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Ghost image on ADSB

dmattmul

Well Known Member
Hopefully I can describe this correctly and one of the more strangest things that has occurred to me in the air. Maybe more high time pilots think this is normal but it was a little unnerving. Took off today for a short trip to JAX from TPA. About a third of the way there noticed I had "traffic" about 2 miles off my right wing same altitude same direction. Since I was heading for a corner of a MOA thought this airframe doing the same and did not want to meet at the same spot. By then was seeing 1 mile off my right wing. Decided to climb 2,000 ft. and the intruder did the same, albeit some delay. Now at 0.5 miles. Decided to do a 360 and about half way through started getting collision alerts. Still no joy seeing the pesky dot in the sky. This time after the 360 he was 0.5 miles off my left wing. Decided this must be some issue with my ADSB and flew to JAX and landed hoping after a 2 hour visit with my Dad could return home. Took off and after 20 mins same scenario except noticed other traffic having "guests" about 1 to 2 miles away from them. The primary target had N number recognition and the "guest" would not. Same as my guest. Finally called ATC for flight following and asked if they saw anything. Was informed they where having "radar issues" and multiple airframes had seen these today. I've never heard of this? Should ATC report when they are having radar "issues"?
 
ADS-B track validity

I have seen these as well.

Some help may be gleaned by recognizing which targets are truly local ADS-B emitters and which are coming aboard via TIS, your display should help with that.

Some perspective may also help in that our use of ADS-B 'In' was a negotiated arrangement and not really the original mission of the system. We sometimes hear ATC communicating traffic to an airplane hoping that the pilot can report it visually, and the pilot comes back with 'see it on my scope' or some such answer which isn't terribly helpful to ATC since our ADS-B 'In' isn't meant to make ourselves into ATC traffic separators. See and avoid is what is desired in that moment and seeing ADS-B 'In' isn't sufficient, or reliable.

It is akin to when FIS isn't available or is having problems. Other than figuring it out on our end who would be responsible to tell us?
 
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I fly out of FHB and regularly run into GPS failure, ADSB ghosts and occasional GPS reporting incorrect location. I do not have these issues in other parts of the State nor on longer cross country trips. It may be coincindetal that Kings Bay sub base and the JAX NAS and NS Mayport base are all located nearby and that the navy does do electronic jamming and spoofing of GPS. Or I could just be paranoid .
 
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