FlightAware Discussions

Dump1090-fa failure

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
#1

After a reboot dump1090-fa didn’t load. here is the status:

sudo systemctl status dump1090-fa
dump1090-fa.service - dump1090 ADS-B receiver (FlightAware customization)
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/dump1090-fa.service; enabled; vendor pres
Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2020-07-08 15
Docs: https://flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/
Process: 6470 ExecStart=/usr/share/dump1090-fa/start-dump1090-fa --write-json
Main PID: 6470 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

This is on a RPi 4B fully updated.
How can I resolve this error?

#2

Log not saying anything?
https://github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-wiki/wiki/Debug-commands

You can rtl_test the SDR as well.

Edit: on closer inpection:

That seems like a bad command line …
Not completely sure.

Maybe check sudo dmesg for input/output error as in sd-card failure.

#3

I got it going again by using a different USB port (no other changes). I don’t know if a port failed, the connector was dirty or the connection was marginal. The SDR tested ok with rtl_test on my PC. The dump1090-fa logs cycled between finding a device and not finding a device. The dmesg output was lengthy and I’m not sure how to interpret it. Thanks @ wiedehopf for the link to the debug commands.

#4

I have just (out of the blue) experienced exactly the same error on my one Panasonic Toughbook (32-bit) Ubuntu 18.04 machine that I converted to run dump1090-fa (with help from abcd567 and wiedehopf).

Several reboots and of course system update and upgrade commands all to no avail.

It is in the loft so, when I can get up there next, I will change the USB connection to see if this sorts it.

Ian

#5

Resolved - but for interest:

  1. The Panasonic CF-18 Toughbook has 2 x USB ports. Tried the dongle in the other one and rebooted. Still no dump1090-fa.
  2. I then tried a different dongle and cable, but a shared feed from the same aerial. Worked perfectly OK.
  3. I was now suspecting the FA orange dongle that is normally connected to this Toughbook. But, I swapped back and rebooted and this wasd now all working fine again.

Both machine USB ports are working fine and now dump1090-fa also working fine.

Ian