Radio Direction Finder - Plugin Suggestion

[Matisse VanWezer 1385143 2]

Hi everyone

 

I'd like to hear what controllers think of an RDF in Euroscope.

 

If you don't know what it is; here's a brief explanation:

 

"Radio Direction Finder (RDF) [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ists the controllers in rapidly identifying which aircraft is transmitting on the frequency. " [EUROCONTROL]

It addresses, for controllers, an important problem: the voice codec. Gone are the days asking to repeat the callsigns!

 

Photo: https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/illustration/pr-rdf-transmission-aircraft-clearly-identified.png

In action video:

 

I personally think such plugin would require relatively low work compared to others, especially due to its tremendous potential and usability. Additionally, most of the code code has already been written! The MUAC plugin by Pierre Ferran (https://github.com/pierr3/UACPlugin) includes a fully functional RDF. Though it unfortunately requires a separate radar screen, with custom tags etc, for it to be used.

 

Controllers, make some noise! And maybe,... just maybe,... we can see an RDF in the near future.

 

Kind regards,

 

Matisse Van Wezer

 

 

 

Want to know more? https://www.eurocontrol.int/articles/radio-direction-finder-rdf

[Martin Loxbo 0]

That MUAC plugin looks really interesting! But from what I can tell the link only has the source code, or am I missing something?

[Matisse VanWezer 1385143 2]

Not sure what that means, I'm no tech guy

 

Though while browsing through the files on Github, I did see quite a few lines of code about the RDF.

[Andrew Ogden 27]

I have used MUAC in Euroscope successfully many times. The RDF feature works brilliantly.

You can find the working DLL in the readme of the Github repository.

 

Cheers,

ANdrew

[Martin Loxbo 0]

Thanks Andrew, but I cannot seem to find the DLL.

 

Is this the link? https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/pierr3/UACPlugin/artifacts/UAC-nightly.zip

 

It doesn't seem to work unfortunately.

[Andrew Ogden 27]

Yes, that is the correct link. The plugin requires you to create a separate radar screen to use it, and the option can be found under Open SCT (as far as I remember). Bear in mind that this plugin was designed for Eurocontrol, and if you wish to use this plugin for regular CTR/TMA controlling you might come across some limitations. You must also give the plugin all of the permissions it requires in the Plugins menu. A dedicated RDF plugin would be an interesting idea for the future.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Cheers,

[Pierre Ferran 23]

Hi all,

 

Martin, the link is broken, my bad, I'll try and get it back up asap.

 

EDIT: The link is back up.

[Martin Loxbo 0]

Thanks Pierre! Looking forward to try the plugin out.

 

Now all we need is a good Maastricht simulation...

[Claus Hemberg Joergensen 4]

I have been playing a bit around with a plugin, only with RDF (or at least, RDF'ish) functionality. Feel free to have a look at it and try it out: https://github.com/chembergj/RDF

 

There is an ok solution (circle and line drawing like in the video linked above), and a less ok tag-based solution, but still the simplest thing I could make work, in case you are not using the Standard ES Radar view. I have tried to describe the options on the page linked, not that easy, but hopefully understandable.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out, how to implement without using a custom radar view, but if anyone could explain to me, how I can draw on a radar view not defined by my plugin, I would be happy to hear more about it, since it would make this plugin much more usable!

 

Best regards

 

Claus Hemberg Jørgensen

Controller/Mentor, Vatsim Scandinavia

[Claus Hemberg Joergensen 4]

FYI:

I have just made a new version 1.1 of the RDF Plugin.

Since I finally found out, how the circle and line could be drawn on all allowed radar screen types, I have removed the somewhat clumsy tag implementation. The new version also includes the possibility to configure the color of the circle and line (default=white).

 

Read more details on https://github.com/chembergj/RDF (in case you have used the old version already, please note the section "For users of old version".)

[Nick Marinov 78]

FYI:

I have just made a new version 1.1 of the RDF Plugin.

Since I finally found out, how the circle and line could be drawn on all allowed radar screen types, I have removed the somewhat clumsy tag implementation. The new version also includes the possibility to configure the color of the circle and line (default=white).

 

Read more details on https://github.com/chembergj/RDF (in case you have used the old version already, please note the section "For users of old version".)

 

Claus, thanks a lot for your work! I hope you don't mind me stealing the thread a bit and asking if there are any instructions on installing the UACPlugin, as I couldn't find any on Github/the forums, although I might have not searched deep enough. Is it as simple as changing the display type in the asr file?

 

Many thanks!

 

[EDIT] Just after writing that I realised that you are not the author of the UACPlugin, but if someone has any experience using it, please share

[Martijn Rammeloo 6]

@Claus: excellent plugin, thanks!

 

You may consider your own topic?

 

Martijn

[Claus Hemberg Joergensen 4]

@Claus: excellent plugin, thanks!

 

You may consider your own topic?

 

Martijn

 

I'm glad to hear, that you find it useful. Good idea with own topic - might make other users aware.

 

B.r. Claus

 

EDIT: separate topic created: https://forums.vatsim.net/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=79194