hi all, can anybody tell me?- if i pay for google earth plus, do i get live(ish) images? and if not can anybody help me to find anything close?
all help appreciated.

Have you tried searching on Google or similiar for 'live satellite images'?

I don't think google earth uses live images for the satellite pics (the closer in pics aren't satellite images at all, once you get in to a certain resolution it switches from satellite images to aerial photography taken from a plane)

Google earth images can be a couple of years out of date.

"Live" sat images are possible, but it depends what sort, daylight images, infra-red, temperature, sea temps, water levels, radar images, weather sat, wefax etc etc

To be honest there is so much out there that a good reciever & your pc can resolve for you, try googling The RSGB, the radio ham guys, the sat side is AMSAT, they have a good site with loads of info...I used to do a lot of sat stuff a few years back, mainly voice & data but some imaging, but i did once stumble across the surveillance drones live footage over Bosnia when that conflict was at its height...not even encrypted...but have a look at the sites above, things are much easier now with fast pc's...£300 or so should get you going.