Originally Posted by
eng3
Even when it's working, I've found the maps lack detail and are often not accurate.
For moving map, I just use GPS and a mapping app. I've had a small hobby of recording the track of every flight I take (except when on a 787 where the signal doesnt come through).
Or if I have WIFI, I use FR24 to see nearby aircraft too. That mixed with LiveATC has made my flights more entertaining.
Without paid WIFI, I have offline maps saved so I can still follow. Or I can still get to FlightAware and get something similar to FR24 (and see nearby planes)
I just lack the audio. That's where working CH9 would help.
Disclaimer - this goes bigtime into AvNerd territory lol.
Depending on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go, and how much money you want to pay, you could subscribe to an app called Foreflight (or one of its competitors, although they generally inferior). This is a professional app geared toward pilots that includes official charts/map data. I think the base plan is a little over $100/year and includes a moving map feature overlaid on the chart of your choosing, which would be plenty for a non-pilot aviation enthusiast who just wants to follow along with their flight. You can also import your flight's filed flight plan into the app, which allows you to see if your flight is following the filed "magenta line" or is getting cleared for shortcuts, taking deviations around weather, etc. You can turn on internet traffic to see the ADS-B data of aircraft around you.
If you're trying to follow along on LiveATC and you lose the frequency, it is surprisingly easy to pick it back up using the correct chart. For an airliner in cruise, the chart to reference is IFR-high. The chart will show the most commonly used frequency for that territory of airspace, and which ARTCC it is associated with. It is the number inside the postage stamp symbol. You can then use that info to find the right stream on LiveATC.
Again, this is pretty next-level AvGeeking.. just wanted to put it out there as an option for those who get frustrated at the inability to follow along with their flights. I used to love to do this stuff before I became a pilot. Now as a pilot, the ATC comms are pretty boring to me. I'd much rather be streaming Wednesday on Netflix than listening to "United 1234, cleared deviations left and right for weather, then resume direct India Charlie Tango and as filed when able." I do usually have Foreflight running in the background on most of my airline filghts, but the only times I bother to find our ATC comms on LiveATC are if we have suddenly made a prolonged deviation off course for awhile for no apparent reason, or if something seems abnormal or exciting.