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less bulky RTL2832U dongle, that does not block 3 USB ports from the Pi

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  • less bulky RTL2832U dongle, that does not block 3 USB ports from the Pi

    Hi users,

    I am currently using a RTL2832U like that one: http://www.ebay.de/itm/RTL2832U-R820...-/191481882305

    It is known to work well, but the stick is really bulky and blocks two additional USB ports from the Raspberry Pi.
    Putting it on a cable extension is not an option: the voltage drop ist too important to guarantee a good fnuction of this power-hungry stick.
    I am currently running it from a powered USB hub, but that makes a lot of uncool cables...

    Which stick in the same price category would be as good for DUMP1090 and be less bulky?

    Thank you for any advice.

    Regards

    Laszlo

  • #2
    I use the same stick on an RPI 2 attached to a 5m USB3 extension and have no voltage drops, I also have an RPI B connected to a 10M repeater extension again no issues. I tested the stick with and with out the extension and it made no difference in performance to the data received.

    It has been said that voltage drops on the RPI can be caused by poor quality power adaptors. I use iPad power supply's and provide more than the minimum required.

    You can get a smaller stick like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-USB-D.../131719552829? but 'im unsure if anyone has had any success with them.

    EGGD11
    T-EGGD11 -- RTL2832U / R820T+ Raspberry Pi2 + Dump1090, FR24, PF. Cantena 248Mi 0ft ASL
    T-EGGD21 -- RTL2832U / R820T+ Raspberry Pi + Dump1090, FR24, PF. Home made COCO 257Mi 600ft ASL

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    • #3
      See these ones, sold on a number of sites, I have one plugged directly into my RPi2 and I can get two other standard USB cables into the lower ports.
      Michael
      Palmerston North,
      New Zealand
      ex-FR24 Feeder

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      • #4
        Originally posted by RIN67630 View Post

        Putting it on a cable extension is not an option: the voltage drop ist too important to guarantee a good fnuction of this power-hungry stick.
        I am currently running it from a powered USB hub, but that makes a lot of uncool cables...
        Is your pi able to power the stick you have now directly from a USB port? If not, a smaller stick will probably not work any better and you have a power problem to your RPi. You should be able to use a 6" USB extension cable to connect your stick to the pi with minimal voltage loss. How are you powering your pi? Long cables don't work well for input power.

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        • #5
          I ordered these two types from ebay to compare them
          2016-03-20 22.02.10.jpg2016-03-20 22.02.27.jpg

          The black one is less bulky and its possible to use a usb cable in all the 3 remaing ports. They both get +200NM with a homemade spider antenna (Its the installation location that makes me impossible to reach longer)

          ebay link

          But I also advice you to check your power supply, while testing I was using a 3 meter usb cable between te pi (gen1 model B+) and the DVB-T dongle that was driven with a 2,1A phone charger

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          • #6
            I am now powering my Pi from an older Panasonic Power suppy intended for video cameras. The power supply is well manufactured, with enough electrical safety and HF decoupling parts. I delivers 5,3v at 1,6A.
            I do not use the Micro-USB connector and have been soldering the power supply directly to the Pi fuse.
            So I could finally get rid of the USB-Hub. I just have partially stripped the blue plastic case from the dongle, now it lets me use the other ports as well.

            Comment


            • #7
              I have my RPI2 powered by an ipad usb adaptor, my dongle is attached to a 10m usb repeater cable allowing for the RPI to stay in the house for ease of access, this also allows for a shorter coax to antenna.
              T-EGGD11 -- RTL2832U / R820T+ Raspberry Pi2 + Dump1090, FR24, PF. Cantena 248Mi 0ft ASL
              T-EGGD21 -- RTL2832U / R820T+ Raspberry Pi + Dump1090, FR24, PF. Home made COCO 257Mi 600ft ASL

              Comment


              • #8
                My Pi B is fed from a POE to 5v adaptor powered over 100' of CAT5 flooded cable from a Buffalo 1.5A POE injector. The Pi is powered though the Micro-USB port, and powers the Nooelec 820T2 via the USB port over a 8" USB extender cable, and also powers a 5v 15dB LNA via the Pi GPIO header. No issues. Running 24/7 feeding my VRS.

                A 6" USB extender cable isn't going to make any significant bit of difference, voltage wise, if that's what it takes to free up the other ports for you. What else besides the RTL you are powering from the Pi?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by K5TED View Post
                  A 6" USB extender cable isn't going to make any significant bit of difference, voltage wise, if that's what it takes to free up the other ports for you. What else besides the RTL you are powering from the Pi?
                  If you want to house everything in a neat case, every additional extender cable adds clutter and useless volume.
                  In fact the mentionned dongle has only a very bulky plastic envelope. If you get rid of it, you get access to all ports.

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                  • #10
                    There are some nano size rtl devices by noolec

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by RIN67630 View Post
                      If you want to house everything in a neat case, every additional extender cable adds clutter and useless volume.
                      In fact the mentionned dongle has only a very bulky plastic envelope. If you get rid of it, you get access to all ports.
                      The smallest similar device would be the NooElec NESDR Nano 2. It too, hhas a removeable case. Or.. you can go bigger on the case and make it easy to work on..

                      RPi1.jpg

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        This thread creator's original question "less bulky RTL2832U dongle, that does not block 3 USB ports from the Pi" is still unanswered. No one has come up with a solution to this problem.

                        A Bulkier stick:
                        Flightaware has today announced "Flightaware Pro Stick", USB R820T2 with a built-in 19 dB RF amplifier (0.4 dB noise) for $16.95 at Amazon.com. Currently it is available for shipment to USA only, but by April they plan it to be made available worldwide.






                        Last edited by abcd567; 2016-03-25, 21:01.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by abcd567 View Post
                          This thread creator's original question "less bulky RTL2832U dongle, that does not block 3 USB ports from the Pi" is still unanswered. No one has come up with a solution to this problem.

                          A Bulkier stick:
                          Flightaware has today announced "Flightaware Pro Stick", USB R820T2 with a built-in 19 dB RF amplifier (0.4 dB noise) for $16.95 at Amazon.com. Currently it is available for shipment to USA only, but by April they plan it to be made available worldwide.

                          Ouch! that looks very dilettantic!
                          They are advertising an "ADS-B optimized" stick and are delivering it with the stock crappy whip antenna, that is not suitable at all for 1090Mhz?
                          Anyhow the Nooelec stick has more than enough gain!
                          The main problem is frequently the saturation from other frequencies, and -of course- bad antennas with horrible losses in the transmission cables.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by RIN67630 View Post
                            Ouch! that looks very dilettantic!
                            They are advertising an "ADS-B optimized" stick and are delivering it with the stock crappy whip antenna, that is not suitable at all for 1090Mhz?
                            Anyhow the Nooelec stick has more than enough gain!
                            The main problem is frequently the saturation from other frequencies, and -of course- bad antennas with horrible losses in the transmission cables.
                            If you see pro stick's photo at its original location (http://flightaware.com/adsb/prostick/) you will find written below the photo "Raspberry Pi and antenna not included".

                            The built-in amplifier helps reduce losses due to transmission and bad antenna without need for additional equipment (amplifier, power insertor, ac/dc adaptor, dc blocker).

                            The negetive point is that amplifier is not located at its optimum location (near the antenna) but at the receiver, which means it will amplify all noise if the feeder coax is located in a RF noisy area.
                            Last edited by abcd567; 2016-03-26, 03:43.

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                            • #15
                              Use an extender or take off the case.
                              Last edited by K5TED; 2016-03-27, 04:30.

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