Show / Describe your FR24 hardware

[T-EDSB36]

Presentation of my ADS-B-Reception setup after one year of Feeding to FR24

Dear Flightradar-Feeders and ADS-B-Fanatics,

according to my FR24-Statistics page, I have been First seen online 2016-06-13 09:49:20

For this 1-year-anniversary I am very proud to present my actual hardware for the reception and processing of ADS-B-Signals. Please feel free to comment about its pros and cons.

First of all, I wasted nearly a whole year fumbling around with different USB-Cables connecting the DVB-T-Stick and 5V-Power-Adaptors for the Raspberry Pi Using the wrong cable or a poor power supply will result in dump1090 crashing, since there is not enough voltage left for the stick. Finally after about 1 year the whole stuff is running stable to my satisfaction.

Actually, I am using a homebrew 8-elements-collinear-antenna made of coaxial-cable hauled from an abandoned satellite-dish-installation. The antenna resides in a 16mm-PVC-tube and is attached near the roof of my flat in Karlsruhe, Germany (my landlord is cool with that and the these powerlines seem closer as they are ). Height above ground is about 10 meters:

20170611_105846.jpg

There is a little sight-obstruction to eastern directions by the roof, but I have no better possibility for the installation. (maybe one day, a biquad and another receiver will add more coverage to that orientation). The antenna is designed like the following schematic:

Bild9-32.gif

After more than 5 meters (or about 20 wavelengths) of the same coaxial-cable the antenna is made of, the signals reach the receiver, which is housed in an empty PSU-case:

20170611_105923.jpg

As one can see, both the 230V-inlet connector for non-heating apparatus and the cooling-fan (running at 5V now) are still in use. please take a closer look at the unplugged device:

20170610_140611.jpg

The ethernet-connector sits at the former place of the 110/220V-switch (had to do a little rasping, though). Fun fact: the washers and the nuts holding the connector in place have been hauled from an old tube radio The next and final picture of my setup shows the inner life:

20170610_140918.jpg

It is featuring a NooElec R820T2-Stick connected to a Raspberry Pi B running a minibian installation with dump1090-mutability. The power-supply is connected via terminal-strips to the power-switch of the PSU (hidden under that red cluster of duct tape). It was still a little creepy doing that wiring, but the metal-case is grounded, so what?

I stated a little decrease in processed signals since I switched to the new case setup compared to the flying construction I had used before. see the following posting for yesterday's reception report... I am blaming the high-frequency interference inside the case or the newly installed BNC-SMA-pigtail-cable (the MCX-connector at the stick was replaced by SMA for contact reasons, I recommend doing that urgently) therfor. My next projects for improving range and signal strength are using entirely 50-Ohms for antenna, cable and connectors (actually, there are also belling-lee plugs used ) and optionally some kind of Low Noise Amplifier+Filter.

Since I cannot post URLs yet and I don't wanna get my Raspberry to be DDOS'ed, please PN me for a temporary link to the http-server provided by dump1090, if wanted.

Kind regards from Germany,
Michael

[T-EDSB36]

Yesterday's report, due to limit of 5 pictures/post:

2017-06-12.jpg


Waterfall-Diagram of the signal at 1090 MHz, that reaches the receiver:

19126238_1442987695762748_1509905699_o.jpg

[NetRanger]

Wow,what a great idea,might have a crack at one like this myself.

[AirlinerSpotter]

Receiver(s)
FR24 receiver

Antenna(s)
FR24 supplied 1090 MHz

Software
Virtual Radar Server
ADSB Scope
ModeSMixer

Range
FR24 Receiver range from VRS with Range Rings at 25nm increments up to 225nm.


The gap to the west is caused by my neighbors two story house with a large roof (almost a whole floor in height )
The gap to the north-west is from a park with tall palm trees across the street.
As there is no east-west traffic in range of the feeder there is a nice gap towards the south.

FR24 Receiver range from VRS with Altitude Range at 25nm increments up to 225nm.


Setup



The galvanized steel pipe is 0.47m (1ft 6") above ground level.
The FR24 antenna base is at at 10.6m (34ft 9") above ground level while the other antennas are at 5m (16ft 4") above ground level.

The FR24 coax cable is just long enough to reach the top of my window where the feeder is located so that's why I could not put the antenna any higher.

I plan on moving the PlaneFinder and FligtAware antennas to the top and change the construction resulting in a height of 13.5m (44ft 3") above ground level for the antennas. But it's going to take a lot of planning and work.

Hello, I am not an expert and would like to ask a basic question:
Is there a reason to have 1 antenna for each system or would one antenna connected on RPi feeding the 3 websites give the same results ?
Thank you for your guidance and best regards

[Stealth]

You can feed multiple websites from one RPi using just the one antenna.

[Oblivian]

You can, but some like to compare hardware side by side in a test environment (and there was/is? providers that contractually restrict who you send data to from their hardware)

Sent from my XT1092 using Tapatalk

[AirlinerSpotter]

You can feed multiple websites from one RPi using just the one antenna.

Thank you, it is what I am doing with my RPi indeed.
Maybe my question was not clear.
Is the result better if you use the original company receiver or is it the same if you use a RPi?
I believe the result should be exactly the same because I believe it’s only the antenna that masters.
Am I right?

[Stealth]

Thank you, it is what I am doing with my RPi indeed.
Maybe my question was not clear.
Is the result better if you use the original company receiver or is it the same if you use a RPi?
I believe the result should be exactly the same because I believe it’s only the antenna that masters.
Am I right?

That would depend on the quality of the receiver, its sensitivity, filtering etc etc. Remember that the RPi in the ADSB sense is only as good as the receiver device you attach to it, after all it is just a computer.

[wx4tcc]

Great ideas and pictures everyone! I am wanting to build my own outdoor box but I just am not sure if it needs to be 100% waterproof and enclosed or if it needs vents and or a fan? I live in the US in Oklahoma and the box would be facing the west side of the apartment getting the PM sun where our temps outside reach ~100F/~38C with relatively low humidity. We are currently heading towards fall/winter so our hot days are mostly gone already.

[T-EDSB36]

Dear Kenny,

I have described my equipment here https://forum.flightradar24.com/thre...ll=1#post92475. As you can see all the electric components are stored in the case of a derelict PSU. The fan works with 5V from the power source to prevent overheating (dump1090 causes about 20-40% CPU load to the Raspberry Pi). I stored it outside, but in a dry and roofed place. Due to the permanent ventilation, some dust accumulates inside the case over the time (I have disassembled it recently). I suggest using a grounded metal case to prevent QRM.

Kind regards from Karlsruhe, Germany!

73 Michael

[IZ8292SWL]

My ADS-B setup project

Hi Guys!
Here is my setup

Hardware used:
Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (3A power supply)
Dump1090 provided by Flightradar24 (i use my own API to show the map without the limitations)
Generic RTL-SDR Dongle (R820T2 Chip) + stock mini antenna modified to match the 1090mhz range.
USB extension cord
Ferrite bead
Gewiss Junction box 240x140x90 (Model GW44208)
Power Cable, white color.
Black clips with adhesive tape to maintain the cables firm.

My Flightradar24 radar name is T-LIRN24
Airport: Naples, Italy

Currently my maximum range is of 100nm

Thinking of buying a new antenna to put on the roof.

prima.jpg

Also, i have a PDF with all the details but can't post it here.
Here is another picture with the setup running.
Obviously everything is closed and water tight.

20181129_143548.jpg

What's yours?

Cheers!

[lgad1]

Saturday Morning:
IMG_E5601.jpg

Saturday Afternoon:
IMG_5635.jpg

By using FlightAware N-Type Antenna 5.5dBi all initial tests in the temporary location was very good.
Next weekend device will be moved to the permanent location near LXS/ LGLM airport in Greece.

Details about all parts used for this project and the radar name will follow.

[lgad1]

Saturday Morning:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10326[/ATTACH]

Saturday Afternoon:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10327[/ATTACH]

By using FlightAware N-Type Antenna 5.5dBi all initial tests in the temporary location was very good.
Next weekend device will be moved to the permanent location near LXS/ LGLM airport in Greece.

Details about all parts used for this project and the radar name will follow.

As promised, my new radar is in operation, with name T-LGLM1.

Below is a list with the parts used for this implementation:

1. Raspberry Pi 3 - Model B+
2. Raspberry Pi Power over Ethernet (PoE) HAT
3. Tp-Link PoE Injector TL-PoE150S
4. Kingston Micro Industrial SDHC 16GB Class 10 SDCIT/16GB
5. FlightAware 1090MHz ADS-B N-Type Antenna 26" - 5.5dBi
6. FlightAware Pro Stick Plus (USB SDR ADS-B Receiver)
7. Hyperflex 5 Coaxial cable (4.5 meters)
8. N connector (CO.N.54M-S)
9. SMA connector (C.SMA.HYF5M-CR)
10. Waterproof Ethernet Cable Gland - RJ45 Male to RJ45 Female
11. IP66 Junction Box171X121X80 mm

[viking05]

Are you guys really using the RPI in a box outdoors? 365 days a year?
I'd really wonder if this is working, I don't think so

[wiedehopf]

A secondary sun shield to keep the entire box from overheating probably helps.

But with a fan why shouldn't it work? In the winter the heat of the pi keeps the complete box at least a little bit dry or drives out moisture that might get in.

What do you think would fail?