AirNav Systems Forum
AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: BlinkNFG on February 23, 2010, 10:44:49 PM
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Hi,
Just received my RadarBox today (standard 2D edition). Having a couple of issues though.
The first is I am not picking up mainly flights and when I do pick they up they timeout after a few seconds. I am located in a ground floor flat in Cambridge, UK. Aerial is currently facing east from a window ledge. I appreciate having the standard aerial on the ground floor is less than ideal but should I expect more flights? My rather feeble polar diagram after an hour or so is attached.
The second is I don't pick up any network traffic. My "Pre-created account not yet activated". Not sure what I need to do to remedy this.
Any help/guidance appreciated.
thanks
Jon
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Jon,
Another member had a similar problem tonight. I think Airnav are struggling with illness & their activations are a bit behind.Also the launch of 3D is no doubt causing additional work.
The polar diagram will take some time to build up, it is nice to watch it extend out as flights come over. make sure both your Process Hardward Flights In "My flights" Tab & "Get flights From Radarbox Network" Tab are both ticked.
Generally the higher you can get your aerial the better, the standard aerial is in fact quite good.
Hopefully Airnav will get round to setting up you account soon , so you can get addicted like the rest of us.
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I a way though sympathising with Jon, being in the same situation I feel more comfortable now that there are at least two of us waiting for account activation and it's not just me having done something wrong.
Brimon was kind enough to reply to me. I agree with what is said about watching the range diagram build up. I am only using the antenna supplied with the box and usually get a good reception from one window but not another. I am in Lincolnshire U.K and tracked flights over Essex and London. An external antenna is awaiting time to erect and then start using but that won't be until the weekend at the earliest. Stick with it Jon like you as a new user I am and was uncertain but let the software and hardware work for a while and I am sure you will get results. You don't say if you are connected to a desk top or laptop but I get better results on the laptop by moving round to get good signals whereas the desktop works but not as well.
David
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If you do have concerns about lack of range, it is worth checking that the cente pin of the antenna lead is properly in place and making good connection into the socket on the Radarbox.
But the polar chart will take a few days to build-up.
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Thanks all for the replies. Hopefully David and I will be set up soon on the network.
I will leave the box on tomorrow while I am at work to give it a chance to build up the polar diagram. I've got Thursday off so will then connect it to my laptop and try different rooms in the flat (I currently have it hooked up to the main pc).
Incidentally I currently get better reception by connecting my ATC aerial to the box (a passive nomad aerial about 8ft above ground level) than I do from the supplied aerial. Guess it might be because I have the supplied aerial in a bad place. I will check the connection as suggested though.
Jon
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Hi Blink
Not a million miles away from you (in Potton).
I only use the standard aerial and my polar diagram range is very good. Northbound, I still get flights over Blackpool in My Flights. As Tarbat said, it takes time but I'm sure you;ll get there in the end.
On a slight aside, Is it me.....I just don't get the 3D principle!!!!
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Hi Blink
Not a million miles away from you (in Potton).
I only use the standard aerial and my polar diagram range is very good. Northbound, I still get flights over Blackpool in My Flights. As Tarbat said, it takes time but I'm sure you;ll get there in the end.
On a slight aside, Is it me.....I just don't get the 3D principle!!!!
Southwest,
When you say you don't get the principle I assume you don't think it worthwhile to upgrade?
I was much the same, having looked at the development screenshots Tarbet & others posted, I didn't think I would buy into it. However I took the plunge & must say I am very impressed.It takes a bit of getting used to but with the help of tips posted here,again thanks to Tarbet & Allocator amongst others, I have it set up to my taste. Also the flexibility of Google Earth will no doubt be exploited in ways we haven't thought about yet. All in all I would recommend 3D.
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Again thanks for the replies - very helpful.
Southwest - how is your aerial located. How high is it?
I connected at 8:30 this morning and so far have received just one flight (in just less than one hour).
Strangely before leaving for work I switched from using the standard aerial to using my passive nomand (which is designed for ATC) and immedietly picked up another flight. Is that expected? I would have thought the standard aerial would be designed for the high frequency needed by the radarbox.
I am now back on the standard aerial and will leave it on all day to see what polar diagram I get. I'll let you know.
Jon
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Jon, just remember, ModeS reception is line-of-sight. Get the antenna as high as possible, and in clear view. And make sure you use the ground plane.
Looking at your polar chart, I would expect a better range than only 8 miles. I think there have been problems in the past with the standard antenna having poor connections in the base, and with the centre pin on the cable getting pushed back. Worth checking.
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Thanks - I'll experiment with different locations.
You think it is worth perservering with the standard antenna rather than using my passive nomad?
Jon
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The standard antenna should give much better reception, if you can get it as high as possible. I briefly tested with my discone antenna and got awful ModeS reception (just a few miles). With the standard antenna I could get >150nm, even with it mounted in the loft.
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Thanks - I will keep trying.
Does it need to be next to a window (as it is currently) or would higher up but facing a wall be better?
Jon
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Thanks - I will keep trying.
Does it need to be next to a window (as it is currently) or would higher up but facing a wall be better?
Jon
hi jon.
Yes height is might and line of sight with aerial , Jon 8 miles is not right something is wrong, i have a mag mount on a window sill in a bungalow and houses all round me, at the worst i get 20miles to 90miles
hope you get it sorted.
from pat
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Thanks - I wonder what the problem could be - 20 miles is my current max!
Any suggestions as to what I could do to find the problem? I might try the radarbox at another house to see if there is a problem with my location.
I thought maybe my PC was interfering with the signal (it interfers with my ATC scanner - that's another problem I've got!) but range is no better on the laptop either. I can hear planes from Stansted and over the whole of East Anglia - I just can't see them!
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Any suggestions as to what I could do to find the problem?
Did you try my suggestions?
I think there have been problems in the past with the standard antenna having poor connections in the base, and with the centre pin on the cable getting pushed back. Worth checking.
If you do have concerns about lack of range, it is worth checking that the cente pin of the antenna lead is properly in place and making good connection into the socket on the Radarbox.
Other than that, try an open-air location with your laptop. With clear line-of-site, you should get up to 200nm range.
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thanks - yeah I had a look at the connector pin - looks fine to my (untrained eye). It is a mm or so lower than the outer casing. Is that how it should be?
I'll try the open air tomorrow. How much space do I need. Would my 4m back garden (boardered by high hedges) be ok or do I need wide open spaces?
Jon
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Jon, the clue here is 'line of sight' - can you see much of the sky from your back garden? If you can't, then your reception is going to be less than ideal.
Using a laptop and the standard antenna on the roof of a car out in the open works really well.
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Hi Jon
The aerial is on top of a wardrobe in the PC room. I'm not using any extension cables at all. It's 8.25am and I have 12 My flights and 722 networks on screen.
If I could figure out how to post a screenshot I would but I have to leave for work now.
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Where are you geographically?
J.
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Where are you geographically?
The clue is in Jon's screenshot ;)
Jon, here's current network traffic in your area, plenty of aircraft to your south that you should be seeing.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2736/4386530971_cfc8502b99.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/4386530971/sizes/o/)
I would still advise that you check the connections inside the base of the antenna.
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Sorry forgive my ignorance - what am I looking for in the antenna base?
Pic is attached of what it looks like.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Hello mate you want to look at the end actually screwed into the radarbox, make sure that the centre gold pin is not pushed back into the connector or loose.
hope that helps.
Stuart
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thanks Stuart. I've looked and it seems fine. The connector is about 1mm lower than the outer casing
Jon
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Sorry forgive my ignorance - what am I looking for in the antenna base?
Previous user who had a problem with the base of the standard antenna described it as "I checked the antenna and found the centre of the coax had become detached inside the base"
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=3330.msg31562#msg31562
This may not be the cause, but worth checking. Otherwise, how is your testing going in an alternative location?
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Hi Jon, apart from the non-existent front end SAW filter "problem", the quality of the supplied antenna is the one major let down for the RB. The design and performance of the antenna is truly superb. My original deteriorated very quickly as in the link given above by tarbat. The spare that Glynh kindly let me have, was fantastic for the first week, then performance started dropping off. I dis-assembled the antenna, cut back the co-ax and re-assembled, performance is still outstanding, a stainless steel whip would be the icing on the cake. I also bought a spare antenna from W&S. All 3 have had dry joints/interference fit on the screen. The original and W&S replacement had poor quality screen in the co-ax, Glyn's had foil as well. Here's a link to a post where I fully describe the mods in eply #8
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=3554.msg34930#msg34930
ANRB Wish List - stainless steel whip!
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Hi Jon
Here is a screenshot showing my polar diagram. It goes way north but spikes east, west and south.
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Sorry forgive my ignorance - what am I looking for in the antenna base?
Previous user who had a problem with the base of the standard antenna described it as "I checked the antenna and found the centre of the coax had become detached inside the base"
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=3330.msg31562#msg31562
This may not be the cause, but worth checking. Otherwise, how is your testing going in an alternative location?
I tested in my garden and reception was a lot better (around 15 miles). I will test at an alternative location tomorrow - maybe my flat is just poorly located for picking signals up.
We actually just found out that our rented flat is going to be sold so we are looking for a new place to buy - so should be able to put an external aerial up ... sadly my g/f shot down my idea of moving to Stansted village ;-)
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You should still be getting more range than this.
Just out of interest, what happens if you disconnect the antenna completely - you can pick up aircraft that are close without an antenna!
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Jon - if you bought the box locally, take it back to the dealer and get him to check it out. As allocator pointed out, you can pick up that much without an aerial.
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hi BlinkNFG
You have done you best, take it back to the dealer.
from pat
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Thanks again - a very helpful forum.
I will test it in an alternative location tomorrow (as long as it isn't raining) - in a large open space relatively close (20-25 miles) to Stansted just to make sure it isn't my location. But if it still can't pick much up I'll do as you suggest and contact the dealer.
Jon
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I have tested the antenna in an alternative location (1st floor window looking south-east) and got much better reception. Polar diagram is attached.
I guess my current flat is just poorly located (especially as all the windows face the same way - east)
Jon
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You've answered the first question Jon - the box is OK.
The second question is how to get your aerial decently positioned. That may take a little longer but it's surprising what experiment and ingenuity can do.
Search the threads for hints and tips on extending USB cables and alternative aerials.
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thanks - as I mentioned we are currently house hunting so I think I will wait until we have a new place and see what reception is like there (rather than try and improve reception here).
We are looking for a house so will give more options - antenna in loft/on roof etc.
I think I will get a D-777 for ATC but am open to suggestions for an antenna for the radarbox (I'll have a look at the relevant threads in this forum)
thanks again to everyone for their help
Jon
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I bought my box the other day, but am unable to get network flights, I know the location of my aeriel is ok, as a friend of mine has used his box there, but I cant find the tab for get flights from radarbox network... any ideas much appreciated
Stuart
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Hi Stueyboy (Stuart),
At the top of the screen press the Network tab. Then at the bottom tick the Get Flights from Radarbox Network option (screenshot).
Hope this helps, Frank
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Frank, i wish it was that easy. still no joy bringing up Network flights .. any orther offers anyone.
Mtia
Stuart
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Jon,
I live in Cambridge. Send me a PM if you wish and we'll see if you can test your box using my aerial set up. Regards
Dave
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Aeriel is fine as i am picking up local flights .. i. e 40 mile radius
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Stuart - if your local fights are OK and your internet connection is OK, thne this looks like a firewall problem - make sure that your firewall is allowing RadarBox access.
Rod
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thanks Rod, checked that and it ok .. still no joy
Stuart
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Thanks for the offer Dave - very kind. I tested the box in an alternative location and it worked well - the box is obviously working ok - think it is just my flat (windows all face the same direction with high hedges) that is the problem.
Out of interest what aerial set up do you use? I'm thinking of getting an external aerial for my new place (when we find somewhere to buy).
Jon
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Stuart - it sounds like you need to contact Support and raise a ticket. You can do that here: [email protected]
Rod
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cheers Rod, will do
stuart