FlightAware Dongle for ADS-B

[spongella]

Just got the FlightAware ProStick SDR dongle to see if it works any better than the RTL-SDR.com dongle I've been using for the past few years for ADS-B reception. It has an internal LNA to boost the signal at 1090 MHz. In the past I used the RTL-SDR dongle plus an outboard preamp to increase range but the FlightAware eliminates that add-on.

Now how well it'll work we will see. One other advantage is that the ProStick works with SDR# and it appears to have better sensitivity on UHF. I can hear NYC police in the 470 - 476 MHz band much better as the signals are stronger. Need a few months to see how well it works, especially on HF using a Nooelec up-converter.

FlightAware also makes the ProStick Plus which has a notch filter for 1090 MHz, but I feel at my QTH it's not needed. Wonder if anyone is tuning into ADS-B?

 

[N5XZS]

Let me know how it's went. How much is the bundle kit cost.

Been playing with my new RTL SDR for almost a month now with Windows PC and Android phone.

The AirSpy's software is really cool on the pc!

Now on the SDR touch "Sample tryouts before you buy it" for Android has a nice graphics but little tricky to move one frequencies to other.

I do have ADS-B, but can't make it to work with AirSpy. I must be doing something wrong to decode the ADS-B.

Any ideas?

 

[KE4EST]

I have not tuned in any ADS-B yet, but it is on my to do list to try out. I have several doggles, but not this one. I do have it on my list to grab one day. If it is more sensitive I may have to move it up on the list.

 

[spongella]

Not sure of the ADS-B applications of the Airspy OM.

First impressions after trying it out last night using a roof mounted discone (25 - 3000 MHz) is that the range is greater than my previous SDR donglle. Am seeing more aircraft than before and farther out, some beyond 250 kM. Am using RTL1090 for data acquisition and ADSBScope for decoding it. The internal LNA of the Flightaware dongle seems to make a difference.
Better results would be had with an ADS-B antenna, but that is for another day.

Amazon product ASIN B01D1ZAP3C This is the one I got, without the ADS-B notch filter.

 

[spongella]

Well the FlightAware dongle works better than any previous SDR dongles I've used for receiving ADS-B. Definitely see more planes and those farther away. Am using a discone at the moment but an antenna specifically for ADS-B would be better. The transposed coaxial collinear antenna is a good one, can be made from RG6. There's a YouTube video on how to make one.

As for use with SDR# it works perfectly and is more sensitive on VHF/UHF, probably due to the internal LNA. Haven't tried the dongle on HF using an up-converter though, that is next.

 

[raydio]

No, but I am getting into decoding Inmarsat EGC messages on the STD-C NCS channel which is pretty cool plus some other Inmarsat stuff -

 

[N5XZS]

I have a little silly question, what mode is best to receive ADS-B? NBFM or AM?

Still trying to get ADS-B software to work with my RTL dongle.

Working 2 different software's to work together in a window 10 world is tricky.

 

[raydio]

I have a little silly question, what mode is best to receive ADS-B? NBFM or AM?

Still trying to get ADS-B software to work with my RTL dongle.

Working 2 different software's to work together in a window 10 world is tricky.

I saw a couple of tutorials on the subject and they were using SDR# and CW...One of them was using a ADS-B plugin for SDR#.

There is a great tutorial here - - - RTL-SDR Tutorial: Cheap ADS-B Aircraft RADAR

 

[spongella]

Not sure what mode is used for ADSB, must be software-chosen. N5XZS, you won't have to invoke SDR# when using ADSB programs such as RTL1090 or ADSB#.

 

[Comptech]

I am late to the party, but finally set a system up I am using a Pi4, the pro stick with filter and amp built in, Plus the Flight Aware 1090 antenna. Also using Dump1090 and PiAware. I have a balance problem so mounted the antenna on my deck rail on the first floor, until I could get a buddy over to mount it on the chimney 10 feet above the second floor peak. When it was on the deck, the house blocked my north view and dense forrest blocked the south. Still had about a 75 mile range. Today it went on the chimney, am catching a few planes at just over 200 miles! I am in the Greenville SC area and am seeing just into Alabama and into southern VA.

 

[fred555]

I am late to the party, but finally set a system up I am using a Pi4, the pro stick with filter and amp built in, Plus the Flight Aware 1090 antenna. Also using Dump1090 and PiAware. I have a balance problem so mounted the antenna on my deck rail on the first floor, until I could get a buddy over to mount it on the chimney 10 feet above the second floor peak. When it was on the deck, the house blocked my north view and dense forrest blocked the south. Still had about a 75 mile range. Today it went on the chimney, am catching a few planes at just over 200 miles! I am in the Greenville SC area and am seeing just into Alabama and into southern VA.

I did the same last week, Pi4 4GB with RTL-SDR dongle and Dump1090, dont have the flight aware antenna yet. I have too many antennas on my house so I think I will put it all out in the garage or probably the workshop or somewhere. Too much other RF going on around the actual house.

 

[Comptech]

Fred, the flight aware dongle worked much better than the RTL V3 Dongle. The antenna helped a little, but a tram mobile to base mount with radials and a piece of wire was almost as good. The flight aware is smal and straight and does not stand out, and does work better. Wish I could get it a litle higher, but it is what it is. Check your email when you can.

 

[spongella]

Also like the bright orange color, it's hard to misplace amongst the other radio stuff.

 

[Comptech]

Don't know if this will work, but here are my stats in a month. Nick Melfi ADS-B Feeder Statistics - FlightAware