FR24feed uploader - Additional Info

[Oblivian]

DATA AND HOW IT RELATES TO FR24FEED AND RECEIVERS

Aircraft send different types of small data packets.
Much of the data you see on FlightRadar (or any track sites) is a mixture of received transponder data, database and 3rd party information grouped to populate the additional fields and calculated data

http://woodair.net/sbs/article/bareb...ocket_data.htm

What must be understood is the HEX displayed CAN NOT be changed as it is part of the data sent from aircraft. Hard coded to the transponder, and should be changed when aircraft exported to different country (often not)

Only registration and other details referenced/associated to the HEX can be adjusted

Standard message from aircraft (decoded):

MSG,3,333,111,7C77FA,211,2019/03/23,14:22:16.487,2019/03/23,14:22:16.487,,33000,,,-41.39008,171.26131,,,0,0,0,0
MSG,3,333,107,C8216E,207,2019/03/23,14:22:16.487,2019/03/23,14:22:16.487,,36025,,,-40.95753,173.33350,,,0,0,0,0
MSG,3,333,91,C81D8E,191,2019/03/23,14:22:16.487,2019/03/23,14:22:16.487,,3800,,,-43.41779,172.38673,,,0,0,0,0
MSG,3,333,96,C8195B,196,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,,21000,,,-43.68602,172.20180,,,0,0,0,0
MSG,6,333,104,C81845,204,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,,20525,,,,,,1422,0,0,0,0
MSG,6,333,104,C81845,204,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,,20525,,,,,,1422,0,0,0,0
MSG,8,333,96,C8195B,196,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,,,,,,,,,,,,0
MSG,6,333,103,7C6B0B,203,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,,26175,,,,,,5556,0,0,0,0
MSG,6,333,104,C81845,204,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,2019/03/23,14:22:16.542,,20525,,,,,,1422,0,0,0,0
MSG,6,333,105,C8237A,205,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,,9925,,,,,,5553,0,0,0,0
MSG,6,333,105,C8237A,205,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,,9925,,,,,,5553,0,0,0,0
MSG,4,333,111,7C77FA,211,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,,,465.0,88.9,,,0,,,,,

As the link details the data is formatted as:
Data Type, Message type, Session ID, AircraftID, Hex, FlightID, Date (gen), Time(gen), Date, Time, Callsign, Altitude, GoundSpeed, Track (EW NS Calc), lat, Lon, VRate, SQ, (other flags and on ground/taxi flag)

2 messages were received from 7C77FA, An Airborne Position update, and an airborne Velocity update
(Missing type 6 Squawk/callsign identifier as seen
MSG,6,333,105,C8237A,205,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,2019/03/23,14:22:16.543,,9925,,,,,,5553,0,0,0,0)

MSG = Downlink
3 = Position update
7C77FA = HEX
2019/03/23 = Date message created
14:22:16.487 = Time Message Created
33000 = Altitude
-41.39008 = Latitude from GPS
171.26131 = Longitude from GPS

MSG = Downlink
4 = Velocity Update
7C77FA = Hex
2019/03/23 = Date Message Created
14:22:16.543 = Time Message Created
465.0 = Ground Speed
88.9 = Track
0 = Vertical rate neutral/cruise

Non GPS equipped aircraft may only supply message, HEX, Time, Squawk, Altitude

The server uses this basic data to calculate positions/Calibrated adjustments/Direction etc

datasources.jpg

[Oblivian]

UPDATED USB BEAST SHARING OTHER PROGRAMS/FEEDERS

Supplemental to preceding guides

Experienced issues with Pi FR24feed crashing as primary decoder of BEAST via USB after a period and multiple RAW data re-connection attempts

USB -> Pi -> FR24feed
FR24feed -> Planeplotter (raw 30334) + Piaware (raw 30334) + Database (30003) + ModeSMil (30003)

The more stable alternate:

FR24feed-Page-2.jpg

Install Beast-Splitter
- Utility to connect to BEAST and feed multiple formats/clients via TCP - similar to Dump1090 this requires sole control
- Disconnect USB BEAST if installed
- 2 Methods of install. Package Build, or using FlightFeeder repository

Option 1: Refer to abcd567 pre-built guide to build the git .deb directly
Click Here

Option 2:
Install FlightFeeder (refer external) which includes source information.
Sudo apt-get install beast-splitter


Ensure /dev/beast emulator Installed *1
- Should output 'beast' if found.

ls /dev | grep beast

Test beast-splitter *2

Connect BEAST USB cable

beast-splitter --serial /dev/beast --listen 30333:B

If successful/ no errors - Ctrl-C
Working:

beast-splitter[23201]: serial(/dev/beast): autobaud selected 3000000 bps

Configure Service configuration

Sudo nano /etc/default/beast-splitter

ENABLED="yes" - Enables config when started as service
INPUT_OPTIONS="--serial /dev/beast" - configures for above /dev/beast device
OUTPUT_OPTIONS="--listen 30333:B" - creates classic beast output data on port 30333

Start as service

sudo service beast-splitter restart

sudo service beast-splitter status

beast-splitter.service - Mode S Beast data forwarder
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/beast-splitter.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Thu 2019-04-04 20:45:28 NZDT; 5min ago
Docs: https://github.com/flightaware/beast-splitter
Main PID: 23201 (beast-splitter)
CGroup: /system.slice/beast-splitter.service
└─23201 /usr/bin/beast-splitter --serial /dev/beast --listen 30333:B --status-file /run/beast-splitter/status.json

<errors/output displayed here>

Configure FR24feed as normal.

Feed Type: Beast-TCP
Port/IP: Localhost:30333
Host/IP: Should remain blank
Process Arguments: Should remain blank

Restart feeder and ensure data working

Multiple other feeders can now be configured to use data from beast-splitter/30333 as a virtual Beast device

Notes:
*1
If 'Beast' is not reported, or blank result - install device rules with the following

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/beast-splitter.rules

Add this data

ACTION=="remove", GOTO="beast_splitter_end"
SUBSYSTEM!="tty", GOTO="beast_splitter_end"

IMPORT{builtin}="usb_id"
ENV{ID_MODEL}=="Mode-S_Beast*", ENV{ID_USB_INTERFACE_NUM}=="00", SYMLINK+="beas$

LABEL="beast_splitter_end"

*2
Default port is 30005 - changed to 30333 to prevent conflict to any system with dump1090/FlightAware installed
Individual configurations may vary
B denotes classic beast. R can be used for purchased radarcapes to add GPS data

[Oblivian]

DUMP1090 MAP OUTPUT FOR BEAST RECEIVER

Work in progress..

Dump1090 is NOT needed or installed by fr24feed for a non DVBT/USB beast receiver. As a result some functionality is lost for local map views without using 3rd party apps like VRS or similar

Supplemental to the above guide installing beast-splitter for Mode-S beast. It is also possible to re-instate a dump1090 like map on a PI itself if desired.

If dump1090 is not installed with the fr24feed bundle, you can install it per guides found stickied on this forum

Edit the default Dump1090 config to adjust for network based data only

Set the receiver to network traffic

--net-only --net-bo-port 0

This disables the SDR/TV stick search and starts listening for data on network instead. '--net-bo-port 0' Switches off port 30005 which can conflict with other open ports.

--net --net-heartbeat 60 --net-ro-size 1000 --net-ro-interval 1 --net-ri-port 0 --net-ro-port 0 --net-sbs-port 0 --net-bi-port 30004,30104

This also turns off:
port 30001 (net-ri-port)
port 30002 (net-ro-port)
port 30003 (net-sbs-port)

The last setting is the source for the data. In my case --net-bi-port 30004,30104
Port 30104 is for MLAT results returned from FlightAware client (only possible when FA installed, or append beast-splitter to push beast data with --connect localhost:30104:B )
Port 30004 is a default Dump1090 beast input

Restart dump1090
sudo systemctl restart dump1090-x

Check for open ports:
sudo netstat -tlp

Results should appear similar to:

tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:30003           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      31396/fr24feed
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:30004           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      7269/dump1090-fa
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:30033           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      3068/beast-splitter
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:30104           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      21460/dump1090-fa

You can see my choice of Dump1090 is listening for data on port 30004 + 30104(in), Splitter is listening for connections 30033, and fr24feed also supplying SBS on 30003 due to option enabled

Test map output does not state dump1090 is unavailable

With luck the map will begin to populate with local data as expected



Addendum:
This setup can also work if you have SBS format 30003 data out from fr24feed or similar by adjusting the Dump1090 config to include

--net-sbs-port 30003