AirNav Systems Forum

AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: tarbat on June 11, 2009, 10:23:09 AM

Title: Pharology
Post by: tarbat on June 11, 2009, 10:23:09 AM
Its interesting when several of your hobbies come together in a single event.  I like watching aircraft, and ships, and I really like lighthouses.

So, when I saw on ShipPlotter that the NLV Pharos was moored just off the coast from us at the Tarbatness Lighthouse, we got in the car for the 5-minute drive up to the lighthouse.

There we also saw G-BUXS, the NLB's Bolkow Bo 105Dbs-4 helicopter.  So, we started walking out to the headland, and said hello to a couple of people as they were coming towards us, only to realise it was Princess Anne on one of her many trips to the NLB lighthouses.

So, without ShipPlotter and Radarbox, we wouldn't have known about any of this.  Just wish Airnav would hurry up and release ShipTrax!!

Full set of photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/sets/72157619506022673/detail/

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3616601028_1bbe668a9c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/3616601028/sizes/o/in/set-72157619506022673/)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3616597850_e1d0ca91aa.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/3616597850/sizes/o/in/set-72157619506022673/)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/3615780577_e3ebc459cf.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/3615780577/sizes/o/in/set-72157619506022673/)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3556/3615781195_0784605b9b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/3615781195/sizes/o/in/set-72157619506022673/)
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: Brimon on June 11, 2009, 10:36:38 AM
tarbat I work with ships cargo & heavy lift , so get the best of both worlds!

The following picture is a typical vessel. Loaded 4 of these vessels with Wind Turbine Towers at Campbeltown last year

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11495923.jpg (http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11495923.jpg)
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: Canonjohns40D on June 11, 2009, 11:44:19 AM
Arise Sir Tarbat. Interesting result from the use of the technology, nice story.

John
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: malc41 on June 11, 2009, 11:46:15 AM
Fancy having a lighthouse named after you ;-)
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: Brimon on June 11, 2009, 12:12:03 PM
tarbat funnily enough we are going back to Devon this year for a short break & always visit this lighthouse, it is about 3 miles walk from where we stay,it is Start Point lighthouse. they do a very interesting tour for a pound.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedoboy/2575941650/

How far is the lighthouse from you? maybe you could run a cable & get your Radarbox Aerial on top of it!
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: tarbat on June 11, 2009, 12:40:06 PM
Unfortunately the Tarbatness Lighthouse is 5km from us, so too far for an antenna ;)

Strangely enough, the lighthouse isn't named after me!!  But it's where we spend a lot of time looking out to sea for dolphins, whales, and other wildlife.  It's well worth a visit if you're ever up this far north.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3615968907_d766516352_o.jpg)

On the use of technology, I rely on Shipplotter so much to see when the various cruise ships are in port at Invergordon.  Got this one earlier this week:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3607276744_3f730173f8_m.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarbat/sets/72157619430898124/detail/)

tarbat funnily enough we are going back to Devon this year for a short break & always visit this lighthouse, it is about 3 miles walk from where we stay,it is Start Point lighthouse. they do a very interesting tour for a pound.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedoboy/2575941650/

Great photo!!
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: Brimon on June 11, 2009, 12:52:09 PM
We load/discharge quite a few ships a year at Invergordon.

Re the lighthouse : maybe get a mile of cable & some pre-amps? ;)
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: AirNav Development on June 11, 2009, 01:17:36 PM
When ShipTrax is released you will be able to track all this with the same common interface and with the same brand. :-)

BTW ShipTrax hardware is amazing. Many improvements that will, in the future, be applied to RadarBox II...oops no one wrote this. :-)
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: tarbat on June 11, 2009, 01:31:39 PM
BTW ShipTrax hardware is amazing. Many improvements that will, in the future, be applied to RadarBox II...oops no one wrote this. :-)

Is that a hint that Ethernet output will be incorporated into RB II.
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: AirNav Development on June 11, 2009, 01:40:08 PM
Much more than only that. Anyway we cannot talk about it. Confidential.
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: tarbat on June 11, 2009, 01:41:20 PM
What would be really good is to be able to display ships from ShipTrax and aircraft from Radarbox on one combined map.  A bit like COMBIPLOTTER - http://www.coaa.co.uk/combiplotter.htm

Maybe something to add to the v3.0 wishlist.  It might encourage more Radarbox owners to also invest in the ShipTrax hardware if everything appeared on one screen.
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: malc41 on June 11, 2009, 02:05:38 PM
tarbat is that you in the little blue caravan ? :0)
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: Brimon on June 11, 2009, 02:33:18 PM
tarbat is that you in the little blue caravan ? :0)

No he is in the M for Mansion ;)

And the two spikes are his aerials!!
Title: Re: Pharologogy
Post by: malc41 on June 11, 2009, 02:37:25 PM
Oh thats what M stands for, is this his first home or does he pay for his own repairs?

I take it that the two masts further north, take a fair bit of cable and a couple of pre-amps though
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: HadNav on June 12, 2009, 02:49:13 AM
I over the years have monitored a lot of radio traffic! I'd love to follow ShipTrax. I have always followed the airbands on my scanner and ships when I was at the coast, Felixstowe! My Scanner an AOR5000 +3 is up for sale.
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: Brimon on June 12, 2009, 07:39:11 AM
Businesswise we use this site for ship tracking ,probably well known to those on here.

http://www.shipais.com/

and this for ship info

http://www.vesseltracker.com/app
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: tarbat on July 04, 2009, 12:54:52 PM
This made it into our local magazine, the Tarbat Crack.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: tarbat on July 04, 2009, 12:58:16 PM
Airnav, any chance that ShipTrax will be release within the next month?

I've been asked to do an article on the kit behind aircraft and ship tracking as well.  Would be good to get a screenshot of ShipTrax covering the Moray and Dornoch Firths for the article.
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: TedLoon on July 04, 2009, 05:48:03 PM
outstanding malc


nice story btw tarbat
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: GlynH on July 05, 2009, 07:07:40 PM
Much more than only that. Anyway we cannot talk about it. Confidential.

But you already have! ;^)

Ethernet interface...very high on my list...most everything here is networked from the usual PC/Laptops/HTPC/Server/Printers etc. through 3 x UPS, CCTV, Telephone system and even my AV Amp.

To be able to sit my RBII on the end of an ethernet cable as close to the antenna as possible and well away from interference (and hopefully access it directly from any PC in the house - multi-user maybe - remote user perhaps?) would be absolutely terrific!

If you go down the ethernet route could you please make it support Power over Ethernet as my managed switch is PoE capable - I use it for a single Cat5 connection to IP cameras - easy.

As an example the total PoE available here is 180w spread over 24 ports but I believe it will deliver a maximum of 15.4w per port.

Oh and please fit a proper N-type socket for the antenna connection so there is no need to use adaptors.

And allow for some type of bracket/cradle/mounting feet or some other way of mounting it to the wall.

And an on/off switch and a way to turn off the LED's.

Thank you...and if you want a Bete tester all you have to do is ask! :-)

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: peteeds on July 06, 2009, 05:30:15 PM
Brimon, thanks for the link into Shipais, did not know it existed. Fantastic site. If airnav shiptrack is anything as good as this then roll on.

Cheers  Pete 2W1FJZ
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: tarbat on July 06, 2009, 06:36:28 PM
Another good marine AIS tracking site is http://www.marinetraffic.com/
Title: Re: Pharology
Post by: peteeds on July 06, 2009, 07:10:28 PM
Thanks for that one Tarbat, Both in my favourites, Can't wait for Airnavs new shiptrax system to be launched, sounds & looks very interesting.

Cheers Pete.