View Full Version : Mode S?
Hello
Do all aircraft flying in European airspace have a requirement to use Mode S transmission on transponders? I am looking to buy the new Mode S radar system for my PC, but don't want to waste money if it's not used in my region. It appears that it is a requirement in London TMA.
Thanks in advance.
Sorry for my ignorance, what is a mode S radar system for a PC?
To answer your question, I believe all European and US transport category aircraft (also in Dublin) now (must) have mode-S transponders.
As Mode S is required for a TCAS System all airliners have to have it. However that does not mean that they have a Mode S Enhanced Surveillance system. Those are mandatory from 2007 at least in germany but most probably in all of europe. Since that sends a lot of information including position you can create a radar like picture by just receiving those mode s packets, no moving antenna required. There is a system that has a receiver box and a bit of pc software to do just that, however it depends on the local laws regarding radio stuff if that is legal, over here owning it is legal, using it is not (weird but true).
Outlook
1st Mar 2006, 10:42
Same situation in the UK,
It's legal to own but illegal to receive (listen).
A good explanation can be found at
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=206063
chevvron
1st Mar 2006, 14:55
ACARS: Mode S will not become mandatory until 2008. A lot of operators are putting off fitting a Mode S until then, in the hope that it will be delayed.
Save your money, you definitely won't be able to see all traffic on this system for at least two years, by which time it should be a lot cheaper.
PRNAV1
2nd Mar 2006, 06:59
ACARS: Mode S will not become mandatory until 2008.
Are you sure about that? I read it's mandatory by March 2007.
Can any one confirm when it is? :confused:
GipsyMagpie
3rd Mar 2006, 08:28
The Mode S thing for your PC (I assume SBS-1 from Kinetic Avionics) picks up the same stuff that TCAS receivers get (the squitter transmission - which a Mode S transponder puts out every so often unprompted). You should get some basic information on the display and you could always send it back if the level of detail isn't enough. But just think. If it is mandatory in London airspace you're going to pick up a hell of a lot of planes in europe because they're probably fitted up for going into London. If you do buy one you'll be able to link into the world databse of Mode S soon anyway and watch Mode S worldwide. Apparently.....
And all because they put a Mode S on my helo and I wondered what the hell it was for!!!:8
By the way, a mode s generated radar picture can be streamed over the internet and in fact you can get that for the area around Schiphol via this website: http://www.atcbox.com/modules.php?name=html-sbs1-live-radar
I have no idea if that is legal in the netherlands so use it at your own risk.
Back on the Mode S issue: at the moment every aircraft that uses ACAS II has to use a Mode S transponder since ACAS II requires the mode s datalink feature for its coordinated RAs. But additionaly to that every aircraft has to be equipped with Mode S from a certain point on (i think 2008 is correct for small aircrafts), airliners have to be equipped with Mode S Advanced Surveillance (vs, Elementary Surveillance required for small aircraft and required for TCAS now) from 2007 on, with that you can see a whole lot more information and the idea is to get an ADS-B like picture with that information alone.
Quite a lot of information will be transmitted with those advanced transponders, namely callsign (have to enter it correctly), magnetic heading, indicated airspeed (no cheating anymore), Mach No, selected altitude, barometric rate of climb/descend, roll angle, track angle rate, ground speed, true track angle, position etc. It is expected that all of that information will be used with ground based atc anti collision software and some if not all of that will be displayed to controllers if they wish so. Most newer commercial aircraft are allready equipped with a transponder complying with that profile so you will see quite a lot if you chose to use something like the SBS 1.