Plane Spotting Log Software. What do you use?

[BRS_146]

I've been spotting for about 10 years now and all of my logs i've saved in Excel spreadsheets. Its becoming a bit cumbersome now and was wondering what you guys use to keep records of your logs?

I've downloaded the demo of Spot2Log (I like that you can link your photos to your logs) which looks quite good but cant find an awful lot on what other people think of it. Its got a 25 entry limit so you cant really tell that much from the demo. There are other types such as ADU but the price is a bit steep for me, and some other ones which dont look quite so refined.

So should I stick with Excel spreadsheets - dead basic, or go for something a bit more functional. Are there any more different bits of software that you use? I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

[speedbird1960]

I have used the Free Demo version and was very impressed with it. I have not purchased the Full Version as i don't do Spotting, when i originally downloaded it i had some problems with the registration key, the support was excellent from the owner, after three Emails the problem was resolved quickly.

I would say that for the one off fee they charge with free updates, its good value for money.

[Lensmeister]

As a reletive newbie I looked around for ages then d/l spot2Log and began using it.

I think it is brilliant. There are a fewthings I'd like to see which I emailed the developer about but overall I was VERY impressed.


I paid my £12 (or whatever it is) and am impresed.

My main irk is that you need to be attached to the internet when entering the Reg Number as it performs a look up to populate the plane type and airlines. But if you have a biig long list already in it you can just choose whichever airline you need. I suspect if you have a very long list of histoorical sightings then you will need to put these in manually anyway so this would not be a problem.

There is no import from excel or csv etc although the they are looking in to it.

Would I recommend it?

HELL YES !

[brumgav]

Website for logging aircraft you have seen

As a reletive newbie I looked around for ages then d/l spot2Log and began using it.

I think it is brilliant. There are a fewthings I'd like to see which I emailed the developer about but overall I was VERY impressed.


I paid my £12 (or whatever it is) and am impresed.

My main irk is that you need to be attached to the internet when entering the Reg Number as it performs a look up to populate the plane type and airlines. But if you have a biig long list already in it you can just choose whichever airline you need. I suspect if you have a very long list of histoorical sightings then you will need to put these in manually anyway so this would not be a problem.

There is no import from excel or csv etc although the they are looking in to it.

Would I recommend it?

HELL YES !

If anyone is still interested, I've found a website http://spottedplanes.co.uk which is free to log all your aircraft sightings. You view your logged aircraft then and filter it with a search for anything you like, date, time, aircraft type, registration, serial number.

There isn't an import function but there is export of your log. You just email the admin and they can export it to loads of different formats, .csv, .pdf, .xml, opentext spreadsheet etc.

Really good, worth a look as its completely free.

Gav

[sfewkes]

Hope this is ok to post here but I am developing a new online spotting log application called SpottingLog, the link is in my signature.

[nighthawk]

Hope this is ok to post here but I am developing a new online spotting log application called SpottingLog, the link is in my signature.

Looks to be the same as planelogger.com. Does it have a database of current and historical aircraft that you can search, and add a sighting just by clicking them?

[scottstacey]

Sorry to bring up a very old thread. I have just started using SpottingHub. Does anyone else use it? So far it has been good for me as it’s quick and simple to use compared to others out there.

[Nov]

Sorry to bring up a very old thread. I have just started using SpottingHub. Does anyone else use it? So far it has been good for me as it’s quick and simple to use compared to others out there.

What key features differentiate SpottingHub from other similar options?

[Subhuti]

I've been working with a coder to develop my own database of planes my radar finds. So far, so good. It's not online software, but a mysql database. We haven't even come up with a name for it yet. Too busy coding and testing. When you are logging, what information are you recording? Everyone has different requirements I suppose.

[Runway2406]

The thing to think about when using/purchasing any software for aircraft logging/spotting, apart from the obvious does it meet your requirements for recording sightings, is [and this is especially applicable to 'web-based' software systems] are they in it for the long term? How long have they been operating? What is the size of their staffing base? All these can be important as there have been some very good software systems out there in the past but have been only run by a small group who maybe are extremely keen to start with but when it actually dawns on them how much work is involved to keep a database up to date, as well as dealing with the inevitable user questions, it suddenly becomes a chore and they suddenly just disappear [along with all 'your' sightings/records] If you do use any third party software whether web based or actual software packages, always make sure your data/sightings can be downloaded independent of the program and are not 'locked' into that program. You only have to look at some of the examples listed in the previous posts on this thread to find they no longer exist.

The problem that is faced by all aircraft spotting type software, is that the market of users is decreasing as the hobby is nowhere near as big as it was from it's peak in the 1970s-1980s when at most airports you would often see large numbers of spotters. Apart from many airports no longer wanting 'spotters' and closing any facilities there were in the past, spotting has become [in many countries] a bit a a derided 'geeky' type hobby. Yes, there are probably more photographers now with digital photography and the sharing of images of the many sites making this a significant part of the hobby but a lot of photographers are not necessarily spotters and not interested in the construction number or history of a particular airframe.