Trouble getting UAT Traffic

[fynflood]

I’m using piaware-sd-lcd-card-8.2.img on a pi3B+ with an RTL-SDR. 1090 is working fine, but I want this one for UAT. This rig has a ~6" dipole sitting outside with a good view of the south.

I’ve tried lowering the gain, no dice. Any suggestions? I feel like I’m missing something obvious.

Here’s my current config

#adaptive-burst                no                             # using default value
#adaptive-dynamic-range        yes                            # using default value
#adaptive-dynamic-range-target <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#adaptive-max-gain             <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#adaptive-min-gain             <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#adept-serverhosts             "piaware.flightaware.com piaware.flightaware.com {206.253.80.196 206.253.80.197 206.253.80.198 206.253.80.199 206.253.80.200 206.253.80.201} {206.253.84.193 206.253.84.194 206.253.84.195 206.253.84.196 206.253.84.197 206.253.84.198}" # using default value
#adept-serverport              1200                           # using default value
allow-auto-updates             yes                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:67
#allow-ble-setup               auto                           # using default value
#allow-dhcp-duid               yes                            # using default value
allow-manual-updates           yes                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:71
allow-mlat                     yes                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:75
allow-modeac                   yes                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:79
#beast-baudrate                <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#enable-firehose               no                             # using default value
feeder-id                      ************* # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:85
#force-macaddress              <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#http-proxy-host               <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#http-proxy-password           <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#http-proxy-port               <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#http-proxy-user               <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
image-type                     piaware                        # value set at /usr/share/piaware-support/piaware-image-config.txt:5
manage-config                  yes                            # value set at /usr/share/piaware-support/piaware-image-config.txt:4
#mlat-results                  yes                            # using default value
#mlat-results-anon             yes                            # using default value
#mlat-results-format           "beast,connect,localhost:30104 beast,listen,30105 ext_basestation,listen,30106" # using default value
network-config-style           buster                         # value set at /usr/share/piaware-support/piaware-image-config.txt:6
#priority                      <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#radarcape-host                <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#receiver-host                 <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#receiver-port                 30005                          # using default value
#receiver-type                 rtlsdr                         # using default value
#rfkill                        no                             # using default value
#rtlsdr-device-index           0                              # using default value
rtlsdr-gain                    30                             # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:60
#rtlsdr-ppm                    0                              # using default value
#slow-cpu                      auto                           # using default value
uat-receiver-host              localhost                      # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:86
#uat-receiver-port             30978                          # using default value
uat-receiver-type              sdr                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:83
uat-sdr-device                 driver=rtlsdr                  # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:87
uat-sdr-gain                   25                             # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:84
#uat-sdr-ppm                   0                              # using default value
#use-gpsd                      yes                            # using default value
#wired-address                 <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#wired-broadcast               <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#wired-gateway                 <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#wired-nameservers             "8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4"              # using default value
#wired-netmask                 <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
wired-network                  yes                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:27
#wired-type                    dhcp                           # using default value
#wireless-address              <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#wireless-broadcast            <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#wireless-country              00                             # using default value
#wireless-gateway              <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
#wireless-nameservers          "8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4"              # using default value
#wireless-netmask              <unset>                        # no value set and no default value
wireless-network               yes                            # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:33
wireless-password              ********                      # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:49
wireless-ssid                  *******                       # value set at /boot/piaware-config.txt:48
#wireless-type                 dhcp                           # using default value

[obj]

@fynflood

#receiver-type rtlsdr # using default value

Set receiver-type none if you want this to be a single-dongle UAT-only site.

[fynflood]

Thanks. This seems to have simplified things, however I’m still not picking up any UAT traffic. Status page reports “Connected to UAT receiver, but no recent data seen”.

Everything else in the config look ok?

[obj]

Seems OK.

UAT traffic can be infrequent, since it’s predominantly GA. You’re more likely to see traffic when the weather is good / at the weekend.

I see a little UAT traffic on your stats page now.

[abcd567]

@fynflood

however I’m still not picking up any UAT traffic

As @obj has alrteady said, the UAT traffic is occasional in some areas (like here in Toronto). Most of the time when I open the Skyaware978 Map, there are no planes.

To monitor, I have installed graphs1090 (see installation command below). The graphs1090, amongst other things, also plot the UAT flights, so I know there were UAT flights received by my receiver while I was not looking at Skyaware978 map.

COMMAND TO INSTALL GRAPHS1090:

sudo bash -c "$(wget -q -O - https://github.com/wiedehopf/graphs1090/raw/master/install.sh)"
 

 

[fynflood]

This is awesome, thank you!

[fynflood]

Ah, as with most things I guess I wasn’t patient enough Thanks for the help!

[glennblum]

I live in Central Texas and I may see 5 UTA aircraft a day and I have great coverage with ADSB. It takes a while but you may eventually see something. Dont expect much.