Southern California users?

oceans777 · September 02, 2008, 05:45:30 PM

I am in Tujunga, CA about 22 miles north of KLAX, 5 miles from Burbank KBUR and about 7 miles from the very busy Van Nuys KVNY.

Thinking about buying RadarBox but there are so few posts from U.S. users, is anyone from SoCal using it and actually seeing traffic?
I'd also appreciate hearing how many hits you typically get and how far from whatever airport you are.

Using my WinRadio G305 I easily pick up ACARS from all over using my roof discone and of course I can receive voice traffic from LAX, ATC etc. I realize the RadarBox requires the antenna for 1090 MHz but should be no big problem getting that up for good signal.

I am hearing that very very few flights here use ADS-B (mostly International) and not many can be tracked on the maps?

Thanks for any info!

Allocator · September 02, 2008, 05:52:48 PM

Hi there, and welcome to the forum!

Take a look at this FTP upload of the East Coast of the USA. I know that you are on the west coast, but this will give you an idea of want you might see. I've only just changed the map centre from the UK, so give it 5 minutes for the picture to change then the page will refresh every 60 seconds. This is all Network data from East Coast RadarBox users.

http://www.ruyton.demon.co.uk/html/radarbox.html

tarbat · September 02, 2008, 05:58:03 PM

I see plenty of international flights to/from KLAX on the north atlantic routes from my Scotland location. List attached. So you should at least see these arrivals/departures each day at KLAX.

oceans777 · September 02, 2008, 06:16:36 PM

That looks great! I thought there should be pretty good traffic from here.
Think I'm going to order this week then.

Thanks for the helpful replies!

John

Allocator · September 02, 2008, 06:23:25 PM

A pleasure John :-)

I'll leave the FTP upload set to the east coast for a bit, before I move it back to the UK.

CanadaKen · September 02, 2008, 06:24:55 PM

According to this there is a Radarbox user in Southern Cal.
Just drag the Google map over with your mouse

http://www.airnavsystems.com/RadarBox/network.php

CK

oceans777 · September 02, 2008, 06:33:58 PM

Thats awesome - I saw some posts by a SoCal user too in search. Thank you very much!

oceans777 · September 02, 2008, 06:34:46 PM

Thanks Allocator!

dchainey · September 03, 2008, 12:19:09 AM

I'm the SoCal user, based in Apple Valley up in the High Desert.
How can I help you?

Dave Chainey

oceans777 · September 03, 2008, 04:42:55 PM

Hi Dave,

I was just wondering if you get much activity there and are you overall happy with RadarBox?
Also may I ask what you use for the RadarBox antenna?

Thanks!

John

dchainey · September 04, 2008, 07:48:33 PM

Hi John,

I'm very pleased with the RadarBox. I've got 24 aircraft on the grid right now, but only 3 are tracking. Actually this is a fairly high percentage for the US, but things should get better as more aircraft adopt tracking.
I use the aerial that came with the box, sitting in a S facing window. I get about 100nm to the S at the higher FL's (but remember I'm at 4000' with an unobstructed horizon). To the N, through the rest of the house, I get about 25nm. I've looked at external aerials, but I can't find anyone to install one, and I'm not the age where I want to be crawling around on roofs myself.

Dave

Allocator · September 04, 2008, 08:36:39 PM

John and Dave,

Just moved my FTP map to SoCal to watch the traffic. Jon, give it 5 minutes to upload :-)

http://www.ruyton.demon.co.uk/html/airnav_radarbox.html

Obviously, you won't see the other aircraft not giving position information that are in Dave's aircraft list.

oceans777 · September 04, 2008, 08:50:17 PM

Thanks Dave! It is hard to find anyone who still installs antennas and it is a royal pain.
Allocator - I actually got the RadarBox today and in process of setting it up. Using a Dressler active antenna with 50' RG8 coax on the lower half of my roof I am seeing a few flights every few minutes. My range seems to go from 75 miles to the west out over the ocean more an average of 25 and only from about 200 degrees to 340. Nothing east at all.

I am enjoying it though very much and am going to work on various antennas, amps etc for a more permanent install.

Allocator · September 04, 2008, 08:59:14 PM

OK John, excellent news. Yes, I'm seeing 2 groups of Network traffic at the moment, one around LAX and another to the NE of SFO - fantastic.

I've been lucky enough to visit San Francisco and Los Angeles a few times - I must admit that San Francisco is one of my favorite places. I've cycled across the Golden Gate to Sausalito, driven up to the Napa Valley and down to Carmel and done all the tourist bits like Alcatraz and the ferry - I love it.

GlynH · September 04, 2008, 10:10:31 PM

Quote from: oceans777 on September 04, 2008, 08:50:17 PM
Using a Dressler active antenna with 50' RG8 coax on the lower half of my roof I am seeing a few flights every few minutes. My range seems to go from 75 miles to the west out over the ocean more an average of 25 and only from about 200 degrees to 340. Nothing east at all.

I might also look to using a different cable to RG8 maybe?

Assuming RG8 has half the loss of RG58 you may be interested to see how it compares to something like Westflex 103;

http://www.ssejim.co.uk/26-sseads1090sj.htm

Some interesting stuff here about 1090 antennas & cables - so much so that I'm thinking about replacing my Watson 1090 with the one shown despite it being half the length of the Watson. The mention of 'Anti Static' design is of most interest to me...

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-