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  • Linux, Raspberry Pi, RPi, and FR24

    I started this thread because the http://forum.flightradar24.com/threa...-Flightradar24 was getting to be way too long, and trying to cover everything.

    Which isn't possible.

    Please post here your thoughts, ideas, and achievements relating to linux, FR24 and the Raspberry Pi (as many of us seem to be using it).

    Best wishes.

  • #2
    I actually mashed the more help-based info into 1 thread, but most are overlooking it.

    - Hardware: Receiver: RTLSDR RTL2832U with R820T Tuner Antenna: Homemade groundplane antenna: http://x264.nl/dump/ads-b-antenna-groundplane-proper.jpg Calculator: http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennagpcalc.html Design: http://ketil.com/la2dna/antenner/PMR446_ground_plane_antenna.htm - Software (Windows): ADS-B
    Posts not to be taken as official support representation - Just a helpful uploader who tinkers

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks to Roofer and Oblivian... I was struggling to follow the Linux Feeder Software thread due to its length!

      I am fairly new to FR24... I am working on a project to install RPi based FR24 feeders on several of the surrounding mountains in my area (South central British Columbia, Canada) along the Canada/USA border.

      I am using Rev B Raspberry Pi boards running latest version of Raspbian Wheezy, with RTL2832U/R820T dongles, RTL-SDR and the latest build of MalcolmRobb's fork of Dump1090 along with fr24feed_arm-le_232s

      Everything went smoothly (couldn't have been easier!) and appeared to be working fine. Any time Dump1090 shows traffic with lat/long I see corresponding "[i]sent 1 planes in 1 packets"

      However, after a while the feeder seems to slow down and eventually after a couple of hours the feeder stops working all together. The program is still running and very occasionally it spits out a line (maybe a ping, maybe a [i]sent..) but for all intents and purposes it is dead. CRTL-C kills it with no problems, and if I immediately restart the feeder program, it will again work fine for a short period of time.

      Wondering if anyone has any advice or suggestions?

      Thanks in advance,

      Ben

      Comment


      • #4
        Hello Ben,
        I had the same problem with fr24feed_arm-le_232s on my RPi: it was running, and appeared to be working, but the FR24 server never listened to it.
        I am using the original dump1090, not the one that adds the time fields (though maybe I should use that one as I now have a GPS puck attached to the RPI, so it is a ntp "Stratum 0" timeserver for my LAN)
        I went back to using fr24feed_arm-le_225s and that is working fine.

        Comment


        • #5
          I use adsbox and every new version later than the last 2012 version, stops working after a while. Same problem with the 323s FR24 feeder software. The 225s is flawless.

          RPi doesn't like change

          Comment


          • #6
            Are folks here using wired or wireless connections to the Pi? If wireless which make/model of wireless dongles are working? I had read that there was only a limited number, but that was a while back.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thank you roofer and Zorba! I appreciate the information.

              I found 225s here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/66906/fr24feed_arm-le_225s.tgz

              I'll install it tonight and give it a go.

              Thanks again for the help!

              Ben
              Last edited by CubDriver; 2013-04-29, 00:03.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by 41south View Post
                Are folks here using wired or wireless connections to the Pi? If wireless which make/model of wireless dongles are working? I had read that there was only a limited number, but that was a while back.
                Hi 41south,

                I am currently using wired connections as I had some concerns about putting the WiFi dongle so close to the RTL2832 dongle (interference), and also because I prefer to minimize the number of active components in my design since my Pi's will be on remote mountain-top towers... however many others are using RPi's with wifi dongles.

                If it's any help to you, there are several different brands of WiFi dongles available on ModMyPi, Amazon, Ebay, etc. There are even some that have external antenna connectors...

                Click here to do a search on amazon.com for "raspberry pi wifi" and you'll see lots of options.

                Hope this helps...

                Cheers,

                Ben

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Zorba View Post
                  I use adsbox and every new version later than the last 2012 version, stops working after a while. Same problem with the 323s FR24 feeder software. The 225s is flawless.

                  RPi doesn't like change
                  You guys were right; 225 is flawless. Thanks again for the tip!
                  Ben

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    No problem.

                    I have a Belkin USB WiFi adapter and worked as it should when plugging it in. No disconnects (at least not because of the adapter itself).

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Planning to have the second radar as a backup apart from T-VTBD1 currently 24x7. Now RPi is ready but the RTL still on transit.
                      My plan is RTL -> RPi (rtl-sdr, dump1090) -> FR24 feeder

                      My question are:
                      1. I need to have this setup all autostart in the event of power failure. Any help? I'm not good at unix programming.
                      2. Adding an USB GPS can help anything in term of clock or timestamp?
                      3. For the FR24 feeder. v225 or 232 which one has less issue?


                      Thanks,
                      T-VTBD1 : RadarBox 3km North of VTBD
                      T-VTBD2 : RPi MLAT 300m South of VTBD

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        1] Yes, you can set what programs you want to start at boot either by making entries in /etc/rc.local or making an /etc/init.d/ script (as usual with linux, there are several ways to achieve the same result)

                        2] It is not necessary to send the time. The regular version of dump1090 (which I am using) does not do this. There is a patched version which does, but I do not see the point, unless you have your clock set to within a few nanoseconds of accuracy. As an aside, the above link pretty much tells you all you need to know to get your RPi up & running, as well as an example of an init.d script to make sure it starts working after a reboot.

                        A USB GPS dongle will allow you to set the time to about 1 microsecond accuracy. This is probably not sufficient for accurate MLAT calculations. For accuracy to the nanosecond you'll need a GPS receiver with a "one pulse per second" (1PPS) output to connect to one of the GPIO pins on the RPi, and a special kernel, configured to use this data. You'll also have to set up the ntp daemon to use this information. This is not difficult, and a search engine will help you.

                        3] Most of us seem to be using the fr24feed_arm-le_225s version. That is the statically linked version. This works well.

                        Good luck.
                        Last edited by roofer; 2013-05-01, 08:05. Reason: syntax

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                        • #13
                          I found this very helpful for getting started with RPi + RTL-2832U USB dongle.



                          I'm amazed - the 4" whip antenna on it's mini mag-mount inside an upstairs north facing window in Birmingham can see planes from Macclesfield, Cheshire to Swindon, Wiltshire

                          To see the results on a map use a browser to point to http://your-pi-ip-address:8080

                          Now I'll see if i can whizz up a tuned antenna to stick in the mini-mag-mount base and see about finding the FR24 feed software

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by roofer View Post
                            I went back to using fr24feed_arm-le_225s and that is working fine.
                            Experiencing the mentioned stability issues witht version 232s I just switched back to 225s which unfortunately outputs the following error message:
                            [i]FR24Feed v225 - built on Oct 8 2012/09:38:58
                            [i]Downloading configuration...[e]Could not connect to feed.flightradar24.com, errno: 111
                            ERROR
                            [e]Could not retrieve configuration from Flightradar24
                            Any hints on how to resolve this issue?
                            feeding data as EDDS9 through a Raspberry Pi with RTL2832U+R820T USB stick

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              My guess is that you forgot this line, before you launch the feeding software
                              Code:
                              export FR24AUTHIP=83.140.247.20
                              If it does not know the IP of FR24, it cannot connect.

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