MODE S / SQB Codes Info.

[MIKE.UTD]

Hi,
In relation to my earlier posting this is the information on the SQB files in Aerodata. A few friends of mine have put them on the Kinetic box but has anyone put them on AirNav. Is it possible and if it is which one do I do and yes you guessed it how ?????
It has over 92,000 records which would be very handy and is up to date.
Thanks again.

Mike.

Full details :

­Aerodata's BaseStation.sqb file (after update 2404 - 03-07-08) is here (4.25Mb - 92,235+ records)

The file should be extracted from the downloaded .zip file and copied in to your existing BaseStation folder which is usually c:\Program Files\Kinetic\BaseStation. (For Windows Vista users, the file should be copied to: C:\User\*name*\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Kinetic\Basestation ).
The file should be renamed to BaseStation.sqb before using, but please ensure you backup your existing file first.

 

We have also released the 'source code' for our BaseStation files. This is a .txt file and has been prepared in order for it to be imported in to your existing BaseStation.sqb file without effecting your existing sightings and sessions, although we would again stress the need to back up your existing file first.

 The file contains exactly the same information as our .sqb file and contains the necessary separators needed for the data to be imported.

To be able to import the data, you must use the 'Import major fields' function on the SBS-1 Populate program available freely as a download from Gatwick Aviation Society

The function can be found under their menu item >File. After saving our text file to your desktop, you will need to point the import routine to the file. After clicking on 'Open', the file will start to import and you will be able see the records enter.

The GAS program and their website have detailed instruction and help files. As above, Aerodata will not be providing help & support for the text file.


Aerodata's BaseStation.txt file (after update 2404 - 03-07-08) is here (594Kb - 92,235 records)

[Allocator]

Mike,

It is possible to import the SBS-1 BaseStation.sqb file into RadarBox in order to "carry over" aircraft detected with the SBS-1.  In fact, this is what I did after using the SBS-1 for 12 months before getting my RadarBox.

However, I'm assuming that the Aerodata database is a database of Mode S and Aircraft details, rather than a record of what has been picked up.  As RadarBox comes with a very comprehensive source database, and this is updated by the AirNav server which queries the GAS database, there really isn't a need to manually import any more Mode S data.  Doing so is going to make the RadarBox NavData.db3 database huge and will include many aircraft that are never going to be picked up anyway.  Exactly the same argument has been applied to the SBS-1 database, which is empty when you install BaseStation and only grows as aircraft are detected and the GAS database queried.

I'm not quite sure what your question is and I might have got hold of the wrong end of the stick here, but as far as I'm concerned, there isn't any need to import Mode S data unless you are using RadarBox on a PC that never connects to the Internet.

All the best

Allocator

[Allocator]

Right, I've just downloaded the Aerodata BaseStation.sqb file to see what details it includes.

The completed fields are as follows:

Aircraft ID - this just seems to be a database number, not related to the aircraft

First Created - All identical - 2007-07-03 plus time

Last Modified - All identical - as above

ModeS - Happy with that

ModeSCountry - self explanatory

Registration - OK

ICAOTypeCode - equivalent to the RadarBox TypeShort

The fields that are missing with respect to the RadarBox NavData.db3 are:

TypeLong - long aircraft name

Serial Number

Operator

Photo links.

So, if you were able to import the Aerosoft database into RadarBox, I think that there would be a danger that these partial records would not be completed by the GAS autopopulate function as it does not overwrite existing records.

[MIKE.UTD]

Hi,
Thanks for the quick reply.
The reason why I requested the information is that if I go to for example China with my laptop/AirNav and for some reason there is no Internet link all I will have are codes with no registrations.
I just thought that this was a way of inputting a lot of numbers which seem to be quite accurate in one go.
I am new to the GAS website but do they update wrong codes or is it something we have to do ourselves and how is that site updated ?
Thanks again.
Mike.

[Allocator]

Mike,

The GAS guys do correct wrong codes, but I don't know if these then overwrite the records in the AirNav NavData.db3 database - I suspect not, but AirNav will have to answer this one.

The GAS database is maintained by volunteers who update it as often as they can.  It always seems pretty up to date to me, although I do look at airframes.org if I can't find the aircraft in the GAS database.

As for use in China, I have 282 Chinese registrations in my NavData.db3 at the moment.  How many of these came with the RadarBox installation and how many have autopopulated when I've been watching Network data, I don't know.  I would think that you have a fair chance of getting aircraft details on International flights whilst you are in China, as these will have been picked up and added to your database when you've been using an Internet connection.

If you are feeling brave, you could import the appropriate Aerodata information using a 3rd party utility such as SQL Maestro - tarbat here on the forum is the expert in such matters.  Just make sure you back up your NavData.db3 file first!

All the details in your RadarBox database will be available when you are working without an internet connection - just like when I go out and about with my RadarBox.  Also, if you are staying in a hotel, you might be able to get the Internet, then you can share your data with the rest of us :-)