Using ModeS Beast to feed adsbx

In other threads there is talk of stopping the use of VRS to feed adsbx.
This is my setup at the moment: Using a Window 7 laptop - Beast into Planeplotter via usb/com port, the output from PP on port 30006 into modesmixer2, from MM2 into VRS plus other sharers (FR24 and 360Radar).
How can I feed adsbx without VRS, can I get dump1090 to read data from the Beast, would I be any better off feeding the Beast into a RPi?
I do have a FA dongle but having invested in a Beast a few months ago I would like to keep using it.

Paul

 

Hi Marcin,
looking at Freqman's other posts I think he feeds via an RPi not via Windows - not sure how much difference that would make - I would consider going over to an RPi if that made life easier

 

Ok, perhaps he will see this, if not I'll send him a direct message.
(I'm new to this forum, is there a way to tag a member within a post to draw their attention to it?)

 

@Paulg.
Hi, for the Rpi3: download ADSBx-piaware-img-2.0.zip from https://www.adsbexchange.com/piaware-image/
For the configuration see:
https://flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/advanced_configuration
You'll see there:
"receiver-type rtlsdr, beast, radarcape, relay, other"
and
Beast (SD card image installs only)
This configures PiAware to talk to a Mode S Beast connected by USB directly to the Pi. Set "receiver-type" to "beast". No further configuration is needed.

Succes, Joop.

 

Thanks Joop,
I'll study that in the morning
Paul

 

Hi Paul,

with your PC edit the piaware-config.txt on your SD card.
In piaware-config.txt you should add :

# RECEIVER CONFIGURATION
#
# For a complete list of receiver types and their associated settings,
# see the Advanced Configuration page linked at the top of this file.
receiver-type beast
# For a receiver type of 'rtlsdr', this setting controls the dongle gain.
# -10 means AGC / maximum gain; other values mean a gain value in dB.
#rtlsdr-gain -10

Joop.

 

VRS has very bad time stamps and so do the windows feeders, I'm not sure why. Many times if they are out so sync we just end up dropping the data anyway.

A Pi is the way to go - it's inexpensive - doesn't use much power and can get ran all the time without plugging up your PC.

Thanks for feeding. Everyone that feeds makes this community better!

 

James

Thanks for all your hard work on the Pi adsbx image you coded.
I appreciate it
It looks so good with the grafana dashboard and useful with all the information

This may help other windows 10 users to feed reliable data to the adsb exchange:

Use raw data on port 30005
The solution was to use a open source program called Net Time and have it update my system clock every one millisecond
Also use a --ppm 6 setting in windows mutabilty dump 1090
Finally use the tcp optimise program from https://www.speedguide.net/ to fix any lag and to tweak internet settings

I use only Pi now to feed it is reliable and accurate

 

Thanks!

 

Hi Paul,

I'm using exact setup as you have to feed ADS-B exchange with one difference, I use VRS in windows 10 to feed ADS-B exchange instead of windows 7.

You can use VRS to read beast raw data and then rebroadcast it to adsb exchange.

Navigate to Tool--Options---Receivers, click the "+" button to create a new receiver. There's a wizard right to the "Enable" box, click it. Then choose "A radio that receives and decodes transponder signal". Go next you can see a bunch of options, choose beast, then next choose USB and then finished. Then choose your com port, data bits, etc.

This is it. You're good to go.

Hope this helps.

 

@u2ever
Yes I have, until recently, been using VRS to feed ADSBx, but as my original post says James has often suggested the results via VRS are not the best and sometimes unusable. I was asking for an alternative way to feed without involving VRS.
Anyway I have now ditched Windows for all feeding of ASDB data and now feed via RPi and the Beast and it seems to be running successfully
Paul

 

Pi is much easier isn't it? Just works and you can connect your VRS to the pi output if you want too.

 

You can play with the dip switches of the ModesBeast by creating a script file and putting it in crontab. I still have to try it out; this is not the right time for me because I'm working on another long-term test, but a suggestion for the enthusiast:

Code:

    #To enable AVR output format, DIP switch 3 off
         #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x63' > /dev/ttyUSB0
         #To enable Binary output format dip switch 3 on
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x43' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable DF-11/17 only filter, DIP switch 4 off
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x64' > /dev/ttyUSB0
           #To enable DF-11/17 only filter, DIP switch 4 on
           #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x44' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable MLAT timestamp, DIP switch 5 off
           #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x65' > /dev/ttyUSB0
        #To enable MLAT timestamp, DIP switch 5 on
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x45' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable CRC check, DIP switch 6 on
        #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x46' > /dev/ttyUSB0
        #To enable CRC check, DIP switch 6 off
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x66' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable DF-0/4/5 filter, DIP switch 7 off
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x67' > /dev/ttyUSB0
        #To enable DF-0/4/5 filter, DIP switch 7 on
        #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x47' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable RTS handshake, DIP switch 8 off
        #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x68' > /dev/ttyUSB0
        #To enable RTS handshake, DIP switch 8 on
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x48' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable 1 bit forward error correction, DIP switch 9 on
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x49' > /dev/ttyUSB0
        #To enable 1 bit forward error correction, DIP switch 9 off
        #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x69' > /dev/ttyUSB0
          
    #To disable Mode A/C dip switch 10 off
        #sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x6a' > /dev/ttyUSB0
        #To enable Mode A/C dip switch 10 on
                sudo echo -e '\x1a\x31\x4a' > /dev/ttyUSB0

(I am a PlanePlotter user, in that program there is a switch setting possibility ingrained)

Joop.

 

I used to feed plane plotter but since switching to the pi I've been unable to. As far as I know the PP app for the pi takes its feed from dump1090, as I'm feeding from the Beast I assume no data is available from dump.
I haven't actually tried it but I did post a question about this on the PP Yahoo group but failed to get a reply.
Paul

 

Hi Paul,
Feeding Planeplotter has run smoothly here on the Rpi2 and Rpi3 for years. And since December 2016 also in parallel with adsbx.

You need two files that you place in / home/pi: ppup1090 and ppup1090.sh.
The problem is that you must create ppup1090 yourself using a personal coaa code, which you can request for free at http://www.coaa.co.uk/rpi-request.htm. (Make sure you use the same email address as you used for the original PP application.)
In response, you will receive a "coaa.h" by email.

I had to copy this code (in October 2015) to the dump1090 folder on the Rpi.
I now work with the image ADSBx-piaware-3.5.3-2.1 and the bare map dump1090 no longer exists. We should find out where that coaa.h should be placed.
At the time I learned a lot from the website http://www.satsignal.eu/raspberry-pi/dump1090.html.
If we know that, we can continue with "make-f makeppup1090".
This should recompile a program called ppup1090 (ppup stands for plane plotter upload).
If the above is successful, we have to make a scriptfile ppup1090.sh and mention it in crontab, the last to start automatically.

BTW: My existing ppup1090 from the old systems (Wheezy) is still working in /home/pi

I'm no programmer. Maybe there are people who know where that coaa.h file should be placed nowadays ...
Joop.

 

Paul,
From the PC feeding Planeplotter (ModeSbeast):
My settings:

Green Button gives light (top left)

Options -> I/O settings:
Check Mode-S/ADS-B and UDP/IP data from net
In window: Beast receiver TCP
UDP/IP output check Mode-S
UDP/IP local port: 9742
Check Allow Auto mlats and Raw data for Mlats

Options -> ModeS receiver -> Beast receiver -> Setup TCP IP client:
<IP of your Rpi>: 30005

Forward your Rpi in your router.
<ip or your Rpi> Start port 9742, End Port 9742, UDP

Joop.

 

Hmm, all sounds rather complicated for my brain, on the Satsignal page he talks about replacing the existing dump1090 with their version, I'm a bit worried that might stop the skyview page working.
I think I'll leave the setup as it is, I know everything is working as it should.
I don't want to start feeding via Plane Plotter as this means leaving a computer running 24/7 and thats what I wanted to get away from when I set up the pi
Paul