At home Radar?

[SKYNET156]

I am moving less than a mile from the Melbourne Fl, airport, and i remember there being a way to monitor the tower frequency on your scanner hooked to a computer to watch the flight radar?
Correct me if i am wrong about this, but how is it done and what hard/software is required?

 

[SkipSanders]

If you feel like spending maybe $600, you can get a special receiver and software package to receive and display transponder data.

There is nothing you can receive on your scanner that will give you radar info.

There may be a web-based local radar available, some airports provide this.

One site that gives a local map of at least airline flight locations is at:

FlightAware - Flight Tracker / Flight Status / Flight Tracking

If you sign up as a member (no cost, when I did, some time ago), you can go to:

FlightAware > Airport Activity > Melbourne Intl Airport (Melbourne, FL) [KMLB]

for the map centered on KMLB.

 

[CalebATC]

If I am not mistaken, the virtual radar is only for ADS-B. The only aircraft that really have ADS-B are the airliners, corprate jets, and military.

And, Flightaware really doesn't do any good if they are VFR, or unless they are being tracked by a radar controller. Therefore, Flightaware is useless unless you are trying too see a friend or family member on a flight.

73s

 

[rexgame]

ACARS, ADS-B, and Selcal can transmit location. ACARS would need a scanner and a decoder (software or hardware) ADS-B is usually done with a dedicated ADS-B reciever and software suite (which usually include options to decode ACARS and Selcal if you plug in the audio). Selcal usually needs an HF reciever and a decoder. I don't know any hardware Selcals so I'm assuming it's just software.

 

[CalebATC]

ACARS, ADS-B, and Selcal can transmit location. ACARS would need a scanner and a decoder (software or hardware) ADS-B is usually done with a dedicated ADS-B reciever and software suite (which usually include options to decode ACARS and Selcal if you plug in the audio). Selcal usually needs an HF reciever and a decoder. I don't know any hardware Selcals so I'm assuming it's just software.

I use both of my scanners for ACARS when it's dead on Milair. Works Good. I use Airnav acars decoder.

 

[rmiller818]

If I am not mistaken, the virtual radar is only for ADS-B. The only aircraft that really have ADS-B are the airliners, corprate jets, and military.

And, Flightaware really doesn't do any good if they are VFR, or unless they are being tracked by a radar controller. Therefore, Flightaware is useless unless you are trying too see a friend or family member on a flight.

73s

You won't see any VFR traffic of any type on flight aware, regardless if it is on a discrete squawk or if the aircraft has flight following/VFR traffic advisories or a pop up IFR clearance. None of the times I have had to get an IFR clearance on the fly did my aircraft show up. Might be different if you filed through FSS in the air and then picked it up, haven't tried that.

 

[minskie]

If I am not mistaken, the virtual radar is only for ADS-B. The only aircraft that really have ADS-B are the airliners, corprate jets, and military.

And, Flightaware really doesn't do any good if they are VFR, or unless they are being tracked by a radar controller. Therefore, Flightaware is useless unless you are trying too see a friend or family member on a flight.

73s

All those ADS-B boxes are only good for airlines. All the interesting traffic, (GA and Military) don't use ADS-B much, so it gets very boring after a while watching the same old airliners on their fixed routes. Same ones day in, day out.

If GA (General Aviation) & Military started using ADS-B it would be 100% more entertaining. Can't ever see that happening due to cost of the equipment for GA and security reasons for Mil.

So, buy a ADS-B box and be prepared to end up with an expensive paperweight unless you like watching the equivalent of paint drying or grass growing.

 

[rmiller818]

If GA (General Aviation) & Military started using ADS-B it would be 100% more entertaining. Can't ever see that happening due to cost of the equipment for GA and security reasons for Mil.

2020 is the mandate for all aircraft to have at least ADS-B out.

Should be interesting to see how things take shape closer to that date though.

 

[minskie]

Long time between drinks though, 2020.

I tried to sell my RadarBox recently but got no offers so I figured I'd best keep it as I paid over $400US
for it. I don't use it anymore.

Overated piece of junk for the $$$

 

[brandon]

Ummm I see plenty of military flights on the Mode-S log.
I find the Mode-S more useful to know when certain aircraft are up. Plug in the CBP helicopters and then you can know when they're up on a mission and start searching the fed bands for activity. The U-2's also show up in the Mode-S window. Also works good to know when CalFire is using aircraft on a fire or when the news media helicopters are in the area.

 

[minskie]

They don't show up on the map though. (The occasional one does). It's 99% airline flights, well on my RadarBox at least.

I find it very uninteresting, but to each his own I guess.

 

[CalebATC]

I was going to say what rmiller said, but.... 2020 will be a great year for the ADS-B lovers. You will definately see more GA aircraft on the boxes for sure. But, I bet military will have a few revisions, and might even start up their own type, maybe encrypted?!?!? Hope not!

73

 

[DaveNF2G]

The military already have their own locating system.