pi@adsb-feeder:~ $ sudo journalctl -u piaware -n 30 | grep msgs
Jul 24 21:29:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 0 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa; 0 msgs sent to FlightAware
Jul 24 21:34:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 0 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa (0 in last 5m); 0 msgs sent to FlightAware
Jul 24 21:35:10 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: piaware has successfully sent several msgs to FlightAware!
Jul 24 21:39:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 22 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa (22 in last 5m); 22 msgs sent to FlightAware
Jul 24 21:44:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 47 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa (25 in last 5m); 47 msgs sent to FlightAware
Jul 24 21:49:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 75 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa (28 in last 5m); 75 msgs sent to FlightAware
Jul 24 21:54:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 101 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa (26 in last 5m); 101 msgs sent to FlightAware
Jul 24 21:59:22 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: 117 msgs recv’d from dump1090-fa (16 in last 5m); 117 msgs sent to FlightAware
Wild ass guess, Antenna / cable problems. The Pi and associated hardware are working.
Pull up the FlightAware page for your system. Recall how the coverage graph on your main page looked before the signal strength dropped. If you touch the “Show position distribution for:” box at the top of the coverage graph you can select a different day on the drop down calendar. Select July 5th or earlier, there you can see you were receiving signals are received in the 150-200 mile range. Sometime on the 6th, your range dropped into the first zone, like the antenna or cable or the connection between the two developed a problem. Look for water damage at the cable connection as that is the most vulnerable point. Make sure the cable connection is tight. Maybe a storm and winds wiggled something. Water in the cable causes the signals to degrade. Could even be some critter decided to taste your cable insulation for their dinner. Do you have an different cable you can connect? even a shorter one with the dongle and raspberry pi hanging in the non-rain wind. Diagnosing problems like we see often is best solved by replacing cables or other parts one at a time and seeing what happens.
Have some fun working out what is happening and might be handy to get the whole system down to your workbench so you can put the antenna near a window and sit next to your computer and see how things are working while you swap parts around. Best wishes and welcome to a fun hobby.
Jul 25 03:33:52 adsb-feeder piaware[493]: no new messages received in 3890 seconds, it might just be that there haven’t been any aircraft nearby but I’m going to try to restart everything, just in case…
Jul 25 03:35:45 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: adaptive: available dynamic range (45.0dB) >= required dynamic range (30.0dB), continuing upward scan
Jul 25 03:35:45 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: adaptive: changing gain from 44.dB (step 26) to 48.0dB (step 27) because: probing dynamic range gain upper bound
Jul 25 03:35:45 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: rtlsdr: tuner gain set to 48.0 d (gain step 27)
Jul 25 03:35:55 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: adaptive: available dynamic range (45.0dB) >= required dynamic range (30.0dB), continuing upward scan
Jul 25 03:35:55 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: adaptive: changing gain from 48.dB (step 27) to 49.6dB (step 28) because: probing dynamic range gain upper bound
Jul 25 03:35:55 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: rtlsdr: tuner gain set to 49.6 d (gain step 28)
Jul 25 03:36:05 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: adaptive: available dynamic range (45.0dB) >= required dynamic range (30.0dB), continuing upward scan
Jul 25 03:36:05 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: adaptive: changing gain from 49.dB (step 28) to 58.6dB (step 29) because: probing dynamic range gain upper bound
Jul 25 03:36:05 adsb-feeder dump1090-fa[7262]: rtlsdr: tuner gain set to about 58.6 dB (gain step 29) (tuner AGC enabled)
I would venture to say @astrodeveloper is on it. I highly doubt it is a software issue after looking at the graph you posted where there was a sudden drop off with data while data, although in miniscule amounts, is still being sent over time. Check your antenna connections as astrodeveloper recommended and remove any LNAs or filters which may be in place and see if things improve. I have had many an LNA/adapter/splitter/filter up and go resulting in little even no data being received. Don’t be afraid to substitute a lesser antenna directly connected to your SDR such as those you generally receive with a SDR to make sure that is not the problem as well. If you have a spare RTL-SDR on hand do not be afraid to try that as well.
Did you try re-imaging your microSD card with latest piaware image? It will not cost you anything. If this does not solve the problem, and you have a spare microSD card, write piaware image on it & try it.
