Link to PlanePlotter Website Link to PlanePlotter Support Site Link to ManTMA Website
  CLICK HERE for detailed Info. of changes to the Latest Version: v4.9.7 ~ 02-08-08.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

[This page is 'work in progress' so will be continually updated!]

More Information about using PlanePlotter via the Wiki!


For reference only, here is the PlanePlotter Tool Bar (you can click it to access the Website):

Link to PlanePlotter Website

Suggested settings for a 'viewer' only (no SBS/RB/ACARS required!) set-up:

Input-Output Settings          Chart Settings


Q: Details of Latest Version:

v4.9.7:
These new features are in version 4.9.7 on the web site now. (Updates are still free to registered users.)
I have added an option under the View menu pulldown (View..Aircraft - flagged) to show only those
aircraft that also show a flag. Fairly obviously, this only applies if you have defined and enabled flag 
displays in View..Aircraft by using Options..Flags..Define.

The Aircraft button on the toolbar restores the view to the normal one with all aircraft showing, not just
flagged ones.

This may seem a rather obscure feature but the idea is that if you are only interested in a subset of aircraft
(eg mil aircraft), you can create a flag definition file that only shows flags for the hex code ranges that are
of interest. The new option then gives you a way to filter out all the aircraft except those that interest you.

I have also taken the opportunity to add support for the PageUp and PageDown keys in the
View..Messages/Aircraft/Aircraft-flagged displays. This is in addition to the regular scrolling options using 
the scroll bar.

Regards, Bev, COAA.

v4.9.5:
I have placed version 4.9.5 of Planeplotter on the web site at www.planeplotter.com. As usual,
updates are free to registered users. You do not need to uninstall the previous version.

More flags

I have increased the space for flags from 200 to 500. When I thought that they were just one
for each country, it seemed to me that 200 should suffice. However, distinguishing mil flights from
civil flights in the same series, or even individual squadrons, requires more flags. 
Hence the change. There is also a slight cosmetic adjustment to the display of flags to improve the
appearance for larger flags and longer registrations.

Playback improvements

If you playback SBS1 or RadarBox recordings (log files), there is now a control dialog in which you
can pause, single step, run at real time, play slowly or quickly, or advance to a specified time. This
should make it easier to review specific events.

Regards, Bev, COAA.

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Q: How much does PlanePlotter cost?

PlanePlotter is FREE to download from the official website - if you purchased it then you have
been conned?!
 
The free download has a one-month free trial for those that have ways of obtain the data
(SBS/RadarBox/ACARS etc.) and wish to display that data locally. The registration fee then
becomes payable to continue its use.
 
To just view the shared data then you have to pay the one-off registration fee immediately
to enable this feature.

After paying the one-off registration fee, which is for life, enables free use on any PC you own.

If you need a second registration number for a second machine (note for personal use only
as the use is monitored!) then go to the main PP website "Registration Section" and, using the
orginal Email address you used the first time, enter the new 'Personal' number and wait for the
new registration number to be sent to you.
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Q: Where is the best Help available?

A comprehensive guide to setting-up and using PlanePlotter can be found by clicking the HELP
tab on the tool bar!
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Q: What are the type codes and associated symbol colours?

-1 - ACARS no position (no plot) 
0  -  ACARS position - red 
1  -  ACARS ADS 'next estimated position' report - blue 
2  -  ACARS AMDAR position - green 
3  -  SBS or RB log file data position - yellow (real-time) or orange (delayed) 
4  -  HFDL position - cyan 
5  -  ACARS flight-plan waypoint position - magenta 
6  -  SBS-1 TCP position delayed - yellow or orange 
7  -  RadarBox position delayed - yellow or orange 
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Q: When a downloaded chart asks you to "Calibrate before using" how do you actually carry out that task?

Refer to the 'Calibrating Chart' tutorial found by clicking the HELP tab on the tool bar.
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Q: How do you put a "waypoint" onto a map?

"Cut & Paste" the three lines below into an active gpx file and replace your co-ords between
the quote marks.
[e.g. <wpt lat="52.98765" lon="-0.43210">]

<wpt lat="**lat**" lon="**lon**">
<name>Home</name>
<sym>City</sym>
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Q: Can I use PlanePlotter on more than one computer?

Yes - your registration payment is a 'lifetime' subscription. Each computer requires a
seperate number. To obtain this you need to install the latest version of PP on the new
computer and obtain the generated serial number. Then refer to the 'Register PlanePlotter
Now' link from the home page and follow the instructions accordingly.

When you need a second registration number for a second machine (note for personal use
only as the use is monitored!) go to the main PP website "Registration Section" and, using
the orginal Email address you used the first time, enter the new 'Personal' number and wait
for the new registration number to be sent to you.

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Q: Why can't I see any plots on my screen?

There are several possibilities here:
1) Your computers clock may not be correctly adjusted to your time zone?
PP uses UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), aka in the aviation world as 'zulu time', so
your computer must be set accordingly.
2)
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Q: How do I clear the screen without closing and reopening the program?

From the tool bar - "Options -- Purge" then reclick the 'Share' button.
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Q: Where can I find maps for use with PlanePlotter?

A comprehensive range of both calibrated and vector maps can be found at the PlanePlotter
user groups file area or the ManTMA PP Support site. By clicking the ManTMA logo at the top
of this page will also get you to both!.
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Q: I keep seeing the plot of aircraft in spurious positions after they have landed. How can these be removed?

This is a result of the predictive track setting. 
Go to the "Chart Options' icon (Green and Blue Spanner on the tool bar). It is suggested
that you set the altitude in the 'predict positions over' window to at least 3000 feet and
'Omit a/c after' to 5 minutes.
Any changes here must be resaved in the appropriate configuration.
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Q: What is 'Vector Mapping'?

Vector mapping is a dynamic system which allows the user to drag the underlying chart
to a specific location , then at the touch of a button, an accurate , calibrated map is drawn.
Not only that ...it also allows you to zoom down to any reasonable level without pixelation
(Use the zoom tool then refresh the outline button in the tool bar )

The advantage of this is that you can re locate your map to anywhere in the world and bring
up an accurate representation of the coastline airways and airfields. In the case of Europe,
Eastern Australia and Florida you will be presented with hi resolution data in "near radar head"
format.

Courtesy of John Locker.
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Q: Can I change the colours of vector map outlines?

Vector maps can be coloured according to your own taste.

In the first instant, the mapping will load using the PP default colours.

To make the mapping look more realistic , the colours can be changed quite easily by following
this procedure:-

1) Select the line you wish to change ... for example the coastline.
2) Zoom in until you can accurately position your mouse pointer onto the line.
3) Depress the left mouse button whilst holding down the CTRL key ... a colour palette will
appear.
4) Select the new colour you wish to use and hit OK and all features having the same
mapping colour code will now be changed.
5) Once done, closing down PP will save the changes ... or you can save to one of the four
configurations. From the tool bar  "File -- Save Config -- A or B or C or D" as required.

Courtesy of John Locker.
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Q: Will GPX overlays work with vector maps?

Yes, GPX overlay files will work with vector mapping.
You can load up all the waypoints and in addition using EasyGPS sw you can create your own 
labels and markers , as required. No more calibrating individual maps and will give you a more
professional looking system that will rival any SBS screen!

Courtesy of John Locker.
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Q: Using PlanePlotter with Windows Vista?

Lots of people use PlanePlotter on Vista.
1. Install it in a user directory, not in the default C:\Program\files\COAA\PlanePlotter\
2. Download the WinHelp patch to allow the Help system to work (Google "Vista WinHelp" to find it).
3. Make sure you are using the latest version of PlanePlotter.
4. Check the PlanePlotter user group on Yahoo.  Some VIsta versions use a filing system that
needs some help. David Taylor has written a free utility that fixes that problem which is available
from the Yahoo Group file area (FileWakeup.zip).

Courtesy of Bev (the Boss).

HELP FILES: A full Help file is included in the current releases. If you are running Windows Vista, you may need
this Microsoft Update to allow the Help to work:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6ebcfad9-d3f5-4365-8070-334cd175d4bb&displaylang=en

Courtesy of David Taylor.
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Q: Why Do I Get 'No-Reg' on my plots?

It is really very simple and I have tried to explain it more than once (messages 2244 and 2375 on the
Yahoo Group, among others).

1. There are no registrations in Mode-S/ADS-B transmissions.  A priori all aircraft have the rego ".NO-REG".

2. If you receive messages of your own, you will only see a registration if you have done a Look-Up in
this session *or* you have the SQlite database installed and the rego/hex association is in there.

3. If you receive messages by sharing, you will only see a registration if the originator had something from
(2) above (so it came by sharing with a rego) *or* you have the SQlite database installed and the
rego/hex association is in there.

4. You will have the SQlite database if you have an SBS-1 **or** if you have used the one in the files
area of this group following the instructions message 2375 **or** if someone has given you one.

5. The rego will be in your SQlite database if it was there from the beginning *or* if it has been added
by some other populating utility *or* if you have done a look up for that airframe and you have enabled
the "Update" option in the Mode-S receiver setup.

In brief, you only get ".NO-REG" on shared aircraft if neither the originator nor you have got an SQlite
database with that hex code in it.  You cannot do much about the originator, but there is no reason why
you should not install and progessively populate your own SQlite database.  See message 2375 of this
forum for how to do it.

Now do you see why some see them and others don't?

Courtesy of Bev (the Boss).

** 02/01/08 - The above may now have been addressed with program updates (from v4.2d onwards)? **
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Q: Why Do I Get 'No-Reg' on my plots? [More]

No Mode-S/ABD-B messages have a registration in them.

If you see any regs, it means that the person contributing the message to the sharing system has done a
look-up, or that you have done a look-up (and you have a BS SQlite database to save them in).
[Admin. or get a good quality SQB file from here !]

When you see ".NO-REG", right click on the symbol and it will perform a look-up for you. If you don't want
to do that next time that you see the same aircraft, install the SQlite database so that the information is saved.

It is really your responsibility to build up the database to show you the real regs instead of ".NO-REG".

Courtesy of Bev (the Boss).
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