Receiving ADS-B questions

[Flightwx]

I have questions about SBS-1 and Radarbox. I am considering purchasing one of them. What can I expect to receive live, without downloading from a server for the rest of the U.S.A.? I live in Wichita County Texas near Sheppard AFB. Tinker AFB, Altus AFB and Navy Fort Worth are all within 150 miles. Sheppard has mainly T-38 and T-6 aircraft. Altus has the C-17, Tinker with the E-3 AWACS aircraft and Navy Fort Worth with I think C-130, F-18 and F-16 aircraft. Wichita Falls (SPS) and Bowie (UKW) are also points for the Bowie 9 (STAR) arrival for KDFW airport. I realize that many U.S. carriers do not transmit ADS-B at this time; there are many international carriers that fly into DFW, but not necessarily in an overhead flight path of my location. Do any of the military aircraft (C-17, C-130, F-16, F-18, and E-3) transmit this code on a consistent basis? I enjoy listening to both Civil and Military aircraft. I do not want to purchase the item and see very little to no traffic. Any advice/help is appreciated.

 

[lotuselan]

I'm based in the UK so can't offer too much help except to say that most European (and those that fly there) commercial aicraft transmit ModeS IDs, the majority including positional data so they can be plotted realtime on a SBS-1 or RadarBox map.

Military usually transmit ModeS (non-positional) data, though the civil types often show positional data too. Aggressor types may swap ModeS IDs just to make it more difficult to identify the airframe though transports and AWACS tend not to swap.

PlanePlotter (which takes feeds from either the SBS-1 or RadarBox) can often pinpoint a non-positional aircraft using multilateration.

I'd recommend Radarspotters - Index for more help as it has members based in the US and mid-west.

Radarspotters also offers a Try Before You Buy Service for UK traffic. But it will give you a true example of what you will get if you buy an SBS-1.

 

[dwlyons]

Flightwx,
I also am in hopes that Santa will deliver on of those enticing boxes under our tree this year. I have been following the usage of them with respect to Mil Air Ops and want one.

You may want to venture over to this page and seen what the folks are reporting with the usage of radar boxes.


http://forums.radioreference.com/ma...-sticky-thread-milair-iv-258.html#post1205175

 

[BMT]

NOTHING!!!

Your box will only display aircraft within a 150 to 200 mile radius of your location.

BMT

 

[Flightwx]

Thanks for the replies. I figured there would not be much to catch. I am guessing that the T-6 and T-38 do not transmit Mode S.

 

[Mark]

Thanks for the replies. I figured there would not be much to catch. I am guessing that the T-6 and T-38 do not transmit Mode S.

Actually many do transmit mode s and more fighters are coming on all the time.
Maryland ANG A-10's used to never transmit and now they do though most
mil jets switch boxes between tails all the time so impossible to tie up one single tail mode but you do get general mode of what is flying/altitude etc.
You would be surprised what is flying overhead down your way.Tinker E-3's always show up consistently and C-17's etc much more.
USAF Bombers are the only ones that never show and most Navy F/18's.Other than them everything Mil shows!
You are in a good spot..
I use Airnav radar box and after learning quite a bit it works just fine.

Mark

 

[Flightwx]

Thanks Mark. I must say I am interested in receiving the T-38/T-6 aircraft for this area. I do live in a good spot for getting hits on a lot of mil aircraft. B-52 fly overhead all the time going to Barksdale. I live in the middle of Dyess, Tinker, Altus, Navy Fort Worth, Fort Sill and KDFW. I did not want to spend that much money for a device that would not perform as is I expected.

 

[ColoradoRedlands]

Thanks Mark. I must say I am interested in receiving the T-38/T-6 aircraft for this area. I do live in a good spot for getting hits on a lot of mil aircraft. B-52 fly overhead all the time going to Barksdale. I live in the middle of Dyess, Tinker, Altus, Navy Fort Worth, Fort Sill and KDFW. I did not want to spend that much money for a device that would not perform as is I expected.

I can guarantee you that all the T-6A, T-1A and T-38C all send a mode-s code, but not with position data. The AWACS also send their code without position, but the Navy E-6B's from TInker DO show their postions.

As for Ft Worth, the USMC KC-130's, the AFRC C-130s, and the Navy C-9's and C-40's send their mode-s codes, also without position, but the FA-18's do not send any Mode-s at all.

To me the presence of military aircraft on the list even without the position is still interesting. Its a good tip when there is traffic to hear on the radio.

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Right now on the Airnav RadarBox Network. It's only showing two ADS-B flights over Texas state area.
COA7 (Boeing777) & (Airbus310). Not much coverage over Texas on the delayed network.

as of this post...over the delay AirNav Network.
3 to 5 ADS-B aircraft over New York.
7 to 8 ADS-B aircraft over California
6 to 8 ADS-B aircraft over Colorado
1 ADS-B aircraft over New Jersey
2 ADS-B aircraft over Washington State
5 ADS-B aircraft over New Mexico

 

[Mark]

I gave up on the network after my free 1 year ran out and didn't use that often anyhow.
and don't upload to them also...Busy enough around here with local stuff as it is.
Remember for every aircraft you see in full mode s there are 10 others at least on
regular mode s.
Sunday night and I am logging 145 total aircraft on data base and 17 mode ADS-B.

Mark
Maryland

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Interesting Mark.
Just checked your area on the delayed network. (still have few more free days left for it. The first 1 year free) After that I be done with the network
Just don't need it. with my sharing turned off also

Seems like there is other RadarBox units in your area sharing data in your area.
New York,Pennsylvania,New Hampshire,etc has good coverage.

You must be getting tired of unchecking the boxes on each software startup. Like the sharing box on the "Preferences" page each time.

There will be a fix for it soon for RadarBox 2010 Version 3.x where it will remember your settings! Since you wont have to worry about the upload bandwidth it uses!

AirNav RADARBOX 2010 3.x PATCH - Coming Soon!
http://piopawlu.net/projects/anrb-patch/

 

[Mark]

Interesting Mark.
You must be getting tired of unchecking the boxes on each software startup. Like the sharing box on the "Preferences" page each time.

There will be a fix for it soon for RadarBox 2010 Version 3.x where it will remember your settings! Since you wont have to worry about the upload bandwidth it uses!

AirNav RADARBOX 2010 3.x PATCH - Coming Soon!
piopawlu.net » ANRB Patch

Amen to that! With Vista software I have to reboot at least once every
24 hours or it stops working. Memory overload problem I assume.
Works fine other than that..

0115z Navy E-6B out of Pax up 164388 (GOTOFMS)..I'll turn on share program for a while.
dropping down into Pax River from the East at 12k.
Missed callsign but inbound NAS Pax River and after Deer runway sweep eta 10 minutes Pax Ops 310.150
Pesky deer tend to run out in front of landing aircraft down there..LOL

Mark

 

[Gorg69]

Question ADS

Do you have to use one of these "Radar Boxes" to recieve or can you use a High Grade reciever?

 

[lotuselan]

There are a number of home-built receivers and instructions appearing:

Alternative ModeS Receivers