NOTAM Tracker Help

GENERAL HELP CONTENTS

If you can't find a solution to your problem, please contact custserv@WhiteAntelopeSystems.com for assistance.

Getting Started with NOTAM Tracker

NOTAM Tracker collects a briefing from a DUATS provider on the internet and then processes it to mark new and deleted notices-to-airmen. It then searches for coordinates for TFRs, obstructions and waypoints, and generates an index of these coordinates.

NOTAM Tracker works best with DynCorp's DUATS access, www.duats.com, although any internet provider of briefings may be used. DTC also provides free web-based DUATS access at www.duat.com, but the automatic area and route briefing screens of NOTAM Tracker only work with the Dyncorp service.

If you already have an account with DynCorp DUATS, you may skip the next section.

Setting up a DUATS account

Setting up a DUATS account is easy. Direct your browser to here to setup a new account with DynCorp. You will need to return to NOTAM Tracker with your Access Code and your Password.

You may choose instead to use DTC access, www.duat.com, although not all the features of NOTAM Tracker will work.

You may also use any other web-based provider of NOTAM information.

Main Menu

This is the menu you get when you start NOTAM Tracker.

Get NOTAMs button: Press this to collect the most recent NOTAMs.
Setup button: Press this to button to change the default behaviors of NOTAM Tracker.
Review Old NOTAMs button: This allows you to review previously collected NOTAMs. By default all NOTAMs are stored in the same file. If desired, NOTAM Tracker can store NOTAMs in separate files for each area or route you visit. See Setup for this option.
Register this program button: Click here when you want to register NOTAM Tracker. Once the program is registered, this button will no longer appear.
Help button: Displays this help page.
Exit button: Terminates the NOTAM Tracker program.

The Setup Screen

Used to initially setup or customize NOTAM Tracker.

Setup a new DUATS account/Lookup old account info button: This button at the top of the screen will direct you to the DynCorp web sites account creation page. If you are going to use a provider other than DynCorp, this button won't help you... you'll have to setup the account on your own.

If you already know your Access Code and Password, you don't need to press this button.
Highlight the following words in briefings edit box: Enter into this box any words you would like to have automatically highlighted in your briefings. Separate each word with a space.
Briefing Export Format radio buttons: If you have a PocketPC that you wish to export your formatted briefings to, we recommend you choose the Rich Text option. You will then be able to see the briefing in full color with Pocket Word. If you have a PDA that cannot display rich text, you can choose the Plain Text option.
Coordinate Export Format radio buttons: If you have a Garmin portable GPS you can upload user waypoints for each TFR (will display as a Danger Area), obstruction (displays as a Tall Tower), and other coordinate (displays as a Medium City - a small circle). If you have a PocketPC running White Antelope Systems's MapServer, you can export a data file that will automatically mark these items.
Communications port for GPS: Set this to the com port your GPS is connected to on your computer.
Save NOTAM information in different files for each route/area: If this box is selected, the information for which NOTAMs you've already seen will be segregated into a different file for each route or area you get a briefing for. NOTAMs new to THAT SPECIFIC route/area will be marked as new. You will be able to review each of these NOTAM collections individually. Normally this box is not selected, and all the NOTAM information is saved in the generic file "gen_default.dat".
Re-enable all first-time help screens: Selecting this box will re-activate all the help screen that are displayed the first time a function of NOTAM Tracker is used.

All of this information will be saved for future uses of NOTAM Tracker.

Getting Current NOTAM Information

Pressing the "Get NOTAMs" button will bring up a list of options:

If you choose "DynCorp DUATS", you will get another menu with three choices. "Area Briefing" will allow automatically navigate the DynCorp web site and collect an area briefing for you (see below). "Route Briefing" will do the same for a low-altitude route briefing. Selecting "Generic Web Access" from the DynCorp menu will bring you to www.duats.com, where you will need to navigate on your own to collect your briefing. Once the briefing is displayed on the screen, press the "Process Data" button to have NOTAM Tracker do its work.

Selecting "DTC Generic Web Access" will bring you to www.duat.com, where you will need to navigate on your own to collect your briefing. Once it is displayed on the window, press "Process Data".

Selecting "Generic Web Access" will bring up a window. At the top, in the box labelled "Address", you will need to enter the URL of whatever web page you wish to access to collect your briefing. Once it is displayed on the window, press "Process Data".

The Dyncorp Area Briefing Screen

The Area Briefing function only works with DynCorp DUATS. You can get an area briefing from DTC DUATS, but you will need to navigate on your own to collect the briefing.

User ID: This is the Access Code supplied to you by DynCorp (the same one you use at www.duats.com).
Password: This is the Password supplied to you by DynCorp.
Departure point: This is the FAA identifier for the airport for which you want the area briefing. If you don't know the identifier, you can press the "Lookup" button to search for it.
Radius: This is the radius for which you want your briefing, in nm.
Aircraft: This is the tail number of the aircraft making the flight. Most DUATS services log this as proof that you received a briefing. It can also be used for search-and-rescue operations.
Departure Time: You may enter a time in UTC, local, or any other US time zone.
NOTAMS: You may select which NOTAMs you wish to receive here.

All settings will be saved for future use of NOTAM Tracker.

For more help topics, click here.

LEGAL NOTICES: DTC, or Data Transformation Corporation, the provider of DUATS service at www.duat.com, is in no way affiliated with White Antelope Systems. DynCorp Information Services LLC, the provider of DUATS service at www.duats.com, is in no way affiliated with White Antelope Systems. NOTAM Tracker acts as a web browser to collect information from these, or other, services. White Antelope Systems and NOTAM Tracker do not provide, and are not responsible for, any information. NOTAM Tracker merely reformats the data provided for more convenient viewing. While NOTAM Tracker attempts to track notams, and search for coordinates within the briefing, the accuracy of such coordinates, radii, and altitudes cannot be gauranteed. It is the pilot's responsibility to review the briefing for completeness, and to check the accuracy of the coordinate translations.