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aircraft missing from Monto


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Guest Maj Millard

A beacon or mobile phone for that matter would not continue to transmit or be tracked, submerged in deep water or after being distroyed by fire unfortunatly......................................

 

 

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Just a sideline thought about SAR technology in the present tech age - It should be possible to use a directional antenna to pick up a mobile phone from some distance above. (range would be poor through trees or horizontally thru hills) That would require a specialised purpose built antenna. But it might be an avenue that that has not yet been developed? It would not require the phone to be in range of a mobile base. It would just have to be left switched on and it would periodically send a signal to attempt to connect to a base station or to maintain a login if it was already in range of a base station. On the other hand, if it was in range of a base station the telco should be able to assist with identifying the base station if it was advised of the phone number. Ant thoughts, Kyle?

 

 

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Slight thread drift but highly relevant (once again) the "Glympse" app is invaluable IMHO... real time internet tracking and history. No need for a Spot locator or subscription... this App is FREE. Of course it does not absolve the responsibility to have PLB/EPIRB but for our type of flying (mainly short hops over land) it would help with location much faster. Pitfall is it does not transmit as a distress call...

 

 

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Guest Andys@coffs
Slight thread drift but highly relevant (once again) the "Glympse" app is invaluable IMHO... real time internet tracking and history. No need for a Spot locator or subscription... this App is FREE. Of course it does not absolve the responsibility to have PLB/EPIRB but for our type of flying (mainly short hops over land) it would help with location much faster. Pitfall is it does not transmit as a distress call...

Tex there is a much greater drawback with mobile technology and that is that ground stations are just that, on the ground and require line of site to the ground station...In this case would that have been true? I suspect not once he was down low pressumably scud running, probably in valleys etc. SPOT uses an inbuilt GPS to inform location via the satellite phone system which is always above you and in an aircraft in clear line of site even if you do end up in a valley of no return....

 

However all that said, would I use this tech with a smart phone? hell yes! the more options you have the better off you probably are. Would I use it as a SPOT replacement...no, as you said I really like the thought of a "OMG I need help RFN" Button, one that includes a GPS location fix as part of that cry for help

 

Andy

 

 

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Guest Andys@coffs
Just a sideline thought about SAR technology in the present tech age - It should be possible to use a directional antenna to pick up a mobile phone from some distance above. (range would be poor through trees or horizontally thru hills) That would require a specialised purpose built antenna. But it might be an avenue that that has not yet been developed? It would not require the phone to be in range of a mobile base. It would just have to be left switched on and it would periodically send a signal to attempt to connect to a base station or to maintain a login if it was already in range of a base station. On the other hand, if it was in range of a base station the telco should be able to assist with identifying the base station if it was advised of the phone number. Ant thoughts, Kyle?

Pete

 

The AMSA aircraft already have this capability. Its not just about antenna design but also the ability to get the phone to communicate when you need it to which requires that the search engine has base station capability and can speak the GSM/3G protocols necessary to trigger the phone to do what you need when you need it to.

 

To get a fix you need to be able to get multiple bearings to the transmitter from different aircrat locations, from there its a simple case of triangulation.

 

However, and this is the big one, the phone on the ground has to have line of site to the aircraft, which sounds easy. but if its under metal wreckage for example, no amount of smarts on the searching aircarft end will make up for a shielded reciever on the phone end......

 

Andy

 

 

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I agree completely Andy it has limitations... but if you lose phone coverage I would propose you are flying VERY low and/or are on the ground, it would still provide a last fix to narrow down position. Not an absolute fix for sure and SPOT is still has advantages and this is not a replacement as such... but if you have a smart phone and no SPOT... like me, mad if you don't avail yourself of it.

 

 

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They are trying to find a landing site I think they confirmed a red and silver sighting of the aircraft elevation there is around 500 mtrs there is some cleared they have given site co-ordinates for a landing ste for the chopper but its a fair hoof from the site

 

 

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Now I really don't understand given these coordinates why the flight path wasn't the first place searched? This location lines up pretty much exactly between Monto and Caboolture.

 

 

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They have someone on the ground half a mile from the crash site and seem to be trying to see which other helicopeters are close by to go help. Not very clear and a lot of static.

 

 

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They are confirming sending the other aircraft back, so I would say that it's into the next phase now. Someone from ATC must read this forum as the static has suddenly cleared up!

 

I also heard the rescue choppers cancel SAR Watch. I find it almost ironic that those searching have SAR Watch, but it's pretty smart too. Sound like a very professional crew.

 

 

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I supply YHBA CTAF feed with my radio here, to LiveATC server in USA and have just temporarily switched to SAR channel for today for you guys to hear what is going on. I never intended it to receive signal 100NM away! So sorry about static. I made a tuned 1/4 dipole but it is mounted too low for best reception - works well for local stuff though!

 

 

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ok am listening here on both now....I am getting a little bit more than your feed at this stage but not a lot more as I dont have a proper airband vertical up here about 3 sec delay from your feed via the internet so thats pretty good too

 

 

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