Thomas Borchert wrote in
:

it obviously makes sense to have
a more capable device like the Trafficscope, vs. a cheaper, less
capable like the monroy.

I realize you are both talking about the newest generation of these
devices. But I just had a really interesting thing happen with the
Monroy ATD-200 yesterday.

I've gotten used to it giving false alarms. With practice, I can
sometimes tell in advance if they are false. And I pretty much know a
lot of the places around my part of Texas that will ALWAYS cause a false
alarm. But yesterday was "new."

I was flying along and one bar (range light) came on, then another. No
visible traffic. I'm at 3000 AGL, however, and that's a typical
altitude for "local" traffic in that area. Another light comes on, and
I look some more. This does not "look" like the typical false alarm
pattern. As an added test, I turn my transponder to STBY. [Every now
and then, not often, it will start seeing my own xpndr if I am in an
area of poor radar coverage.]

The XPNDR light on the ATD keeps blinking, just exactly like it is
seeing local replies!!! Now remember, I still only have three lights
on the ATD, so it's not like another aircraft is resting its landing
gear on my wings. G] It finally faded out, without any aircraft
getting within visible range of mine, and probably none within 15 miles.

Phantom aircraft on the ATD is something I am used to. Phantom
transponders on my own aircraft... that's a new one.

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James M. Knox
TriSoft ph 512-385-0316
1109-A Shady Lane fax 512-366-4331
Austin, Tx 78721
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