Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!ncar!asuvax!anasaz!john
From: john@anasaz.UUCP (John Moore)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: "Spybuster" AD COPY
Message-ID: <647@anasaz.UUCP>
Date: 23 Aug 89 03:25:17 GMT
References: <17100002@inmet>
Reply-To: john@anasaz.UUCP (John Moore)
Organization: Anasazi Inc, Phoenix AZ
Lines: 45

In article <17100002@inmet> newbie@inmet writes:
]     A TRACKING  COMPUTER -- Spybuster detects aircraft, not
]police radar!  Highly specialized SMD circuitry operating at
]1-2 gigahertz  [What I  think they  mean is  that the thingy
]receives signals  over that  frequency range.   If, however,
]they have  built a  computer with  a clock speed of 2 GHz, I
]would like  to know more...] receives signals from the FAA's
]ground-based aircraft surveillance system.  As these signals
]reflect off  airplanes, Spybuster  locates and  tracks  with
]military   precision [Well,  that isn't  saying much  is it?
]Does anybody recall the precision of the DIVAD?!?] any plane
]within a  6 mile  radius of your car (scans a full 360 deg.)

...miscellaneous wisecracks removed...

With  more than  one plane  in the
]area, Spybuster  locks on  to the closest one (police planes
]operate at a low 2000-5000').  It then computes that plane's
]closing rate relative to your position, ignoring fast-moving
]747's and  jet fighters.  Since surveillance Cessnas operate
]at only  100-140 mph [So, theoretically, I could out run one
]if I  was  going,  oh,  say  160...],  Spybuster  warns  you
]immediately of  any  plane  "loitering"  in  your  area,  or
]tracking a parallel course.  Spybuster is occasionally [sic]
]fooled by  an innocent  civilian aircraft,  but  has  proven
]uncannily accurate  in identifying police planes before they
]get into position to clock your speed!

This actually looks like a fairly practical technology within
certain limits: the aircraft has to be within range of the
FAA IFF interrogator's, and there can't be too many aircraft around.
Here in Arizona many highways are out of range.

The ironic thing is that I would probably use one IN an airplane
as a collision alert detector. It's a strange triumph of free
market over government control that this device is available
for $299, and would be quite useful as an airborne anti-collision
warning device with slightly different programming; meanwhile the
FAA has been twiddling around for 20 years and has yet to come
up with an effective and affordable airborne anti-collision device.
-- 
John Moore (NJ7E)           mcdphx!anasaz!john asuvax!anasaz!john
(602) 861-7607 (day or eve) long palladium, short petroleum
7525 Clearwater Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
The 2nd amendment is about military weapons, NOT JUST hunting weapons!