Scan line?

[Harold Rutila 974112]

Hey Ross,

 

I've searched all over for this, however I couldn't find an answer. On real world scopes, does that horizontal line that circles the scope still in existence today? If so, is there any way of putting it on VRC? I'm talking about this (notice the yellow line on the left side of his scope).

 

http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/newsphoto%5C1996-02%5C960130-N-2302H-001.jpg

[Ross Carlson]

I think it still exists on some scopes, but not any modern ones that I know of. It could certainly be added to VRC, but it would be meaningless (eyecandy) because target updates come in as they are received from pilots, not in any particular sweep order.

[Harold Rutila 974112]

Okay thanks for the reply. I've never actually visited a TRACON yet, but I hope to do so soon. I haven't seen that "line" (idk what to call it) in any recent TRACON pictures or anything like that and I was also questioning whether it is still used. Thanks again.

[Ross Carlson]

I think it's generally called a sweep. They definitely don't have it on the STARS scopes that I've seen in the Boston TRACON. I don't remember seeing it on the ARTS scopes in the Burlington TRACON either, or on the DBRITE displays in the tower.

[Bryan Wollenberg 810243]

I think it's generally called a sweep. They definitely don't have it on the STARS scopes that I've seen in the Boston TRACON. I don't remember seeing it on the ARTS scopes in the Burlington TRACON either, or on the DBRITE displays in the tower.

 

If I'm not mistaken, and I could very well be, they do in fact have it, however, the intensity is selectable so you can have it like the sweep in the picture posted above, or have none at all. At least that's how it was with the last setup I saw. I don't remember which (ARTS, STARS, etc.) it was though. The DSR scopes definitely don't have it, since they use a RADAR Mosaic with the sources drawn from many different radar sites.

[Ross Carlson]

Could be, Bryan ... though when I toured the Boston TRACON they let us mess around with the scopes for quite a while, and we twisted every knob and pressed every button on the scope, and nothing turned on a sweep that I recall. I could have missed it though.

 

And if I remember right, I think they had a mosaic feed as well. Not positive, though.

[Bryan Wollenberg 810243]

Could be, Bryan ... though when I toured the Boston TRACON they let us mess around with the scopes for quite a while, and we twisted every knob and pressed every button on the scope...

 

ROFL! Nice!

 

 

And if I remember right, I think they had a mosaic feed as well. Not positive, though.

 

Now that you bring it up, you are right. I don't remember if ARTS is capable of using the digital mosaic feed, but STARS definitely is, which is presumably what they are using in Boston. If ARTS is not capable of using the digital feed/mosaic, then that's the one I was thinking of, with the adjustable sweep. But you're absolutely right...anytime you have a mosaic, there isn't going to be a sweep. It's all a digital representation on the scope instead of the actual "feed" from the single radar site.

[Ross Carlson]

Yeah, they use STARS at the Boston TRACON. The ARTS scopes I've seen up close are at the TRACON here at my home airport KBTV. (Burlington, Vermont) I wouldn't be surprised if you could have it show a sweep, but it wasn't showing the last time I was in there. They must have just had it turned down. I don't believe they can get a composite feed ... I think they only get data from the on-site radar. I'm pretty sure they told me they can switch to Boston Center's nearby radar (a couple towns north up on a large hill) if the on-site radar fails, but I don't think they can combine them.

[Owen Catherwood 903683]

The ARTS-II at KEUG ( two consoles cover both EUG_APP and MFR_APP) has the monochromatic display with sweep.

[Jason Herman 911755]

When I messed around on the STARS console at Boston Consolidated TRACON, the DCB allowed the selection of up to 5 or 6 single radar sites in addition to a digital mosaic feed (of all of them). The use of normal terminal environment radar separation standards generally requires the use of a single-site radar (varies by facility), whereas the use of a digital mosaic feed increases those separation standards.

 

The same setup is also exists at N90, where each area uses a single radar site on ACD, but can use surrounding area sites without increasing separation. Once they switch to a mosaic feed, the separation standards go up. That isn't to say that the use of surrounding area radar sites don't cause problems. When the LGA radar site was down on one of my visits, the use of EWR radar in the LGA area was causing many fun and exciting issues (ie: departures not tagging up) which got the LGA departure controller into a bit of trouble.

 

Perhaps Ed McCoy, guru of all STAR-related questions, can chime in.

[Harold Rutila 974112]

Now that I think about it, a sweep would drive me NUTS!!!!! Sitting in a dark room looking at a radar scope for a day's shift with that same line going around and around would absolutely drive me crazy. lol!