Viewing History of my feed

Hello all.

I just started feeding yesterday with the kind assistance of @wiedehopf.

I have a further question - this time about a local issue.

I am keen to keep a record of the aircraft picked up by my setup. Is there a way to access this? I have 2 days experience of Pi & feeding - so as non-tech as poss please.

Thanks and kind regards,
Eddie Allison

 

Hi Eddie

I am also a newish feeder and like logging my tracks. The one way I have found locally to do this is using a local set up of Virtual Radar Server (VRS) (I'm not sure how much of a dirty set of words this is around here so will prepare to duck as necessary) which then feeds off your already set up feeder and can be set up to save your tracks into its database. There is a script on GitHub which installs everything you need on to your Pi, and then you'll have to read the VRS documentation as to setting up VRS once installed, but I found it fairly easy

https://github.com/mypiaware/virtual-radar-server-installation

Hope this helps
Richard

 

Thanks Richard, I appreciate the help. I will take a look at that today.

Kind regards,
Eddie

 

Hi Richard, thanks for the advice, the VRS installed beautifully and with no snags. One minor detail being that I can't see any aircraft! I am assuming this is because my SDR is feeding ADSB E and I can't directly feed to VRS from that device. So, my question is - how do I achieve this? My SDR is broadcasting happily on 30005 to ADSB E.

Any help would be great. I have looked at the documentation for VRS and the only thing I can see is that it says it defaults to Port 8090. Should I change this during installation?

Cheers,
Eddie

 

Hi again. Anyone able to help with this? I am really needing to record what my receiver sees but the only way I can do this at present is to cut-off the ADSB E feed.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

I have tried diligently but cannot get this to happen. Before I waste any more of your time, you don't happen to have a solution to the question that started all this? Is there any way I can record the data I feed to ADSB Exchange? Or, more accurately, the data I receive on my SDR?

Just in case the answer to that is "no", I cannot fathom where you want me to enter the data you gave me. Is it in the web interface for VRS - if so, I can't find the section needing that input. Or is it in the murky depths of the Pi?

if this is so basic, forgive me but this is my first full week of SDRs, Pi and Raspbian/Linux/Github/JSON/and a million other hitherto unheard items.

With gratitude and something of a headache,
Eddie

 

I think that wiedehoph covered what you need. The script link I posted askes you to input one of the recievers when you install. Just point it at 127.0.0.1 Port 30005. (Assuming VRS is install on the same pi as the feeder, or use the IP of the feeder if on different computer ) This can be set up in the options of VRS after the script has run. If you create a second MLAT feed 127.0.0.1 port 31003 (although mine points to 30105 and still gets data) you will need to set up a merged feed. All thru the web admin interface

You will also need to read the VRS documenation to set up the database writer and editor for it to record the a/c as they are seen. (tick a few boxes and under the optins section of the web admin interface you will need to point VRS to the correct folders in the VRS-Extras folder in your /user/home/ folder.

Persivere - you'll get there and it is worth in IMHO. I really like knowing what flew over while asleep, while away at work etc.

P.s. keep the default port... I did. (the dev for the script is helpful with install stuff, but don't ask him about VRS... use reddit group)

 

Thanks wiiedhopf, I had a look at that link previously but it is for Windows and I use MAC - which I understand is not supported. I will take a look at the other link with care as the words "know what they are doing" does NOT fit my current rank. I have added two receivers (1 x SDR and 1 x MLAT) in the VRS Web interface but perhaps I have not set up correctly. I will keep building my knowledge and it will all become clear one day - or my brain will explode. Either works. One thought - the link you provide to "ADSBx and "Feeder Map" for the "/myip" page contains exactly what I am looking for. Both in the map and feed links. Is there any way of making this available to the feeder?

Thanks Richard, apologies for the political gaff - I am really brand new to this and have not yet understood the nuances of the community. I will recheck my settings.

Again, thanks to both for taking the time to reply.

Cheers,
Eddie

 

Got it working chaps - thanks for the help. Question re the data fed still stands though as accessing this would save me running VRS at all.

Thanks again,
Eddie

 

The data you see on tar1090 / myip is live and tranisant and I believe is not saved anywhere once it is done with (or at least from what I can figure doesn't survive a reboot). VRS will save what you see for historical records and easy look up, assuming you have the database set up correctly. If you are really struggling to set this up I can post some screenshots from my webadmin page which set things up to feed into something that looks like the below... assuming this is the kind of thing you are looking for?

 

Thanks to both for the replies. Richard, your screenshot is exactly what I am seeing now. The final thing I would like to do is be able to save this in either Excel or Numbers. When I try to save the file it appears with a".webarchive" suffix. I have Googled like mad to try to find a way to edit such a file and I had some success in creating a PDF and then exporting to Excel. The problem was the the formatting was shot to hell and pretty unusable. So if you have any thoughts on how I could export the file into either program I would be most grateful.

Looks like you are in one of my favourite locations! My best friend has a place in Mawgan Porth and another friend owns the FBO at St.Mawgan.

Thanks for all the help to you both.

Cheers,
Eddie

 

Hey. Glad you are getting what I am seeing and it is all working As for the rest of your query about exporting... you are definitely on your own at that point. I am happy with having a database with a front end that I can use to view/query the contents of that database.
You can get more Operator flags and Silhouettes at the Radar Spotting Fourms (radarspotting.com), if you have not already stumbled on to these. Also one little tip is, if you do edit the entry for a plane from the VRS database editor is to make sure your operator flag or silhouette is the appropriate folder before saving the entry otherwise it comes up blank. I am use Mobaxterm (rather than Putty) to drag and drop in new operator flags etc into the folders as I find that I have blanks.
Maybe you could get your mates to feed into ADSBExchange or ask if you could put in there attic?? Would improve the MLAT coverage down this way. I am working on getting a better antenna and will then be persuding my landlord to let me put it in the attic... need more height as I am in a valley outside of Truro

 

P.s...... few mins later I have this in an Excel (Libre Office) file. See attached zip file with file in. Did you try a simple copy and paste into Excel?? The silhouttes and flags don't line up but all the data is otherwise formatted in the columns. All I did what highlight from the Start of the first row header in the list in the report and dragged down to the end of the last entry, copy and paste into cell A1 of a blank sheet.

Hope that does what you want?

 

<Speechless> I am embarrassed as hell. This thread will self-destruct in 5 seconds!

That worked almost flawlessly. Formatted perfectly. The only tiny issue is that every single row has the same image and, for some reason, I can't delete that column. However, who cares?!

Getting Steven to even understand the concept of SDR, TAR1090, LINUX, Pi, etc would be a huge non-starter! His house has a fab few to the bay but is surrounded by hills.

Thanks again for the sterling help. I need to improve my setup too. Currently it is a Raspberry Pi dangling out my Study window with a rubber band holding the SDR USB in place and the aerial mag-mount on my car. It is going to rain one day and/or I will drive away and forget it is there.

Cheers,
Eddie

 

Lol...... BOOM!
Glad it worked.
I currently have the dipole from the RLT-SDR Blog V3 antenna kit suctioned to the inside of the bedroom window - the basic antenna kit comes with a suction mount. Attached to a SDR Blog V3, just need to keep reminding the other half not to turn the plug off. All works ok, but have an Flightaware antenna in the post... only after I ordered did I realise that ABSDEx does there own antenna. If I need/want to build another feeder then will probably trying one of theres. I would be interested in a comparrison between the two, but I have not found one yet.

 

I'm glad to hear I am not the only one with a temporary setup. good luck with the new aerial. That will be my next target.

Cheers,
Eddie