I have installed my receiver on 12th Dec. 2017. I was lucky as location because multiple air corridors are crossing within few miles around it. Then I started to look to “Nearby Sites” list to see who is around and how they receive. There I have noticed one user which is 36 miles away from me but it has %30 more flights and %800 more positions within the same time frame. But when looked into the user page found that it has 3 receivers in different parts of the country and while registration is in a different town pops out in my “Nearby Sites” list with the sum of all stations readings as one station. And in that user page the graphs don’t show the station readings by station.
Why I looked into this is because of the data on the coverage graph. It lloks like I have a problem of receiving between WSW to NNE, Between these directions receiving does not go beyond 150 miles. Wanted another reference close to me to check whether I hve a coverage problem or was it because of lesser traffic within these directions.
I think each station entry has to be unique even it belongs to the same user and they have to have their own charts so for nearby users it can be a reference to check their setups performance and notice any degredation.
To have a reference to judge performance of your receiver, determine your maximum possible range in various directions, by a simple method described here:
First of all I don’t understand why Flightaware allows aggregated feed from multiple sources…
But it’s like in real life (and online activities) “my name have to be on top even if Im cheating”.
I’ve seen stations “receiving” flight positions at imposibble distances (considering Earth curvature and 2 mountain chains in way ---- oh I forgot the Earth is flat )
Sorry for the off-topic but I’m fully understanding your point of view. Those sending real data seems to be on the “endangered species” list.
what are you getting in distance on your station, I am new and get consistence of 200-250 miles away, in certain direction I have seem just a little over 300 miles. and of course you have the Google Cell Tower balloons always floating around, which I have seen at 390 miles but that is 62,000 ft. my 12 element Coco gave me around 40 miles more over the FlightAware antenna. Trying a few more designs to get a better look at things. Let me know what you are doing.
Tha maximum distance one gets varies from person to person, as it depends on:
Profoundly on topography around, which is different for different locations.
On antenna height if it is below the level of surrounding obstructions such as buildings, trees etc. Once the antenna is above the height of these obstructions, any further increase in antenna height has negligible benefit on maximum range.
If the surrounding topography is level ground with no hills around, and antenna can “see” horizon, it is the curvature of earth which limits the maximum range to about 300 nm.
You can easily determine your maximum possible range by the method described in this thread:
My problem starts with being a Radio Amateur. We never get satisfied with our coverage, output power, etc. Just for curiocity I’ve looked into my profile and noticed the Coverage Graph;
While I was able to receive up to ESB airport, with a range of high mountains between us, I was not receiving anything from North. And on that direction the highest obstacle is around 300 meters high hills.
Since most of them are within city limits and surrounded by buildings the reception was poor but close to 360. One user had far reach like me, onurk, and he was deaf on the angles I was perfect but super on the angles I was deaf.
That airport has a clear sight on all directions like me. There I was puzzled, It was magically receiving 360 with far higher number of packets. Than I noticed the number of aircrafts, the number was not that much. Now if you have not that differnce in plane numbers how come they receive more packets? There I noticed the user with multiple stations, While their registration was in ESB, they had two other receivers, one in ESB and one in AYT. And that graph had to be the sum of all.
For me the ranking is not important but as a crazy old HAM, receiving is. And as HAM we use other HAM’s datas to enhance our rig and coverage. And still my priority is on how to enhance my coverage and cure that deaf zone.
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