Just Switched from SBS-1

[9M-ISJ]

Hi,

I have been an SBS-1 user almost since their product launched, indeed it has been taken all over the world with me, but now I am very seriously thinking of switching over to RB (a number of reasons, not the least of which is the size of the unit itself)

Anyway, I have a few questions and searching the forum here hasnt entirely answered them so I was hoping you guys wouldnt mind me asking out right -

Firstly, I would very much like to carry over all the aircraft my SBS-1 has picked up into the RB system. Is this possible? Further, right back at the outset of my SBS-1 life I imported one of the 'populated' files (to input the vast majority of 'common' aircraft) and I WOULDNT want to import all of this to RB - only the examples which I have actually picked up. Is that possible, supposing that its possible to do at all!

Secondly, a very minor thing,, but is it possible to change the field on RB which shows the aircraft status from simply showing the word 'climbing' or 'descending' to show arrows pointing in the appropriate direction as per SBS-1??

Lastly, as I say I have used my SBS-1 numerous times on spotting trips. In the US I have always found that the map is all but useless - as next to nothing over there plots anyway. Is it possible to more or less get rid of the map and just have the aircraft list while using RB?? (and as an aside to this, what shows in the aircraft picture box if you are not connected to the internet - as is often the case in hotel rooms)??

Thanks

[AirNav Development]

Hi

Thanks for your email. During the last months we got hundreds of users migrating from SBS-1 to RadarBox. In fact most of our dealers report that at the present time for each 5 RadarBox sold, SBS-1 sells 1 unit.

SBS-1 was the first mode-s receiver on the market. Anyway it didn't have any important upgrade for the last 3 years. We consider it totally outdated. One of the most important factor on this kind of products is the quality of the software and how often it gets updated. AirNav Systems has been developing flight tracking software for professional and non-professional users for the last 11 years so we can easily be trusted in this field.
Regarding hardware: RadarBox is smaller, easier to carry and reliable (metal case instead of SBS-1 plastic cover).

To start have a look at our RadarBox vs SBS-1 comparison kit on the link below:
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=606.0

Answering your questions:

1- You can import all your old contacts on the MyLog window of AirNav RadarBox software.

2- Not possible now but added to our wish-list. You will find that at AirNav Systems we add new features resulting from users suggestions. Ask our users and you will see their feedback. We are here to develop a product that meets users needs and we will always do our best to achieve what users want.

3- You can opt to hide the map. Anyway RadarBox 2009 software comes with the possibility of downloading a NASA picture so you can plot aircraft over it. For example if you are traveling to Dallas you can click the download NASA overlay button and you will see aircraft right in the runways/taxiways/fingers at the airport. Also we do have an extensive list of airport outlines available created by our own users.

For outlines check:
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=717.0

And to finish with RadarBox you will get outstanding support: not only from the Developing/Programming team but also from our Support (average of 6 hours in answering tickets) and our users, more and more each day.

Hope to have you with us soon!

[9M-ISJ]

Hi,

Great news and thanks for the feedback.

I have done a deal with the gentleman selling the used unit on another thread, so I will be joining the 'gang' by the end of the week with luck.

Is it easy to import my log file from SBS-1?? Also, is it possible to import more than one and not have one over write the other, but add to it?? (I went to Japan, Oz, Fiji, and LA and managed to produce a log file afresh rather than adding to my existing one - it would be nice to bring over all of those aircraft now)

Also I take it that it isnt a problem that I populated my Basestation file with all the regs from one of the started databases??

Thanks
Paul

[malc41]

Paul
You won't be disappointed, welcome to the group

Malc

[9M-ISJ]

Thanks Malc,

Still worrying about the mechanics of importing my Basestation file(s) but hey ho!!

[malc41]

Paul

As far as i am aware the import of SBS-1 data can be easily done. I'm sure I have read somewhere on this forum of how to do it.

There are much greater sages on this site than me and I'm sure they will correct me and give you any help you require if I'm wrong.

Malc

[9M-ISJ]

Hi,

I hope so, worst comes to worse I will just have a bit of trial and error. I can always roll it back and start afresh if things dont work out how I want.

Rgds
Paul

[tarbat]

Still worrying about the mechanics of importing my Basestation file(s) but hey ho!!

It's very straightforward.  Goto MyLog, and on the Tools menu select "Import from SQB".  Select the Basestation SQB file, and it imports it.  But only ONE SQB file can be imported - when you import, it deletes everything that's in the log.

If you've got several Basestation files, you'll need to combine them into a single SQB before importing - see SabreJV's posting on the Kinetic forum at http://www.kinetic-avionics.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4446

It is possible to take aircraft records from one database and add them to another using a batch file SQL script and SQLite3.exe to drive the process.  Only aircraft not in the target database will get added. Obviously it goes without saying only copies of each sqb file must be used.

SQLite3.exe can be obtained from  http://www.sqlite.org/sqlite-3_4_0.zip

Create a new folder called something like c:\Merge

Into c:\merge copy the SQLite3.exe and SQLite3.dll.

Then copy or create in this folder a file named merge.bat

Code: [Select]

sqlite3.exe < merge_script.txt
pause
and a file named merge_script.txt

Code: [Select]

.echo on
attach database 'c:\merge\Merge.sqb' as Merge;
attach database 'c:\merge\Basestation.sqb' as Master;
create table Master.Merge_Aircraft as select * from Merge.Aircraft;
detach database Merge;
Delete from Merge_Aircraft where Aircraftid in (Select Merge_Aircraft.Aircraftid from Merge_Aircraft join Aircraft where Aircraft.ModeS = Merge_Aircraft.ModeS);
Update Merge_Aircraft set Aircraftid = null;
Insert into Aircraft select * from Merge_Aircraft;
Drop table Merge_Aircraft;
Pragma Integrity_Check;
Decide which database will be become your 'master' database after the merge, and copy this sqb file into c:\Merge as Basestation.sqb.  The reason is this database will retain its aircraft, flights and sessions intact.

Next the database from which aircraft will be extracted is copied into c:\merge as Merge.sqb.

run the merge.bat file.

[9M-ISJ]

Cool!! Thanks for this.

Will the fact that my Basestation file(s) are prepopulated with one of the starter databases of registrations matter to RB?

(One thing I always hated about SBS-1 was that once I populated it with 'everything' it bascially killed off my chances of seeing what my unit had picked up - as it counts them all in!)

[9M-ISJ]

Hi,

Just tried to import my Basestation file, and its sort of worked.... and sort of not!

I had 40 thousand odd airframes picked up in my Basestation file, and in mylog file now I sort of have them all,, but it seems to have only brought over the fact that the frames have once (at some point - the dates seem all over the place) been picked up.

It certainly hasnt imported multiple pick ups for the same frames (take any BA plane as an example - it is in my Basestation doing hundreds of flights but is now in my Mylog just with a random date and no flight data at all).

Has anybody else had more luck at importing - I am thinking about wiping the slate clean and starting to build up a picked up database afresh with RB (but it is a bit of a shame - as I have some corkers in the Basestation data)

Gulfstream

[AirNav Development]

Related to your problem, I'm sure our support will help you.
Just one suggestion: what about changing this post topic to "Just switched from SBS-1"? :-)

[9M-ISJ]

Hi,

It is done!

Gulfstream

[AirNav Development]

Great. :-)
We are now having an average of 2 users upgrading from SBS-1 to RadarBox per day. I'm sure this will increase in the near future.

[DaveReid]

We are now having an average of 2 users upgrading from SBS-1 to RadarBox per day. I'm sure this will increase in the near future.

That's an interesting statistic - but like all statistics it begs the question "how do you know?", and in particular what do you mean by "upgrading"?

For example, it's no secret that I'm a longtime SBS-1 user - I have one of the very first batch - and for a time I was on the Kinetic beta test team (in the days when they bothered to beta-test new releases!).

But if I were subsequently to acquire a RadarBox, it would be as an adjunct to my SBS rather than a replacement/upgrade - would I nevertheless be automatically classed as an "upgrade" statistic?

As far as I can see, there are things that RadarBox does better, and/or more easily, than SBS, and equally things that SBS does which RadarBox doesn't, so I can certainly see a place for both in my computer den.  For example, and correct me if I'm wrong, no-one has developed a RadarBox add-on that gives access to the raw Mode S packets, which is an essential feature when developing low-cost multilateration solutions.

Still, if RadarBox is displacing SBS to the extent being suggested, I look forward to picking up a couple more from the flood of bargain-price units on the second-hand market for my MLat network :-)

[AirNav Development]

We do consider that RadarBox is an upgrade to our competition.
Most of our dealers and users think the same.

The reasons are well explained in the document below:
http://www.airnavsystems.com/download/anrb/AirNav%20RadarBox%20vs%20Competition.pdf

We maintain a constant contact with all the shops and that sell RadarBox. Also 90% of the users that buy the product from airnavsystems.com leave a comment on why they decided to buy RadarBox - because they had SBS-1 and that system got totally outdated. This is now widely known in this market.

Just to name a few differences:

- Support that really works: we have an average 8 hour response time on our support email and a forum that is growing at a rate 3x compared with our competition where daily interesting topics being discussed and happy users helping newbies - unlike our competition forum where posts mentioning RadarBox often get deleted. Also you will see here the programmers developers changing opinions with day-to-day users unlike Kientic crew that constantly hides from everyone.

- New versions/upgrades/implementation of customer suggestions: we have maintained a rate of an upgrade each 4 months. Kinetic/ML&S have the same - let me say it again - Spectrum like software (Basestation) for the last 3 years.

- Superior graphics with NASA overlays (BTW because of this SBS-1e has recently been advertised with screen shots of Google Earth that are not supplied in the product - we are still considering taking legal action on this if the situation is repeated);

- Network: SBS-1/ML&S spent 2 years lying to their customers about a feature that they were never be able to develop. We have it on our software.

- All in one package: no need to install 100 (some of them unreliable) addons to have the software performing as you want;

Regarding your mention to raw data/mode-s packets I don't think that is of  much interest to 99.9% of the users. For the others there are AirNav Systems Professional solutions: expect some great news from this area in the next months.

And most of all we don't lie to our customers (network feature, prices, deleting forum posts, not answering phone calls and emails, rarely having the development team talking with customers, etc).

We are here to have a better product and something that makes a real difference in this market. We will continue to work to add more features to the software and turn it into a more reliable one.

We do think this is a real upgrade and again, for a technical comparison please check:
http://www.airnavsystems.com/download/anrb/AirNav%20RadarBox%20vs%20Competition.pdf