Newbie

[kingair]

I'm new to virtual radar, and I'm still pondering over whether to purchase AirNav or SBS-3. Presently I'm using Planefinder.net, which for £0 is good. I get a lot of 'service' aircraft flying over me, mainly VC10's & C130's which Planefinder does not seem to detect. Will AirNav radarbox or the SBS-3 be able to detect these?

Regards

Steve

[Anmer]

If you've read the various Guides (as suggested in response to one of your earlier posts) you will know that not all aircraft provide positional data within their Mode-S messages.  Typically these will be military and smaller aircraft although this isn't definitive.

Planefinder and other aircraft tracking websites use positional data from Mode-S receivers and, consequently, will not display non-positional aircraft.

Neither the SBS-3 nor RadarBox will plot non-positional aircraft.  However a third-party software "add-on" called PlanePlotter can try and plot such aircraft using multilateration (Mlat).  There is a one-off licence fee of around 25 Euros for PlanePlotter and, depending on your ability to upload suitable data, you may be able to use Mlat for free.  However the RadarBox can't supply "suitable" data, in which case you can pay an annual fee of around 12 Euros to see Mlat plotter aircraft.

Some years ago AirNav Systems announced that it would "deliver" Mlat at some future date but nothing's been heard since and no one is holding one's breath.

The SBS-3, Beast and microADSB (amongst others) can upload "suitable" data.

Visit the COAA PLanePlotter website for more information.

http://www.coaa.co.uk/planeplotter.htm

[kingair]

Thanks for the info Anmer--all taken on board, including the slight reprimand! I had read the guide notes as recommended, but with the perpendicular learning curve I'm going through at the moment with loads of research, this one slipped through. I'll endeavour to be more vigilant in the future!

Steve

[Anmer]

Thanks for the info Anmer--all taken on board, including the slight reprimand!

I'm only trying to avoid repeating myself and writing a full Guide in a message reply