Any changes to Beast MLAT format in Piaware 3?

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
1

Probably a question for @obj

I set up Piaware to have Beast output on another port:


sudo piaware-config mlat-results-format "beast,connect,localhost:30104 beast,listen,31005"

Then I combine the 30005 and 31005 outputs using modesmixer2 to output to another map display.

With Piaware 2, this works fine. With Piaware 3, the returned MLAT on port 31005 is not being recognised. My set up is correct since I can combine the data from Piaware 3 in VRS to see the MLATs.

While I could use VRS to combine the data and then output to my map display of choice, the simple modesmixer2 command line is lighter on resources for my low power server.

Hence my question: did anything change in Piaware 3 to cause the effect I’m seeing?

2

mlat-client now returns results as DF 18 TIS-B positions.
modesmixer apparently doesn’t understand those.
As modesmixer is closed source, I can’t offer a fix for that, you will need to contact the modesmixer author.

3

I use Piaware 3 ‘Beast Splitter’ with ModeS Beast and get both TIS-B and MLAT on dump1090-fa display. Also use the ‘Beast Splitter’ outputs on 30005 and 31005 combined with ModeSmixer2 and display both TIS-B and MLAT on Planeplotter with no problems. Perhaps your ‘other map display’ does not support DF18 messages.

4

Thanks for the info “obj”.

That does allow me to pass it on to the author of modesmixer2 to see of he can fix it.

5

VRS rebroadcast doesn’t work quite as expected either.

ADSB and MLAT data can be input as Beast/AVR format and merged to display on a map.

But trying to rebroadcast as AVR generates an error - only Basestation output works.

Looks like that will do - not sure if the difference between AVR and Basestation format matters?

6

The fundamental difference is that Beast/AVR format is transferring the raw messages, and Basestation is transferring a decoded form of the message. You lose information going from Beast/AVR to Basestation.

7

I am not aware of behaviour of version 2.x or 3.0, but after upgrade to v3.1, I have once tested rebroadcast of merge feed of ADS-B and MLAT by VRS.

The rebroadcast of merged feed in Basestaton format worked ok, but the rebroadcast of merged feed in Beast/AVR format did not work.

8

abcd567: that exactly summarises my findings

9

I found the answer to my problem with modesmixer2 and Piaware 3 :smiley:

Had a look at beast-splitter which led me to an answer.

I had been using port 30006 Basestation format as the output of the combined ADSB and MLAT data to test in PlanePlotter (NOT networked!).

If I use Beast data format, the combined plots appear as expected.

Looks like the changes to Piaware have upset the modesmixer2 conversion to SBS30006 format. But combining Beast format still works ok.

So looks like I can upgrade my Piaware to version 3 now :wink: