The Miles and More Forum Biergarten Thread Everybody is Welcome
Jul 10, 2014, 11:57 am
#1383
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FRA (formerly JNB)
Programs: LH M&M
Posts: 169
I also didn't realize that FRA was such a hotspot for plane-spotting. These three spotters from the UK had an impressive array of notebooks, aircraft specification manuals, and even a special receiver to listen in on ATC and feed data to a laptop application that tracks arrivals and departures (note VHF antenna sitting on the ledge on the window). not to mention the largest pair of binoculars I think I have ever seen (in the hands of the person with his back to the camera):
Jul 11, 2014, 1:58 am
#1384
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,220
Germany has the 'Fernmeldegeheimnis' which prohibits you to listen in on non-public frequencies. So there is a real chance that when the BP strolls along during their regular patrols in FRA you will/could be in trouble.
Some info here: http://www.flugzeugforum.de/threads/...glich-Flugfunk
I would just look at the planefinder or flightradar app/website to ID the aircraft I see arriving/departing.
Some info here: http://www.flugzeugforum.de/threads/...glich-Flugfunk
I would just look at the planefinder or flightradar app/website to ID the aircraft I see arriving/departing.
Jul 11, 2014, 2:16 am
#1385
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BSL/FRA or PHL
Programs: LH Miles and More, DL SkyMiles, Bonvoy, Hilton
Posts: 2,335
Germany has the 'Fernmeldegeheimnis' which prohibits you to listen in on non-public frequencies. So there is a real chance that when the BP strolls along during their regular patrols in FRA you will/could be in trouble.
Some info here: http://www.flugzeugforum.de/threads/...glich-Flugfunk
I would just look at the planefinder or flightradar app/website to ID the aircraft I see arriving/departing.
Some info here: http://www.flugzeugforum.de/threads/...glich-Flugfunk
I would just look at the planefinder or flightradar app/website to ID the aircraft I see arriving/departing.
Curiously, it looked more like they had a data feed tracking arrival/departures. To be fair, I don't remember actually hearing/seeing anyone listening to voice comms, and as I look again at the antenna, it looks to be too short to be VHF--more UHF, and from the two coils, it seems probably broadband to pick up ~800MHz and 2GHz. So maybe they were just getting a data feed over the mobile network.
Now whether a mobile telephone modem plugged into a laptop from the UK is OK under Germany telecomm laws or not, I leave for the experts here for comment.
Jul 11, 2014, 4:48 am
#1386
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,220
Ah, it could be that it was a ads-b transponder listening station. That antenna is only 30 cm (or you can use just a DVB-T antenna that plugs into a USB dongle): http://www.flightradar24.com/dvbt-stick
FR24 will send you one for free if you agree to host a listening station:
http://www.flightradar24.com/free-ads-b-equipment
FR24 will send you one for free if you agree to host a listening station:
http://www.flightradar24.com/free-ads-b-equipment
Jul 11, 2014, 7:00 am
#1387
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BSL/FRA or PHL
Programs: LH Miles and More, DL SkyMiles, Bonvoy, Hilton
Posts: 2,335
Ah, it could be that it was a ads-b transponder listening station. That antenna is only 30 cm (or you can use just a DVB-T antenna that plugs into a USB dongle): http://www.flightradar24.com/dvbt-stick
FR24 will send you one for free if you agree to host a listening station:
http://www.flightradar24.com/free-ads-b-equipment
FR24 will send you one for free if you agree to host a listening station:
http://www.flightradar24.com/free-ads-b-equipment
Jul 11, 2014, 11:43 am
#1388
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FRA (formerly JNB)
Programs: LH M&M
Posts: 169
Thanks for the replies. I guess it's better not to take a chance and risk getting a fine (and maybe criminal record, if I understood the posts in that link correctly). Anyway FR24 is a pretty good substitute in the absence of ATC, if not better in some ways.
That's what you call dedication 
I must say, the terrace at FRA seems to be quite popular, last time I was there a few weeks ago, it was a beautiful bank-holiday morning and there were lots of people. Although I didn't see any with scanners or antennae...
Ah, it could be that it was a ads-b transponder listening station. That antenna is only 30 cm (or you can use just a DVB-T antenna that plugs into a USB dongle): http://www.flightradar24.com/dvbt-stick
I must say, the terrace at FRA seems to be quite popular, last time I was there a few weeks ago, it was a beautiful bank-holiday morning and there were lots of people. Although I didn't see any with scanners or antennae...
Jul 14, 2014, 2:39 am
#1389
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,220
Who needs equipment when you can look at FR24 on your tablet or phone. Last night during the game a super loud and heavy 744F passed over our house just as Gφtze did his magic. At first I thought its some people screaming, but a quick look on FR clarified that 
Jul 14, 2014, 8:32 am
#1390
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,859
30 EUR off vouchers to celebrate winning the world cup:
https://promotion.lufthansa.com/world-cup-2014
https://promotion.lufthansa.com/world-cup-2014
Jul 14, 2014, 12:07 pm
#1391
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,189
Not a good publicity stunt IMHO, Pelι alone with the small logo on his white polo shirt did a better job.
Jul 15, 2014, 6:23 am
#1392
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,859
I didn't notice that fact digging through the deepest pits of the internet (couldn't care less about WC2014), it just caught my attention on a news channel reel, so def visible exposure.
Jul 16, 2014, 10:26 pm
#1394
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,518
LH is world's 10th best airline (according to Skytrax)
Up from the 11th in 2013 and 14th in 2012.
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Aw...irline2014.htm
And the usual LH-bashing has started in the BA forum.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-airlines.html
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Aw...irline2014.htm
And the usual LH-bashing has started in the BA forum.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-airlines.html
Jul 16, 2014, 10:29 pm
#1395
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
Up from the 11th in 2013 and 14th in 2012.
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Aw...irline2014.htm
And the usual LH-bashing has started in the BA forum.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-airlines.html
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Aw...irline2014.htm
And the usual LH-bashing has started in the BA forum.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-airlines.html
The BA group are always a bit "thin skinned"