I know that we can see the squawk ID of aircraft on RB but can we access the selcal of a aircraft. Also are they the same. I know that the squawk has four numbers and that the selcal has four letters.
Could someone please explain the difference and what they are used for.
Can't see a thing landing at Gatwick today cloud base to low and that's started me looking in to this topic.
Thank you.
Steve.
Steve - as I understand it, the squawk is allocated by ATC on a per-flight (or even per ATC sector) basis, and is transmitted as part of the Mode-C.
Selcal (selective call) code is assigned pretty much permanently to an aircraft, and is used in voice communications to direct calls from ATC to that particular aircraft, allowing other pilots to not be woken up (sorry - interrupted) by calls that aren't meant for them.
Rod
Thank you Rod.
I assume that RB has non details of Selcal. It seems another good way to ID aircraft like mode S ( not a moan by the way more than happy with RB ).
I have only noticed the Selcals when looking up aircraft mode S detail on www.airframes.org when updating databases.
Steve.
Steve - as it's concerning voice, not data, it's not really anything to do with RB. And, only being a four-letter code, I guess it's of pretty restricted use in ID'ing an aircraft - I thinlk it's only used for long-haul planes.
Rod
A good description here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SELCAL
Note that the SELCAL is allocated to the operator and not the aircraft and then only when applied for. When an aircraft is sold, a new code must be allocated to that aircraft by the new operator.
There will also be a huge number of aircraft where the SELCAL code is not required and will therefore not be applied for or allocated, so not a good way to identify an aircraft.
Quote from: Horsham Spotter on January 12, 2010, 11:24:30 AMbut can we access the selcal of a aircraft.
AirNav do market a Selcal decoder. You will need a receiver hitched up to your PC for it.
http://www.airnavsystems.com/Selcal/index.html (http://www.airnavsystems.com/Selcal/index.html)
Quote from: nortonbeak on January 12, 2010, 04:21:18 PMAirNav do market a Selcal decoder. You will need a receiver hitched up to your PC for it.
Presumably their Selcal database is as out-of-date as their Mode S database ?
Quote from: DaveReid on January 12, 2010, 04:34:55 PM
Presumably their Selcal database is as out-of-date as their Mode S database ?
That would be a very safe bet!
Quote from: DaveReid on January 12, 2010, 04:34:55 PM
Quote from: nortonbeak on January 12, 2010, 04:21:18 PMAirNav do market a Selcal decoder. You will need a receiver hitched up to your PC for it.
Presumably their Selcal database is as out-of-date as their Mode S database ?
Is there an easily available SELCAL database?
Quote from: Allocator on January 12, 2010, 07:45:49 PM
Is there an easily available SELCAL database?
There is a book, but I've no idea how up to date it may be.
http://www.pwpublishing.ltd.uk/bookstore/books.html (http://www.pwpublishing.ltd.uk/bookstore/books.html)
The Aircraft part of airframes.org allows you to enter a Selcal code to decode it, and there's also http://www.selcalweb.co.uk/ which has a searchable database and a good FAQ section explaining hpow Selcal works.
Rod
Quote from: RodBearden on January 12, 2010, 08:07:23 PMthere's also http://www.selcalweb.co.uk/ which has a searchable database and a good FAQ section explaining how Selcal works.
Includes a not exactly flattering review of the AirNav Selcal Decoder:
"Sadly the database has never been officially updated since and is completely useless for identifying anything you hear on the airwaves today."
Dave, you seem to have a bit of an agenda here regarding AirNav databases ........
Quote from: Allocator on January 12, 2010, 10:43:26 PMDave, you seem to have a bit of an agenda here regarding AirNav databases ........
You mean apart from the fact that I think they are hopelessly out-of-date ? I make no secret of the fact that I think something needs to be done - clearly all users would stand to benefit from that.
DaveReid
I completely agree with your comments and something needs to be done about the process of updating the database too.
Andy
I can't really loose any sleep over the RB database. It does what I want, although I'm not really that bothered about 100% accurate records - if that is at all possible. When I see an unusual aircraft, I always cross check against other databases - and these don't always agree - then I do a manual edit if I can be bothered. If it's not an aircraft that I'm particularly interested in, I won't update the record in the RB database. This 'detective work' is part of what makes RB so interesting for me and adds to the fun of the 'chase' :-)
I remember when there was no automatic database update and that was a challenge as there were very many newer aircraft not in the RB database. At least now, the majority of the aircraft are autopopulated and that just leaves those odd ones to sort out.
I know that the database is VERY important to some people and maybe those people would be prepared to pay extra to get this data from somewhere. I don't know of any one database that is 100% accurate for worldwide aircraft. GAS and airframes.org do their best, but still these are not completely up to date.
Quote from: DaveReid on January 12, 2010, 11:38:08 PM
Quote from: Allocator on January 12, 2010, 10:43:26 PMDave, you seem to have a bit of an agenda here regarding AirNav databases ........
You mean apart from the fact that I think they are hopelessly out-of-date ? I make no secret of the fact that I think something needs to be done - clearly all users would stand to benefit from that.
I have to agree with Dave on this one.
Quote from: Allocator on January 13, 2010, 08:41:04 AM
This 'detective work' is part of what makes RB so interesting for me and adds to the fun of the 'chase' :-)
Allocator.
I have to agree with you on this one about the detective work. Updating the database as you need and when you see an aircraft, which by the looks of things at Gatwick wont happen again because of the snow.
Steve.
I must admit previously I never considered my RB as a puzzle that requires "detective work" in order to work efficiently. However, now that it has been mentioned I have indeed have had lots of fun correcting the inaccuracies. I wonder if Airnav would be so kind to make available a database that has even more errors in it to further my, and others , entertainment ?
Thanks
I know that the Airnav database is an issue for some people here, but to put it into perspective, just try using a flight planning route database. Not a day goes by when I don't have to try a find some way point that has been amended either by name or position somewhere in the world.
Gary
QuoteAt least now, the majority of the aircraft are autopopulated and that just leaves those odd ones to sort out.
Your database must be completely different from a lot of peoples on here, a couple of months ago I let mine get out of hand, the result was the "AT" field was empty by over 2,000 records and that was just one of the fields, you can imagine what the rest was like.
Andy
Quote from: abrad41 on January 13, 2010, 03:26:08 PM
I let mine get out of hand, the result was the "AT" field was empty by over 2,000 records and that was just one of the fields, you can imagine what the rest was like.
Andy
Andy
I also had at least 2000 records to update and it took me a week of full days to fill in the missing gaps. But being a bricklayer I have had time on my hands due to the weather. I now update the missing info in the database every night with help from the GAS database and airframes.org.
Steve.
I run an automated process once a week to correct the data, and that typically updates around 50-100 records. I couldn't manage that manually, so use GAS populate and some database SQL routines to automatically correct the data.
http://www.tarbat.gofreeserve.com/instructions.htm
Maybe Airnav need to follow the same process!!
Hi Chris
I do the same as you mate and of cause that is thanks to you, I use Gas and SQL and always make sure the "PT","LK","PT2" and "LK2 fields have the photo details entered too.
Andy
Chris/Andy
I would like to be able to do the same as you gentleman and automaticly update the database. Can a novice set up the SQLite it looks a little bit indepth.
Steve.