well im proud to say i have just purchased RB, i looked at the competitor but theirs looks prehistoric, lol
anyways i paid a total of $900 for it Australian dollars, most ive ever spent on such a small box (anyone know why it is so expensive?)
anyway i hope to have alot of fun with it and hope it give me alot of viewing pleasure over the next 5 years or so, i also have a scanner which i will listen which should complement RB,
talk about me being all eyes and ears! :-)
p.s i havent received it yet,should get it tomorrow in the mail, express post from Melbourne, now we will have Brisbane plugged into the server as well (soon)
down the track i would like to get an external arial and hopefully get alot more traffic, but im sure i will be pleasantly surprised from the defaul aerial.
Good on you
The RB costs so much because it is pure quality:-)
Looking forward to seeing your network feed
Quote from: clayton4115 on September 17, 2008, 03:01:12 AMmost ive ever spent on such a small box (anyone know why it is so expensive?)
You have answered your own question - things cost what people are prepared to pay for them :-)
well there is no alternative is there? thats what you have when there is not much competition in the market, basic economics 101.
my personal opinion is that its probably $500 too expensive, but they (manufacturers) can price it whatever they want, since there is no competition and we consumers have to pay for the priviledge.
Not exactly right. There is research and development costs which need to be made back from selling a product.
This sort of product is for a 'niche' market so we won't be selling 1million of these units per day (we wish though :) ) so the cost per RadarBox then hence is higher.
The ADS-B prodcuts are also very new, RB has only been around a year and many other products that you might be comparing to would have had a much longer product lifetime.
yes, i agree what you are saying Airnav support, and if i didnt think the purchase was worthwhile i would not have taken the pluge (but which hobby isnt cheap)
i suppose its like any new technology, just look at the computers and how they have come down in value, heck i am typing this on a 21" CRT monitor i purchased for $500 on "specials" 4 years ago, lol now you can get a you beaut 24" LCD for a comparative price.
hi all just got radarbox and had a quick run through its paces, kinda disappointed in the antenna coverage, im only getting 10-15 NM coverage with the antenna stuck on the ceiling, (a temporary measure) will put it on the loft on the weekend. Also the range is only towards East / South East, what can i do to improve coverage, i would like to get atleast 200 NM all around,
i am about 12 NM from YBBN airport on one of the approach paths.
can anyone tell me why the runway at brisbane airport is out in the ocean?
(http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9658/airnavradarbox2007shotawo4.th.gif) (http://img517.imageshack.us/my.php?image=airnavradarbox2007shotawo4.gif)
Quote from: clayton4115 on September 18, 2008, 10:31:17 AM
hi all just got radarbox and had a quick run through its paces, kinda disappointed in the antenna coverage, im only getting 10-15 NM coverage with the antenna stuck on the ceiling, (a temporary measure) will put it on the loft on the weekend. Also the range is only towards East / South East, what can i do to improve coverage, i would like to get atleast 200 NM all around,
i am about 12 NM from YBBN airport on one of the approach paths.
The antenna really needs to see the sky and it won't work as well indoors. I often use in on the window ledge so that at least I get good coverage in one direction. Are you using the "groundplane" - the metal CD sized metal plate?
If you can install RB on a laptop, try it in different locations to see the results. I find that some of the best coverage is with the antenna on the car roof with the car out in the open.
Even moving the antenna 6 inches left/right/up/down can have a dramatic effect. Let us know how you get on. Playing with antennas and antenna positions is all part of the fun :-)
Quote from: clayton4115 on September 18, 2008, 10:50:37 AM
can anyone tell me why the runway at brisbane airport is out in the ocean?
(http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/9658/airnavradarbox2007shotawo4.th.gif) (http://img517.imageshack.us/my.php?image=airnavradarbox2007shotawo4.gif)
In some places the RB map isn't 100% accurate. Have you tried a different map projection - you have a choice of spherical, metcator and cartesian.
If this doesn't work, then use the Satellite Layer download available in the latest version of the software - RadarBox 2009.
yes i think i will need to put the antenna to the loft, i tried the different map views but to no avail may have to download the latest software and try that.
Just bear in mind that with the antenna in the loft, there is still going to be material between the aircraft and the antenna. Also, if you extend the antenna cable, you will get losses at the high frequency that Mode S works.
It is possible to have a big antenna, a long cable run and worse performance than with the standard antenna and cable! As I mentioned, experimentation is the way ahead before you start drilling any holes :-)
The latest software has a more functions, runs faster and is more stable - It also installs into a completely new directory, so no need to uninstall anything before you install 2009.
Hi Clayton
I've just done an outline for Brisbane Airport so that you can watch the aircraft floating around in detail if your reception goes to sea level there :-)
See the Outlines thread.
Rod
Quote from: clayton4115 on September 18, 2008, 11:10:52 AM
yes i think i will need to put the antenna to the loft, i tried the different map views but to no avail may have to download the latest software and try that.
I suspect it's a simply question of precision, rather than anything to do with map projections.
Any vector map represents physical features like coastlines as a series of points linked by straight lines. To reproduce every nook and cranny of the coastline exactly would require an almost infinite number of points, so the mapmakers compromise by reducing the number, which doesn't make any difference when you're zoomed out, but when you're zoomed in what you see is just an approximation to the actual coastline.
hi all
another issue i have is that i think it is interferring with the scanner i listen to as i couldnt pick up brisbaneatc, normally i can pick up BNE APP, CTR etc this time i could only hear ac which was closer to my home position,
could this be the cause of the stronger signal needed by RB that my scanner cannot pick up ATC anymore?
thanks
another question is the antenna which comes with RB waterproof? can i stick it on my roof ok and not being worried it getting rusty or something?
clayton4115,
Two antennas should not interfer with one another as the frequency for ADS-B and ATC is very different and your not tranmisting anything to block the other. However best not to have them sat together.
The RB default antenna is not designed to be left out in the elements and hence your better off getting an external antenna.
Nice to see you up and running:-)
what kind of range are you getting from your RB
hi, range is kinda dissapointing, only getting 10-15 NMs going to try put it in the attic and see if that helps.
I can get contacts out to 10 miles without the antenna plugged in!
lol thats great! i think my physical position is quite bad, on the weekend i will go put the antenna in the attic.
can anyone tell me what the dashed lines are behind the ac and front of the ac?
thanks
(http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6833/airnavradarbox2007shotaxh7.th.gif) (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=airnavradarbox2007shotaxh7.gif)
Hi Clayton
They are origin and destination lines - the long dashes in front of the plane are destination, the short ones behind are origin, - these show when the route can be obtained from the flight ID. And the short dashes in front of the plane show the heading- the longer the line, the faster the plane's going.
Getting some returns on the network from you at the moment - great stuff! Looking forward to your new aerial position!
Rod
hi Rod
yes pity i am limited to the range, i dont think i shoud be blaming the aerial so much i am sure its the position of the aerial, will be testing different locations tomorrow to see where is best
they are landing on 01 atm, even better for me as they fly over my house to land.
hi if the antenna is not good for the outdoors, then why is the antenna not an indoor antenna? i thought if its not an indoor antenna the antenna should be outdoors?
Hi clayton4115
it takes a few days for the aerial to live up to its expectations.
on the first day i had my RB the range was about 10nm but after a few days it incrased to about 50nm. So do not worry about your limited range yet
hi cosmoc,
i have placed the aerial on the roof gutter of my house through the window, where the computer is, the cord wasnt long enough to get through the attic, anyways now my range has improved to about 50NM however i may eventually have it permantely on my tv aerial, while i am at it i may also extend my scanner, by installing a base antenna for the scanner as well, i was looking at the Diamond R777, if i place these antennas on the same pole on the top of my house with the tv aerial will there be any interference?
i do not belive their would be any interference. Good to see that you have got some good range now:-).
My aerial is placed in our living room and i get the good range. I have not experimented on different placement spots for the aerial yet so its good to know that you can get better range!.
make sure to keep a look out for the qantas A380 tommorrow!
Quote from: clayton4115 on September 18, 2008, 10:34:01 PM
another issue i have is that i think it is interfering with the scanner i listen to as i couldn't pick up brisbaneatc, normally i can pick up BNE APP, CTR etc this time i could only hear ac which was closer to my home position,
could this be the cause of the stronger signal needed by RB that my scanner cannot pick up ATC anymore?
I think the Airnav antenna does interfere with the scanner somehow because like clayton4115 above, I have the same annoying problem. Before I got my ANRB, I could here ATC comms from the Heathrow Directors and the pilots on the Approach and Tower frequencies via my base scanner. Since installing ANRB, I can only get one sided conversation from the pilots. Both antennas are indoors. My base scanner uses an indoor discone. No matter where I move the discone such as on the other side of the room, I just cannot get my two-way comms back.
Hi
Point 1. Antennas need to be a 1/4 wave lenght apart to stop any affect. For VHF airband this is 60CM.
Point 2. Airports seem to me moving their transmiitter antennas. They used to have a reciever site and a transmitter site. With new technology they can be at same place. Look on the towers for new attennas.
Quote from: Tailwinds on November 13, 2008, 02:37:43 PM
Quote from: clayton4115 on September 18, 2008, 10:34:01 PM
another issue i have is that i think it is interfering with the scanner i listen to as i couldn't pick up brisbaneatc, normally i can pick up BNE APP, CTR etc this time i could only hear ac which was closer to my home position,
could this be the cause of the stronger signal needed by RB that my scanner cannot pick up ATC anymore?
I think the Airnav antenna does interfere with the scanner somehow because like clayton4115 above, I have the same annoying problem. Before I got my ANRB, I could here ATC comms from the Heathrow Directors and the pilots on the Approach and Tower frequencies via my base scanner. Since installing ANRB, I can only get one sided conversation from the pilots. Both antennas are indoors. My base scanner uses an indoor discone. No matter where I move the discone such as on the other side of the room, I just cannot get my two-way comms back.
If you switch off RadarBox, do you get your 2-way comms back?
Allocator....
If I turn my Radar Box off then I still don't get the two way comms but see below..
Update...
I am currently..ehem...listening to the Heathrow approach and I've suddenly got two way comms back again after only getting one-way since using ANRB nearly two weeks ago and moving the indoor discone around the room without success. I'm so pleased because it makes looking at my Radar even better now. I just hope it lasts. How can this be? Could it be the weather perhaps? A nice clear day with blue skies here in London at the moment.
Quote from: Tailwinds on November 14, 2008, 11:29:54 AM
Allocator....
If I turn my Radar Box off then I still don't get the two way comms but see below..
Update...
I am currently..ehem...listening to the Heathrow approach and I've suddenly got two way comms back again after only getting one-way since using ANRB nearly two weeks ago and moving the indoor discone around the room without success. I'm so pleased because it makes looking at my Radar even better now. I just hope it lasts. How can this be? Could it be the weather perhaps? A nice clear day with blue skies here in London at the moment.
Indeed it is the weather. VHF/UHF comms are excellent at the moment, probably due to tropospheric ducting. You will probably notice an increase in the length of some of the lobes on your RB polar diagram too. Have a look at the forecast ducting patterns at this website: http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_eur.html (http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_eur.html)
Tom
Thanks for the link Tom.