates after quick auto site scan
rationalise B2 method for II/SI radar sites in automated site survey

6.6.4.1
rationalise entries in radarsitemeasurements.log during automated survey
only save survey entries to radarsitemeasurements.log with reasonable number of intersections
in radar site survey only log pings with recent position reports

6.6.4.2
beamfinder calibration requires position reports to be recent

6.6.4.3
recency check for Mode-A beamfinder beams match

6.6.4.4
reset designated flight on purge
correct default group format in radar.txt
correct aircraft designation bug

6.6.4.5
ensure quick radar site survey is quick

6.6.4.6
restore designation methods

6.6.4.7
include lat/lon grid in outline over chart if enabled

6.6.4.8
rename former radar.txt after editing the radar sites
lat lon grid over larger area

6.6.4.9
process MA or MS files for remote evaluation of radar sites

6.6.5.1
editorial changes

6.6.5.2
fix vulnerability to multiple raw data requests

6.6.5.3
unconditionally include squawk-like altitudes in Beamfinder beams

Regards
Bev
COAA


Tim