Stumbled on to this after dinner tonight.
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/getting-the-v3-bias-tee-to-activate-on-piaware-ads-b-images/
Well, I found one issue. The light blue FA filter doesn’t seem to play well with the Nooelec SmarTee. Once I removed that it proved both LNAs work.
I’ve got the second site up and running for more testing. It has an FA antenna, rtl-sdr LNA, and a Nooelec smartee running. The antenna is 20 feet lower then my FA dongle currently but seems to perform rather well. I want to test the rtl-sdr v3 dongle once I get the software download and compiled.
This is the current setup with gain set to 33.8
It blocks the DC to feed the LNA. You never mentioned that in your descriptions, and there were no pictures.
And you really don’t need the extra filtering.
-.-
Yeah, I think I made a combination of errors with a lot of different equipment. One way or another I was bound to put something in line that didn’t work. 
Now I’m curious to see if there are any gains with the rtl-sdr dongle.
Onward and upward from here.
Again, sorry for my noob mistakes and incomplete information while trying to figure this stuff out. You’ve been a big help.
With just the nooelec smartee and the LNA I’m out to 200+ nm now. I’ve moved that over to the primary PI and will start work on the rls-sdr and the other LNA I have.
Hi there,
I’ve been reading this thread with interest. In case it’s helpful to anyone, here’s my recent experience. My first RTL-SDR Blog 1090MHz LNA+filter was defective. It arrived with the PCB the wrong way around in the case. Note that, on the RTL-SDR web site, there is a photo showing the PCB and the case, side by side. The relative orientations of the board and the case in this photo are not representative of how they should be mutually oriented when assembled… After correcting the assembly orientation, I observed the green LED on the board (by taking out one case screw) when the bias-tee voltage was applied; however, it still didn’t function properly. The RTL-SDR support is excellent, and they sent me a replacement unit, which now works.
My current setup consists of outdoor FA antenna, grounded lightning arrestor, 8ft of LMR-400 coax, RTL-SDR Blog LNA+filter, NooElec SmarTee SDR, USB cable, RPi. My optimal gain setting on the NooElec SmarTee is currently approximately 29.7.
With this setup, I’ve noticed an increased max range and increased aircraft counts at all ranges. (Previous setup was FA passive filter can + FA Blue dongle.)
Cheers,
Andreas / VA2WBT
Their QC seems to be seriously lacking on those LNAs, heard of quite a few problems lately.
Glad your reception has improved, that has been my experience as well.
I was wondering and thinking if it would make sense to connect my fa pro stick directly to the antenna to increase the range and see more positions. So instead having 5m of rg58 cable between antenna and fa pro stick I checked the amount of received messages with adsb sharp between 5m antenna cable and 20cm N-sma-connector with my notebook within a few minutes of time. And guess what, there was no difference in messages, only a few db gain difference to gain the maximum of messages.
So instead installing a 5 - 10m usb cable between rtlsdr stick outside to rpi inside and worries if the stick will work in summer and wintertime and rainy wet conditions, I will keep the stick inside in ambient conditions to protect the hardware and have the same results. Makes live easier. Just my observation and experience.
I have two of the SPF5189Z LNA modules. I tested those two and they appear optimized for 1GHz, with about 15 dB gain at 1090 MHz. The Noise Figure is claimed to be 0.6 dB and I was able to measure just under 1dB with about a 1dB confidence window.
So, a sample of two, ordered different vendors, says they’re ok.
I too had problems with generic bias tee modules so I built my own. They have around 0.2 dB loss at 1090MHz.
The LNA and front-end filter are in a box at the antenna. 5 meters of coax links that outdoor unit to the Airspy and Pi indoors.
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I ended up using the RTL-SDR LNA and a NooElec Smart Tee with an FA antenna and raised that antenna from 22 feet to 40 feet. I went from 130k to almost 500k in total positions and doubled total aircraft.
Along the way I messed with an FA blue pro stick, RTL-SDR dongle, a few bias Ts, some stuff that wasn’t a bias T.
I learned a lot and had some fun doing it. Lot’s a of great people here helping me get there.
Thanks again!!
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Last year I also purchased one SPF5189Z LNA module, but never used it, not even once for testing it.
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