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  • #31
    Originally posted by Ressy View Post
    OK, EU VAT does not apply to non EU member states, so that 800 or so becomes 650 odd, into AU dollars becomes 980 odd at current exchange rate, much better than 1500 odd, but still, hard to justify, even without shipping costs with insurance which will be another fair slug.
    I paid SGD 1,200 ( USD 1,050 - include our 7 % GST and high cost of UPS services from USA ) for a piece of crap - Radarbox 3D.
    F-WSSS1 - Cats refused to Pee & Pooh on RadarBox - Running a FR24 Receiver & DVB-T Dongle 24/7 to piss off The Chief Thief.

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Birdie View Post
      I paid SGD 1,200 ( USD 1,050 - include our 7 % GST and high cost of UPS services from USA ) for a piece of crap - Radarbox 3D.
      oh, you don't like it? not faulty unit is it? I cant understand why some people say they are so sensitive, surely something that apparently underwent some costly certification, must be robust to be passed.

      But yeah the cost is crazy.. especially when you can get an Rpi for $50AU or so, build it up with the case, a gps a pre amp, tv stick...

      A few people reckon the distance is greater on fr24box by about 15-20% over tv stick, but since radarcape has inbuilt preamp that answers the question as to why (even though in RF world, any amplification MUST be done at the antenna, else you also amplify noise), since the marine (AIS) equivalent to radarcape units can be bought off the shelf in AU for under $500 - there is no possible reason in hell (or on earth) that ADSB units should cost more, let alone twice (The AU dollar value is even less than when I posted that, so we'd probably be looking well over $AU1K now.

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      • #33
        The radarcape doesn't have a pre amplifier in the sense that all frequencies are amplified, it does have amplifier in the filter stage to boost the signal AFTER filtering. It is essentially a tweaked mode-s beast. http://wiki.modesbeast.com/Mode-S_Beast:System_Design

        this is a picture of beast board http://ads-b.ca/fa/img_9526.htm Happens to be what flight aware use in there boxes.
        this is a picture of a radarcape http://ads-b.ca/radio-board.htm now although the layout is slightly different you can see that it is the same circuit.

        AIS is a completely different frequency and easier to pick up and process, it surprising how much dearer the parts are when you go up in frequency. Also things like using a proper FPGA rather than a PIC means the price difference of £2 to £20 alone. Its not hard to see how these add up to a costlier unit.
        Last edited by SpaxmoidJAm; 2015-06-19, 16:46.
        T-EGLF8

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        • #34
          Originally posted by SpaxmoidJAm View Post

          AIS is a completely different frequency and easier to pick up and process, it surprising how much dearer the parts are when you go up in frequency. Also things like using a proper FPGA rather than a PIC means the price difference of £2 to £20 alone. Its not hard to see how these add up to a costlier unit.
          I dont know, I use to be a radio tech before I moved to IT some 20 plus years ago, and the components were no different in price over here, as for easier to pick up signal? you're right in so far as you have a whopping antenna, the smaller the freq, the larger the antenna required, eg: try using one of those tv dongle antennas at a fair distance from a TV transmitter, its useless, yet the same antenna picks up ADSB signals for greater range - even with lower altitude aircraft, again, because the tiny size, means its designed for it, thats why VHF marine antennas are about 2.4 to 3 metres in length, with some, like used in marine rescue bases being 5.5 metres.

          Infact, that tiny 10cm antenna taped to top of my ant base (mast was lowered 10cm to accomadate test), using an active USB cable, performs far better than my 15 metre rg6 quad into a 6dbi antenna, since there is zero insertion loss.

          Actually, since its just started winter here, and the coldest outside nights we see is no less than 7 or 8c with more typical of 9-14, and I don't expect much rain for a couple of months, I might even throw it back up for while when I get a chance

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