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

[peterhr]

You need at least two planes with full info to register to get a sharing key - next job is getting the antenna where it can see more sky.

Just curious - roughly where are you (nearest town?)

[HermanZA]

Antenna: got one on order from a supplier locally. Thus stuck with the whip antenna thingy.
Location: Close to Kimberley, South Africa. We have a "blindspot" in this area in so far picking up planes.
Will now locate the hardware to my roof.

Should I be able to see the Pi's www interface at this point, or does this mean I messed up something (when opening the Pi on port 8080)
Error opening HTML file: No such file or directory

[peterhr]

Antenna: got one on order from a supplier locally. Thus stuck with the whip antenna thingy.
Location: Close to Kimberley, South Africa. We have a "blindspot" in this area in so far picking up planes.
Will now locate the hardware to my roof.

Should I be able to see the Pi's www interface at this point, or does this mean I messed up something (when opening the Pi on port 8080)
Error opening HTML file: No such file or directory

fix the fr24.sh script (as suggested above) ... the one on the image runs dump1090 using
./dump1090/dump1090

it needs to run it from the dump1090 folder
cd /home/pi/dump1090
./dump1090
cd ~

(I'm writing this from memory, don't have access to the pi/beaglebone right now ... so the detail above may be inaccurate)

For test purposes I'd put the dongle on a USB extender cable - I got a 3m one from the pound shop. That or make up a dipole on a bamboo cane like the one illustrated at the foot of the write up (latest version) - you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

[HermanZA]

Peterhr, Thank you so much for your help. I think I got it all sorted for now. Feeder FAKM1 up and running. Now just to reboot the Pi (and all should come back online again) ... and fiddle around with the antenna ....

[peterhr]

You're welcome

[HermanZA]

Something that could be looked at by our Resident Linux Guru's: https://github.com/antirez/dump1090
Seems it might be better with signal decoding...

[andyk1]

Beagelbone

fix the fr24.sh script (as suggested above) ... the one on the image runs dump1090 using
./dump1090/dump1090

it needs to run it from the dump1090 folder
cd /home/pi/dump1090
./dump1090
cd ~

(I'm writing this from memory, don't have access to the pi/beaglebone right now ... so the detail above may be inaccurate)

For test purposes I'd put the dongle on a USB extender cable - I got a 3m one from the pound shop. That or make up a dipole on a bamboo cane like the one illustrated at the foot of the write up (latest version) - you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

Are the commands the same in the Pi and beaglebone?
Am deciding which to get...Beaglebone or Pi to try this

Andy

[peterhr]

Something that could be looked at by our Resident Linux Guru's: https://github.com/antirez/dump1090
Seems it might be better with signal decoding...

Indeed, that is what is being used here ... but do feel free to update to a later version if there is one (or build from scratch on another SD Card)

Are the commands the same in the Pi and beaglebone?
Am deciding which to get...Beaglebone or Pi to try this

Andy

Please see http://forum.flightradar24.com/threa...e-to-feed-FR24
* I found the beaglebone doesn't seem to have enough USB power at the USB socket to run the dongle ... so needs to run from & with a powered USB hub (more cost)
* Though the beagle bone is faster, the software uses under half the power available on either.
* I did read somewhere the the Pi could be legitimately clocked to 1Ghz instead of 700Mhz (not tried it!)
* Pi seems to be have more info published surrounding it.

[andyk1]

Please see http://forum.flightradar24.com/threa...e-to-feed-FR24
* I found the beaglebone doesn't seem to have enough USB power at the USB socket to run the dongle ... so needs to run from & with a powered USB hub (more cost)
* Though the beagle bone is faster, the software uses under half the power available on either.
* I did read somewhere the the Pi could be legitimately clocked to 1Ghz instead of 700Mhz (not tried it!)
* Pi seems to be have more info published surrounding it.

Thank you so much. I didn't see that quoted tread. Now to decide which way to go. Am considering setting up a mast head setup but weather... Very hot in the summer 100's (f) and below 0 degrees (f) in winter on a 60 foot (20 meters) tower needs some thought. Could do an indoor setup but cable loss is another issue. Can't decide on LMR400-600 and then the connector ends which is another loss. Does anyone know if a direct solder connection on both ends is better or greater loss. I haven't been able to find any reading on this. I presently have a home build Collinear Antenna 8 segment (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkUYdCPFXXs) and seems to work fairly well. I can get out to 200 US miles in all directions but still keep getting beat out by the F-KP.... feeders. Not even sure my antenna length is ok as I went by the website and made my segments 116mm long with RG6 good quality cable. I get a THR: -82 to -80 db which I don't even know if that's good as it seems the higher the db in RTL1090 the better I think. I always thought the lower the db the cleaner the signal as in wifi. Anyway.... Thanks a bunch for your response.

Andy. T-KTIK1

[peterhr]

Thank you so much. I didn't see that quoted tread. Now to decide which way to go. Am considering setting up a mast head setup but weather... Very hot in the summer 100's (f) and below 0 degrees (f) in winter on a 60 foot (20 meters) tower needs some thought. Could do an indoor setup but cable loss is another issue. Can't decide on LMR400-600 and then the connector ends which is another loss. Does anyone know if a direct solder connection on both ends is better or greater loss. I haven't been able to find any reading on this. I presently have a home build Collinear Antenna 8 segment (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkUYdCPFXXs) and seems to work fairly well. I can get out to 200 US miles in all directions but still keep getting beat out by the F-KP.... feeders. Not even sure my antenna length is ok as I went by the website and made my segments 116mm long with RG6 good quality cable. I get a THR: -82 to -80 db which I don't even know if that's good as it seems the higher the db in RTL1090 the better I think. I always thought the lower the db the cleaner the signal as in wifi. Anyway.... Thanks a bunch for your response.

Andy. T-KTIK1

The FR24 supplied F- feeders will always beat you.

Arrange that the unit box is in a ventilated box and not in direct sunlight (so the outer box gets hot, but can convect the heat away). then have an inner waterproof box for the electronics.

An electronic thermostat ( http://www.apogeekits.com/electronic...thermostat.htm ... sold by Maplin in the UK) and a 5w resister as heater, and a fan / and heatsink for cooling might be good (a second project)

[Birdie]

After reading this thread from the 1st post to now - I am still as confused as I was.

Can some experts here Compile a:

" Cook Book - How to Configure a RPI to work with a DVB-T Dongle to feed FR24 ".

Step 1: Download and install software "A"

Step 2: Download and install software "B"

Step 3: Add in these scripts by doing this & that.

Step 4: Do this & that and feed FR24.

Being so used to and brainwashed by Microsoft into using Windows - I am one of the many Linux iDiots who got confused.

[peterhr]

After reading this thread from the 1st post to now - I am still as confused as I was.

Can some experts here Compile a:

" Cook Book - How to Configure a RPI to work with a DVB-T Dongle to feed FR24 ".

Step 1: Download and install software "A"

Step 2: Download and install software "B"

Step 3: Add in these scripts by doing this & that.

Step 4: Do this & that and feed FR24.

Being so used to and brainwashed by Microsoft into using Windows - I am one of the many Linux iDiots who got confused.

Hi Birdie,

It's there, see post 8 the thread

There are two methods:
1. To get the doc and to follow through to build it from scratch (the doc is complete and has corrected scripts etc. in it) - the doc does describe every step ... and was written as the image was created.

2. To download the image, unzip it on the windows PC, copy it to SD card, expand it on the SD card to fill it (the image will work as it is though on a 2Gb card), then fix the scripts.

I did update the scripts after making the image due to one bug (starting dump1090 in the wrong folder) and due to feedback from users. I've not updated the image because it seems to take a year and a day to create and upload it.

---

Try to step past the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Distrust) and have a go at it ... I'd go for method (1) - you'll learn more from it & get more satisfaction , if you screw it up - you can wipe the SD card and start again. Just be careful - it's too easy to not see the wood for the trees when using a new interface (not see what's in front of you).

Most problems people have with this are due to not having a good enough power supply to run the Pi + Dongle (this is more acute with the BeagleBone Black, where the Beaglebone seems to be marginally able to / not able to power the dongle from the USB port so a power USB hub is needed [see the BBB thread]... also the Beaglebone can be powered from a 5.5mm power plug or mini-USB ... On mine, if I uses the 5.5mm plug, the USB device socket doesn't work)

Off topic: switching from windows 7 to 8 ... If Linux throws you, this will destroy you.

[Lorsde]

Hi Peter,
thank you very much for that perfect Raspberry Tutorial, i got mine some days ago and nows its up and feeding Data to FR.
Now its time to get a good antenna, which one do you use ?

@Birdie, just buy a RaPi and try it out, its eassy with Peters perfect Tut

Greets from Hamburg,
Lorenz

[HermanZA]

Birdie, I took PeterHR's manual, used his uploaded image and got it working. My Pi overbaked in the box on my roof (starting hanging and behaving erratically), so I redid the whole thing in 30 minutes.
Take the manual and follow the steps from page 9 onwards. Thats all you have to do if you are using the Image PeterHR compiled - like an instant pudding out-of-the-box (Pages 1-8 is what you must do if NOT using his image - all the ingredients and instructions, the old fashioned way). The only funny stuff is updating the fr24.sh script and the cronjob (scheduled task)... I am willing to go so far and give you my email or skype to help if you get stuck there.

[andyk1]

The FR24 supplied F- feeders will always beat you.

Arrange that the unit box is in a ventilated box and not in direct sunlight (so the outer box gets hot, but can convect the heat away). then have an inner waterproof box for the electronics.

An electronic thermostat ( http://www.apogeekits.com/electronic...thermostat.htm ... sold by Maplin in the UK) and a 5w resister as heater, and a fan / and heatsink for cooling might be good (a second project)

Yep, Already ahead of ya and been planning the same thing in my head as I'm ordering two BBB's

Might even try to experiment using wifi to get some distance on higher ground... just to experiment and running on solar power