SBS-1 Virtual Radar
 

Just curious, does anyone have one of these? If so, are they any good and are they worth the money?

I've had one for nearly 2 years,and in retirement,probably the best purchase I've made in my entire life.

It's turned retirement into a real pleasure,and consumes hours before you know where you are. It's worth twice the asking price in my opinion,you won't regret buying one.

Cheers for that. And one thing I forgot to ask, how realistic is it, compared with our NATS equipment?

I don't understand the appeal? How could it consume hours?

Hi there ive had me sbs-1 for 2-3 years also got my ic-pcr1500 scanner conected with radio interface software.

I live in reading and can pick up sometimes 80 aircraft and all traffic near enough for heathrow. .if you get a top of the range arial on the room your coverage will be increased some what

cheers

---But it ONLY shows aircraft with mode S transponders; it will NOT show aircraft with no transponder (of which there are a large number) or only mode A or A/C.

Not exactly. Only the ones with ADS-B (broadcasts) enabled will be visible. This depends on airline policy, as ADS-B is not (yet) mandatory in Europe.

Mode S transponders are very common, as all TCAS installations require mode S boxes.

Mode S transponders are not all that common in the UK. Commercially used aircraft have them of course, but most owners of other aircraft are putting off the installation until they really have to.

Chevvron, I have to disagree. Take any NATS enroute radar at the moment and 90%+ of transponding aircraft in cover are Mode S equipped. That may well dip in busy GA times (weekends, good weather, etc), but its been that way for some time.

RS

I've has an SBS-1 for 2 years and the "New kid on the block" the AirNav Systems RadarBox.

In my opinion, the RadarBox is a far superior product, with the software being regularly updated to meet user requirements. It also allows you to share your "live" aircraft data with the RadarBox Network, so all users can see everybody's aircraft. Most of western Europe is covered, as well as parts of the USA, japan, middles east and Austrailia and the network is growing daily. I originally bought the SBS-1 because they promised a network function, but 2 years on they have failed to deliver this. Also, RadarBox works "out of the box" but the SBS-1 requires a lot of 3rd part add-ons and a reasonable knowledge of IT to get the best out of it

The the AirNav Systems website is Flight Tracker | Real Time Airline Flight Tracking Software

Their user forum is http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php

Appoximately 75% of all airliners appear on the "radar map" with most the rest only appearing in the aircraft list as they are not transmitting position information. A fair proporting on Mil aircraft also appear in the list, C17, C130, Tornado, some Typhoons, some Hawks, Puma, Gazelle, E3D, Tristar, VC10, Dominie, Islander, as well as the BBMF aircraft. I recently picked up the Dutch F16 that was a Valley for the photo call.

Very few GA aircraft appear on the map, but many appear in the aircraft list. You get all sorts including most of the Air Ambulance heli's, R44's, some of the smaller Cessna's and upwards. The more expensive the aircraft, the more chance there is of it either having a Mode S box or full ADS-B with position information.

I think you will find that Mode-S is necessary for TCAS - it is part of the fit that allows the TCAS to negotiate a resolution between '2' targets.

TT

That wasn't my understanding of it.

ANY transponder will generate a TCAS TA in an aircraft suitably equipped; it takes mode 'C' or 'S' to generate an RA though.

Just to be picky, not any transponder. The Mode A/C only transponder needs to be capable of responding to Mode C only all-call interrogations (although the replies can be empty of altitude content). The TCAS equipped aircraft can then track a threat target and provide TA as necessary. There aren't many Mode A only capable transponders around any more, thankfully.

Often wondered why airports that are Primary only, as is my local Southend, don't install something of this nature on a 'better than nothing' basis.

Or are we up against 'non type-approved'?

It will depend on what they want to use it for. Just to provide some pretty pictures of aircraft tracks is one thing - to actually use that information to identify or control aircraft is a whole different thing. You need to have equipment that has high integrity, availability and is demonstrably safe to be used. The SBS-1 hardware and software is highly unlikely to have been developed in a manner that follows a software safety integrity level structure or standard - it was designed for spotters.

A truly operational equivalent of the SBS-1 costs at least the best part of 100 times the cost of the SBS-1 by the time you have put together the safety case, conops, etc.

Also, the ADS-B Extended Squitter broadcast data (which is the only bit the SBS-1 box can get position information from) is not available from enough aircraft or of high enough quality to provide a sufficient number of tracks to make it worthwhile today - give it a few years and these sorts of things will be popping up across Europe fulfilling al kinds of ATM needs where accurate and high integrity data is needed at small units that do not have the budget (or need) for Mode S groundstations.

RS

Thanks for that.

I couldn't help thinking of a student pilot who was killed a couple of years ago where there were a couple of 'unknowns' on the radar in the vicinity that meant ATC took the course that they did.

Had they had something like the SBS-1 to also refer to, I wonder if they might have got additional useful information?

No Mode A transponders around? Where are you living? There's dozens on my radar every day!!