Raspberry Pi type B + DVB-T Dongle to feed FR24

[HermanZA]

AndyK1, have you tried to enable AGC?

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --enable-agc --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet > /dev/null &

What is the general feel on the --enable-agc command?

[andyk1]

AndyK1 - Just to make sure: You have the PI connected to the 15m high antenna (and then no AC), but the same RTL dongle indoors on Wincrap with the magmount antenna (then you get AC).
Have you tested the antenna to make sure there's no short of bad connection?
Can you connect the outdoor antenna to the windows setup and see what you get then ?

Yes both antenna's (15 meter tall and Cheap Antenna that came with dongle) Work. In wincrap8 the 15 meter antenna I am receiving 107 a/c, maybe 20-25 mode s data and with cheap antenna only 5-10 a/c in wincrap. On the PI. with 15 meter ant. No a/c. With cheap antenna 5-10 a/c??????????????????????? I'm lost. I'll set up the cheap ant real quick so ya's can see.

[andyk1]

AndyK1, have you tried to enable AGC?

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --enable-agc --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet > /dev/null &

What is the general feel on the --enable-agc command?

It doesn't work or give me any indication of working or what it did

[andyk1]

It doesn't work or give me any indication of working or what it did

Never mind. quick fingers

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ Found 1 device(s):
0: Realtek, RTL2838UHIDIR, SN: 00000003 (currently selected)
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Max available gain is: 49.60
Setting gain to: 49.60
Exact sample rate is: 2000000.052982 Hz
Gain reported by device: 49.60

[andyk1]

AndyK1, have you tried to enable AGC?

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --enable-agc --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet > /dev/null &

What is the general feel on the --enable-agc command?

HermanZA what is the command to turn down the acg to say 30db. I read that may work somewhere while I was waiting for my Pi to arrive but can't find the lick now. FIGURES

[HermanZA]

pi@raspberrypi ~/dump1090 $ ./dump1090 --help
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| dump1090 ModeS Receiver Ver : 1.07.1908.13 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

--gain <db> Set gain (default: max gain. Use -100 for auto-gain)
--enable-agc Enable the Automatic Gain Control (default: off)

Seems like --gain 30 or --g 30

[andyk1]

Speaking of the collinear: Its a good DIY project and solution. Also ended up without a resistor at the top (added about 70km from what the magmount did) but am thinking about redoing the whole thing, add the resistor and see what range I can get then. Always looking to improve!

I built that one and am using it now. 8 element with rg6 75ohm good quality cable. I tried it with and without the 50ohm and 75 ohm resistors. worked with both resistors. Took them off and work a tad bit further range. I took them off an added a radio shack cheap TV amp with a power injection module and now I get wayyyyyyyyyyy out. I see A/C out to 300 miles. Remember with an amp with power injection to the cable you can't use resistors in the antenna.

[andyk1]

pi@raspberrypi ~/dump1090 $ ./dump1090 --help
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| dump1090 ModeS Receiver Ver : 1.07.1908.13 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

--gain <db> Set gain (default: max gain. Use -100 for auto-gain)
--enable-agc Enable the Automatic Gain Control (default: off)

Seems like --gain 30 or --g 30

Thanks. I already tried those commands and no joy. keeps giving me an error message that it needs more arguments. I'm tired of arguing with it hehehhe

[HermanZA]

Been thinking about going out to source a cheap amp also (don't have the convenience of a radio shack, so it will be more expensive) - I don't want to sound greedy, but I want to improve my coverage. Yeah, there are other feeders around, but don't we all strive to be the best? And with the power of our forum and the vast collective of expertise and knowledge here, it can be possible! I know my top element is not right, it was bent in preparation for a resistor, which I never could find locally....

We are straying off topic with the amps and stuff.... fear a Mod might one day slap me over the fingers! Cant help we all get excited about our hobby!

Just got the new post: let me play with my settings over here....

[HermanZA]

as part of the fr24.sh script, I gave it:

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --gain 30 --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet --lat -27.912 --lon 25.162 > /dev/null &

And it reported without arguing with me:

Exact sample rate is: 2000000.052982 Hz
Gain reported by device: 30.00

Without that statement, I have:

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --enable-agc --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet --lat -27.912 --lon 25.162 > /dev/null &

And it reports:

Exact sample rate is: 2000000.052982 Hz
Gain reported by device: 49.60

[peterhr]

Been thinking about going out to source a cheap amp also (don't have the convenience of a radio shack, so it will be more expensive) - I don't want to sound greedy, but I want to improve my coverage. Yeah, there are other feeders around, but don't we all strive to be the best? And with the power of our forum and the vast collective of expertise and knowledge here, it can be possible! I know my top element is not right, it was bent in preparation for a resistor, which I never could find locally....

We are straying off topic with the amps and stuff.... fear a Mod might one day slap me over the fingers! Cant help we all get excited about our hobby!

Just got the new post: let me play with my settings over here....

In line satellte amplifier ... only problem is you need to feed about 15v up the coax, but not feed it into the dongle. Ebay about 7 dollars.


Sent from my GT-P5110 using Tapatalk 2

[andyk1]

as part of the fr24.sh script, I gave it:

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --gain 30 --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet --lat -27.912 --lon 25.162 > /dev/null &

And it reported without arguing with me:

Exact sample rate is: 2000000.052982 Hz
Gain reported by device: 30.00

Without that statement, I have:

/home/pi/dump1090/dump1090 --enable-agc --net-http-port 8090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet --lat -27.912 --lon 25.162 > /dev/null &

And it reports:

Exact sample rate is: 2000000.052982 Hz
Gain reported by device: 49.60

Success for the tall 15 meter antenna. a Beginning anyway. it see's and starting to receive mode s data but needs tweaking.

In the --gain 30 you DON't include the "=" i.e. gain=30 in a no no.

Heres my fr24.sh

#!/bin/bash
#updated 2013-09-23 - write /tmp/fr24feed.log
#
#make sure fr24feed and dump1090 software are not running
#
killall fr24feed_arm-le_233s
killall dump1090
#
#start dump1090 we dont want output so throw it into a black hole. Or do we?
# (the null device)
#the symbol at the end of the line says dont wait for this to finish, just move
# onto the next command
#
cd /home/pi/dump1090
#./dump1090 --net --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet > /dev/null &
./dump1090 --net --gain 30 --net-sbs-port 30003 --quiet --lat 35.49 --lon -97.32 > /dev/null &
#
cd ~
#
#start the fr24 feeder
#log output to /tmp/fr24feed.log ... this is actually im memory
#create a new file each time we start
#view the file using tail -f /tmp/fr24feed.log
#(dont do this with dump1090 ... too much output ... will fill memory) Ok I'll Remember. Maybe.
#
#
export FR24AUTHIP=83.140.247.20
./fr24feed_arm-le_233s --fr24key=d7fd65a5b1xxxxxx > /tmp/fr24feed.log &

anyways just need to get the gain control to optimum. Now to see why dump1090 doesn't refresh at 72.198.39.195:8080

Thank you Herman ZA

Andy

[andyk1]

Does anyone know how to get to the rtl-sdr seting to see what db's are legit to use. I seem to remember an output saying what they where but can't remember how to get back to it... in rtl-sdr I think it was.

[HermanZA]

Not sure if that is documented...
I know in RTL1090 it shows the possibilities, expressed as: Gains: 0/9/14/27/37/77/87/125/144/157/166/197/207/209 and so on.
With TunerAGC off, it gives a slider with: 0.0, 0.9, 1.4, 2.7, 3.7, 7.7 ... 25.4, 28.0, 29.7, 32.8, 33.8, 36.4, 37.2, 38.6, 40.2, 42.1, 43.4, 44.5, 48.0, 49.6

Hope this helps!
db-s.JPG

[andyk1]

Not sure if that is documented...
I know in RTL1090 it shows the possibilities, expressed as: Gains: 0/9/14/27/37/77/87/125/144/157/166/197/207/209 and so on.
With TunerAGC off, it gives a slider with: 0.0, 0.9, 1.4, 2.7, 3.7, 7.7 ... 25.4, 28.0, 29.7, 32.8, 33.8, 36.4, 37.2, 38.6, 40.2, 42.1, 43.4, 44.5, 48.0, 49.6

Hope this helps!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2630[/ATTACH]

Thank you again HermanZA and everyone for the help. Those seem good as I remember some of them now. Not sure why it won't work with agc but it doesn't on the tall antenna. been trying different gains and not really getting the signals I was in Windows RTL1090. Is this dump1090 suppose to send a continuious stream when you view this off of say 192.168.1.9:8080 or outside web 72.198.39 and so on or is it designed to only give you one view and have to shut down win explorer and restart it it get a refresh? working on the wifi issue also and will let ya's know when I get it working.

Andy T-KTIK1 Oklahoma City, OK USA