Virtual Radar Apps for iOS

AirNav Systems finally released its own iOS application today, coming very late to a market that FlightRadar24 and Pinkfroot have enjoyed for quite some time now. Below is a matrix comparison of the three different applications and their features. PlaneFinder As you can see, the three apps all support the same fairly basic set of …

Connecting the ADS-B Dots

I’ve had a few emails from people curious about how all of the applications mentioned on this site connect together. Apart from the step-by-step instructions, the best way I can think of to show the flow of data is with a chart. So below is a diagram with all the connections. There isn’t any great …

Sharing Your ADS-B Data With the World

What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf? If you’re planning on sharing the data you receive with your RTLSDR dongle, the first thing you will need to do is ensure the clock on your PC is set correctly. Time is a very important part of data sharing, because it takes time for the data to be …

Using a RTLSDR Dongle for ADS-B

I like planes. I like radios, too. When I discovered that a USB dongle designed for receiving over-the-air television signals could also be used to receive ADS-B broadcasts from commercial aircraft, I knew I had to try it. I mean, it combines two of my hobbies, so not trying it was simply not an option. …