New Zealand Radar

[Oblivian]

Are you running an NTP client, seems strange you are not appearing very often. As I type it appears to be locking on my data with ZK-OAB heading in as if both of you are down.. forgot to update upload client?

Just realised PP now has mode A/C integration finally flight level clearances now show up on screen.. yay. Now for the external weather reports..

/edit and 2mins after hitting post.. Brent is back in command

[quaternary]

Thanks for all those tidbits and feedback. My next project is going to work myself up an aerial – it’s been a few years since I’ve had one of those on my roof – last time was an 80m inverted V – but I shouldn’t need anything quite that drastic by the looks of earlier posts.

One question, while the fr24feed.exe utility seems to be flashing green lights away happily, how does one close the loop as it were, and get some feedback (short of the odd ‘glint in the servers eye’ – I like that) that the data is actually getting through correctly into the database?

Mark

[Oblivian]

In future they hope to put the 'feeder status' online, like the old uploader data shows (http://radar.piopawlu.net/radars) but now it seems you can only but trust both lights green=working. Your name will show in the 'filters' list on the page under radars if it is currently using your data to display, but as you find.. it can be quite infrequent.

Antennas are easy(ish), I'm currently borrowing NZPMs Hitech antenna, which is to be returned home soon. I got/get fairly good resuts from my DIY one, but could use some minor tweaking or different construction material to get it a bit better. Soon to test it on the new coax..

The coax did quite a bit better when I changed to LMR400. Fairly constant coverage out to 145nm from me. The odd WLG flight skips across the top at 172nm max

I have enquired from a chap in the US over a high gain 9dB custom-made colinear the same as NZPM has, but with the US$ as it is at present they are not cheap. $150US antenna, $49US freight ($65 for 2 units)

Now to get my micro and antenna(s) ready to make camp at the airport tomorrow morning for the 787 arrival. Got the day off and all, dedicated.

[nzradar]

Now to get my micro and antenna(s) ready to make camp at the airport tomorrow morning for the 787 arrival. Got the day off and all, dedicated.

A guy sold an Icom PCR2500 on Trademe last week for a paltry $200 so I snapped it up, strung up a longwire antenna and tuned to Auckland HF datalink frequency and nabbed the 787-8 on it's way over from Sydney yesterday. Will be checking my web for the ADS-B and ACARS today.

[Oblivian]

We have our own little ash cloud to worry about.

Some very strange routes occurring today, varied altitudes and longer paths to avoid the airspace.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/7428251/Mt-Tongariro-eruption-a-hiccup-expert

[scanhorse]

NZ, Fleet grounded after finding cracks in tails

Air New Zealand has grounded a fleet of aircraft after the discovery of hairline cracks during routine maintenance.

Inspections have been made on four of the Beech 1900D aircraft, operated by Eagle Air, and three were found to have hairline cracks in the tail area.

Eagle Air general manager Carrie Hurihanganui said services using the 19-seat aeroplanes aircraft have been cancelled this afternoon as a precautionary measure while checks are undertaken.

He said alternative arrangements would be made for the approximately 800 customers affected.

"We apologise to customers for the inevitable inconvenience caused by undertaking a full check of our fleet. However, the safety of our customers, our staff and our aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable for the airline."

The Beech 1900D have been in service since October 2001, and have an average age of 10.5 years. The airline operates 18 of the planes that fly to 20 destinations around New Zealand.

http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/fleet-grounded-after-finding-cracks-in-tails-5011299?

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/112637/cracks-found-in-air-new-zealand-planes?

[delcomp]

Was on one of them,. in December and January

[scanhorse]

New Zealand volcano erupts after century of quiet

Mount Tongariro eruption spreads a layer of ash for several kilometres

A volcano quiet for more than a century erupted in a New Zealand national park, spreading thick ash for several kilometres and causing some residents to evacuate their homes. Some domestic flights were cancelled Tuesday.

Mount Tongariro spewed ash and rocks for about 30 minutes late Monday night after a few weeks of increased seismic activity. It didn't cause any injuries or damage in the sparsely populated central North Island region. Tongariro National Park has three active volcanos, is a popular tourist destination and was the backdrop for many scenes in the "Lord of the Rings" movies.

Some residents left their homes as a precaution, and authorities temporarily closed roads. National carrier Air New Zealand cancelled or delayed domestic flights to towns near the mountain, though by Tuesday afternoon, it said it was resuming service to locations where the ash cloud had cleared. No international flights were affected.

more.........................

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/08/07/new-zealand-volcano.html?

[scanhorse]

Massive rock raft found floating off New Zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: A mass of small volcanic rocks nearly the size of Belgium has been discovered floating off the coast of New Zealand.

The stretch of golf-ball-size pumice rocks was first spotted this week by a New Zealand air force plane about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northeast of Auckland. The rocks stretch for about 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 square miles).

A navy ship took scientists to the rocks Thursday night. Naval Lt. Tim Oscar says the rocks appeared a brilliant white under a spotlight, like a giant ice shelf.

He says it's the "weirdest thing" he's seen in 18 years at sea.

Scientists say the rocks likely spewed up in an eruption by an underwater volcano. They don't believe the eruption is connected to the onshore ash eruption this week of another volcano, Mount Tongariro.

Officials say the small rocks pose no danger to shipping.

more.............................

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2012/Aug-10/184118-massive-rock-raft-found-floating-off-new-zealand.ashx?#axzz237jCQ7EM

[Oblivian]

2nd Event in a week..

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/7475650/Second-Air-NZ-plane-turns-back

An Air New Zealand plane bound for Sydney had to turn back to Auckland after problems with its air conditioning - the second Sydney flight hit by problems in four days.

[scanhorse]

Our Olympic medallists arrived home this morning, greeted by hundreds of cheering fans at Auckland Airport.
The London 2012 Games were New Zealand’s most successful since the 1988 Seoul Games with a haul of 13 medals. Many of those medals were on proud display this morning, as athletes mingled with the jubilant crowd.
“It’s very overwhelming and very humbling,” rowing gold medallist Nathan Cohen says.

more...........................

http://www.3news.co.nz/Kiwi-Olympians-overwhelmed-by-welcome/tabid/1697/articleID/265560/Default.aspx?

[scanhorse]

Air New Zealand to celebrate 30 years of flying to London

Air New Zealand celebrates three decades of flying New Zealand and London via Los Angeles tomorrow, Saturday 25th August.

During that time, the airline has made 7,700 return trips from Auckland to London via Los Angeles, flying nearly 300 million kilometres – the equivalent of a trip to the sun and back!

Over the past 30 years the airline has carried more than 9.2 million passengers on its core NZ1/2 services between Auckland-Los Angeles and Los Angeles-London, including thousands of actors, sporting personalities and rock stars; a dozen princesses and princes and one British Monarch. Queen Elizabeth II took her first commercial flight on NZ1 accompanied by 28 members of the Royal Household and 384 fare-paying passengers.

Air New Zealand

On the 25th August 1982, when Air New Zealand sent a Boeing 747-200 to London for the first time, the aircraft was known as the “Ritz of the Skies” because of its luxurious superior silver service. Fast forward to 2012 and Air New Zealand’s fleet is one of the newest on the route with state-of-the-art seating from the innovative custom-designed Spaceseat to the world’s only lie-flat Economy option, the Skycouch.

Air New Zealand Deputy CEO Norm Thompson says the route has been historically significant in connecting New Zealand passengers to London and onwards to Europe, via Los Angeles.

more....................................

http://www.planetalkinglive.com/2012/08/24/air-new-zealand-to-celebrate-30-years-of-flying-to-london/?

[Oblivian]

Christchurch MLAT..

Hi lads. I'm now aware there are at least 3 full time uploaders in canterbury now, and possibly 2 others in the background not active with the forums etc. How many of you are using PlanePlotter and have setup MLAT so far?

I'm already uploading as ft, and I can get Wellingtons? data from sharers Dk and dl (and on the odd occasion x7)But since theres only really 2 seen at a time stable MLAT is still not able to get locks. (not enough data)

Am I right in thinking if all of us were enabled correctly the ATRs and remaining non position B73s should be able to have their positions calculated?

[Petenz]

Hi all,
I have got a DPD antenna on a 30 foot pole feeding to my microadsb and I have just started feeding to Flightradar24. My position is in Geraldine town , but am moving shortly to another place on top of the Geraldine Downs. I have hit just under 200NM with the Santiago flight going through Dunedin and was delighted to see my NZTU1 attached to the sighting. usually I am crowded out by NZCH2 as he seems to be all over the place from near NZQN to Nelson. Must have an enormous height or great antennas. I am keen to try MLAT but have been frustrated by my inability to set the router . I love the ADSB Scope and prefer to have that going rather than PlanePlotter. Where are you situated NZCH2?

[NZWND NDB]

Hi
I am operating as NZCH6 -D1 for the sharers and I am located just north of Christchurch airport at Woodend, where the aircraft home in on the Woodend beacon before joining the aproach path for 20 runway. I am using the issued aerial on top of a pole approx 5m high. I currently can get the a/c going up the West Coast and North - about Murchison across to Westport and Kaikoura. To the south I can get to Waimate. I see my NZCH6 come up now and again but not often but at least it appears.
I too like ADSB scope but since fiddling with the settings and adding the flags and Ops flags PP now is ok, still can figure out how to set the vinagrette window !!
I am also using SBS Populate to add the missing regos / flags etc after Craig/ Oblivion helped me . Using the sharing mode the coverage is fantastic.