Thanks, I’ve learned something new today.
Since I don’t use the image it’s hard to tell what’s what.
Doesn’t it all go in the piaware config on the image?
The config files for the decoders are generated by the image if i’m not mistaken.
For the image, more info here
I’m going to have to study all this material a second time in case there is a pop quiz.
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Yes, you are right. I forgot this and told to edit these file, like in package install. Any changes made to config files in SD card image are lost at reboot.
I have not used piaware SD card image for a long time, using vanila Raspberry Pi OS with package install of piaware, dump1090-fa & dump978-fa. However from memory I think SD card img configurations can go in /boot/piaware-config.txt file by:
(1) Editing /boot/piaware-config.txt, scrolling down, and at bottom adding following lines:
feeder-id xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
receiver-type rtlsdr
rtlsdr-device-index 00001090
uat-receiver-type sdr
uat-sdr-device driver=rtlsdr,serial=00000978
OR
(2) Issuing following commands: These commands will automatically write these configs to the file /boot/piaware-config.txt
sudo piaware-config feeder-id xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
sudo piaware-config receiver-type rtlsdr
sudo piaware-config rtlsdr-device-index 00001090
sudo piaware-config uat-receiver-type sdr
sudo piaware-config uat-sdr-device driver=rtlsdr,serial=00000978
sudo systemctl restart piaware
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As I understand it, broylesj67 is using a blue FlightAware sdr dongle for 1090 and an orange FlightAware sdr dongle for 978. Doesn’t he have to serialize the orange sdr dongle? The reason I think that is the orange one is general purpose (could be used on 1090 or 978). On the other hand the blue one is 1090 only. I have a blue FlightAware dongle and I noticed it had a serial number 00001090. I don’t remember programming that, I think it came that way. So you wouldn’t need to serialize the blue dongle but you would need to serialize the orange one to 00000978.
You are correct, I have both dongles installed.
In addition, when I enter the command:
sudo piaware-config uat-receiver-type s
I get the following error message:
I truly appreciate all the help and ideas here!
According to abcd567 post the command should be:
sudo piaware-config uat-receiver-type sdr
A better way to post command line stuff is to use copy and paste.
Edit: oops, copy/paste can’t be used because your terminal is on the RPi.
Thank you! I didn’t scroll the text box!
Appreciate the tip!
Well I finally gave up on SSH and hooked up a monitor and a keyboard. abcd567’s instructions worked fine. I did NOT have to register serial numbers which I am glad about because that would have been my next list of questions! 
Thanks everyone for the help with this. Screenshot below.
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By “register serial numbers” do you mean programming serial numbers in sdr dongles? That means the dongles already have serial numbers: 00000978 (orange dongle) and 00001090 (blue dongle) respectively by default?
I have the UAT/978 running on the Pi but so far have had 0 contact.
The unit is set up on the base leg of runway 34 at Merrill field. Less than 1 mile from the strip. This is the busiest general aviation airport in Alaska. I definitely feel like something is wrong to have zero contacts.
Anyone have a thought?
Hi,
Looking at another online site, I spotted two recent departures from there that appear to be on 978. I would definitely expect you to receive those being that close.
Here is an FA link to one of them. If you look at the track details, it seems to confirm 978.
In my area (lower 48, Florida), the 978 traffic is very different from the 1090 traffic. On typical days I will have anywhere from 1100-1800 or so 1090 aircraft, but only 0-9 or so on 978. Yes, I understand the differences. In my area, most of the general aviation opted to go with the slightly more expensive, but much more visible 1090 when they decided to upgrade. The only reason I even bother with 978 is because of the rebroadcast ADS-R on 978 from a nearby tower. That tower also broadcasts on 1090 as well.
Regards,
-Dan
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Do you have 0 Aircraft Reported and 0 Positions Reported for UAT? If so then dump978-fa is probably not running. What does:
sudo systemctl status dump978-fa show?
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No it’s not running.
I think you need to serialize the sdr dongles in accordance with the first post of this thread by abcd567:
https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/how-to-serialize-dongles-for-es1090-uat978/48147
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How would I be able to tell if it is running? I serialized the dongles per the instructions above and still have no positions reported. I also have a similar, but not identical screenshot bellow. Thanks again!
It would look something like this if it were running:
● dump978-fa.service - dump978 ADS-B UAT receiver
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/dump978-fa.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Fri 2025-02-21 20:11:33 PST; 39min ago
Docs: https://flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/
Process: 2285043 ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/rtl_biast -b 1 -d 00000978 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Main PID: 2285058 (dump978-fa)
Tasks: 4 (limit: 1582)
CPU: 2min 20.651s
CGroup: /system.slice/dump978-fa.service
└─2285058 /usr/bin/dump978-fa --sdr driver=rtlsdr,serial=00000978 --format CS8 --sdr-gain 35 --raw-port 30978 --json-port 309>
Feb 21 20:11:34 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: Detached kernel driver
Feb 21 20:11:34 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Feb 21 20:11:34 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: Exact sample rate is: 2083333.135571 Hz
Feb 21 20:11:34 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: [R82XX] PLL not locked!
Feb 21 20:11:35 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: SoapySDR: using manual gain 35.0 dB
Feb 21 20:11:35 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: SoapySDR: using stream setting buffsize=262144
Feb 21 20:11:35 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: Allocating 15 zero-copy buffers
Feb 21 20:11:35 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: 0.0.0.0:30978: accepted a connection from 127.0.0.1:40942
Feb 21 20:11:37 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: [::]:30978: accepted a connection from [::1]:55924
Feb 21 20:12:02 raspberrypi dump978-fa[2285058]: [::]:30978: accepted a connection from [::1]:37532
You won’t have the line with the rtl_biast. Otherwise it should look something like the above.
On the second screen shot, the usb_claim_interface error -6 is due to the fact that dump978-fa is using the sdr dongle.
Try a reboot to see if dump978-fa starts up.
Edit to add: Is that 3rd screen shot after a reboot?
Yes the third shot is a what is displayed at reboot.
The first second shot shows the “assigned” serial numbers based on the instructions provided by abcd567.
I know I am missing something but I have performed all steps on exact order as communicated elsewhere.
I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that when I first installed pi aware I only had 1090? I can’t imagine the system caring if 978 came later, but I do feel I have done everything as directed.
Very frustrating!
Thanks for you help with this. Hopefully I am close to getting this working
Yeah it looks like the serial numbers are correct in the dongles. The only other thing you could do is check the serial numbers in the configuration file: cat /boot/piaware-config.txt are correct.
Other than that, I’m out of suggestions. Maybe someone else on here can help. As far as adding 978 later after just having 1090, that’s the way I did it. Course I don’t have the piaware image but rather the Debian package Add-on, so there’s that difference.
Possibly there’s something wrong with the SD card. Maybe start with a new SD card. The fact that ssh doesn’t work from the Mac Terminal is strange. You should be able to do ssh pi@192.168.40.69, and then use the default password flightaware when asked.
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