I’m new here. I use a Flightaware Blue Pro-Stick plus working with an external aerial. I am located in Cheadle, Cheshire in the UK and would regularly track aircraft as far as Southern and SW England for example. but for the last six months I don’t receive traffic this far. Any ideas? Could it be the weather or could any additional kit help?
some places to start
- Power supply
- loose connections
- water in the antenna
1 Like
I get much better range outside of winter.
What are the details of your antenna location, height and brand? What spec is your coax? Is it a 240 or hopefully 400 coax?
Attached to a chimney brest, the only place I can put it for height and practical purposes.
It is 400 coax I believe.
My point is that the coverage is still good, the coverage is not as extensive as it was even six months ago.
Did you check the possible causes mentioned by @geckoVN ?
Loss of range sounds to me like what the others have suggested about the coax attachment to the antenna. Water migrating in behind tape covering the coax connection can do exactly what you are experiencing. You can basically test that by attaching a spare antenna and coax to your system and see if the range returns. Of course you may not have a spare and the antenna won’t likely be as high as your chimney mount but it could provide some feedback on your issue.
No water in the antenna
No loose connections.
It has remained plugged into the same power supply constantly.
Great
The PowerSupply Units (AC to 5V DC) often go bad gradually with time, resulting in gradual reduction in output dc voltage, or dc current, or excessive ripple. So your argument that “it remained plugged into same power supply constantly” does NOT prove Power Supply Unit is still good.
1 Like
The antenna directly connects via the cable to the blue FlightAware dongle, which in turn is connected to the PC via the USB port. So Im not sure where the power supply is involved?
You didn’t mention a PC.
Have you actually measured the USB voltage (under load)?
In case of PC, the power supply is not an issue.
The confusion arose because you never mentioned earlier that you are using a PC.
As overwhelming majority uses a SBC, such as RPi, if a member does not specify PC, by default almost every one will assume he is using a SBC such as RPi.
If you are using USB3 port to connect the ProStick, remove it from USB3 port and plug into USB2 port. These dongles notrmally perform better on USB2 port.
1 Like
Yes, working off the USB2 port.
Can the PC be the factor? It isnt the most powerful in the world. Does it need a decent processor?
I dont think using a PC is an issue. Generally PCs are more powerful than RPi. Also, the ads-b software is a lightweight application.
Which OS you have installed on your PC? Is it Linux directly on Hard Drive, or Windows / MAC with Linux through a WSL or VM?
My #1 problem while using a Pi3B+. No longer an issue with the Pi 2 Zero W.
For what it’s worth…as for the number of planes seen, last week was the first time I started seeing the same high number of planes since co^id.