i second @abcd567 as a GREAT instructor. his “How To’s” are fantastic.
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For the purpose of RF Scan, YES
STEP-1:
First thing you need is to access RPi from your Desktop/Laptop through SSH.
CASE-1: You have a Mac
Open the terminal and type following:
ssh pi@192.168.0.21
(replace 192.168.0.21 by you Pi’s actual local IP)
Next enter Pi’s password when asked. If you are using piaware sd card image, the password is flightaware. If you are using Raspbian image, the password is raspberry.
CASE-2: You have a Windows Laptop/Desktop.
Install & use PuTTY. The guide is here:
For Beginners - How-to SSH to RPi - Setup Putty in Windows
STEP-2:
After you have connected to Pi through SSH as explained above, issue following commands:
Case 1: You have Piaware sd card image
(Replace xx by the value of gain you want to set)
sudo piaware-config rtlsdr-gain xx
sudo systemctl restart piaware
Case 2: You have Raspbian image
sudo nano /etc/default/dump1090-fa
Above command will open a file. Move to following line and change --gain -10 to --gain xx where xx is the value of gain you want to set.
RECEIVER_OPTIONS="--device-index 0 --gain -10 --ppm 0"
Save file (Ctrl+O) and close (Ctrl+x)
Now restart dump1090-fa
sudo systemctl restart dump1090-fa
here are the available gain settings
0.0 0.9 1.4 2.7 3.7 7.7 8.7 12.5 14.4 15.7 16.6 19.7 20.7 22.9 25.4 28.0 29.7 32.8 33.8 36.4 37.2 38.6 40.2 42.1 43.4 43.9 44.5 48.0 49.6
if your gain shows -10 it is “AGC” (sort of )…change to 49.6 to start and then see what your performance is…Wiedehopf has a great set of scripts that will help you set the gain…see this link
The OP is a new user. If he first uses manual method, he will learn. Later he can use automated script for routine adjustment of gain. If he straightaway uses automated script, he will never learn.
sorry to confuse, i was recommending the graphs so OP could view % messages above -3dB RSSI to help set the gain. i will silence myself now.
Please dont step back, and dont silence yourself. You have done a right thing, but a little bit early.
I just wanted him to first learn manual methods, then would tell him to install @wiedehopf’s graphs. Giving too many options in the beginning may confuse a new user.
And we don’t want to ‘rub anybody’s face in it’. 
Sorry, I could not resist. Back in my corner. 
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Your statement makes sense if you say what you mean.
ie.
For the purpose of conducting RF Scan:
DVB-T Dongle = FA ProStick Dongle= FA ProStick Plus Dongle= Radarbox Flightstick Dongle
However, a little understanding is required to separate the dongles with and without onboard filters or the results may be misleading.
Additionally, there are several USB DVB-T dongles that cannot work for our purpose (but often in the same retail package) only makes the situation worse.
eg. RTL1090 + FC0012 - #3 by abcd567
It’s literally impossible to ascertain the OP’s level of knowledge from his first or second posts. To me, he/she came across quite fluent. Dongle this, dongle that - they are USB radios in the end so far as our use is concerned.
We’re all learning and none of use were born with the innate ability to understand linux/unix cmdline. Toss in the rest of the dog’s breakfast with radio terms, amplifiers, filters, connectors, cable, gain, etc. and it can get confusing quickly. Just because someone’s willing to step in and guide more than others doesn’t mean they’re doing it for fame, some have a niche and feel better when they are able to help another. That’s what the forums are for - collaborative learning.
I’m curious how @moone’s setup ends up faring so others can learn from the experience as well.
Below is that part of post “Do I Need A Filter?” which mentioned DVB-T in all the 3 options, and confused the OP because he did not know the term DVB-T. He only knew “Blue Flightaware Dongle”, and asked what is DVB-T.
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Thanks, It will be another week or so before I am back home again.
I do not have PUTTY nor any editor. In the past I simply put the SD card into a Windows computer and used editor to change the password/network setup and save it an then reinstall.
I’ll try the easy first. Install the FA filter that I removed when used with the Orange FA Dongle.
Then try to adjust the gain down.
Thanks
You could have a look at For Beginners - How-to SSH to RPi - Setup Putty in Windows
Putty is a really useful tool.
Of course I agree, but this is where the paradox begins.
No one wants to help a noob who hasn’t done any basic research, but as soon as the noob starts using the correct terms, it’s easy to assume knowledge not yet learnt.
The first mention of DVB-t in this thread is the OP saying:
To follow a question as clear as that with a vague and misleading answer is no help to anyone.
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You have quoted OP with his first sentence removed. I will quote it again here with first sentence in place:
The first sentence clearly tells that he needs to know the term DVB-T which he found when he wanted to conduct RF scan and found “DVB-T” mentioned there.
As OP only knew “Blue Flightaware dongle” and not DVB-T, he needed to know what is DVB-T in context to RF Scan, and that answer was given in the last two sentences of my reply, I quote:
I think that mention of DVB-T is just confusing in this case. There is nothing specific to DVB-T in the dongles. They can be used for that too, but that’s irrelevant and confusing.
They are, and should be referred as, Software Defined Radio - SDR - dongles.
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The how-to “Do I Need A Filter?” was posted when custom dongles like FA ProStick have recently came into market. Most of users till that time have not switched to ProStick, and were using DVB-T. Even those who have switched to ProStick knew what a DVB-T is, and that a ProStick is actually a DVB-T with an RF amplifier (LNA) added.
New users are however not aware of this history. They only know the names of custom dongles. To make it easy for new users, I would like to add names of all custom dongles in the “Do I Need A Filter?” post. Unfortunately editing of posts older than a month or two is blocked, so I cannot edit and improve / update any of my How-to’s 
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That is just wrong.
My first (2011) RTL based SDR (E4000 front end) has DVB-T, DAB, FM written on it.
Can you see how ridiculous it would be to say “just connect the FM to a Pi”
or
FM = FA ProStick = FA ProStick Plus = Radarbox Flightstick
@SoNic67 has said it well
I thought the above was an acceptable compromise, but looks like we reached a point where we must have a ‘winner’ and a ‘loser’, something that is tragically common in other forums.
If it helps, I’ll volunteer to be the ‘loser’. Let’s move on, folks.
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Ok, finally I was able to find my way home again.
I’ve installed a “Mini Circuits,15542 VBZ-1065-S+, 980-1050 MHz” Filter onto the Blue FA Dongle.
Let’s see if a filter improves things.
Nice thing.
Looks like a hot washed FA filter tube 
You might need to adjust gain, depends how much you will loose due to that filter.
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