flightradar24

[Skyline2uk]

I have the app and use it to see what's over the house. However it's not always needed as the other day an Apache was so low (and loud) I could count the weapons on rack.

Mini Skyline was thrilled.

The only thing that annoys me sometimes with the app is the lag / random manoeuvres the aircraft can do. Seems to impact flights on approach to Bristol International quite often. I know it can get blowy down there, but 3000ft fluctuations and suddenly being over central Bristol are a bit extreme!

Skyline2uk

[Bob Tidbury]

I only have the free version of Flightradar24 and it really makes me laugh sometimes one day a plane was flying at 0 M P H at  3000ft and then another time one was doing 400 M P H at 0 feet I know they are prety fast on take off but not that fast .
I did follow the last two BA 747 s  from take off to landing ,one did a circuit of Heathrow and the one that went to Fairford circled Brize Norton about six or seven times before landing .
But I think the old version was much better than the latest one because they want you to,pay for the upgraded one .
Bob Tidbury

[daffy]

I too only use the free version which I agree has deteriorated in its usability. Only last year I had very slow internet through the old phone lines (at best 4Mbps) but could get reasonable FR24 usage. Now I have fast fibre I have slower and erratic FR24.
Almost certainly down to 'improvements' in what it shows and an increase in advertising.

[guest311]

I must admit I did think of subscribing, but with the free version so poor these days, I decided not to pay.

you'd think that they would want to do a good, but limited, free version to get you to pay for the full version, but seems not.

[gavin_t]

I quite like having the app on my phone purely for a novelty

We need a rail one, "Freightradar24" 

have you used realtimetrains ?

down here all we get mostly are electric slugs, but it does show the RHTT trains out of Tonbridge.

Yes that is my go to. Although an app with a rail map that you could follow the trains on in real time would be quite cool 
Although unless all the locos get a GPS tracker I doubt its too feasible. although the data that real time trains uses could show a staggered movement as the train triggers its points.

[Mr Sprue]

I have a son serving at RAF Boulmer.  Next time I speak to him if you want, I can put any of your questions forward regarding why military aircraft are not showing on the app.

[themadhippy]

40 years ago  we used to follow flights from heathrow via there radio transmission,first on vhf until they turned left around daventry and then on hf as far as conditions allowed.

[Jon898]

I have a son serving at RAF Boulmer.  Next time I speak to him if you want, I can put any of your questions forward regarding why military aircraft are not showing on the app.

I suspect he'll tell you (assuming he's allowed to  ) that civilian traffic control radars don't work off skin paints as they'd require too much interpretation, but off transponder returns.  Military only have these on when in congested/civilian-controlled airspace, otherwise they "strangle the parrot".

Jon

[pape_timmo]

Free radar have an app that often shows military aircraft

Cheers, Timmo

[Mr Sprue]

I have a son serving at RAF Boulmer.  Next time I speak to him if you want, I can put any of your questions forward regarding why military aircraft are not showing on the app.

I suspect he'll tell you (assuming he's allowed to  ) that civilian traffic control radars don't work off skin paints as they'd require too much interpretation, but off transponder returns.  Military only have these on when in congested/civilian-controlled airspace, otherwise they "strangle the parrot".

Jon

His role is Air Space Battle Management (or something like that) Apart from monitoring whats going on around the globe,  they also keep an eye on every aircraft that enters UK airspace!

[guest311]

Free radar have an app that often shows military aircraft

Cheers, Timmo

just had a quick look at that, and it looks good.
particularly like the capability to click on an airfield, say Brize, and then look at recent arrivals / departures.

next time the boys are over, I'll deffo check to see if they show on here.

many thanks.

[guest311]

just looked at Odiham, and a chinook is up and heading southwest in the Bournemouth direction.
showing as a dotted white line [ ?transponder off? ] until 1500 ft, then a solid red line.

I'm guessing that when they come over here, at 'duck, its a chinook coming' feet, they will not show, but it will be interesting to check next time one is over.

certainly looks better than the current free flightradar24

[AdrianC]

I quite like having the app on my phone purely for a novelty

We need a rail one, "Freightradar24" 

have you used realtimetrains ?

down here all we get mostly are electric slugs, but it does show the RHTT trains out of Tonbridge.

Yes that is my go to. Although an app with a rail map that you could follow the trains on in real time would be quite cool 
Although unless all the locos get a GPS tracker I doubt its too feasible. although the data that real time trains uses could show a staggered movement as the train triggers its points.

Off topic but try https://signalmaps.co.uk/ (not complete, but the range of maps available is under the Select Line menu option), or https://www.opentraintimes.com/ which I think is more comprehensive but also not complete. Both show the position of the train on track diagrams based on the same data that RTT uses, and most of the time you can click on the headcode and it'll pull up the diagram (OpentTrainTimes does it within it's own site, SignalMaps pulls up the RTT).

[Steven B]

Mostly passenger trains, but have you tried Raildar?
Overlay onto Google maps:
http://raildar.co.uk/radar.html

Track plan based complete with signaling:
http://raildar.co.uk/map/MKC

[geoffc]

Living under UL9 airway, for aircraft I use Planeplotter which is a one off payment, if you dont have a ground station to input data into the system you can opt to pay an annual fee to get the mil and light aircraft. I also use Planefinder on my tablet and phone for a small one off payment which gives some data Planeplotter does not give and vice versa.
Also being next to the South Wales main line I use Real Time Trains to see what is running and Tracksy.uk to track the ones I am interesred in.

Geoff