tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post156583547899005917..comments2023-07-17T10:26:18.549-04:00Comments on THE FLYING PENGUIN: Reader MailMark Rossmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04357616311224328501noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-52903575594708233912008-12-08T08:38:00.000-05:002008-12-08T08:38:00.000-05:00"RADS will probably be around as long as ARTS IIE ..."RADS will probably be around as long as ARTS IIE is due to how they are integrated in the system."<BR/><BR/>ACD's work with ARTS-IIE as well as the ARTS-III. Lockheed has one in Minneapolis. The FAA refuses to upgrade the IIE to the ACD's though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-37082856495255776362008-12-06T23:29:00.000-05:002008-12-06T23:29:00.000-05:00Speculation! - PNS is getting STARS because of som...Speculation! - PNS is getting STARS because of some crashs that their system took in ~2002. Analysis of the crashes showed that one area of the airspace had an overload of traffic and the internal timing of the program could not handle it. (I worked on it.) Some work around was devised after I left that program. I'm back now working ADS-B for the ARTS III-E. RADS will probably be around as long as ARTS IIE is due to how they are integrated in the system.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-26932533164632704572008-11-16T19:18:00.000-05:002008-11-16T19:18:00.000-05:00I intended no criticism towards you or Pensacola. ...I intended no criticism towards you or Pensacola. Sorry if it seemed that way. I was commenting more on the irony than anything.<BR/><BR/>We complained about the situation, also, even to the point of having our Congressman very involved (see above post). Point is now, that the FAA lied to the Congressman. I knew there were STARS assets around because I was very involved in the STARS development and deployment. Still, there was no budging from the FAA.<BR/><BR/>That's okay. I'm retired now and don't have to suffer those fools any longer.<BR/><BR/>By the way, I emailed Congressman Souder about the situation and asked that he check out your blog. Specifically these comments. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the information. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please contact me at d.kettring@mchsi.com.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-31568533340113279952008-11-16T09:32:00.000-05:002008-11-16T09:32:00.000-05:00Wow. I'm kindly going to step back from that one, ...Wow. I'm kindly going to step back from that one, as I don't have more information to add to it. Sounds like there's a lot of bitterness over there. The person who told me about STARS had already been using STARS at their facility for ages, so maybe - at the time they were installed - there was still quite a bit of gear sitting around. I'm simply not in a position to know more about it.<BR/><BR/>I will say that initially they were going to do the same thing here what they did to Fort Wayne: put us in a brand new building, but fill it with the old ARTS IIe gear. A couple of people here fought very hard for a very long time to get that turned around and get us funding for STARS.Mark Rossmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357616311224328501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-55840646235982918852008-11-16T08:34:00.000-05:002008-11-16T08:34:00.000-05:00Sorry, I was the one that posted that last comment...Sorry, I was the one that posted that last comment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-65391004405933672592008-11-16T08:33:00.000-05:002008-11-16T08:33:00.000-05:00Gee, a couple of years ago, Fort Wayne was schedul...Gee, a couple of years ago, Fort Wayne was scheduled to get STARS for their new tower. The FAA then claimed that there were no STARS available, and gave us a crap ARTS-IIe that had not even been refurbished. After months of fighting, we at least got the ARTS equipment refurbished. Our Congressman, Mark Souder, even went to the Program Office and was told that there was no STARS equipment for Fort Wayne.<BR/><BR/>Now, it seems that the story has changed.<BR/><BR/>Well, I'm happy for you at Pensacola. Good luck with your new digs. Hope you get everything that you are working for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-74929001404188544612008-11-14T12:17:00.000-05:002008-11-14T12:17:00.000-05:00We are using ARTS IIe. Regarding the STARS equipme...We are using ARTS IIe. <BR/><BR/>Regarding the STARS equipment, what I was told a while ago was that the equipment itself - the CRT monitors, the keyboards, and other components - were manufactured ages ago for another, canceled FAA project. When the time came to create STARS, they realized they had all this gear sitting around in warehouses and essentially dusted them off for STARS. That's what I was told by a NATCA rep at another facility that does have STARS. <BR/><BR/>In any case, we are indeed getting STARS. We've all been discussing and voting on different options for the radar room, such as carpeting, desk ergonomics, keyboard placement, and the design of our touchscreen displays. It's like playing <I>The Sims</I> with a radar room.Mark Rossmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357616311224328501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-55881689027219028362008-11-14T11:28:00.000-05:002008-11-14T11:28:00.000-05:00The Flying Penguin said:How old is that equipment ...The Flying Penguin said:<BR/><BR/>How old is that equipment you're running?<BR/><BR/>Our current building is 45 years old, looks 45 years old, and and we use the old monochrome round "green between" ARTS scopes. I'm not sure exactly how old the ARTS scopes are, but I'm pretty certain they're older than I am. We don't have even trackballs or mice to "slew and enter" on a target; we use a PEM, basically a larger, uglier version of one those "pointing sticks" you see on certain laptops. You do get used to it.<BR/><BR/>On the positive side, our swanky new building is on schedule to be completed in October 2009 and will have the STARS radar system, touch screens, and other newfangled widgets. We're all looking forward to that.<BR/><BR/>___________________________________<BR/><BR/>From the description of the PEM (Position Entry Module), I would guess that you are working on an ARTS-IIe. If that is correct, then the display were probably installed in the 1975 to 1983 time frame. However, the ARTS-IIe and it's displays have been upgraded to more modern electronics several times through the years. Still they are old technology and need to be either replaced or tech refreshed.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad you are getting a new radar facility, but I wonder where it is that you are located, and where (how) you are getting a STARS? Especially since no STARS have been manufactured for at least 5 years, and Congress pulled any additional funding for STARS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-49775551356594824902008-11-12T15:50:00.000-05:002008-11-12T15:50:00.000-05:00Yeap - NaNo is done for me, although the book is d...Yeap - NaNo is done for me, although the book is definitely not. I estimate it'll be around 80,000 to 90,000 words once it's all drafted out. However, the research is killin' me as I try to make things historically accurate. Here's <A HREF="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/409434" REL="nofollow">my NaNo profile</A>.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your novel! Do you have a title for it yet? If you feel you're getting stuck, you should try <A HREF="http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html" REL="nofollow">Write or Die</A>. It's an online program that prods you into writing a certain number of words in a limited number of minutes. My sister tried it a couple days ago and cranked out 1000 words in the space of 20 minutes. Very effective!Mark Rossmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357616311224328501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35762982.post-68083815295673869792008-11-11T18:20:00.000-05:002008-11-11T18:20:00.000-05:00I see you've completed NaNoWriMo already. CONGRAT...I see you've completed NaNoWriMo already. CONGRATULATIONS! <BR/><BR/>This is my third year of participation, and I am so far behind that I'm not sure if I'll even get a first chapter done. *g*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com