I've just started using ModeS/3D and thought it worth sharing how it's going.
My PAw is a semi-permanent install with mounted internal antennae, internal power and sound connected to the Audio panel.
I have alerting set for +/- 2,000ft and 5km
I haven't implemented Bluetooth - yet
- I hear 2 - 3 times as much located traffic as before which makes it easier to discriminate between 'information' and targets that really need locating [edit]this is a big deal and a huge increase in capability
- within a mile of the circuit I tend to switch off the sound to avoid distraction (it's a button on the panel) only when it's v busy
- I see more aircraft now, farther out
- the PAw gives better information for SA than a listening squawk or Basic Service (I still like to have a relevant frequency set for the airspace I'm in)
- I prefer PAw voice to the SD generated warnings (too much SD airspace)
- PAw can sometimes generate multiple warnings for the same target - I'd like that reduced
- looking at .trk files there was occasional position jumping, ~1/2 a mile, it was no factor
- because of by aerial positioning there is occasional airframe masking at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock, also no factor
I used it yesterday on the 95 ship Project Propeller fly-in to Coventry. that's a big help approaching a busy environment when traffic is merging
- it was very handy to have it pick up converging, almost parallel traffic on the way in
- I switched off sound with 3 miles to run when I judged that my SA was optimised and I should deal with outside and the radio
- on departure we could track traffic passing overhead which due to visibility we never saw, but it was comforting to know where it was and we did deviate track to provide better separation
- approaching home base we tracked a Nordo at 500'agl (or 400'), 1 mile ahead, similar track, who looked like he was joining but flew round the edge of the ATZ and left. We never saw him, I was glad to know he was there.
