ModeSDeco2 and ModeSMixer2 - console programs for RTLSDR and transcoding

[IanH]

If you are feeding Flightaware from your dongle, I am not convinced they will accept SBS-1 data.

So Modesmixer2 can read the SBS-1 data using:

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<path_to_folder>/modesmixer2.exe  --inConnect <ip_address of SBS-1>:10001

So for me testing this:

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D:\modesmixer2_windows\modesmixer2.exe  --inConnect 192.168.0.171:10001 --web 8086

The "--web 8086" allows me to check that data is being received by putting <ip address of PC>:8086 into a web browser and looking at output.

There are additional options to write to basestation.sqb and to add you receiver location, etc

But what do you want to do with the SBS-1 output?

If you want to feed FlightAware via Piaware, that means compiling Piaware on the PC and even then will it be acceptable?

To be honest, I would simply pay for a Flightaware dongle to replace the AirNav dongle.

https://thepihut.com/products/flightaware-pro-stick-plus-usb-sdr-ads-b-receiver

There comes a point where the time spent experimenting is not worth the effort!

If feeding Flightaware via Piaware is not the objective, maybe there are options.

[Anmer]

If you are feeding Flightaware from your dongle, I am not convinced they will accept SBS-1 data.

Flightaware doesn't care about the receiver as long as the data's shared via PiAware.

Whether PiAware can process SBS data is another matter.

[jon92]

Hi Tim/Anmer

Thank you for the replies. Just for clarity - my current setup RPI4 - Raspberry Pi Lite - piaware - dump1090-fa - mm2 - 360Radar feeding MLAT data & pihole. The system is running fine and doing what I want - the only issue is the radarbox dongle is overheating and possibly causing problems. My reason for ditching windows/basestion is my laptop would have to be on 24/7 to get the aircraft data I want plus  windows 10 has become a pain in the backside - updates take ages & usually breaks something!

Tim the output of --InConnect <SBS ip>:10001 --web 8086 loads the mm2 web server but all pages are blank (no data).

The only thing I really wanted to achieve is to use my redundant sbs  to populate basestation.sqb 24/7 instead of the dongle. I don't intend to feed to flightaware so that wouldn't be an issue.

Jon

[Triple7]

Hi Jon,

In fairness it was IanH that gave you the code for outputting the SBSdata stream, not me. IanH is absolutely correct with what he is suggesting. If that isn't working for you, then there is something else amiss ........

SBS powered up correctly from an external power feed?

SBS switched over for external power not usb?

LEDs on and blue LEDs showing?

IP address of your SBS known? Default is 192.168.1.170

MSM2 can add to your sqb file, by adding in the --db command and setting the path to your sqb file within the MSM2 command line.

Good luck,

Tim

[jon92]

IanH

Sorry for not noticing it was you who posted! I have tried what you suggested & I think it is probably easier to attach screen shots of the results. Image 1 is the mm2.conf status with the code you asked me try - Image 2 is output from <Pi IP>:8086 - image 3 is my current mm2.conf - image 4 is the output of <PI IP> using my mm2.conf. And to make sure the sbs is working ok image 5 is the results of a port scan on my Win10 pc with basestation software running.

Tim - yes to all your questions! thanks.

Jon




[attachment deleted reduce file load]

[Anmer]

IP address of your SBS known? Default is 192.168.1.170

Have you tried pinging 192.168.1.170?

[IanH]

Jon

No problem. Pleased that Tim confirmed my instructions were correct 

Your images are reassuring - you know what you are doing 

Image 1 confirms that mm2 is connecting to the SBS-1 which is good.

But the next step would be for it to say "SBS data stream detected". It isn't 

Although I am trying this from an SBS-3, not an SBS-1. But all we are trying to do is get the 10001 port data which should be the same.

Anyway try adding --log-level 5 to the mm2 command line.

You should see a lot of data coming from the Pi looking a bit like this. Press Ctrl-C to stop it.

2021-07-16 15:47:45.184  DEBUG    ICAO 40711B: TAS 426 MACH 692 TEMPC -23.6706
2021-07-16 15:47:45.184  DEBUG    ICAO 40711B: GS 398.58 TAS 426 TT 325.632 HDG 330 WSPD 41.6911
2021-07-16 15:47:45.184  DEBUG    ICAO 40711B: GS 398.58 TAS 426 TT 325.632 HDG 330 WDIR 16
2021-07-16 15:47:45.184  DEBUG    *A0000F14F50A572B7EC7D17779C0;
2021-07-16 15:47:45.184  DEBUG    DF20 ICAO: 40711B FS 0 DR 0 UM 0 ALTITUDE 23100 MBIT 0 QBIT 1 IAS 299 ACAS 0 SPI 0 GR 0 MACH 692 HDG 330 HAB 0 BDS60 RECEIVE TIME 1626450465
2021-07-16 15:47:45.185  DEBUG    *A00008B68FA47D30A80000BF3C5F;
2021-07-16 15:47:45.185  DEBUG    DF20 ICAO: 40753F FS 0 DR 0 UM 0 ALTITUDE 13150 MBIT 0 QBIT 1 ACAS 0 SPI 0 GR 0 MCP 80 FMS 80 QNH 1013 BDS40 RECEIVE TIME 1626450465
2021-07-16 15:47:45.190  DEBUG    *A0000EB9A13D09F0A801064F979C;
2021-07-16 15:47:45.190  DEBUG    DF20 ICAO: 461E1A FS 0 DR 0 UM 0 ALTITUDE 22825 MBIT 0 QBIT 1 ACAS 0 SPI 0 GR 0 MCP 170 MCPS 2 FMS 170 QNH 1013 FCU 0 BDS40 RECEIVE TIME 1626450465
2021-07-16 15:47:45.191  DEBUG    *A00016B3B8ADC570A800009167D8;
2021-07-16 15:47:45.191  DEBUG    DF20 ICAO: 4070E3 FS 0 DR 0 UM 0 ALTITUDE 35475 MBIT 0 QBIT 1 ACAS 0 SPI 0 GR 0 MCP 290 FMS 290 QNH 1013 BDS40 RECEIVE TIME 1626450465
2021-07-16 15:47:45.192  DEBUG    *A0000EB9E2FA31287E8FC9B66C3E;
2021-07-16 15:47:45.192  DEBUG    DF20 ICAO: 461E1A FS 0 DR 0 UM 0 ALTITUDE 22825 MBIT 0 QBIT 1 TT 230 ACAS 0 SPI 0 GR 0 TR -1.46875 BDS50 RECEIVE TIME 1626450465
2021-07-16 15:47:45.196  DEBUG    *A00016B3B8ADC570A800009167D8;

Let us know how you get on.

Ian

[Triple7]

my Win10 pc with basestation software running.

Hi Jon,

I am pretty certain that if BaseStation is connecting to your SBS (image 5 shows this and you have mentioned that BaseStation is running connecting to 192.168.1.170) then you cannot run another piece of software to also pick up the feed - it gets locked out. I think Kinetic put a block on that some time ago - I am sure Anmer can confirm or not. I am not 100% certain that the below is correct but you may like to try it and see.

You need to be running MSM2 first and then point your Basesstation software at the output of the MSM2 output - you will therefore need some extra code if you don't already have it:

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--outServer sbs10001:10001

Then check / amend in BaseStation:
Settings>>Hardware settings>>Network (tab)>>Address = IP of Pi running MSM2

That might then allow your MSM2 to connect to your SBS feed and show the results IanH mentioned – Image 1.

Tim

[Anmer]

I am sure Anmer can confirm or not.

Yes, Kinetic blocked concurrent sessions some time ago.

As Tim suggests, shut down Basestation and once you have an MSM2 session working, configure BaseStation to connect to that.

[IanH]

Tim

I did test the effect of BaseStation running. MM2 will not connect and does not show the messages seen in Image 1. 

Your code for outputting SBS 10001 data is correct. I like the idea of connecting BaseStation to the IP of the Pi to provide a visual check.

Ian

[IanH]

Dug out my SBS-1.

Strange results.

Running the same script as for the SBS-3, I get similar output as Image 1.

But NO flow of data on screen and no data in the browser.

Hmm - modify the script to remove unneeded commands. Try again. It works. Stop mm2 and repeat. NOTHING.

Sometimes modifying the script makes it work, sometimes not.

Sometimes, repeating the script and it works, sometimes not. Hence changing the script is coincidence.

SBS-3 responded with a definite login response, SBS-1 with nothing.

Ian

[jon92]

I wasn't able to do any testing last night!

I have tried the following setup - Basestation software pointing to the Pi

--inConnect 192.168.1.170:10001 --outServer sbs10001:10001 --web 8787 --log-level 5

and the output is image 6 ( I don't know how to copy and paste de-bugging).

Jon

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[abcd567]

Anyone running ModeSMixer2 on Windows, normally uses batch file (modesmixer2_windows_x86_64.bat) in following format:

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@echo off

cmd /c path_to_folder/modesmixer2_windows_x86_64.exe --google-key AxxxxxxxxYxxxxxw --db d:\data\basestation.sqb --frdb d:\data\flightroute.sqb --silhouettes d:\data\silhouettes --pictures d:\data\pictures --inConnect 192.168.64.150:10003 --inConnectId 192.168.64.126:30105:MLAT --inConnectId 192.168.64.141:30105:MLAT-E --inConnect 192.168.64.170:40055 --outServer sbs10001:10001 --outServer msg:30033 --web 8886 --globes 31018:table2:UNTT --location 36.4171:65.6471  --metric

PAUSE
exit



Above way results in a very long line of arguments, most of which are not directly visible when file is opened in Notepad or Notepad++ for editing/browsing. Scrolling to right is required to see all the arguments. Even if "Wrap Text" is used, the lines wrap at random points, and not at the end of arguments.

A better format is given below, which has one argument per line terminated by character ^ (Carat, Circumflex accent, Shift + 6 on US & UK Keyboards)

This makes all arguments directly visible without need to scroll right, as below:

IMPORTANT:
(1) Leave space between argument and Carat symbol ^
(2) Do NOT leave any space after Carat symbol ^
(3) The last line of argument should be WITHOUT Carat symbol ^
(4) No blank lines between arguments.

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@echo off

cmd /c path_to_folder/modesmixer2_windows_x86_64.exe ^
--google-key AxxxxxxxxYxxxxxw ^
--db d:\data\basestation.sqb ^
--frdb d:\data\flightroute.sqb ^
--silhouettes d:\data\silhouettes ^
--pictures d:\data\pictures ^
--inConnect 192.168.64.150:10003 ^
--inConnectId 192.168.64.126:30105:MLAT ^
--inConnectId 192.168.64.141:30105:MLAT-E ^
--inConnect 192.168.64.170:40055 ^
--outServer sbs10001:10001 ^
--outServer msg:30033 ^
--web 8886 ^
--globes 31018:table2:UNTT ^
--location 36.4171:65.6471  ^
--metric

PAUSE
exit



[IanH]

Running MM2 on Linux and familiar with commands.

Issue here is that Kinetic SBS-1 does not produce output (or at least not reliably) to the command -"-inConnect <SBS-1 IP address>> 10001"

[abcd567]

Hello,

Its the "service not found". Which service?

Looks like a DNS issue. Might be due to PiHole service being stopped.
Whats the DNS server setting in dietpi-config > Networking Options > Ethernet?

Due to dietpi-services stopping pihole service prior to download.
May be the solution:
Check and enable pihole service during update.

Next check domain name resolution for local applications - it is handled by the service systemd-resolved
root@test:~# systemctl start systemd-resolved
root@test:~# systemctl enable systemd-resolved

Next - /etc/hostname and /etc/hosts is already updated when changing the host name via dietpi-config.
Please assure that entries in /etc/hostname and /etc/hosts match (and as well not all kind of characters are allowed).

E.g. example for test machine:
root@test:~# cat /etc/hostname
test

root@test:~# cat /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 test


However for some reason to be fail-safe, /etc/hosts should look like this:
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 <hostname>
with matching /etc/hostname.

The 127.0.0.1 should be associated with localhost and optionally localhost.localdomain only.
The FQDN (fully qualified domain name)/host name otherwise should be associated with either a static external IP that points to this host directly or (AFAIK in all NAT situations) 127.0.1.1. Otherwise asking the system for the FQDN (e.g. hostname -f) would show the local domain instead of the wanted (external) FQDN.
If you indeed have a static external IP, then replace 127.0.1.1 with it.
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 <your_FQDN_hostname>

If this was not available on your LAN except via the static ip. To make it accessible internally have to add the line (example for network 192.168.x.x):
192.168.x.x <your_FQDN_hostname>

Best regards,
sergsero

Found solution , it is very simple:

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sudo apt install netbase   

sudo systemctl restart mm2   



Actually I have found this solution in 2019 in connection with Radarbox24 feeder on DietPi giving same problem.  Recently applied this solution to ModeSMixer2 on DietPi,  and the problem was solved.

Please see these 2 posts:

https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/automated-installation-of-modesmixer2-modesdeco2-on-rpi/53899/90

https://forum.radarbox24.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=82915giiesh3sksd6b3kekoqpb&topic=101981.msg400661#msg400661



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