Flightradar24 Feeder Chat

[FR24support]

What decoding or tracking software are you using with your receiver?

[peterhr]

ADSBscope - runs on windows, collects data from your pi

but before tou do that go to heywhatsthat.com, ut in your location and how high up your antenna is. Click 'in the air' then set the altitude to 40000 and say 20000 - that will draw range rings showing what you might get (zoom out it's up to 600 miles across)

[digiblur]

> CET = Central European Time "server" time.

OK, just realized that FR24 out of Europe. Now it makes sense. Thanks.

One more question. Is there any way from your stats (or 3rd party tools) to compute the maximum extents of distance coverage from my feeder inputs? Or a plotting tool that aggregates inputs over a time period on a map?

I suppose I could write my own program to do this, but figured maybe somebody else has already done this.

Thanks,
John/af4ex

Virtual Radar Server can do this, turn on the Receiver range option and it will start to draw in the range areas in real time.

[digiblur]

ADSBscope - runs on windows, collects data from your pi

but before tou do that go to heywhatsthat.com, ut in your location and how high up your antenna is. Click 'in the air' then set the altitude to 40000 and say 20000 - that will draw range rings showing what you might get (zoom out it's up to 600 miles across)

Could you give better instructions? That's a very confusing website.

[peterhr]

Could you give better instructions? That's a very confusing website.

I have done so in the past and will do some screenshots when I get time and access to the home pc.

from memory
dump1090 parameter --net-ro-port 31001 sets the Pi up to talk to ADSBscope (it should already be done)

then have a look here http://bubbazanetti.blogspot.co.uk/2...iving-ads.html

(lots of people have done this, no need to re-invent)

it does really benefit you to set up a DHCP reservation for the Pi on your router ... so it always gets the same ip address - so you can always find it from your windows PC.

[af4ex]

@digiblur
> Virtual Radar Server can do this, turn on the Receiver range option
> and it will start to draw in the range areas in real time.

That sounds like what I'm looking for. But my receiver is already set up as a dump1090 TCP:30003 server on a standalone RPi. Can I somehow connect VRS to my RPi, and let it collect and display the statistics it collects?

[Oblivian]

@digiblur
> Virtual Radar Server can do this, turn on the Receiver range option
> and it will start to draw in the range areas in real time.

That sounds like what I'm looking for. But my receiver is already set up as a dump1090 TCP:30003 server on a standalone RPi. Can I somehow connect VRS to my RPi, and let it collect and display the statistics it collects?

Most certainly. It asks for the data source, you tell it the Rpi IP address, done

[af4ex]

FYI, I installed VRS and got it connected to my RPi server.
rangemap.png
Excellent! Just what I was looking for.
Thanks,
John/af4ex

[digiblur]

@digiblur
> Virtual Radar Server can do this, turn on the Receiver range option
> and it will start to draw in the range areas in real time.

That sounds like what I'm looking for. But my receiver is already set up as a dump1090 TCP:30003 server on a standalone RPi. Can I somehow connect VRS to my RPi, and let it collect and display the statistics it collects?

Go download the software and point to the Pi, tinker around with it and if you still have issues let us know, we will walk you through it.

EDIT: I see you posted as I was typing. Excellent!!

[af4ex]

FYI, I've been collecting data from my R820T/RPi receiver system using Virtual Radar Server now for about 18 hours now, and have been able to get a pretty good estimate of my reception pattern.
2014-07-16 07_52_16-Virtual Radar (28) - Internet Explorer.png
Although I have occasionally observed aircraft out to 200 miles in all major directions, this plot confirms that, on average, my effective range is only about 60-80 miles in most directions, except for the Northwest quadrant, which has the least obstructed view from my simple home-brewed ground plane antenna.

The antenna is currently mounted below the roof line on the Northeast corner of the house, so I was surprised that reception to the South doesn't seem much attenuated. But the view to the North and Northeast is mostly blocked by a forest of 60 ft pine trees, less than 100 ft away. It would seem that a grove of pine trees has roughly the same RF absorption as a 2-story stucco framed house. :-|

So this is my 'baseline' for making and comparing improvements. I plan to 1) build a collinear antenna 2) mount it a few feet above the eaves of the house and 3) insert a 20db satellite line amplifier at the base of the antenna.

The cable run to the receiver will still be less than 25 feet, so I'm expecting these improvements to enhance my coverage considerably. :-]

Tnx,
John/af4ex

[HermanZA]

Hi John,
You have a good plan there to build a collinear.... I have great appreciation for that simple antennas abilities! Amplifier will also work wonders... do look at the advise and information posted from ABCD... he has done a lot of testing and experimenting to figure out the best antenna to use. Amplifier as close to the antenna as possible, might also render better results than having it indoors.
Also, to get some more height would be a good idea.

[digiblur]

FYI, I've been collecting data from my R820T/RPi receiver system using Virtual Radar Server now for about 18 hours now, and have been able to get a pretty good estimate of my reception pattern.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4390[/ATTACH]
Although I have occasionally observed aircraft out to 200 miles in all major directions, this plot confirms that, on average, my effective range is only about 60-80 miles in most directions, except for the Northwest quadrant, which has the least obstructed view from my simple home-brewed ground plane antenna.

The antenna is currently mounted below the roof line on the Northeast corner of the house, so I was surprised that reception to the South doesn't seem much attenuated. But the view to the North and Northeast is mostly blocked by a forest of 60 ft pine trees, less than 100 ft away. It would seem that a grove of pine trees has roughly the same RF absorption as a 2-story stucco framed house. :-|

So this is my 'baseline' for making and comparing improvements. I plan to 1) build a collinear antenna 2) mount it a few feet above the eaves of the house and 3) insert a 20db satellite line amplifier at the base of the antenna.

The cable run to the receiver will still be less than 25 feet, so I'm expecting these improvements to enhance my coverage considerably. :-]

Tnx,
John/af4ex

The hobby to get more is addicting isn't it? Keep in mind the satellite amp is designed to pass on the DC power beyond the amplifier, so take that into consideration with your antenna design.

Glad to see you got everything working!

[af4ex]

Thanks for all the good info and tips. I'll report the results of my improvements after I've built and tested them.
Tnx,
John/af4ex

[paradiselost]

Post Glenda/Rammasun Typhoon Philippine Update

Typhoon Glenda/Rammasun has now passed the Philippines leaving destruction and power outage for millions across Luzon (Manila) and Albay (Legaspi). These two areas are where our feeders are located.

The results of the typhoon destruction and loss of power on our FR24 network are this:

Working either on generator or a typhoon proof location:

F-RPLL1 (Manila) Manila NAIA Airport, Ok, not interrupted feeding.
F-RPVM1 (Cebu Mactan Airport) No Serious exposure, Online Reliable.
F-RPVT1 (Bohol) Bohol Tagbilaran Airport, Online, No Serious exposure.
F-RPVD1 (Dumaguete/Sibulan) Negros Oriental, Dumaguete Airport, Online No serious exposure.
T-RPVD2 (Siquijor Province) across from Negros Oriental, Dumaguete Airport, Online No serious exposure.
F-RPWD1 (Davao) Davao Mindanao Airport, Online No serious exposure.
F-RPMZ1 (Zamboanga) Zamboanga Mindanao Airport, Online No serious exposure.
F-RPVB1 (Bacolod/Silay) Negros Occidental. Online No serious exposure.

Locations that are offline due to typhoon destruction-power outage or other problems:

F-RPLL2 (Manila) Off-line
F-RPMB1 (General Santos) General Santos receiver site has been missing for a long time due to unknown reasons.
F-RPLP1 (Legazpi) Legazpi Albay Airport. The typhoon eye wall followed the coastline and had 185 kph winds probably destroying the receiver site. Power outage alone will keep it off line for maybe a week even if the location was not destroyed.

Two new receiver locations in the Philippines should show up this week.

Due to privacy concerns there has only been limited contact here in the Philippines to collaborate among ourselves.

Again those here in the Philippines who wish to network here are my local numbers:

Globe 09166038327
Smart 09085291286

John

F-RPVD1

[North Borneo Radar]

Typhoon Glenda/Rammasun has now passed the Philippines leaving destruction and power outage for millions across Luzon (Manila) and Albay (Legaspi). These two areas are where our feeders are located.

The results of the typhoon destruction and loss of power on our FR24 network are this:

Working either on generator or a typhoon proof location:

F-RPLL1 (Manila) Manila NAIA Airport, Ok, not interrupted feeding.
F-RPVM1 (Cebu Mactan Airport) No Serious exposure, Online Reliable.
F-RPVT1 (Bohol) Bohol Tagbilaran Airport, Online, No Serious exposure.
F-RPVD1 (Dumaguete/Sibulan) Negros Oriental, Dumaguete Airport, Online No serious exposure.
T-RPVD2 (Siquijor Province) across from Negros Oriental, Dumaguete Airport, Online No serious exposure.
F-RPWD1 (Davao) Davao Mindanao Airport, Online No serious exposure.
F-RPMZ1 (Zamboanga) Zamboanga Mindanao Airport, Online No serious exposure.
F-RPVB1 (Bacolod/Silay) Negros Occidental. Online No serious exposure.

Locations that are offline due to typhoon destruction-power outage or other problems:

F-RPLL2 (Manila) Off-line
F-RPMB1 (General Santos) General Santos receiver site has been missing for a long time due to unknown reasons.
F-RPLP1 (Legazpi) Legazpi Albay Airport. The typhoon eye wall followed the coastline and had 185 kph winds probably destroying the receiver site. Power outage alone will keep it off line for maybe a week even if the location was not destroyed.

Two new receiver locations in the Philippines should show up this week.

Due to privacy concerns there has only been limited contact here in the Philippines to collaborate among ourselves.

Again those here in the Philippines who wish to network here are my local numbers:

Globe 09166038327
Smart 09085291286

John

F-RPVD1

Thanks for your detailed assessment of the receivers in Philippines. Yes I note there is two new receivers out of the 3 that is still waiting to be activated. Hopefully one will be around Pahlawan/Puerto Princesa... fingers crossed.