Where did the Pucks go?

[MIXISM]

Anyone here anything about the Pucks? I wounder if they where part of a magic trick?
Later

[viking9]

I reckon they are going to be launched at the annual Puck Fair in Co Kerry which takes place on August 10th-12th. 

http://www.puckfair.ie/index.php

[vortex003]

Well after seeing how the Xmas competition was extended into January,and the two winners have not mentioned how they perform - i'm not expecting an answer soon.

Dongles coupled with Planeplotter seem to be becoming very popular in the meantime though.

[Chris-G0WTZ]

Radio User have samples for Review and we will announce release date as soon as we have it.
If you PM the competition winners maybe they will tell you what they think.

Happy Easter all

[Keef]

6 months after the promotion of the product and no real news.

I'm not inclined to PM people, they'll share when they are ready.

I have to say it seems like a bad idea to promise and not deliver, that alienates me.
Add in the cheap dongles now available and I see a problem for sales of the puck.

I'm not doubting it will be a good product, but late to market and overtaken by events is my opinion.

[mhm]

Keef

As a winner of one of the pucks, i will give a true and fair opinion of the puck when i have had time to spend with it. As i work i find that i dont have as much time as i would like at the pc.

You say that because the cheaper dongle has arrived and may have taken the lions share. You may find that people out there will buy quality, as in the car market, you will find that some people go for the cheap and cheerfull whilst some pay more and go for quality. I.E toyota yaris, against, Volvo.

[vortex003]

Radio User have samples for Review and we will announce release date as soon as we have it.
If you PM the competition winners maybe they will tell you what they think.

Happy Easter all

So three / four months later we're still really none the wiser - and i have to PM a stranger with no connection to Kinetic,who would 'maybe' answer any questions put to them.

[Anmer]

I'm not doubting it will be a good product, but late to market and overtaken by events is my opinion.

If the Puck had been on sale 3 or 6 months ago, it would have had no influence on the competitive threat of cheaper alternatives.

Personally, I see the cheap DVB-T receivers as an entry point to the hobby.  But they require a lot more effort to setup and, in my personal experience, don't perform as well as a specialist Mode-S receiver with complimentary software.

Both products can cohabit in the same market.  The challenge is for Kinetic, AirNav and other specialist receiver manufacturers to raise their game and persuade us to invest in their products by adding value, be it in the hardware or the complimentary software.

I've used all the specialists receivers and associated software.  I've also used PlanePlotter and adsbScope.  My preference is to use a specialist receiver and it's included software.  I may be in the minority and others are happy to experiment and I applaud their efforts.  It pushes the boundaries and, hopefully, the competition to up its game.

The success of the Puck is in Kinetic's own hands.  What I'd prefer to see is a new version of Basestation, incorporating many of the items on the Wish List I prepared years ago plus an integrated ACARS option.  The lack of software development by Kinetic and AirNav won't help them in a competitive market place.

The Puck doesn't address this.

[viking9]

I agree with most of your comments above and your opinion regarding Basestation, Mike. I have just bought an SBS-1er and am using it in place of the Beast because the Basestation software is so good. I can live with the 15/20nm reduction in range so that I can use Active Display to update my database.

Strange to relate, I'm actually getting about 20% more aircraft from the 1er than from the Beast Mk2, despite the latter showing almost double the message rate in PlanePlotter. I'm getting 4 blues a lot of the time, something I didn't get in this neck of the woods even with the SBS-3, so I think I've got a very sensitive example of the 1er.

[vortex003]

I think the main gripe here is that many posts on the various forums regarding the release of the Puck remain unanswered - and the latest post from the dealer does not shed much light on things either.
I'm very happy with my SBS-1 and have used it daily since 2006,and am very interested in getting a Puck to marry up with my netbook for out and about.It is the lack of communication that annoys me (and others it seems)

[mhm]

I have just bought 2 antennas from Chris Taylor to go with my SBS1 and the Puck.

The first  days use of the sbs1 antenna gives very good results, This is the one that Anmer tested and gave his report.

I am going to use the UHF / VHF antenna on the puck. This report will be coming when tested. I can highly recomend the radio antenna for radio comms as i have used it on my scanners and works very well on both bands.

I will detail puck data later. when i have finished playing.

[Keef]

Anmer, do you have a link to your Basestation 'wish list'?

I know I've seen it before but can't find it now...

I have my SBS-1eR running 24/7 and its's never missed a beat, great hardware and I like the Basestaion software just as much. I wasn't out to have a go at the pucks in terms of hardware or capability as I obviously have no knowledge in that area, I just find it strange the way they were announced so long before they have become available for sale.

Cheers,

Keef.

[IanH]

Who won the ADSB version of the Puck?

If my SBS-1e went kaput tonight, a dongle would replace it running PlanePlotter. It has sufficient range for my purpose which is essentially visual range and considerable extra.

Maybe I would find some deficiencies (other than the networking ones I already know about). But they would have to be substantial to buy custom hardware again.

Ian

[Anmer]

Anmer, do you have a link to your Basestation 'wish list'?

I'll dig it out and post it under a different topic.

[Keef]

Thanks Anmer, much appreciated.