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USING
CHUCK BAXTER
FEB 3, 2007
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Radar Beacon Analysis Tool (RBAT)
OVERVIEW
A set of analysis programs has been developed for FAA radar systems at the FAA
Technical Center (AJP-7162). These programs are executed under Windows on a
PC.
INPUT
These programs were originally designed for CD-2 record files, but now work
with ASTERIX, Sensis, and RS3 files. These are cumulatively called extraction
files.
OUTPUTS
The programs can provide additional extraction files that have been filtered or
enhanced to become the input file for further analysis. The normal output files are
a text file and a plot file.
RBAT PROGRAMS
Analysis Programs
Conflict Analysis - this program looks at the situations where two or more
aircraft are close to each other. Two tracks are in conflict if they are in
each other’s user specified range and azimuth windows. The text file
provides surveillance statistics for each conflict. Plots of the conflicting
tracks are also provided.
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There is radar reinforced beacon message with the same height that falls
within user defined range and azimuth criteria.
Moving Track Plot - uses the original extraction file as its input. The
program runs Surveillance Analysis. The user is then given three ways to
select tracks of interest. The user can input ATCRBS Id, Mode S Id, or
track number. Now the program runs the Moving Track Filter program.
The output extraction file is then used to run Surveillance Analysis again,
with the history, listing, and uncorrelated options set. The program now
provides a display of the moving track and all of the messages contained.
To read the listings, consult the help file for Surveillance Analysis. Note:
This is a new program that reduces the steps necessary to view a
moving track.
Multi Site Plot - requires a multi site file. The program plots beacon
tracks from several sites using a common multi site origin.
Multi Site Registration - requires a multi site file. The program calculates
the range, azimuth errors using a common multi site origin.
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Nine Points Accuracy - looks at 4 scans before the target and 4 scans
after the target to predict the target location. The prediction is compared to
the reported position and the program calculates the position accuracy.
Playback - plays back the CD-2 record or ASTERIX file on a PPI type
display.
Scan Interval Plot - plots messages for a user specified set of scans.
Scan Summary - counts the messages by category each scan. It also gives
the initial system status and any changes in system status. This should be
normally the first program run to perform an analysis, as message data
losses can be easily identified.
Surveillance Print and Plot - develops a text file and a plot file for a user
defined filter. Used extensively to show the listing and plot desired
messages.
Throughput - calculates the delay time from the time that the aircraft is
scanned by the beam to the time that the message is sent. Statistics and
plots are given as a function of system loading.
Merge Programs - these use the results from more than 1 data file to give a
combined result. In order to use this program, each data file is assigned a test
number from 1 to 50. The user can then select the test numbers that he wants to
merge.
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Beacon and Radar Coverage Merge
Beacon False Target Summary Merge
Conflict Analysis Merge
Fixed Transponder Accuracy Merge
Multi Site Registration Merge
Nine Points Accuracy Merge
Surveillance Analysis Merge
Three Dimensional Height Accuracy Merge
Throughput Merge
Transponder Register Accuracy Merge
Scroll - displays the text file. The user can scroll through it. The text is
large and the user can't see an entire page at a time.
View - displays the text file. The user can view a page at a time.
Utility Programs
ACES Compare - the ACES is a test target generator that is used to test
monopulse beacon systems, acting as a single transponder for each
simulated aircraft. The user provides a scenario into the ACES of beacon
tracks and beacon fruit. In order to determine if the beacon system
processes the ACES reply information correctly, the ACES outputs and the
beacon output messages are compared.
Combine Two Files - the input files are CD-2 record or ASTERIX
formats and the output file contains the data from both files sorted by time.
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File Edit - allows the user to edit the header of the CD-2 record or
ASTERIX file. This is sometimes necessary to get a file that can be
processed by RBAT. Normally the user would select the enhanced header
format versus the old EBCDIC format.
Site Data Base - lists all the sites in the database. It is also used to develop
a KML file that can be input to Google Earth. The Google earth program
can be downloaded to any PC and can be used to show the satellite view
of the radar site.
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RBAT MENU
File
Close
Open - user selects the input data extraction file
Exit
Mode
Execute - runs the program or programs in the queue
Queue - user sets up several programs in the queue
Preferences
Assistant - displays user info on the main window - select it
Default Site Parameters Precedence - normally select the database rather than
the file header.
One Default Directory - I recommend that the user select this option. I also
recommend that the user set up a directory structure where a separate folder is
used for each input data extraction file. Running RBAT generates a lot of files that
will all go into the folder where the data extraction file resides.
Simple Filename - not a good idea if doing a lot of analysis. The complex
filename puts the CD-2 record or ASTERIX filename at the beginning of the
output files.
Download - not normally used. This gets a new RBAT program update if available.
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Help
Help Topics - very extensive help files.
Tutorial - user can print this out and it will guide the user through operation of
some of the programs.
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