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Keeping Track of Your Plane

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DonFromTX

Well Known Member
Others use this system, but until Torsten told me about it I was not aware it existed. This handful is actually a transmitter and gps, that "calls earth" every little bit and tells it where you are! Sure YOU know where you are, but your wife or someone else just may want to track your wanderings around the earth. This is extremely small and light, and is going to be installed in my plane. Anyone with a computer can check on your status, here is one link that allows you to do that: http://www.mail2600.com/cgi-bin/everyone.cgi You have to pass a small test to get a ham license, no big deal though.
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Kevin

I like how you think. Guess I'll have to take the appropriate license in order to up grade my aircraft. Thanks very much.
 
Others use this system, but until Torsten told me about it I was not aware it existed. This handful is actually a transmitter and gps, that "calls earth" every little bit and tells it where you are! Sure YOU know where you are, but your wife or someone else just may want to track your wanderings around the earth. This is extremely small and light, and is going to be installed in my plane. Anyone with a computer can check on your status, here is one link that allows you to do that: http://www.mail2600.com/cgi-bin/everyone.cgi You have to pass a small test to get a ham license, no big deal though.
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I haven't used my ham equipment since the early 90s, so I'm sure my license has expired. Does the license have to be current to have this tracker?

Jerre
 
I haven't used my ham equipment since the early 90s, so I'm sure my license has expired. Does the license have to be current to have this tracker?

Jerre

To transmit on amateur radio frequencies it is a legal requirement to have a valid amateur radio license appropriate to the frequencies to be used.
 
Jerry, a current technician class amateur radio license is required. You could either get your old license reinstated or taking the new written (no code) license is pretty easy.

I'm still waiting for one of you fathers to pipe up with the plan to hide one of theses in your teenagers' car :cool:
 
I guess it is ok to say that I got it at this place: http://www.byonics.com/mt-rtg

Don, I'm glad you are excited about your new Byonics RTG tracker...but man...you are waaaay behind!

We have been discussing this technology on VAF for five years and we have a dedicated forum just for you:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/forumdisplay.php?f=104

It is ok to tell where you got your tracker, here is a full report on it:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=55138

Be sure you read the stickies, they will answer nearly all your questions. Browse the threads for lots of great info about the cool technology of APRS.

Happy tracking!
 
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I got the magnet antenna so I can use it in a car if I wish, but an aircraft antenna is on the way for the aircraft.
 
APRS is fine for cars, but it won't give you all the data you can get off a flight tracking radar system.

Bob Bogash
N737G
Ham for 55 years
W7DDD
 
What?

APRS is fine for cars, but it won't give you all the data you can get off a flight tracking radar system.

Bob Bogash
N737G
Ham for 55 years
W7DDD

:eek:

I'm not sure what a "flight tracking radar system" includes, but I have been extremely happy with the data generated by the APRS rig I have in my plane. Sure there are some areas of the country where ground based stations which receive and then feed the data to the Google web site are scarce, but for the areas where I typically fly, I couldn't ask for more data than what my rig generates.

Your signature indicates you have been a Ham for a long time, and I respect that accomplishment. Even though I'm eligible to retire, I've only been a Ham for almost five years. My wife and my kids all know how to check my APRS tracks any time they want to. And the data is typically not more than ten minutes old.

Check APRS out. It's a very mature technology. :) And it's not dependent on a flight plan being in the system. Whenever I fly a Pilots N Paws mission, I file a VFR flight plan so if something does happen, the Search and Rescue folks will have an official reason to start looking. I've noticed that some of the flights show up in Flightaware and some don't. With APRS, even a 20 minute sightseeing trip near the airport generates a complete track showing velocity, direction, Lat/long, altitude, and lots more data about the flight.

While it's true APRS is used for hiking, biking, camping, boating, hang gliding, and traveling by car and truck, it also is a very useful tool for flying.

Don Hull
KJ4HPC
Ham for five years
 
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I have nothing against APRS - it's just another gadget in the cockpit when you already have a gadget - it's called your transponder - and it provides a lot more data -- for nothing.

Go to my link for Flight Radar 24 - it's one of my favorite sites. You can track airplanes around Seattle - my location - or London, Tokyo, wherever. Easy. Most of the data is real time - some is delayed 5 minutes. The source are ADS-B squitter transmissions or FAA (and other) radars.

When I see strange airplanes, I check to see who they are and what they're about. In the morning, I can see the trans-Pacific flights descending into KSEA in advance, and watch them fly over from my deck.

If you have a Mode S transponder - the Hex code you entered during setup will automatically tell the world who you are - airplane type and tail number - and where you are. As I showed in my example picture, it will also show where you've been (and you can play it back the next day if you want.) And - it also shows your altitude, speed, vertical speed, and ground track. If you're "in the system" - either via a Flight Plan or just Flight Following, it will also show your origin and destination, ETA, and Squawk Code. If you have a Flight Number - mostly Air Carriers, but also - around here - Boeing test flights - it will show that too. You can track and follow an entire flight. And even watch it in 3D via Google Earth if you want. In many cases, you can even see a photo of the specific airplane.

You can do all that for free, and from anywhere in the world. If you have a Mode-S, gimme your tail number and I'll track you. Or - since I plan to go flying Mon and Tues, you can track me!

Flight Radar 24 - Never Leave Home Without It.

Bob Bogash
N737G

BTW - you can also listen in to the air traffic on the radio at many major airports, while following the flights on radar.

Since I live right on the water in a major shipping lane, I also can follow all this stuff for marine traffic - via a similar site:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?level0=100#

And you can do this for rail traffic as well. Geez, I love this stuff!!!

If you check out my ham site - you'll see I can also do a lot of this tracking independently - on my own - since I also have my own radar - but that's a story for another day........

http://www.rbogash.com/ham.html
 
I have nothing against APRS - it's just another gadget in the cockpit when you already have a gadget - it's called your transponder - and it provides a lot more data -- for nothing.

Go to my link for Flight Radar 24 - it's one of my favorite sites. You can track airplanes around Seattle - my location - or London, Tokyo, wherever. Easy. Most of the data is real time - some is delayed 5 minutes. The source are ADS-B squitter transmissions or FAA (and other) radars.

When I see strange airplanes, I check to see who they are and what they're about. In the morning, I can see the trans-Pacific flights descending into KSEA in advance, and watch them fly over from my deck.

If you have a Mode S transponder - the Hex code you entered during setup will automatically tell the world who you are - airplane type and tail number - and where you are. As I showed in my example picture, it will also show where you've been (and you can play it back the next day if you want.) And - it also shows your altitude, speed, vertical speed, and ground track. If you're "in the system" - either via a Flight Plan or just Flight Following, it will also show your origin and destination, ETA, and Squawk Code. If you have a Flight Number - mostly Air Carriers, but also - around here - Boeing test flights - it will show that too. You can track and follow an entire flight. And even watch it in 3D via Google Earth if you want. In many cases, you can even see a photo of the specific airplane.

You can do all that for free, and from anywhere in the world. If you have a Mode-S, gimme your tail number and I'll track you. Or - since I plan to go flying Mon and Tues, you can track me!

FlightRadar24 is a cool site, I like it.

However....my RV-6 doesn't have a Mode S transponder and probably won't until 2020 when it will be an expensive upgrade. I also rarely fly with Flight Following and never with an IFR clearance. So APRS is it for me, I'm glad we have the technology.

I suspect that very few aircraft with APRS trackers also have Mode S boxes. Yes, there will come a time when APRS isn't needed, but at present it is the best tracking gadget for many of us.
 
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You're right, Sam - if you have a Mode C, you don't get to play this game and have to use alternate means. But all RV-12s with the Skyview installation will have the Mode S transponder as part of the kit.

BTW - the Mode S allows your to have traffic advisories --from other properly equipped airplanes, which I have found to be VERY useful - almost indispensable. It won't give you ALL the traffic however - for that you need the data uplink from ATC which you get with the add-on ADS-B box. I've been reluctant to get that since I'm VERY reluctant to dive into the tunnel and all that wiring mess yet one more time, but the traffic stuff (more than the wx) is very enticing,.............

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
The web site says it comes with a "magnet-mount antenna." Will that magnet interfere with anything?

Dave
The magnet mount is meant for temporary installation on cars. I don't think it would hold on an airplane at cruise speed nor would there be a hole to run the cable through and aluminum is not magnetic. The way to install this is to install a permanent VHF antenna tuned to the 2m APRS frequency.
 
As a temporary setup, you can get by with the magnet mount. I did my first cross country with the mag-mount attached to the base plate of the windscreen bow in the RV-8. This was obviously temporary but it worked.
 
You can do all that for free, and from anywhere in the world. If you have a Mode-S, gimme your tail number and I'll track you. Or - since I plan to go flying Mon and Tues, you can track me!

Flight Radar 24 - Never Leave Home Without It.

http://www.rbogash.com/ham.html

I hope you've given some thought to security. The FAA plays fast and loose with our personal information so it's available to anyone unless you've chosen to hide it. In the wrong hands, your travel information might be helpful to someone who wants to come knocking when you're not around and invite themselves in.
 
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Here's a lot easier way - if you have Skyview, with the Mode S transponder - just go to Flight Radar 24:

http://www.flightradar24.com/1

and track your flight - I do it all the time!

Flightradar24.com%20-%20Live%20flight%20tracker%21%20-%20Windows%20Internet%20Explorer_2013-06-11_10-03-34-L.jpg


Bob Bogash
N737G

This works with any mode-s xponder not just the Skyview. The only issue is the coverage can have some major holes at the altitudes we fly. I have been helping in my area by using my small and cheap SDR radio to upload tracking data to their servers. When I am down, there is a big black hole over our area at our altitudes.
 
Well, I have mode S and an APRS tracker. Mostly I just like groovy gadgets in my plane I guess!

I second that statement! Love having multiple ways to track my plane. APRS is cool and so is FlightRadar24. SDR radio's are very cheap and easy to setup to help out FlightRadar24 with getting the data on their servers. I would have an I-Gate setup as well but we already have one just outside the fence of our airport so no reason to go thru the trouble.
 
I hope you've given some thought to security. The FAA plays fast and loose with our personal information so it's available to anyone unless you've chosen to hide it. In the wrong hands, your travel information might be helpful to someone who wants to come knocking when you're not around and invite themselves in.

Hope they like my wife on the other side of the door packing a Glock .40 ;)
 
If you're looking for a very nice antenna, check with Pete Howell on the site. He has a production line at home and the antenna is very reasonably priced. I fly with it now and my entire APRS set-up is housed in my right wingtip. I also have a switch on the panel to "disengage" the tracker for covert ops. :D
 
I hope you've given some thought to security. The FAA plays fast and loose with our personal information so it's available to anyone unless you've chosen to hide it. In the wrong hands, your travel information might be helpful to someone who wants to come knocking when you're not around and invite themselves in.

I'm not sure you have a vote on this one, and the FAA is only one player in this game and not even a big one. The data is ADS-B - AND - ATC radar derived. If you expand the Flight Radar 24 map, - in fact I recommend doing that full scale so you can see ALL the traffic depicted to watch traffic in detail in many parts of the world- pretty impressive - you can rezoom in can check out what's going on around Moscow.

If you have a reporting device (Mode S transponder or ADS-B Out), that has the extended squitter - your data is being reported all the time. You can buy cheap ADS-B readers and do this yourself without any website or the FAA. There's little you can do about it.

Besides someone breaking into your house, there are major security implications and there have been several recent papers about the terrorist possibilities in ADS-B vulnerabilities. I'll dig out a Link to one if I get the time.

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
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