Add-ons

[jonjorobb]

Hi All!

Only had the RB for a few days, ADDICTED!! - I Know that everything is included, (no need for addon's like SBS-1), but are there any add-ons that people would reccomend to use with the RB? (Apart from a window and a pair of binoculars :))

Thanks,
Jonjo

[nortonbeak]

I believe that the only "add-on" is the really excellent Squawk Box.

http://www.gfrost.co.uk/SquawkBox/

But I shouldn't ignore all the excellent work that is done by a select few RadarBox enthusiasts in providing outlines, silhouettes, logos etc :-)

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi Jonjo, unless you have an extremely advantageous location, an external antenna and mast-head amp!    I've a virtually unobstructed 360 degree horizon at 200' asl, and with supplied antenna indoors, get SFA - 3' thick stone walls, with antenna stuck out of top window, onto a bit of flat roof not quite in the clear of the main roof, received a max. of 7 at one time, incl. one travelling out (Fedex cargo) tracked to 140 nm..    I'll be buying a couple of new antennas in the next couple of months, and will post results - totally dependent on getting a good weather window to do any DIY over 15' - very windy place.   I'm also looking at making a trio of Slim Jim antennas, one centred 126MHz, one for 160MHz (marine VHF) and one for 1090 - try this link

http://www.hamuniverse.com/slimjim.html

Update @ 1230 just had a quick play, 25 on screen at one time, all to the north, west and south, nothing east and up to 140nm.   This is down to the gable roof ridge which is aligned north to south and is behind and 6' higher than the flat roof , just proves the point about height of antenna and obstructions.   Polar diagram also confirms this, almost a straight line behind the twig!

[Allocator]

You might like to look at PlanePlotter.  It's not an add-on as such, more a complimentary program that allows you to share your 5 minute delayed data with other RadarBox and SBS-1 users who are sharing via PlanePlotter.  It does take a bit of getting into, but there is a good help menu and an active Yahoo user forum.  The program is updated on a regular basis too and also it will produce its own txt log files.

I go through phases with PlanePlotter - sometimes I use it all the time, then I don't use it for ages.  I know that there are a number of users here who can offer advice if needed.

http://www.coaa.co.uk/planeplotter.htm

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planeplotter/

[jonjorobb]

Thanks for all your ideas! (SQ Box works Great!)

[tarbat]

A few others to consider:

1. Additional country and military flags - http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=1906.msg15294#msg15294

2. Additional airline logos - http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=1293.0

3. sbsplotter, if you want polar charts plotted by flight level as well as range - http://jetvision.de/sbs/sbsplotter1.zip

4. sbssim, for capturing and replaying port 7879/30003 data - http://jetvision.de/sbs/sbssim.zip

[jonjorobb]

Thanks Tarbat, What format should i enter the LAT LONG on SBSplotter?

Jonjo

[pilot_ngb]

I thought RB didn't need any 3rd party software :)

[tarbat]

Thanks Tarbat, What format should i enter the LAT LONG on SBSplotter?

I think it's the same format as in RB.  Decimal degrees - so mine is 54.58 and -2.59 (negative for West)

I thought RB didn't need any 3rd party software :)

"Need" is an interesting word!!

[jonjorobb]

Thanks - its working now

[Hawkeye]

One I find useful is the small programme my brother produced to find the angle of any flight showing on R/Box from the height and distance data shown.
According to 'our kid', quite a few other R/box and SBS users have been interested enough to download it from the web page shown in my posting to the forum headed Angle of Elevation, last July 25th

Cheers and all the best for the New Year to everyone.

Syd