Pine Gap is not a radar, it is a satellite control base, and it is in Central Australia near Alice Springs.
I think you are confusing it with JORN.
The issue of JORN being active or inactive on the night has been hotly debated. The Australian Government released a statement saying it was not operating on the night.
In any case, the flight paths proposed would be at the outer sectors of it's coverage anyway (which is about 3,000 km) from Laverton in Western Australia), and, depending on the "ionospherics" on the night, the aircraft might have been missed, even if JORN was active.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=380]](http://www.auntypru.com/forum/attachment.php?aid=380)
Moreover, the radar does not "sweep" 360 degrees like a normal radar, it looks at specific designated areas - called "tiles" - one at a time. In other words, the operators have to choose where to look, and that means having a reason to look at some particular area. No reason - no look - no find.
Re the Air Search areas - perhaps - there was a kml set somewhere on the net.
I will have to search for it.
(Update: - Found it again.)
http://www.marine.csiro.au/~griffin/MH37...202014.kmz
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=381]](http://www.auntypru.com/forum/attachment.php?aid=381)
I think you are confusing it with JORN.
The issue of JORN being active or inactive on the night has been hotly debated. The Australian Government released a statement saying it was not operating on the night.
In any case, the flight paths proposed would be at the outer sectors of it's coverage anyway (which is about 3,000 km) from Laverton in Western Australia), and, depending on the "ionospherics" on the night, the aircraft might have been missed, even if JORN was active.
JORN 2 Receiver Station
JORN 2 Receiver Station
Laverton WA
28.326747°S 122.005234°E
28°19'40.83"S 122° 0'27.03"E
-28.328008° 122.007508°
Official 180 Degree Coverage (260 to 080 true)
Official Range = 3,000 km
Unofficial 210 Degree Coverage (245 to 095 true)
Unofficial Range - 3,700 km = 2,000 nautical miles
Left Arm 035 - 215 Beam Axis 305
Right Arm 125 - 305 Beam Axis 035
Total Array axis is 350
Coverage is 90 degrees either side of axis = 260 to 080
So each arm has a minimum of 45 degree coverage each side of broadside beam axis.
Design would be for useable beamwidth of 60 degrees either side of broadside axis.
So left arm coverage would be 245 degrees to 365 degrees (005 degrees)
So right arm coverage would be to 335 degrees to 095 degrees
Array Lengths = 92 arc seconds = 2840 metres = 20 towers = 19 spaces = 150 metres between towers.
JORN 2 Receiver Station
Laverton WA
28.326747°S 122.005234°E
28°19'40.83"S 122° 0'27.03"E
-28.328008° 122.007508°
Official 180 Degree Coverage (260 to 080 true)
Official Range = 3,000 km
Unofficial 210 Degree Coverage (245 to 095 true)
Unofficial Range - 3,700 km = 2,000 nautical miles
Left Arm 035 - 215 Beam Axis 305
Right Arm 125 - 305 Beam Axis 035
Total Array axis is 350
Coverage is 90 degrees either side of axis = 260 to 080
So each arm has a minimum of 45 degree coverage each side of broadside beam axis.
Design would be for useable beamwidth of 60 degrees either side of broadside axis.
So left arm coverage would be 245 degrees to 365 degrees (005 degrees)
So right arm coverage would be to 335 degrees to 095 degrees
Array Lengths = 92 arc seconds = 2840 metres = 20 towers = 19 spaces = 150 metres between towers.
Moreover, the radar does not "sweep" 360 degrees like a normal radar, it looks at specific designated areas - called "tiles" - one at a time. In other words, the operators have to choose where to look, and that means having a reason to look at some particular area. No reason - no look - no find.
Re the Air Search areas - perhaps - there was a kml set somewhere on the net.
I will have to search for it.
(Update: - Found it again.)
http://www.marine.csiro.au/~griffin/MH37...202014.kmz
