It should read “Ubuntu {Any Version} is a pain in the arse, period”. Do yourself a huge favor and use Debian. Too many Microsoftians got their grubby mitts on Ubuntu in recent years… Sneer at me now, thank me later.
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Thanks for the advice. You are right about Debian vs Ubuntu. This is my experience also.
On my Win10 Desktop, I tried WSL2, got fedup, and installed Oracle VM. I now have following on VM:
- Debian 10.5 amd64
- Kali Linux 2020.2 amd64
- Ubuntu 20.04 amd64
I also had Fedora, RHEL, Cent OS, OpenSuse, openBSD, on my Win 8.1 Desktop, but deleted all these recently when upgraded from Win 8.1 to Win10.
For my Pi4, I have following three (3) microSD cards ready with following OS + dump1090-fa + piaware + fr24feed + pfclient + adsbexchange + modesmixer2 + graphs by @wiedehopf. The microSD card in normal use is # 1 below:
- Raspberry Pi OS 64 bit Buster
- Raspberry Pi OS 32 bit Buster
- Ubuntu 20 Server arm64
I have installed so many OS during my attempts to pack piaware+dump-fa+other feeders on all these. I call all these my Frankenstein installs 
Scan seems pretty clear, except at 960 MHz. If you ever use a filter then dont use FA light blue one which cannot eliminate 960 MHz. Use FA dark blue one which can remove 960 MHz.
thanks. Will keep that in mind if I do get a filter. I don’t think I will spend much more, as it seems I am not getting much data compared to others in the area. Happy to help the community, but it seems my data is largely useless for my area I can scan. I’ll do some more tests and post in a relevant topic about that.
If I rebuild, I’ll try Debian.
thanks guys, really appreciate it.
That was more or less a general c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶a̶i̶n̶t̶ observation for those following. 
I know you tend to dabble with the other flavors to write up your how-too’s and for learning in general. Nothing wrong with that.
While Ubuntu is moreless geared towards newer Linux users, it’s become a total bucket of worms since they incorporated and slept with Micro$oft…In my opinion (we all have those!). Debian does non-free as well (with stability) since that tends to be the biggest argument between the two.
But test it.
I have a similar result of my heatmap. Bought a dark blue filter and there is no improvement visible in the FA stats.
And yes, the filter is working
Which SDR is this?
Somewhat looks like the people that have issues with HDMI cables interfering.
the cheapest I found on ebay a year or two ago. It does have the r820t2 chip, which I read was supposed to be a good thing…I am not using HDMI cable anywhere near this device (closest point is ~10m)
EDIT: It is possible the device is faulty. I bought it to use OTG on a mobile when at the local aiport to listen to tower, but I’ve never been able to get it working on airband there. It did work for me recently at another airport where they use CTAF (~132mhz vs 118mhz for the other site). But I got one clear transmission, then rubbish, or nothing after that. I presume there would have been chatter every few minutes as someone was doign touch and goes without a tower.
Airband will usually need some type of filtering since there is always very strong FM hanging right under things. Also, I would assume in this instance that you probably also used the stock antenna that came with the radio - that would be fine for ~450Mhz, but terrible for almost everything else.
I hate to say it, but cheap in will most of the time give you cheap out. I too have a few of the generic radios - they work pretty well, but can take more work due to clock drift and internal noise due to sub-par components, especially if what you’re trying to capture is narrow band.
It sounds like you like to tinker and if so, it may be a decent idea to at least look into spending maybe $20-25 on a better radio. I’d suggest an RTL-SDR v3 or NooElec unit - these have tighter spec’d TXCO clock as well as better internal filtering/components which will allow you to better tune your setup for various frequencies of choice.
If you’re looking to have a dedicated ADS-B setup, then $25 would buy you a Pro Stick+ and another $40 an FA antenna and you’ll love the results while learning a bit on the side.
Ideally, it will take a little more cash outlay, but the fun you’ll have over the long term makes it highly affordable. After all, the whole ball of wax is less than one night at the bar (without the hangover the next day). Lost of people here are more than willing to help if they see someone working at it and trying on their own.
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I am living in suburbia where the noise levels on most frequencies are atrocious. The TV and FM transmitters are all on a hilltop about 30KM away.
I listen to Airband using SDR# and a $AU12 blue SDR with MCX connector.
I just turned it on to check and Melbourne approach is normally getting busy at this time of Friday afternoon (1450).
Today, because we are in knockdown again and no international flight there are no planes and no Airband traffic at all. The only signals I can hear are ATIS which, because they are on the ground pointing at incoming aircraft is usually quite low level. I use an appropriate antenna mounted on a chimney but I am about 30 km from the airport.
As the Airband runs AM I am not sure that something with a TCXO like the RTL-SDR V3 would make much difference. The generic dongle once calibrated stays acceptably close to frequency for all the AM, FM, Airband and mobile radio that I listen to.
S.
I have been using cheapo $9 DVB-T black RTL2832U & R820T since 2013 for occassional listening to FM & Airband using SDR#, and never faced any problems. I also used it for ads-b 1090 and uat 978 without any problem.
thanks guys. I’ll try to remember to take it to my parents this weekend to test my airband antenna I made. (They are on the approach to airport).
I am not likely to spend anymore money on this, I have something that functions for adsb, but pretty sure me being in a valley has it providing little merit. I am happy to play though.
My test on a pvc pipe with tent pole, to get antenna above my roof line resulted in no better or more data.
I already have coax, so I may do a run up to the roof still, but that would be to get the antenna out of my way inside, not cause I expect it will yield better results.
the Spider I made and the whip that came with the cheap dongle seem to perform the same, so I think it’s just I am in a valley.
I am still on the lookout for a cheap scanner for airband, as I’d spend $50 on that…but I haven’t seen any for less than $150 second hand, which is why I tried the cheaper option.
Please brows these posts. You may decide to build one of these easy DIY antennas. These cost pennies.
(1) Mag-mount Antenna’s Whip Replaced by DIY V-Stub Whip
(2b) Comparison of V-Stub Quick Spider With Benchmark Antenna (FA antenna)
thanks. They may have been easier than the other spider design of yours I had found. I made the one with the so259 flange and copper soldered. Do you know if the v-stub is better than the spider on so239?
The SO239 does not contribute to antenna’s performance. It’s advantage is mechanical. It is a sturdy support for wires, as well as a connector for the coax.
Electrical performance wise, a Spider built with SO239 performs same as the one built without SO239. The one built without SO239 is known as Quick Spider
Comparing Standard 1/4 wave (69 mm whip) Spider with V-Stub Spider, the V-Stub Spider performs better than standard 1/4 wavelength Spider. The presence or abscence of SO239 does not affect performance.
Hi,
I’ve an antenna installed on the roof. I practically have no obstacle around me, as I live outside city centre.
I used to have a range around 150nm with hundreds of a/c, now if I get to 50nm and 5/6 a/c is great 
I have a RTL-SDR R820T2 TCXO Dongle bought at jetvision.de and if I plug this type of filter (RTL-SDR Blog ADS-B Triple Filtered LNA (Bias Tee Powered) my reception goes to zero.
This is my “noise test” made at midnight so I don’t know if it has to be considered “valid” or if I have to do it again at midday.
Can someone point me in the right direction to improve my reception again?
Thanks
Is this drop due to COVID19 i.e. the drop started in March?
What exactly was your hardware when
- you had 150nm range
- you started having 50nm range
ok thanks. I’ll see if I can build a v stub. am I correct in assuming I can use copper instead of steel tie wire? I just happen to have some copper spare.
Wire made of copper, aluminum, steel, or brass, are all ok for making antenna.
The important step is tuning the antenna to best reception /SWR after it is built by the sliding piece of wire at top. Once you determin best position of sliding piece, solder it in place.
Copper will always give you a better electrical connection than steel.