Snarek,
My mistake! When you said in the first post “primary radars” I mistakenly thought you were referring to “primary radars”.
But now I see that you are referring to SSR radars at what used to be called Primary Control Zones (ten or so years ago) and yes these are the ones that are up for replacement beginning as early as 2008. Sixteen of them I believe.
As to cheap CDTI devices, undoubtedly there will be such. There are already various manufacturers utilising PDAs for WX and moving map displays. Wouldn’t mind one myself! As for them being of a standard likely to be TSO’d (or ATSO’d) so that they could be used for separation, well that’s probably just after handheld GPSs are certified for IFR use and NPAs!
So I guess we’re down to them being used by VFR to enhance "see and avoid". Hmmmm!
There you are we are back to the original thread after a slight diversion due traffic!
Chimbu,
Almost had the same occur to me near Goulburn some years back as happened to your friend in the Bonanza. Fast low wing descending from behind on a slower high wing. Luckily we were both sensible enough to have made an appropriate position report and made suitable adjustments to our tracks. Ya know what? Cost me, and him, nuthin and saved us heaps!