South African Airports

[Sherlock Holmes]

This is not a general coverage problem..it is a specific problem. I'll reword it me lud. Has anyone else in Cape Town, Jo'burg etc or anywhere noticed the absence of SA coverage for the last couple of days and know of any reason. No more questions me lud

[Sherlock Holmes]

7am Wed and Jo'Burg has sprung into live. Cape Town still dead as a DoDo. I rest my "thread"

[Mike]

This is not a general coverage problem..it is a specific problem. I'll reword it me lud. Has anyone else in Cape Town, Jo'burg etc or anywhere noticed the absence of SA coverage for the last couple of days and know of any reason. No more questions me lud

http://www.flightradar24.com/#!/about.php

All about coverage
Coverage on Flightradar24
Flightradar24 has a network of about 500 ADS-B receivers around the world that receives plane and flight information from aircraft with ADS-B transponders and sends this information to a server, and then displays this information on a map on Flightradar24. Only aircraft with an ADS-B transponder, within the coverage area of the 500 receivers are visible.

Flightradar24 covers about 90% of Europe. There is also some coverage in USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Middle East, Japan and other parts around the world.

Why don't you have coverage in my area?
Flightradar24 only have coverage in areas where someone has installed an ADS-B receiver and feeds his/her data into Flightradar24. If there are no connected ABS-B receivers in an area, then there is no coverage in that area.

How can I increase coverage in my area?
Coverage on Flightradar24.com is dependent of flight data from private ADS-B receivers around the world. If you want to improve coverage in your area, you have to buy an ADS-B receiver. If you already have an ADS-B receiver you can share your flight data with Flightradar24.com

Can you cover my area please?
Please read answer abowe.

What is the coverage area of an ADS-B receiver?
The coverage depends on many different factors. The antenna needs to be placed as high as possibly with free visibilty in all directions. Normally the coverage is about 150-250 km in all directions, but it's possible to have up to about 400 km of coverage with a good installation.

Last week Flightradar24.com had coverage in my area, but not any more. Why?
Flightradar24.com is a network of receivers around the world. Some receivers are online 24/7 and others are only online from time to time. There are many reasons why a receiver is offline. There can be a technical problems with the receiver, with the antenna, with the computer or with the Internet connection. There is also a possibility that the owner of the receiver has closed down his receiver. With over 500 receivers connected to the network, Flightradar24 cannot tell why different receivers are offline, and when they will be back online. If you want to be sure to have coverage in your area, buy a receiver and connect it to Flightradar24

Where can I buy an ADS-B recevier and how do I share it with Flightradar24.com?
Please read this page to get more information ADS-B receivers, and how to share your data with Flightradar24.

[Sherlock Holmes]

I give up Mike. I understand that. What I am really asking is someone who runs the Cape Town reciever to answer a straight forward question. I know how the coverage works but I am enquiring as where the SA recievers went. OK Jo'Burg is back but what of Cape Operator. Afraid I don't watch Stockholm muchif at all. It really isn't that important as I have my own SBS 1 but my view is a bit blocked by mountains so I use FR as a back up

[Charky]

Capetown (FACT1) has some technical Problems with ModeS and UMTS stick. Will perhaps try PP upload.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Saturday 24th. I see Cape Town coverage was back for a few hours on Saturday morning after afew months off air. It started with 2 aircraft sitting on top of 2 different mountains around the plain and then a few flights in and out ...and then back to nothing!!! Any commements from the operator (only) about coverage resuming

[Charky]

Hi,
my answer might be a bit rude, but coverage will resume if the technical problems are solved.
If you cannot wait feel free to setup your own box there.

[delcomp]

AS we say in the English Chat.

No Recievers,. No Planes.

The more recievers the better,. join the club.

all are very welcome

[Sherlock Holmes]

Thanks Chardy

Thanks Charky for your reply.
I was not trying to be rude I was only asking for an answer from the "horses mouth" ie the operator. Not from Norway!
I appreciate the problem. Yes I have a SBS3 on order from the UK and I am awaiting getting it hand carried to SA. Don't trust the bastards here.
At the moment I am in Simons Town which is not ideal but hope to be moving to Lakeside in the new year which is ideal when I will get it up and running and online(if I am
clever enough)
If you want to contact me to give any advice or info on your problem please email me on hannah.hannah.smith@gmail.com (non de plume)

Hope you get it working soon. Happy Xmas and New Year

Regards H

[Biggles]

Can someone tell me what the "DUB14U, DUB15 etc" that have appeared scattered on the hill tops around Cape Town. If they are aircraft they must bloody good pilots landing on 10ft runways!!! No they are not helicopters..I was on one of the hilltops this morning and not even a large eagle (or small)

[Charky]

@Biggles
that are beacons, switch to sat and zoom in, then you see the towers. (these as well as cars on the ground will be suppressed in the future for security reasons as on some other airports)
@Sherlock
thanks, but the problem is more or less clear. Its the Vodaphone software which doesnt startup correctly from time to time. Be careful using the SBS3 in SA. It contains an airband receiver. you might run in trouble.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Sbs3

Thanks for the advice and I understand the basics of the advice...the same applies in the UK where it is a grey area. I have been using an icom/PC into my PC for 10 years here in SA. Perhaps I am lucky but..........
If they are going to trace an airband reciever surely the chances of tracing a SBS (whatever edition) are the same as they both only recieve (I think).
Anyway just an observation I will bear in mind..Thanks

[Sherlock Holmes]

Thanks Karl for the reply.

[Biggles]

Hi
Is there any chance the Cape Town reciever will be back online in the near future. It has now been AWOL for at least a month

[Charky]

yes, the 1 (or 2) receiver(s) there will be online in the near future again.