Anyone here doing ADS-B?

[bpo]

Are there any other ADS-B receiver users here? I'm F-NZGT1 on www.flightradar24.com. Anyone else?

[bpo]

I'm using an FR24-supplied RadarCape, but will also install a bunch of the uber-inexpensive ($10-25) R820T USB dongles all over the place for better coverage.

[tgsnoopy]

I am looking at the possibility of doing an instal at Takaurunga. I have permission of the site owners, it's the cost of buying the hardware and linking gear and finding someone I can link to prepared to supply it with internet that will be the real issues.

[bpo]

Is that including the receiver and antenna cost, or "only" the other hardware, such as Internet link?

I applied to host an FR24 receiver and they sent me all the gear. I just had to provide the site, power (DC 12v, 2A) and the Internet connection.

(The FR24 gear typically uploads 10-40MB per day, air traffic-dependent. Mine uploads SFA due to the small number of local flights.)

EDIT: I just looked up that site. Wow, from there you'd get some amazing coverage of air and ground traffic at three or four airports, maybe more.

[Skywatcher]

I started in Oct 2011 with a cheap (for the time) microADSB from Bulgaria but its dynamic range was terrible and the gain was reduced to stop clipping of local signals. I upgraded to an Aurora Eurotech receiver and a low noise 24dB gain pre-amp (meant for 23cm) with a home-made G7-RGQ antenna at the start of 2012 and it was after that I began feeding FR24 (as T-NZCH3).

I also played with cheap R820T dongles last year so when the Aurora receiver became unreliable a couple of months ago I switched to one of those and it's probably more sensitive at a 20th of the price! I plan to build an 8 or 10 segment colinear similar to the commercial DPD antenna on a higher mast ... soon

[tgsnoopy]

I just looked up that site. Wow, from there you'd get some amazing coverage of air and ground traffic at three or four airports, maybe more.

It's still about 120m lower in Altitude than the official Airways receiver at Te Weraiti.

[bpo]

I started in Oct 2011 [...] I began feeding FR24 (as T-NZCH3).

Aha! So you're one of the CHers!

I also played with cheap R820T dongles last year [...] and it's probably more sensitive at a 20th of the price!

They're pretty amazing wee things. It's hard to believe the range people are getting with their $10-25 dongle and its 6" antenna!

I plan to build an 8 or 10 segment colinear similar to the commercial DPD antenna on a higher mast ... soon

Get cracking! And keep us posted, because I'm keen to know if there's any improvement to be had over my stock FR24-supplied antenna. People say not, but only time will tell.

It's still about 120m lower in Altitude than the official Airways receiver at Te Weraiti.

My receiver is at almost 1,900m, yet its reach is equalled by setups at sea level!

Is the local terrain such that you'll get direct views into the airports around you (Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua, etc)? That seems to be a pretty high priority now, because aircraft often seem to disappear as they come in to land due to the lack of receivers with direct line-of-sight to the runways.

[tgsnoopy]

Is the local terrain such that you'll get direct views into the airports around you (Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua, etc)? That seems to be a pretty high priority now, because aircraft often seem to disappear as they come in to land due to the lack of receivers with direct line-of-sight to the runways.

It's pretty good, but it's obscured to Rotorua & Hamilton by Terrain. Tauranga should be ok. I need to get more time and approach my contact at Classic Fliers for help finding a host (They are line of sight & within linking range) and hopefully some finance to make it happen.

[Skywatcher]

I plan to build an 8 or 10 segment colinear similar to the commercial DPD antenna on a higher mast ... soon

Get cracking! And keep us posted, because I'm keen to know if there's any improvement to be had over my stock FR24-supplied antenna. People say not, but only time will tell.

Like my pre-amp, it's probably only worth it to overcome "local" obstacles - I have a neighbour's tree about 20m away and then a shelter belt at about 100m to the SW-W. The higher mast and extra antenna gain (directed towards the horizon) should also allow me to receive a/c on the ground at NZCH - currently, that only happens on days with a low level inversion.

[bpo]

I'm beginning to understand trainspotters.

[tgsnoopy]

What we need is ADS-B transponders on all aircraft

[bpo]

What we need is ADS-B transponders on all aircraft

Members of the local gliding community tell me that some/many/most of their gliders are outfitted with transponders and squiters and whatever, but they usually leave them switched off to save meagre battery capacity since there are (were!) no local ADS-B receivers. Now they're planning to use them.

They were also very interested in the USB dongles, and chances are quite a few of those will soon appear in the area in which the Omarama-based gliders usually operate. (Anywhere from Southland up to southern and mid Canterbury.)

[Skywatcher]

Unfortunately, I haven't yet received a glider with ADS-B and only four with mode-S transponders. The older mode-A/C transponders can only respond with an ident which is usually assigned by ATC on a flight-by-flight basis.

The ADS-B situation is much better than it was a couple of years ago when none of the Air NZ turbo-props had it and only about half of their domestic jets.