Portable collision avoidance devices

[skyaddict]

I inherited a Trafficscope TPAS VRX transponder detecting device from a friend of mine who hardly flies anymore and was cleaning out his junk.... I went out and tested it in the TCASless Citation that I fly, but was extremely disappointed with the results. When traffic was close it would tend to indicate below when it was above, and vice versa, and sometimes when traffic was within a mile and only 100-200 feet below it might not indicate anything at all.

I played around with the range and altitude scales (this particular device supposedly will track multiple targets) to decrease the sensitivity, and that made it slightly more useful, if only in the sense that if there is transponder-interrogated traffic around, it may come alive with some sort of indication, which I suppose is something if not much.

Just wondering if anyone else has tried these devices recently, with such miserable results also. Since this particular device is around 5 years old or so maybe they have improved a bit or maybe this one is a lemon. Without TCAS the Mark I eyeball is the only backup to ATC, but it would be nice if one of these devices could at least serve as an extra heads up.

 

[gnvav8r]

I have been quite pleased with ZAON's PCAS. It calls out both range and bearing (unlike many that give you range only). It does this with a small phased array anatenna. The thing sits on the glare shield. I have found it to be quite accurate... it's main fault is that it takes awhile to figure out just where a threat is, and if it is close to you (as in a traffic pattern) it lags in its bearing and range info.

 

[skyaddict]

Thanks for the feedback, the first I got since I posted ages ago. So you have their latest unit then, the one that adds bearing. Mine doesn't give bearing, but it seems to miss too many very close targets, as well as get confused as to whether the target is above or below. The technology is amazing, to be sure.

I take it that your new unit doesn't seem to be missing targets? (I know they are not foolproof and are just to be used as another 'pair of eyes' so to speak, but mine misses similar altitude targets that I spot within half a mile of me, even.)

 

[gnvav8r]

Yes, I have the XRX. And no it only occasionally misses traffic... but if you are on the tarmac and a regional jet takes off... or enters the pattern you wonder why it seemed to have missed it... then 30 sec later it reports it. So there is this definite delay. On rare occasions it does not report traffic that has been called out to me by ATC. I dunno why. Other times I am flying along and it shows a target 2 miles away at 3 o'clock and I look and sure enuf it's there.

And besides, it gives the passengers something occupy their time with. Just tell 'em to keep an eye on this LCD... <grin>

You can set the sensitivity... so it ignores targets more than 3 miles away.

You can download their instruction manual at their website, and get a much better idea on how and what it does.

Pete