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Airspy (hardware) + ADSBSpy (software) out performs the FR24 receiver.

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  • Airspy (hardware) + ADSBSpy (software) out performs the FR24 receiver.

    The Airspy, http://airspy.com/, is now providing better results on ADS-B reception than the standard FR24 receiver.
    Using this software: ADSBSpy, http://airspy.com/downloads/adsbspy-1.0.0.11.zip

    My own tests: FR24: 125 aircraft around 220nmi - Airspy 140 aircraft 230nmi.
    The Airspy is a clean receiver which uses no LNA.

    With a LNA some user has already reported 260nmi with an antenna inside the house behind a wall on the top floor: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ygr6wb0o8t...49.13.jpg?dl=0
    This is the result: http://i.imgur.com/UHvj3QX.png

    When using a preamp, http://ava.upuaut.net/store/index.ph...&product_id=85 the Airspy really becomes a premium ADS-B receiver.
    And of course, when you're not interested in ADS-B, you have a premium wide band receiver, 24 - 1800 MHz.

  • #2
    Jarod, I think you're comparing apples with oranges. I get about 20% more AC feeding FR24 box to VRS locally, about the same as you're getting with Airspy.
    F-KDAG1

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Patrick Reeves View Post
      Jarod, I think you're comparing apples with oranges. I get about 20% more AC feeding FR24 box to VRS locally, about the same as you're getting with Airspy.
      ??
      I compared both. The airspy decodes faster, more and further. How is that comparing apples and oranges?

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      • #4
        I have replaced my TV stick/Raspberry Pi module (T-YSCN8) with the Airspy via Windows 7. I get slightly more aircraft on the Airspy compared to the FR24 box (F-YSCN2) even though I am using a simple cantenna on the Airspy. I can imagine that the performance with the FR24 antenna will be even better.

        The FR24 box reports about 50% more messages decoded. This is probably due to the extra gain and lower noise from the antenna, but the Airspy beats the Raspberry Pi/TV dongle combination hands down.
        Last edited by stanno; 2015-05-05, 10:42.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Jarod View Post
          ??
          I compared both. The airspy decodes faster, more and further. How is that comparing apples and oranges?
          Airspy is a multi-use wideband receiver. The FR24 box is a single purpose 1090MHZ receiver. If you scroll through the FR24 log you will see that about 20% of the aircraft are removed.

          2015-05-05 06:17:00 | [feed][i]removed 13 of 60 AC
          2015-05-05 06:22:00 | [feed][i]removed 15 of 51 AC
          2015-05-05 06:27:01 | [feed][i]removed 8 of 43 AC
          2015-05-05 06:32:03 | [feed][i]removed 11 of 45 AC


          Speed. The FR24 box ships the data to Sweden (in my case, 83.xxx.xx.xx - halfway around the world) merges the data (probably in MYSQL) then rebroadcasts it to the FR24 website. So you have to account for the latency when comparing your local Airspy traffic on your local host.

          Bottom line, I'm an Aviation buff, not a radio guy. I like watching AC traffic around the world. looking at local traffic is amusing, but the two aren't the same. Apples and oranges.
          F-KDAG1

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          • #6
            I am comparing the data direct from my local decoders - apples and apples.

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            • #7
              FR24 receiver focus is quality and not quantity. There are so many different receivers and decoders out there giving very different results. I think most people has noticed that quality of tracks today is much better compared to 2-3-4 years ago and we will continue focusing on the data quality instead of getting the extra frame with possible bad data.

              You may also be comparing different numbers. For example Basestation software is showing number of tracked aircraft within the cache setting where default value is 60 seconds I think. Of course you will get a higher value if you count all contacts during 60 seconds, and contacts exactly right NOW that FR24 show.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Mike View Post
                FR24 receiver focus is quality and not quantity. There are so many different receivers and decoders out there giving very different results. I think most people has noticed that quality of tracks today is much better compared to 2-3-4 years ago and we will continue focusing on the data quality instead of getting the extra frame with possible bad data.

                You may also be comparing different numbers. For example Basestation software is showing number of tracked within the cache setting where default value is 60 seconds I think. Of course you will get a higher value if you count all contacts during 60 seconds, and contacts exactly right NOW that FR24 show.
                Hi Mike et al.

                You're right. Many decoders just try to brute-force broken frames to get more throughput. This gives a lot of CRC valid garbage and it's not suited for a large network like FR24. What makes things even worse is the "confidence" setting that trusts ICAOs based solely on the number of occurrences, which, I agree, is not optimal. I did that on ADSB# like all other decoders for the el-cheapo dongles because there are no alternatives.
                Now things are different with Airspy :-) The detection process is 100% deterministic and makes full use of the 12bit @ 20MSPS sampling in a commodity CPU. I'm also concerned about data quality and I think the equation has changed quite a bit with the new algorithm. I invite you to give it a try and assess its suitability for serious ADSB work.
                During all the development phase, I was benchmarking against a FR24 receiver because it's a robust and solid performer. Now I'm just offering a "softer" alternative.

                Youssef

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                • #9
                  This ham radio guy bench tests Airspy. It gets interesting about 5 minutes in. Never heard of decimation before.

                  F-KDAG1

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                  • #10
                    Some VRS statistics:
                    FR24:


                    Airspy + ADSBSpy 1.0.0.13:


                    And the results in VRS:



                    The Airspy reports 10-20 more aircrafts than FR24 in the list after within 2 minutes of run. The runs are done sequentially many times and give consistant results.

                    piopawlu i suggest you'd contact prog. It would be really nice to use these wonderful receivers to feed FR24 directly.
                    It would be awesome if you could just enter your FR24 key into the ADS-B program and start sharing.

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                    • #11
                      Jarod-
                      Been thinking about UAT, FIS-B,TIS-B. I have direct line of sight to an FAA ADS-B ground station. Can you see anything binary-like at 978MHZ?
                      I might spring $200 for one of these.
                      F-KDAG1

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                      • #12
                        Download the best SDR software and plugins for Airspy, RTL-SDR dongle and many other radios!


                        ADSB Spy rev 38 now has updated ADS-B decoding code.
                        Agreed with the comment: quality over quantify.

                        Well we now have both.
                        When FR24 does about 311 aircraft max in VRS, my Airspy R0 + ADSB Spy rev 38, did 462 aircraft.
                        Recommended (test) setting is FEC: 2

                        The difference now really is insane. More range, but also more ground signals, in my case Schiphol, visible in VRS.

                        The sad part is, the Airspy R0/R2 is no longer produced, but some new (better) version is in the making.
                        So i guess this post is for existing Airspy R0/R2 owners.

                        In my quick test i got about 3700 fps and don't mind the RSSI values when you have great range.


                        Again, the FR24 receivers are here to provide coverage for the site, hence they place lots of them.
                        The Airspy can be used for ADS-B DXing. Feeding too ofcourse, expect the top receivers to become even better

                        Update 1:
                        ADSB Spy rev 39, RSSI meassuring fixed, correct values now.

                        Update 2:
                        Rev 40 and 41 also updated. Rev 41 now downloadable.
                        Even more aircraft and range. RSSI can handle stronger signals and averages better.
                        FPS are lower, but more valid decodes.
                        Unusable frames very low and in my test no rejected ADS-B.
                        Last edited by Jarod; 2018-04-22, 12:02.

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                        • #13
                          v.1.0.0.48 now with DX mode!

                          I tried DX mode, FEC = 2 and worker threads = 4 on my Intel i7.
                          With DX mode on, ADSB Spy beats itself with around 40-50 AC making it peak to ~410 here.

                          Aircraft peak in VRS:
                          ADSB Spy defaults: ~410
                          ADSB Spy DX settings: ~360
                          FR24 receiver: ~305




                          VRS Statistics:

                          ADSB Spy DX:


                          ADSB Spy defaults:


                          FR24:

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                          • #14
                            A bit more DX fun due to weather conditions:

                            FR24:


                            Airspy R2:



                            Have fun DXing!

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                            • #15
                              So yeah, I changed over to an Airspy + Uputronics LNA and FA antenna. My previous setup was FA Pro adapter + filter and FA antenna.

                              Getting better range, and WAY more hits. I was chasing a couple other sites in the area, constantly ~100 planes a day behind. Now I'm easily 400 planes / day higher.

                              Capture.jpg

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