Concerning USB cables, Lots of variations out there. I look for ones with the writing on the outside, and look for the numbers with AWG next to them. This is the wire gauge size, with lower numbers being larger to carry more current with less voltage drop. One of my cables has “28AWG+24AWGx2C” on the printing. The 28AWG part are the data cables, and the 24AWGx2C part is the power lines. It is a thick cable relative to other USB cables around here. Lower numbers are better. The one I use with an Airspy R2 receiver has #22 wires. Shorter cables are better than longer ones, less voltage drop. Avoiding loops seems to help, Ferrite chokes on the cables limits noise on the power wires, but may interfere somewhat on the data wires. I usually try to run without the ferrite choke if I can.
There are no perfect solutions, only minimization of whatever constraints on our systems we can identify. As you found out, the power supply can make a huge difference.
Have fun improving and tweaking the system, no rule says you cannot try changes and see what happens. I admit to “adjusting things” too often, sometimes it even helps.
I’m going to eliminate the Cable between the Pi and the receiver.
I have a spare one which I can dedicate to this task.
I’m assuming I won’t get the same issue if the lead is moved to purely delivering power to the PI.
The data part will be directly connected
Thanks, I will do
Currently, I have two options local power in the attic and approximately 1.5 m of power cable to the pi with a pi directly connected to the receiver.
Or the pi directly connected to the receiver as above, but with the 3m power only cable, so that I can remotely turn it on and off without having to access the loft.
Pi 2 only needs around 350mA, so should be fine
Before remote power off, shut the Pi 2 down via the Flightaware Site Configuration / Device Commands / Halt Device. Sometimes if the power is stopped while a SD Card write is in progress, the SD card can become unusable. Not always, but it does happen. If I am near a pi, and can see the yellow LED, I can usually shut it off just after the yellow LED goes out. I think I have been lucky though…
ok, so new Pi installed… But think i have messed up, attempted to install dum1090-fa but failed…
Reverted back to dump1090-Muli but now getting an error:
● lighttpd.service - Lighttpd Daemon
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/lighttpd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2024-03-20 22:47:29 GMT; 57ms ago
Process: 3757 ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/lighttpd -tt -f /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf (code=exited, status=255/EXCEPTION)
CPU: 1.834s
Mar 20 22:47:29 FlightRadar systemd[1]: Failed to start Lighttpd Daemon.
any help to purge -Fa first to jsut get back up an running
I used:
sudo service dump1090-fa stop
sudo apt-get remove dump1090-fa
should that have done it?
as when I reinstall the FR24 Feed i get:
Verifying sharing key…Got no response or empty response from the server 
Thanks
As I recall, after the remove action, you probably needed to reinstall dump1090-fa. Since there was no dump program on the system, FR24 installed the muit version. I know, painful oops, and we have all done it sometime, well, except some of the major names here. Not as bad as the client I had complaining about her computer would not turn on. I traveled way over to her home, and found the power strip plugged into itself. Such is life.
So, do a stop then remove on the dump1090-mutiability version, install the FA version and hopefully all will be good again. You got this.
Thanks, and instructions on installing the FA version?
I followed: How to correctly replace dump1090-mutability with dump1090-fa? - Flightradar24 Forum
its a start!
Be sure to do the stop then remove on the dump1090-mutiability version portion, otherwize dump1090-fa may not be installed.
Flightaware has some good instructions here: PiAware - dump1090 ADS-B integration with FlightAware - FlightAware
The steps from #2 and beyond will likely get you up and running nicely. If something is already installed, the code will jump around that part and do what ever else needs to be done. MLAT will also be installed and started too.
In switching from dump1090–fa to dump1090-mutability (or vice versa), the mess is creared by residual lighttpd configuration. Therefore after removing of dump1090 (fa or mutability) do not forget to do following:
sudo apt purge lighttpd
sudo rm -rf /etc/lighttpd
When next any type of dump1090 is installed, it automatically installs lighttpd with lighttpd config matching to itself, and as there is no residual config folder /etc/lighttpd from previou installs, there will be no conflict and no mess.
Thanks, thats the one i followed.
Thanks…
I managed to get it all up and working…
Here is what I have now:
Pi2:
Dump1090-FA, Graph1090, VirtualRadar, FR24Feed
Pi4:
PiHole
I managed to remove everything from the Pi4, but could not find how to remove VRS… There is an install script, but could not seem to find the uninstall…
How I’m back to “normal” what would be best for range? I know there are many components…
But im assuming, high gain, and as much height as i could get?
Thanks to everyone for the support to get me here.
Height helps a lot, especially if it gets you above obstructions like trees or your neighbor’s roof.
Gain is not necessarily your friend. Close by aircraft could overload your receiver at high gain settings and actually reduce your range. I’ve been playing with my settings the last few days because I have lots of nearby General Aviation traffic that’s causing my adaptive burst to go crazy, and so I know I’m not getting the range I should. I’m looking for an optimal setting. You’ll need to adjust your settings over time to optimize your gain, as well.
You can also look at higher-fidelity SDRs, such as the Airspy2 or Airspy Mini. There are others out there, too. I’m not sure how well that will run on a Pi2, and it requires more installation work and external power to get it to run.
And it requires a filtered preamp and a Raspberry (or similar) with a higher performance. Otherwise these broadband devices are almost deaf and can bring a Raspberry to its performance limits
For optimal gain you should have graphs1090 installed. This is a good indication while testing different gain levels.
And finally nearby electronic senders which work on a similar frequency can have a negative impact as well.
Not sure if i read it here, but somebodys reception went down 50% just because a new transmitter somewhere in the neighborhood appeared.
@6686L What’s even more odd is why you care. Have you taken a look around this forum? I haven’t seen any prerequisite that you must be an aviator to have any interest in aviation, or ADS-B.
What I have seen, is a bunch of people (aviators and non-aviators) who have a passion and interest in aviation. GA is dying and has been for years. If anything, it should excite you that a non-aviator is taking interest, and encourage/help him in any way that you can, instead of uselessly gatekeeping and trolling the guy.
It is somewhat interesting knowing what the noise above you is from. (type, maybe route for commercial planes, no signal for a jet which usually means it’s military …)
ADS-B makes that possible in a lot of cases.
Quite a few people just do it similar to radio hobbyists who try to receive distant signals.
Now there is also people who want to know about famous people but i don’t think it’s a big percentage of people who have a receiver.
@6686L I rest my case.
@6686L I rest my case. WE AGREE - GOOD ATTITUDE ENJOY YOUR CASE. I ENJOY MINE.
@6686L
This hobby has following aspects
(1) Aviation
(2) Radio Engineering & Electronics
(3) Computer Hardware
(4) Software Engineering
I dont know about others, but I have zero interest in item (1). My interest in this hobby are items (2), (3), and (4).
I have already apologized for my confusion over what these sites are for. Of course you have no interest in aviation - simply a “generation gap”…the difference in how we use and understand language. I am the odd one - my fault - clearly one of a decreasing minority in these sites who thought use of the term “Flight Aware” meant it was primarily for those directly involved in, or at least interested in aviation. Even in the “threads” i have looked at, (: SQUAWKS) most of the contributors are so called “enthusiasts”" rather than aviators, flight crew, IA’s, A & P’s etc. No question about it - for any number of good reasons, REAL aviation is not for everyone.
I can add a couple to that list:
My local airport is not accurate about updating departure and arrival times (I’ve seen a plane on the board that was still showing it’s scheduled arrival time - a three hour flight that I knew hadn’t taken off)
When a plane comes into range of “my” station, it’s time to head off to meet it.
If you are a passenger on a prospective flight, the alerts are often the first indication of a delay or other problem.
Seeing planes divert or circle says a lot about the weather - very useful to farmers and boating.
@6686L you are correct on one point - few people “give a damn” where some random tricycle is or what it’s doing (unless it is on fire).
A final point - try not to be so condescending and insulting to the people who (at their own expense) generate the data