No fabricated identity or altitude for unassociated single-node tracks

backend/services/track_gates.py

@@ -737,9 +737,22 @@ def _num(v, fallback=0.0):
         "hex": ac_hex,
         "ground_truth_hex": resolve_ground_truth_hex(ac_hex, lat, lon),
         "type": "tisb_other",
-        "flight": (track.adsb_hex or f"PR{abs(hash(track.track_id)) % 10000:04d}").strip(),
-        "alt_baro": round(alt_ft),
-        "alt_geom": round(alt_ft),
+        # No fabricated identity for an unassociated track: the synthetic
+        # PR#### callsign made a radar-only return render as a plausible
+        # aircraft, so clutter promotions read as real low-level traffic.
+        # An empty flight falls back to the hex everywhere downstream.
+        "flight": (track.adsb_hex or "").strip(),
+        # Altitude only when some ADS-B identity vouches for it: a fresh fix
+        # supplies it directly, and an ADS-B-hexed track with a stale/partial
+        # fix keeps the solver fallback (test_fresh_adsb_fallback pins that).
+        # For a track with no ADS-B identity at all, single-node bistatic
+        # geometry is underdetermined in altitude (passive_radar.py, solver
+        # notes), so track.alt_ft is essentially free — observed live from
+        # 165 ft to 50,768 ft on one node — and publishing it painted ghost
+        # aircraft on the deck.  Every consumer null-guards alt_baro (the
+        # tar1090 schema omits it when unknown).
+        "alt_baro": round(alt_ft) if (adsb or track.adsb_hex) else None,
+        "alt_geom": round(alt_ft) if (adsb or track.adsb_hex) else None,
         "gs": gs,
         "track": heading,
         "lat": lat,

backend/tests/test_track_gates.py

@@ -287,3 +287,37 @@ def _spy(node_ids, lat, lon, age_s, fix_ts, detection_ts):
 
         assert captured["fix_ts"] == pytest.approx(now - 1.0, abs=0.01)
         assert captured["detection_ts"] == pytest.approx(now - 1.0, abs=0.01)
+
+
+class TestUnassociatedEntryHonesty:
+    """No fabricated aircraft attributes for a radar-only track.
+
+    Single-node bistatic geometry is underdetermined in altitude, so
+    track.alt_ft is essentially free (observed live 2026-08-26: 165 ft to
+    50,768 ft on one node), and the synthetic PR#### callsign made clutter
+    promotions render as plausible low-level traffic.  Altitude and callsign
+    are published only when ADS-B vouches for them.
+    """
+
+    def test_unassociated_track_publishes_no_altitude_or_callsign(self, node):
+        now = time.time()
+        track = _make_track(n_detections=3, last_detection_age_s=1.0, now=now)
+        track.adsb_hex = None
+        entry = track_gates.track_entry("pr1234", track, dict(_NODE_CFG), now, set())
+
+        assert entry is not None
+        assert entry["position_source"] == "solver_single_node"
+        assert entry["alt_baro"] is None
+        assert entry["alt_geom"] is None
+        # Empty, not a synthetic PR#### — the frontend falls back to the hex.
+        assert entry["flight"] == ""
+
+    def test_adsb_backed_track_keeps_altitude_and_identity(self, node):
+        now = time.time()
+        _adsb_fix(now)
+        track = _make_track(n_detections=3, last_detection_age_s=1.0, now=now)
+        entry = track_gates.track_entry(HEX, track, dict(_NODE_CFG), now, set())
+
+        assert entry["alt_baro"] == 30000
+        assert entry["alt_geom"] == 30000
+        assert entry["flight"] == HEX

frontend/src/components/LiveAircraftMap.tsx

@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
   // Full cleanup on unmount
   useEffect(() => {
     return () => {
       for (const m of markerMapRef.current.values()) m.remove();
       markerMapRef.current.clear();
     };
   }, [map]);
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@
       }
       markers.clear();
     };
   }, [map, radarAircraftRef, groundTruthRef, smoothRef]);
 
   return null;
 });
@@ -1316,7 +1316,7 @@
     return Object.entries(trailsRef.current).filter(
       ([hex, positions]) => hex === selectedHex && positions.some((p) => isPointInViewport(p[0], p[1], viewport)),
     );
   }, [selectedHex, trailTick, viewport]);
 
   const selectedTrailPositions = useMemo(() => {
     if (!selectedHex) return [];
@@ -1506,7 +1506,7 @@
     const csv = trailToCsv(ac.hex, ac.flight, rows);
     downloadCsv(`trail-${ac.hex}-${Date.now()}.csv`, csv);
     toast(`Exported ${rows.length} points`, { tone: "success" });
   }, [selectedHex, radarAircraft, trailsRef]);
 
   const exportAllTrails = useCallback(() => {
     const csv = trailsToBulkCsv(radarAircraft || [], trailsRef.current || {});
@@ -1571,7 +1571,7 @@
     p: () => { if (selectedHex) { togglePinned(selectedHex); toast(pinnedSet.has(selectedHex) ? "Unpinned" : "Pinned"); } },
     m: () => locateMe(),
     n: () => { setSoundOn((v) => { toast(v ? "Sound off" : "Sound on"); return !v; }); },
   }), [showShortcutHelp, searchQuery, exportSelectedTrail, exportAllTrails, locateMe, selectedHex, togglePinned, pinnedSet, setSoundOn, setShowLabels, setShowTrails, setShowCoverage, setShowIlluminators, setShowGroundTruth, setColorByAlt, setShowStats, setShowRangeRings, setShowArcs]);
   useKeyboardShortcuts(shortcutMap);
 
   function computeError(hex, ac) {
@@ -2019,13 +2019,19 @@
                  users mistook the icon position for the actual location.  The detection arc
                  rendered by DetectionArcs is their only map presence; selecting them from the
                  list still highlights the arc and centers the map on the midpoint.
+                 Unassociated solver_single_node tracks (an arc-less frame of the same
+                 single-node geometry) are hidden for the same reason: a lone node's LM solve
+                 is underdetermined, and drawing it as a plane painted short-lived ghost
+                 aircraft wherever clutter promoted a track.  They stay in the list as
+                 Solver·1N rows.
                  A track that has dead-reckoned past DR_ICON_HIDE_DISTANCE_M loses its icon
                  for the same reason — the drawn position is no longer evidence of where the
                  aircraft is — but stays tracked everywhere else, so the next real solve
                  brings the icon straight back. */}
             {visibleAircraft.map((ac) => {
               if (!validLatLon(ac.lat, ac.lon)) return null;
               if (ac.position_source === POSITION_SOURCE_ARC_ONLY) return null;
+              if (ac.position_source === "solver_single_node") return null;
               if (hideDrIcon(ac, markerNow)) return null;
               const isSelected = ac.hex === selectedHex;
               return (