I would imagine the fines for emitting a false distress would be quite high, as would be the initial cost of bringing the relevent services.

I was on a Royal Navy ship that attended an SOS in the Atlantic, where their cargo of pig iron had shifted. Although they had activated their emergency beacon when we arrived they refused offers to take the crew, endeavour to take a tow and also refused to pay for additional emergency liferafts as they didn't have enough to take all their crew. I believe they spent many hours in the hold humping pig iron from one side to another to balance the ship again.

The next time was a typhoon off Hong Kong, our pilot got the Queen's Commendation for bravery for taking the crew off, as she was aground we didn't endeavour to try a tow and she broke up.

The testing of all emergency transmitting equipment has to be carried out in a lead lined room certified to ensure nothing will get out and activate emergency services

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AIS is not an emergency signal.

There is a signal emanating from Paseo de Extremadura 56, Madrid.
Listed as a Navigation Aid ?

Because that is the headquarters of the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre and acts as a navigation aid from a known stationary point
The signal isn't a distress signal but is a continuous radiation on the system to enable co-ordination/bearing checks and tuning of equipment.

you will also find that the MRCC Bilbao and MRSC Santander are showing as radiating as are various stone frigates around the coast.
as are the Phare Du Petit Minou, the lighthouse off Brest; VTS Roscoff; the RNLI lifeboats at Fowey and Plymouth and the Lizard Lighthouse.

ok ??

I've just been following a flight from Stockholme to Malaga, it seemed strange to see it on the map and then six minutes from landing to hear it going over the hill at the back of our house while still watching it on the map.

WOT !! Nothing on UK Tele Meg ??

u r becoming a geek like me

just wait until one flies over your house and it doesn't show on either system, you know it is twin prop, deep tone so you know of reasonable size but it just isn't there.

any idea which scanner you are getting ??

I was tracking my Daughters flight into Dalaman last night.
All went well until the last few minutes before landing when all the information and tracking came to a dead stop.

I just wondered if this is the norm and the systems don't track them right down onto the runway or even to the parking spot ?

Dick, based on my experience with these things there is a time lag on the system, although they claim it is real time unless under FAA control when it is +5mins.
However, I have seen aircraft cross me and disappear off the screen prior to landing at Malaga (according to FT) and they only appear 30miles after takeoff. Conversely a busy airport like Hong Kong you can see them moving on the runway after landing/prior to takeoff.

It surely has something to do with the regional reporting system.

Flight Radar would say they want more people providing information - a gizmo would cost around £150 IIRC, and has other benefits with regard to other frequencies than aircraft transponders.

You could have me hooked as live 8 miles and on the flightpath to Newcastle airport lol

East or West

Means I've flown over you

East

That ties in with previous posts ref Public Houses.

Was a frequent visitor to Blyth from 1968 until fairly recently when MIL popped her clogs.

Yes sadly very run down now Blyth we are just outside at Cramlington having down sized to there as part of our Spain plan from further North near Alnwick. Sadly plans a bit up in the air with all this tax thing now but onwards and upwards. Re flights in the windmills on Blyth harbour now gone just one big one at harbour and two out at sea.

It is the loss of the four chimneys that I regret, they were a land mark from miles around and they were connected with the reason for my first visit.

Yes Chimmneys alll gone Alcan closed although the unit still there but all up for sale and land around it now covered in windmills. Big loss to the area no work yet again for locals

The one I was watching last night I followed right to the parking bay, I could tell where it was on the ground with all the turns of direction it took.
I also found that in this program you can fly in the cockpit, I think it uses google to do that, will be good fun when there is nothing worth watching on UK TV.