Recommended Linux distro?

davewill2010 · January 27, 2025, 10:46am

I am building a new flight tracker based on a HP Thin Client unit which currently has a 16Gb drive and wanted to enquire what’s the recommended Linux distribution that will cause me no issues when feeding FlightAware?

tomvdhorst · January 27, 2025, 11:32am

I use DietPi for my HP TC 620’s.
No issues what so ever on them, other option is Debian Bookworm.
Both are fine in combination with FA and FR24, check the github page of abcd567 for his installation scripts.

davewill2010 · January 27, 2025, 11:44am

Thank you Tom. Its a T620 that I have purchased.

abcd567 · January 27, 2025, 11:52am

Prebuilt packages of piaware, dump1090-fa, dump978-fa, and piaware-web for Debian 12 Bookworm AMD64 are available here:

https://github.com/abcd567a/debian12/blob/master/README.md

dirkhh · January 27, 2025, 4:45pm

There’s also the option to use a custom distro / image designed specifically for feeding aggregators (including FlightAware). Check out ADSB.im - I’d suggest getting the ISO and installing this on the Thin Client.
It makes setting things up and configuring your data (even getting the feeder key from FlightAware) very easy and straight forward.
(full disclosure - I’m the maintainer of this project)

foxhunter · January 27, 2025, 7:57pm

Almost any Linux distro will work.
I would choose a distribution which is built on RPM- or DEB-packages which makes it easier to install if you are new to linux.

I have feeders for some flight tracking sites which are not supported directly by my device running on a virtual machine in my Proxmox host. As i am a fan of Arch Linux, i have it running on an Arch VM, even if it was a little more work.

abcd567 · January 27, 2025, 9:43pm

By “RPM” do you mean Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS etc?

foxhunter · January 28, 2025, 7:25am

As the name said “RedHat Package Manager” - yes

abcd567 · January 28, 2025, 8:31am

I tried to compile dump 1090-fa and piaware on RHEL, Fedora, CentOS and OpenSUSE. I failed to install piaware, but succeeded in installing dump1090-fa, fr24feed and planefinder.

github.com/abcd567a/fr24feed-Fedora-OpenSUSE-CentOS-amd64

README.md

main

## Install Flightradar24 and Planefinder data feeders on Fedora, OpenSUSE, AlmaLinux and CentOS -AMD64
**STEP-1: Install Decoder "dump1090"** </br> 
**STEP-2: Install Flightradar24 data feeder "fr24feed"** </br>
**STEP-3: Install Planefinder data feeder "pfclient"** </br>


## STEP-1: INSTALL DUMP1090
**IMPORTANT NOTE:** </br> Install either "dump1090-fa" **OR** "dump1090-mutability". </br>
**Do NOT install both** </br></br> 
### OPTION - A: Install dump1090-fa </br>
**A.1 - Fedora 41, CentOS 8 and 9, AlmaLinux 8 and 9 - Install dump1090-fa:** </br> 
Copy-paste following command in Terminal and press Enter Key: </br>

`sudo bash -c "$(wget -O - https://github.com/abcd567a/fr24feed-Fedora-OpenSUSE-CentOS-amd64/raw/main/install-dump1090-fa-Fedora-CentOS.sh)"  ` 
</br></br>

**A.2 - OpenSUSE Tumbleweed - install dump1090-fa:** </br> 
Copy-paste following command in Terminal and press Enter Key: </br>

`sudo bash -c "$(wget -O - https://github.com/abcd567a/fr24feed-Fedora-OpenSUSE-CentOS-amd64/raw/main/install-dump1090-fa-on-OpenSusse-Tumbleweed.sh)"  `

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abcd567 · January 28, 2025, 8:39am

(1) Piaware for ArchLinux

github.com/abcd567a/archlinux-piaware

README.md

master

### Piaware package for Arch Linux and AlarmPi
#### Clones source code from Flightaware Github Repositories, and Builds Piaware package consisting of following components in a single package:</br>
- Piaware
- faup1090


#### OPTION-1: Fully automated install </br>The installation script creates a dedicated folder "/usr/share/piaware-builder" and all cloned code and built packages are saved in it
Copy paste the script below in terminal and press Enter Key. The script will do everything for you, except that it will ask you provide password and your permission [yes/no] when installing packages of build tools and dependencies, and of course for installing piaware itself..

```
bash -c "$(wget -O - https://github.com/abcd567a/archlinux-piaware/raw/master/piaware-builder.sh)"  

```

#### OPTION-2: Manual Install:

#### 2.1 - Install tools required to build packages - First thing to be done before attempting to build package </br>
`sudo pacman -S --needed git fakeroot patch gcc make autoconf `

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(2) dump1090-fa for Arch Linux

github.com/abcd567a/archlinux-dump1090-fa

README.md

master

# archlinux-dump1090-fa

### dump1090-fa for Arch Linux & Arch Linux Arm


### OPTION-1: Fully automated install:</br>The installation script creates a dedicated folder "/usr/share/dump1090-fa-builder" and all cloned code and built packages are saved in it
Copy paste the script below in terminal and press Enter Key. The script will do everything for you, except that it will ask you provide password and your permission [yes/no] when installing packages of build tools and dependencies, and of course for installing dump1090-fa itself..

```
bash -c "$(wget -O - https://github.com/abcd567a/archlinux-dump1090-fa/raw/master/dump1090-fa-builder.sh)"  

```



### OPTION-2: Manual Install:

```
sudo pacman -S --needed git fakeroot

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foxhunter · January 28, 2025, 8:52am

A little older but maybe still working:

benjiwiebe/piaware Copr

abcd567 · January 28, 2025, 3:47pm

Thanks @foxhunter for the link.
This is great. I dont know how he succeeded to build piaware rpm package on Fedora. I have tried several times in past, but always failed, and finally given up.

foxhunter · January 28, 2025, 7:57pm

I never tested it that way. The website is already a few years old, not sure if it’s still working.

abcd567 · January 28, 2025, 8:15pm

I will give it a try on Fedora 41 in my VM.

By the way, did you brows my Github site for piaware and dump1090-fa install on Arch Linux x86_64 for PC, and ArchLinux arm (Alarmpi) for RPi. The links were given in one of my posts above

foxhunter · January 28, 2025, 8:16pm

I did.

But as i am currently using my Airsquitter as only device, i have other projects i am currently working on.
My 3D printer is working almost 24x7 - happy wife, happy life

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Recommended Linux distro?

https://github.com/abcd567a/debian12/blob/master/README.md

(1) Piaware for ArchLinux

(2) dump1090-fa for Arch Linux

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