ModeSDeco2 and ModeSMixer2 - console programs for RTLSDR and transcoding

[airbus340]

I am a new user of ModeSDeco2 and it is a great software!

One question, how do i set auto gain?

When first installed it was set to 48.9 and only weird flights came in so I set it to 20.9 which have given me best in other software, exept in Dump1090 that was better in auto gain.

I have tried Auto, auto and -100 as I read somewhere but Auto and auto give a error message and -100 decodes nothing...

[sergsero]

Hello airbus340,

To activate the "auto" mode, just don't use the option --gain

Instruction is always available, if you run the program with only --help

Code Select Expand

modesdeco2.exe --help
2015-01-06 18:25:34.528  INFO     ModeSDeco2 v.20150106
Program options:
  -h [ --help ]         This help message
  --device-list         List Available devices
  --device-index arg    Select RTL device (default: 0)
  --device-serial arg   Select RTL device by serial no
  --gain arg            Set gain in Receiver, dB (default: auto)
  --agc                 Enable Automatic Gain Control in RTL (default: off)
  --freq arg            Set frequency, Hz (default: 1090000000)
  --freq-correction arg Set frequency correction, ppm (default: 0)
  --input-file arg      Set input filename with I/Q signals
  --rbs                 Enable RBS decoding (default: off)
  --beast arg           Enable Beast output listen port (default: off)
  --avr arg             Enable AVR output listen port (default: off)
  --avrmlat arg         Enable AVR MLAT output listen port (default: off)
  --sbs10001 arg        Enable SBS-3 output listen port (default: off)
  --msg arg             Enable MSG output listen port (default: off)
  --web arg             Enable Web Server on port (default: off)
  --location arg        Receiver location Lat:Lon
                        Example: 36.2:-15.3
  --verbose             Verbose mode (default: off)
  --localtime           Local Time in MSG format output (default: UTC)
  --filter-expire arg   Filter record expire time, sec (default: 20)
  --filter-count arg    Filter record min count (default: 6)
  --filter-time arg     filter record min time, sec (default: 60)
  --filter-nocountry    Disable ICAO Country filter (default: on)
  --nmea arg            Enable GPS Emulation.
                        Format: ICAO:Port:BaudRate
  --nmea-logfile arg    Set GPS Emulator logfile


However, I recommend that you experiment with the selection of the optimal initial fixed gain. Further, the program will be calculate the required signal gain based on this value.
For dongle with receiver chip R820T the supported gain values (29): 0.0 0.9 1.4 2.7 3.7 7.7 8.7 12.5 14.4 15.7 16.6 19.7 20.7 22.9 25.4 28.0 29.7 32.8 33.8 36.4 37.2 38.6 40.2 42.1 43.4 43.9
44.5 48.0 49.6


Thanks

[airbus340]

Thank you very much sergsero!

I will try the different settings instead of use auto then. When I watch the message rate in adsb# my message rate start to decrease at 19.9 and 22.9 and peak at 20.7 and thats why I put it to 20.7.

But maybe different software need different gain settings, so I will experiment.

[sergsero]

I'll recommend for tests to use the version 20150106, in which were fixed bugs. Just download the archive again. It is a new binary version. It is able to extract the classic Mode-S squawks (DF5/DF21) and new DF17 from transponder v.2 Airbus 380 and some business jets.
While not made for version 1, for example, Boeing 744-800.



Thanks,
sergsero

[Carlos]

Hi,

I am a new user to Modesdeco, unfortunately I cannot get it to work. I have attached an image and as can be seen it is showing as logged in but I don't receive any aircraft hits. When I change back to my sbs box it works fine.
I have changed the setting to network in basestation rather than USB.

I have a windows 7 64 bit machine.

Hope you can help.

Best Regards

Carl


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[sergsero]

Hi Carl,

Common recommendation the command line for direct connection Basestation.exe through the IP network: --sbs10001 10001

For example, my SBS-3 has IP:Port as 192.168.64.170 and 10001. Accordingly, Basestation.exe uses to connect these settings: 192.168.64.170 and 10001.
My computer with running program modesdeco2 has IP 192.168.64.161. It will be the new source of RAW data for Basestation.exe. The port will save, for simplicity, the same - 10001.
Then the command line would be: modesdeco2.exe --device-index 0 --gain 49.6 --freq-correction 125 --sbs10001 10001

New network settings in Basestation.exe visible in the picture: 192.168.64.161 10001:


If all is successful, the message at the bottom should change from: "Not connected to SBS-1" to "Connected to SBS-1" as on picture.


It is possible that the start of the data exchange process will take a few seconds. To verify that data is received, add the option --verbose to the command line. If the data is there, you will see them in the console:


I did this test direct connection right now in windows 8.1 64 bit machine.

I can recommend you to update the version modesdeco2. During this time there were bugs that were fixed. The latest version 20150106 can be downloaded from the first message of this thread.

Thanks,
sergsero

[Carlos]

Hi Sergsero,

Thank you for the quick reply. I will try this with the latest version. When I check my settings I am using the settings as can be seen in the attached image.

Thanks

Carl

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[Oldfella]

I did only test version of the program to verify that it works for ADS-B with new SDR receivers AirSpy and HackRF. It is works. However, this was done by simply replacing the front-end. To get real benefits compared with RTL dongle, need to rewrite the decoder, which will be able to fully use the potential of the more powerful hardware. First of all to take advantage of the oversampling and 70-75dB dynamic range due to 12bit ADC (AirSpy) instead of the ~46dB with RTL dongle.

Hello again Sergsero,

Received my AirSpy yesterday and have been doing some tests and so far very very impressed.

Naturally, very interested to hear if you are going ahead with a rewrite the decoder to fully explore the benefits of the AirSpy.

Again, thank you for your efforts they are very much appreciated.

Oldfella

[OH8MDT]

Thank you, great programming work, excellent work on Ubuntu 14.04.

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[Oldfella]

Would like to add my thanks for such a big advancement to the ModeSDeco2 program Sergsero. Much appreciate your work and skill.

Thanks also to OH8MDT for his input regarding the options setup.


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[tebrown]

Hi sergsero,

Thanks for all the hard work. So far, I am very impressed with your work. The only issue I have found thus far is the error in the coverage map after I have the program running for about a day.  See the screenshot below.  I am guessing some position reports are bogus, or some math has gone wrong.

Thanks,
Travis

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[masa5582]

Hi.

Thank you for always. I'm worried now. Or from ModesDeco2 you are running in another computer, via a ModesDeco2 running on a personal computer in a remote location, it is sent over the network, you want to run the BaseStation.

[sergsero]

Hello tebrown,

I will try to fix the errors of CPR zone determination on map in the next version of program.

Thanks,
sergsero

[maximus_mike]

Hi Sergsero,

Many thanks for the latest version of modesdeco2 with all the maps, charts, flights etc. I am using it with a r820t2 dongle and getting excellent results out to around 250km.

This is now my main Mode-s program.

Thanks - Mike

[MrParanoia]

Hi Sergsero,

I previously used ModeSDeco2 with an RTL device but am now using ModeSMixer to transcode data from Airnav Radarbox to GlobeS RTL so thanks for your great work.

Is there any plan to implement the web interface for statistical data into ModeSMixer?

Thanks