ADS-B Mode-S
My tracking of nearby ADSB-out aircraft using my local AWACS server.
Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast - Mode-S
On January 1, 2020, Federal Regulation 14 CFR § 91.225 requiring ADSB-out to transmit their position information to ATC and other aircraft takes effect. This applies to all aircraft above 10,000 MSL, inside Class A, B, and C airspace, and within 30 NM of a Mode-C airport to the surface. Since the transmission happens at 1090MHz, is vertically polarized, and is receivable within a line of sight, ground stations can pick up signals from aircraft hundreds of nautical miles away flying at high altitude!
Unscientific deployment observation
Being within the KIAH Mode-C ring, all planes are required to have a squawkable transponder for the primary ATC radar. Unfortunately, most of these planes are invisible without the 1090MHz transponder which allows for a MLAT(multi-lateration) calculation with multiple base stations. Sometimes an ADSB-IN aircraft is flying nearby which will activate a ADSB-R (rebroadcast). The traffic within several miles and within 5000' of the aircraft will be rebroadcast meaning that my AWACS system can now see the ground traffic at major airports as well as random signatures for the remainder of the transponder only flights.
- From 2014, about 1/4th or less had position information. Most international airframes and widebody commercial flights are broadcasting. Also noteworthy early adopters are the cargo carriers who fly heavies to KMEM and KSDF every night in a wave around 22:00.
- Mid 2018, 1/3rd to 1/2 of the 1090MHz responses are ADSB-out. Most of the commercial fleet aircraft are using ADSB-out and the regional airlines are beginning to appear in their CRJ7s and EMB135s. NASA has a T-38 with it and I've even spotted an IL-76 and C-17 using ADSB-out on the same day!
- November 2019, there are only a handful of commercial flights missing ADSB but there are still a few barnstormers and helicopters flying around. UAT out traffic is a mixture of planes already on ADSB as well as a few flights at KIWS.
- 2 January, 2020: Only one AIJ flight seen with a large number of messages and mostly in compliance. Weather has been mostly IFR so the small singles are hiding in the hangars. The real thing will be the weekend to see if the banner operators will be in compliance...
Yesterday's Stats
Country summary
Total airframes: 0
Unassigned icao range: 0