MICRO Radarbox

[shouriken]

Waters & Stanton announces a new device
http://wsplc.com/airnav-radarbox/micro-radarbox.html

The new Micro Radarbox

No delays and no missing aircraft on your display. Watch it as it happens, not after the event...

The package comprises a "dongle" style reciever together with USB lead and antenna. You need to have your own radvar display. Download the free software with no password or registration needed. All you need is a Windows based PC or laptop. Another exclusive offer from Europe's Ham Store.

Is this a real AirNav device? Or is it fake?

[lambertw]

Just looks like a run of mill dongle which you can get for a few quid a lot of enthusiasts use these already on PP,I bought three for about a fiver each last year,no doubt some person will explain what exactly is inside these RB dongles.

[GreekSpy2001]

Just looked on the W&S website and noticed that the traditional Radarbox Pro is at the same price now eg £59.95  ( a lot cheaper than when I bought into the system) and the 3D version under a £100.  So looks like selling off cheap to clear stock.

Speculation on my part but maybe Airnav getting out of the hardware market and OEM'ing  (technically term for buying in the hardware and sticking your badge on it) a dongle with the Radarbox software and services making up for the difference in price. 

Graham

[Runway 31]

The existing boxes have been at that price for some time and was mentioned on here 3 or 4 months ago

This is a completely new build Airnav product built I would imagine in response to the dongles mentioned and which along with the 5.00.72 software does the same as the Radarbox but at a fraction of the price.  I would imagine Airnav will provide details in due course.

Alan

[shouriken]

I've just noticed that the RTL-SDR dongle support files are present in the RadarBox folder: libusb0.dll, libusb-1.0.dll and rtlsdr.dll.

And somebody complained recently about ANRB connecting to the dongle insted of RB
http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=8273.0

[neroon79]

Some general info about dongles:

The dongles used with pp software or to directly feed RB24 / FR24 are based on SDR (SoftwareDefinedRadio) ICs originally developed to receive digital terrestrial television. Some of these ICs are widebandwidth types able to receive signals  from 25 MHz up to 1700 MHz (guaranteed range 422 Hz to 1002MHz). If used with original drivers frequencies not used for DVD broadcast are blocked out.

But there are special drivers available on the net which allows you to access the full bandwidth  of the SDR  chip. The few wide bandwidth combined with special drivers  an be used to receive ADS-B signals. As these chips are  massproduction types they are extremely cheap.
Due to the high bandwidth they are less sensitive than  a special designed state of the art ADS-B receiver (not the current radar box hardware) possibly capable of  GPS generated reception time stamps .

This extremely expensive MLAT supporting Receivers are best for enthusiasts, who do not care much about money. The dongles are good choice for all on/off hobbyists or for secondary or third device receivers.

As Alan said: Eventually, they will have to show color.

Ingo

[oliver14]

I am surprised that there has been no official word on this yet, or have I missed it ? 
It's certainly not a secret any more !!, and I hope that price is wrong.

[Runway 31]

If you look at the advert there is no stock so I am assuming that it has not been released yet.

Alan

[Brisbane]

I have been running a dongle and Radarbox side by side for a couple of years now.
Using identical homebrew aerials the dongle consistently pulls in 2 or 300 more hits than the Radarbox.

Whilst the Radarbox is quite ancient, I was still surprised at how more sensitive the dongle is.

It was a bit of a pain setting it up,  but running on Virtual Radar Server it is really quite impressive for £15.

Will the new Radarbox be 3D?

[Runway 31]

Brisbane, it is the software which is 3D capable not the receiver.

Alan