Hey all,
Just got a new Surecheck Trafficscope VRX (the model with altitude
racking) - which I'll refer to as "the unit" - and since theres been some
discussion and interest in these types of devices I'll give you my opinions
on it. Aircraft Spruce had 1 in stock, so I got it and as soon as it
arrived I went out to the airport. The packaging is very nice, a hard case
with 'trafficscope' engraved on it, foam cutouts to hold everything,
cigarette lighter adapter and headset adaptor, and a well written color
manual. Of course I didnt even crack open the manual just to see how easy
it is to use and figure out without it. Luckily it also came with a
laminated quick reference card, I glossed over that for a second.
On the way to the airport I fired it up to see how it'd do, it picked up a
few airplanes alright, one I saw less than a mile away and it tracked it
pretty accurately from what I could tell.

For some reason I thought there was a built-in speaker, but there isn't, you
can only hear the warnings with a headset plugged in or running a cable to
your audio panel. I used a cable and connected to a jack just for this type
of unit into my audio panel (PS Engineering PMA7000B). Waiting to hear
something, of course there was no traffic around. I was wondering why the
few airplanes on the ground taxiing around wouldn't set it off, or the ones
on take-off or landing. This is a passive unit, it doesn't interrogate like
a TCAS, so since radar doesn't quite make it to ground level at my airport,
those airplanes transponders weren't firing off. As soon as they got about
500' AGL they sure did. Finally I got to hear the female voice warn me
about the traffic, and it was loud, had to turn the volume down.

Time to go flying. Couldn't figure out where to put it. I had two cables
going into it so that was my only limitation. I put it left of right in
front of me. On takeoff I found out that wasn't the best place. This was
in a C182, which has a high panel to begin with, right of center, just to
the right of the rear view mirror turned out to be a better location. It
was dusk, so right after takeoff I turned on the backlight. It's blueish
and pretty readable. Not long after takeoff the warnings began. First, one
in the pattern, then a jet with Mode S or TCAS above, along with a Wake
Turbulence verbal warning about that airplane. It'll track up to 3 targets
but only display the closest one. The two closest must have been somewhat
equal distant as the mileage and altitude display would shift from one to
the other, otherwise altitude changes like those were nearly impossible
(500' above - 300' below - 400' above). Mostly I got the "no threat"
message. I then called for flight following, the controller seemed in a
good mood, so I told him we were testing out some traffic alert equipment
and request traffic within 2-3 miles be called even if it may not be a
factor. He started calling a couple and the unit was dead on as far as
range and altitude. One he called and we saw we later got a traffic
advisory on. It was going from 9 to 6 o'clock, was near our altitude, and
mustve been faster as the actual mileage was decreasing - but was no factor.
The unit doesnt know azimuth, so it sees traffic getting closer in altitude
and range - so it warns you of it.

Then it was off to a fairly busy area near an outer marker thats usually
full of airplanes practicing an ILS. Sure enough there was traffic there, a
few of them. The controller told us of their altitudes, we climbed 500'
above that and saw them all and watched the unit go to work. It was busy
and giving verbal warnings. This was also a chance to check my new audio
panels marker beacon receiver, so between approach, unicom, the unit, and my
marker beacon, there was a lot coming through the headsets.

Then it was off to a less busy airport to buy some gas. Not much traffic,
just the occasional jet overhead on an arrival that would light up the Mode
S indication. Just after runup there wasn't much going on and we got ready
to taxi to the runway. Just then the unit shows some traffic nearby, next
we heard 5 clicks, runway lights come on and a position report over unicom
of inbound traffic. We head back home and the traffic picks up, it was a
clear night and we were able to see all the targets the unit told us of.
Not all of these were called by approach as they were not always merging or
a factor. Back in the pattern there were two aircraft, the unit picked them
up with ease.

Overall my copilot/flying buddy were pretty impressed by this unit. We
didn't find ourselves staring at it like we thought. One of the aircraft
that it warned us of we may never have found visually. It was 4-5 o'clock
low and overtaking, at our altitude. The controller called it and then we
saw it and climbed, but normally I don't think we'd have seen it. We heard
the controller call that airplane to call us as traffic, but he didnt see us
until way after we saw him and climbed up. There is a light that says XPNDR
Conflict, this stayed lit at all times. I'm not sure it was picking up my
transponder. The light also doubles as an over/under temp warning, but it
came on right away and never came off. The unit was barely warm to the
touch. I kept it at Maximum Detection, which is 1,500' and 5nm, and in
Flight mode. There is also Ground mode which only looks above 200', and an
Auto mode which starts at Ground and switches to Flight once you gain 500'
of altitude.

The unit isn't small, but the antenna isn't too tall so you can place it
about anywhere on top of the dash. The display is easily readable. It's
got a built in altimeter that reads pressure altitude, this seemed to be
accurate, and some of the warnings we got were dead on vertically (verified
with the controller) and it derives the readout by taking the Mode C of
traffic and subtracting the onboard altimeters altitude. I'm not so sure
about the Wake Turbulence advisories. The book says if Mode S aircraft are
within 2 miles and 1,000' above, you'll get an alert. We didn't get
verification from the controller on the altitudes, but they sure looked a
lot higher than 1,000' above, more like 5 or 6 thousand above. It is
possible that a smaller aircraft nearby had a Mode S transponder, or maybe
that high jet had a pretty powerful transponder and fooled the unit into
thinking it was closer than it was. The book says this is possible but not
likely.

That's all I can think of at this time, going to take it on a 10 hour trip
next week, this was just a 1.5 hour trip around the area. So far it seems
like a good deal for the money. I'm impressed by the level of detail
Surecheck has put into this unit, the packaging, and their frequently
updated website. I also called them a couple times before I bought with
lots of questions, always nice and helpful. They are just getting
production back up to speed, apparently a vendor who made a part for this
unit bellied up and they had to look elsewhere, or so I've heard. Good luck
finding one in the next few weeks, there are a couple around.

Chris