FlightAware Discussions

Run from external hard drive?

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
#1

Evening all,

Long time no speak - I’ve been off air for a while, looks like my SD card died!

Was looking at using one of the “Extended Life” SD cards - intended for constant r/w/rw (unlike standard SD cards, this is what kills them).
Then, spotted you can have the Pi use an external drive for the root…

Now have a 120gb 2.5" drive (from my old xbox 360) in a powered USB caddy.

I’ll be using this how-to linked below - anyone know of any issues with this?

learn.adafruit.com/external-dri … t/overview

Also, I’ll do a manual install of PiAware etc (or JP’s ADSBReciever scripts), on top of the Armbian image - im using the Orange Pi PC, but hopefully that wont have any issues.

NB - I’ve used ADSBR on the OPI succesfully for many months - the only change here is using the HDD rather than the SD.

Thoughts?

#2

Recently I installed Armbian 5.25 on my Orange Pi PC.
It is available in 3 versions:
On main download page for Orange Pi PC: armbian.com/orange-pi-pc/
(1) Armbian_5.25_Orangepipc_Ubuntu_xenial_default_3.4.113_desktop (desktop)

On other download options & archieves page for Orange Pi PC: dl.armbian.com/orangepipc/
(2) Armbian_5.25_Orangepipc_Debian_jessie_default_3.4.113 (headless)
(3) Armbian_5.25_Orangepipc_Ubuntu_xenial_default_3.4.113 (headless)

I tried all 3 versions, finally settled for (3), although all three are more or less same.

WORKAROUND FOR ALL 3 VERSIONS

(1) Dump1090 Not Working:
to make dump1090-fa work, edit file rtl-sdr-blacklist.conf



sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/rtl-sdr-blacklist.conf
#add following two lines to the file
blacklist dvb_usb_rtl2832u
blacklist dvb_usb

Ctrl+o (save), Ctrl+x (close file & nano editor)

sudo reboot

(2) Gmap Does Not Display as Lighttpd Does Not Work:
BEFORE installing dump1090-fa (with integral lighttpd), or dump1090-mutability + lighttpd, disable ramlog by changing ENABLED=true to ENABLED=false



sudo nano /etc/default/log2ram
# configuration values for the log2ram service
ENABLED=false
SIZE=50M
USE_RSYNC=false

Ctrl+o (save), Ctrl+x (close file & nano editor)

sudo reboot
#3

Re booting from SD, but move root FS to the HDD, found this works, at least in Armbian Jessie…

nand-sata-install

dont know how or why yet, but it has a basic OS gui, and seems to be working!

Added for self / others reference

#4

@abcd567 - hi again mate, been a while! :wink:

Has the OPi / PiAware / Mut etc changed all that much, as to require all this fixes?
I’m sure when I first set the OPI up (running from sd) many months ago, it was pretty straight forward?

I’ll look into this more once I get this HDD set up, and start installing scripts etc…

#5

Hi mate!
The fix #1 (blacklist rtl) was always there, I think you fogot.

The fix #2 started recently and is for versions 5.24 & 5.25

#6

I have run from external USB sticks and HDD’s (no SD card at all in the Pi - I realize you mentioned Orange Pi), however when doing so, MLAT completely blows up for some reason. I assume it’s due to the extra noise/chatter on the USB line and interrupts are going bonkers, but I’d love to see it work fully. Other then MLAT, it’s no problem whatsoever.

#7

Hi Nitr0

Yes, sounds possible.

As you say tho, the OPI still uses the SD - purely for boot - but with data still going over the USB, that’s certainly a possibility.
In fact, I believe it’s power going over the usb that’s more likely to cause an issue - I have my HDD powered over an external supply, so maybe that’d be less issue?

We’ll find out! :slight_smile:

#8

All up and running, using the basic piAware 3.5 package install.

All working so far - cant see range in the new SkyView UI, but looks about right from what I saw previously.

Minimal (if any) MLAT yet (after a few minutes). SkyView shows MLAT is synced, so we’ll see what happens after a day or so.

I’ll post any progress here… :slight_smile:

Be nice if an admin or one of our many gurus (@obj? :wink: ) could confirm whether or not running from a HDD could cause issues with MLAT?

ATB,

C

#9

OK, range plot showed up - presumably once enough data available.

Also, now have MLAT showing…

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1VxN0bl4W4rahJfNzxroeEcGdakJUe2VZB3KvhuG8WbM/pub?w=960&h=720

#10

It all depends on what it does to the USB bus, so I have no idea.
If you start dropping USB data from the dongle, that will affect mlat. If you don’t, it won’t.

#11

After 24hours, my MLAT reports are around 30% of ADSB - dont know if that’s what we’d expect (more likely it depends on rig / location).

I’m pretty happy I’m not seeing an issue capturing MLAT data…

Overall, very impressed with how straightforward it’s been to get this running off an HDD - saving the issue of killing SD’s, and of course much larger capacity available pretty cheap.

(My main reason is to avoid failing SD’s, but the capacity might be a reason to use HDD for those who log all the data long term).

Would recommend! :slight_smile:

#12

Great to see!
I tried both powered through the USB and through a powered hub and my MLAT blew up on every test (could see within 5 minutes, never got synced). I believe our systems were slightly different however - I was using a Pi3 with bootloader and filesystem all on HDD/Stick as a complete replacement for the SDCard, so no SDcard was inserted at all. I had a few posts about it 6 or so months ago with no conclusions, so it ended up in the been there, tried that and didn’t work pile. I really wanted to make another attempt using an SSD for low(er) power draw, but didn’t have any spares.

Keep us posted on the results.

PS: I think OBJ can wave his magical wand to check your site on his end to see if there is anything goofy looking with your MLAT - a look under the hood so to speak?

#13

Sorry to hear you didnt have much joy with your HDD set up Nitr0…

Mines just a 120GB hdd taken from my old relligated-to-the-attic xbox 360, in a caddy I got for £6 on Amazon…
Although my dad said “what are you going to store on a 120gb hdd?” - for me the point is using physical platters rather than Sd :wink:

That, and the Nand-To-USB command in Armbian Jessie for oPi, and all is good :slight_smile:

@Obj - would that MLAT reception look “usual” to you / your tools?
Synced with c280 nearby stations…

C