Noob antenna question - (and help with browser access connection for other noobs)

[Av82ca]

Hi All -

T-KNGZ123 checking in for the first time. I've been up and running for a few days now and so far so good. I've been playing with a few antennas I have around the house, and so for I'm getting the best reception from my 5m HAM antenna on my roof. I've read a ton of posts about ideal 1090mhz antennas, but not being an EE, I don't know if a 26" antenna would actually be better than a good 15' HAP antenna. I did try a vehicle specific 26" HAM antenna and reception was terrible.

If a 26" is better, if somebody can recommend a model I will attempt to attach it to the top of my HAM antenna so it's really up there above my roof.

After several days, my farthest signal has been 72NM. The antenna is approx. 250' MSL and has direct view to the ocean in several directions.

Also, I have left all my settings in the default state...is there anything I should update? It's working so I'm assuming there's no need to optimize.

And for other noobs who can't seem to connect to the Pi through a browser, "IPofPi" means the IP ADDRESS OF YOUR PI DEVICE. It is not a Debian command like I assumed, ugh. So, to access your Raspberry through a browser, here's how you do it:


-System settings: http://YOUR RASPBERRY IP ADDRESS:8754/settings.html
-And to view your feed: http://YOUR RASPBERRY IP ADDRESS/dump1090/gmap.html

Thanks for the help!

g-

[abcd567]

Use 1090 mhz antenna if you want good reception. Ham antennas will give you moderate to low reception on 1090 Mhz.

Flightaware 1090 Mhz 26"antenna at Amazon.com

JetVision 1090 Mhz antenna


Alternatively try DIY antenna:

3 Easy DIY Antennas for Beginners

Scroll down to #3 "Quick Spider"

.

[wiedehopf]

The antennas you describe are not made / tuned for 1090 MHz and probably your coax is also very lossy at 1090 MHz.
Direct view of the ocean from an elevated location i would expect 250 nmi or more out of a good setup.
Check some of the antenna options here: https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wi...ntenna-choices
A generic SDR without adding a filtered LNA (external or internal to the SDR) won't provide the best performance you can get.

Also ... this way of installing stuff gives you more options:

https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wiki/wiki/Raspbian-Lite:-ADS-B-receiver

Actually the automatic install for readsb should work just fine on your current and reconfigure fr24feed to use it as a source for data.
The webinterface at /dump1090 will be gone and the new webinterface will be at /tar1090 .

graphs1090 is very useful when checking for improvements.

[Av82ca]

The antennas you describe are not made / tuned for 1090 MHz and probably your coax is also very lossy at 1090 MHz.
Direct view of the ocean from an elevated location i would expect 250 nmi or more out of a good setup.
Check some of the antenna options here: https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wi...ntenna-choices
A generic SDR without adding a filtered LNA (external or internal to the SDR) won't provide the best performance you can get.

Also ... this way of installing stuff gives you more options:

https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wiki/wiki/Raspbian-Lite:-ADS-B-receiver

Actually the automatic install for readsb should work just fine on your current and reconfigure fr24feed to use it as a source for data.
The webinterface at /dump1090 will be gone and the new webinterface will be at /tar1090 .

graphs1090 is very useful when checking for improvements.

Great stuff - I'll get a more appropriate antenna, but may make one just for fun today.

Is there are list of FR24/Pi commands somewhere? I see them spattered about but I have not found a concise list.

Re: "The webinterface at /dump1090 will be gone and the new webinterface will be at /tar1090" -->When?

Thanks, g-

[Av82ca]

The antennas you describe are not made / tuned for 1090 MHz and probably your coax is also very lossy at 1090 MHz.
Direct view of the ocean from an elevated location i would expect 250 nmi or more out of a good setup.
Check some of the antenna options here: https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wi...ntenna-choices
A generic SDR without adding a filtered LNA (external or internal to the SDR) won't provide the best performance you can get.

Also ... this way of installing stuff gives you more options:

https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wiki/wiki/Raspbian-Lite:-ADS-B-receiver

Actually the automatic install for readsb should work just fine on your current and reconfigure fr24feed to use it as a source for data.
The webinterface at /dump1090 will be gone and the new webinterface will be at /tar1090 .

graphs1090 is very useful when checking for improvements.

OK, so I made a little DYI antenna from items I had in the garage...just a little prototype for fun. Range tripled! Yeah, my HAM antenna is not good for 1090Mhz. I'll get the Flightaware antenna for the long haul, but clearly making a DYI antenna is pretty straight-forward!

20210130_180109.jpg

Thanks for all the help,

g-

[wiedehopf]

Re: "The webinterface at /dump1090 will be gone and the new webinterface will be at /tar1090" -->When?

Thanks, g-

After you use the Automatic install for readsb which i recommended (https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wi...ADS-B-receiver)

[Av82ca]

After you use the Automatic install for readsb which i recommended (https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wi...ADS-B-receiver)

So I run this line:
sudo bash -c "$(wget -nv -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wiedehopf/tar1090/master/install.sh)"

remotely through SSH? I'm new to this SSH thing so the protocol is a little confusing. Thanks for the help.

g-

[wiedehopf]

Yeah that line will just install tar1090 but it won't have all the details because you're running some old dump1090.

I was referring to this: https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-sc...ion-for-readsb
With that you'll get all the details in tar1090 and it should catch a few more messages as well due to better demodulation.

In regards to SSH, yes you put the command on the console.

[Av82ca]

Yeah that line will just install tar1090 but it won't have all the details because you're running some old dump1090.

I was referring to this: https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-sc...ion-for-readsb
With that you'll get all the details in tar1090 and it should catch a few more messages as well due to better demodulation.

In regards to SSH, yes you put the command on the console.

OK. Will I need to re-enter sharing key, etc., or is it plug and play. It's working well now so I want to be carefully I don't screw it up...

Thanks, g-

[wiedehopf]

No fr24feed should keep running just fine.

Just run it and then set the location as explained on the page.
You also should check the section on how to change the gain.

[Av82ca]

No fr24feed should keep running just fine.

Just run it and then set the location as explained on the page.
You also should check the section on how to change the gain.

tar 1090 not showing range...any ideas? Thx.

[wiedehopf]

Yeah you didn't set the location in the readsb configuration.
It's mentioned for the readsb install you used.

[Av82ca]

Yeah you didn't set the location in the readsb configuration.
It's mentioned for the readsb install you used.

I was not using the new readsb file...now I am and it works great. Thank you!

[Av82ca]

OK, now I am seriously mystified. I replaced my dinny little DYI antenna (see post 5) with the FlightAware antenna (see pic below) and now my max range has gone from around 220 down to 150 and I seem to have 1/2 the number of contacts. I even bought a new cable thinking that my dyi cable must have been damaged.

What is going on here? Could my DYI actually be better? Did I get a defective antenna? I'm very confused. I did try some different gain settings in the admin panel but it didn't seem to make any difference.

HELP!

Thanks, grant-

20210401_085543.jpg

[wiedehopf]

Could be interference overloading the SDR ... that happens regularly when combining the FA antenna and the FA Pro+ it seems.
Many need to add a filter.

Also is that other antenna on the mast sending something?
Then you need evern more filtering.