My Flightaware antenna doesn't function

I’m having the same issue. Changed only the cable and antenna to FA from the cheap one and lost much performance.

@wkeeling
Most likely you need a filter. The FA antenna being high gain, picks Cell/Mobile phone signals which cause overload of Dongle and poor performance. Adding a filter removes these unwanted Cell/Mobile signals.

Check Cell/Mobile signals picked by your FA Antenna by method given in this post:

Do I Need A Filter?

Don’t think that is it I have the blue FA receiver with the built in filter

Blue ProStick does not effectively remove GSM900. If you are not located in North America, most likely you have GSM900. If you carry out scan as in the post Do I Need A Filter?, it will show what interfering signals pass through blue prostick’s builtin filter.

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Similarly, I suggested using the “other” pigtail from the 2-pack, but there was no response.

Do you own a multimeter?
A multimeter is invaluable for testing the simplest and most common faults.

Agreed, they get through quite effectively (how much that is a problem could be debated), this scan shows what I found in the UK.

ok thanks I will run the test to night. do you have a suggested filter?

I would like this fix as I do not enjoy get 40 feet in the air again. :slight_smile:

I conducted the test shown below in November 2016.
It clearly shows that the FA Antenna + ProStickPlus (Blue) performed poor without an External Filter.

Reason was strong Cell phone signals at my location.

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Sorry for not replying, but I have already tried both solutions and they haven’t worked.

Now I don’t have a multimeter but I could buy it. What would I need?
However, I decided to send the antenna under warranty.

A very modest multimeter would serve you well.
A low end Uni-T (looks the same to me)

Your right alot of crap from 850 Mhz to 892 Mhz – filter ordered from Pi Hut in UK!

scan|690x12

It is counterintuitive the getting better antenna would give worst performance in terms of ADS-B.

Thanks

Now i have the multimeter and i replaced the antenna. what should I do?

I guess the first question is: Does the system work with the new antenna?

If it does, I think you are good to go.
If not, I’d set the meter to continuity beep and test your cable end to end

  • connector shell to connector shell should get a beep
  • connector center to connector center should get a beep
  • connector shell to connector center should not get a beep

post filter – all issues solved

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@wkeeling
The scan is so clean now, seems you have put your adsb equipment in a dish washer :wink:

Yes, Thanks for your help. FA should add notes to the antenna and pro stick plus that a filter will be needed in that configuration in urban areas. I incorrectly assumed the filter in the pro stick plus was all that is needed.

Again thanks for your work!

That really depends on your personal circumstances.
Perhaps your own WiFi, cordless phone, AV transmitter, cordless headphones etc. is causing you issues.
I live with 100m of several towers and while my filtered receivers do perform better than the unfiltered, the difference is surprisingly modest.

tomorrow I will have the antenna with me and I will try.
Thank you.
The new antenna works better but always with a low range (150km with rtl-blog lna)

If you look at the freq. map from FA antenna with out filter you will see lots of other signals. Before FA antenna about 1500 aircraft, 250K positions and 75mi range. FA antenna without filter 650 aircraft, 25K positions and less than 50mi. Now (only one day) with FA antenna and FA 1090 filter 2000 aircraft, 20mi+ and 500K positions.

So much improved!