Coming Monday: 2026 May meeting – finding all those planes! ADS-B explained…

How would you like to be able to find and identify all the planes in our region – or anywhere?   That’s what ADS-B does.   And how about this:  maybe you can participate in a growing network of receiver stations that will create a different view of air traffic in Australia and globally.

Our skies are FULL of planes.  When 9/11 (and a bit of COVID) grounded planes, NOBODY knew what to do with them all, let alone where they all were.

ADS-B is a technology that collects data transmitted by planes on frequencies in the middle of the UHF band, up around 1GHz.  The planes send packets of data a few times a second, and a global collection of receivers picks up the data and clever analysis cross-correlates it.  Traditional networks have focused on planes on the ground and at cruise altitude.  ADSB Support is collecting data from planes flying lower, as so many of the planes in our area do.  Think Flying Doctor, short range freight,  milk-run commuter flights, and some civil and general aviation.

We have at least four major airports in our region, at Wellcamp, Toowoomba Aerodrome, Oakey and Amberley.

The technology behind ADS-B is fascinating.  As Hams we know a thing or two about propagation and especially across interesting terrain at low powers.

Our guests this month will be Danish company ADSB Support, who are growing their collection of receive stations in Australia.   We met with COO Mogens Andersen at the recent VK Summit, and their story is fascinating.

To help us understand how ADS-B works, what it can and can’t do, and what the future is for aviation data analysis, Guy Martin (global Technical Support Manager) will join us live from Denmark as special guest presenter at our next tech meeting on Monday 11 May.   Guy has promised to give you a bit of an inside view of the process, show examples of how the data can be collected and processed, and he will take questions.  ADSB Support is looking for additional receive locations across our region, and Guy will tell you how  you can apply to be a receiver host – and get access to the output visualisations.  You can get an idea of what can be obtained by looking here.

He’s also told us that ADSB Support is working with an Amateur Radio Operator to build some apps that are useful to Hams.

This all happens on 11 May with the meeting starting at 1900 local time.   There are two ways that you can join us:

• In person will be at the Scout Hall at rear of regional HQ at 2 Victory Street Newtown (Toowoomba).
• Attend remotely via Zoom using the link that will be posted at the top of this page over the weekend

As always, tea, coffee and timtams will be available (gold coin appreciated), and we’ll give you a bit of a club update.