Mlat on Kinetic Basestation map

[IanH]

Responding to a PM so the information is generally available.

"reheat101" has done the hard work of setting up PiAware for MLAT and is asking how to display the data on BaseStation.

You need to download the latest WIndows version of modeSmixer2 from here: https://radarspotting.com/forum/index.php/topic,2978.0.html - the latest versions are updated on page 1 of the thread, Makesure you get modeSmixer2 and not modeSdeco2.

You need toknow the IP address of your Pi - if all else fails check the Flight Aware page for your set up since it should be on there under "Site Local IP".

On your Windows PC, create a batch file:

Code Select Expand

@echo off
cmd /c <<folder>>\modesmixer2,exe --location NN.nn:-WW.ww --inConnect <<Pi IP>>:30105 --inConnect <<Pi IP>>:30005 --outServer sbs10001:10001
PAUSE
exit

For example mine looks like this

Code Select Expand


@echo off
cmd /c d:\radar\modesmixer2.exe --location xx.xx:-yy.yy --inConnect 192.168.0.177:30105 --inConnect 192.168.0.177:30105 --outServer sbs10001:10001
PAUSE
exit


If you run the batch file and set the BaseStation software in Setting/Hardware Settings/Network tab to Address=127.0.0.1 and Port 10001, you should see all the ADSB and MLAT plots.

Let us us know if this doesn't work - there are ways of checking to fix it.

[Triple7]

I also replied to reheat101's PM but I went a slightly different route. I suggested running MSM2 on the Pi as that is how I have it. I did it that way to take a bit of the  processing requirement away from the PC and to use the power of the Pi to do a bit more than just decode using PiAware.

Your solution is perhaps neater and easier for someone who is more comfortable with a windows based system. I couldn't remember all of the MSM2 command line settings anyway, so my reply wasn't overly helpful!

Tim

[IanH]

Tim

I just assumed that running MSM2 on the same Windows PC as the BaseStation software was the easiest way to go for someone not familiar with Linux.

But my thought was also to take the MM2 processing away from the Pi and let the more powerful PC deal with it instead!! Probably not significant either way,

My set up is a complet mess anyway with various virtual machines running components on a server. But mean I can try out changes easily and revert if necessary.

Ian

[reheat101]

Guy's,

I really appreciate both your suggestions regarding Mlat on Basestation,

Thank's for taking the time for providing me and others with instructions,

I will let you guy's know eventually when i have this up and running,

Best regards,

Lee.

[Nigel]

Hi

I was very interested to see the possibility of doing this. I use MM2 on a Pi to present data on Basestation already and have just tried the modified commands suggested here but with no luck showing MLAT flights. I've also tried running MM2 on my PC, find with the ADSB plots but still no MLATs

Nigel

[Anmer]

Are you running FlightAware's PiAware with MLAT enabled?

[Triple7]

You don't mention it specifically but I assume you are running PiAware on the Pi? Are you sending your data to Flight Aware?  Have you set your location on the Flight Aware page? If all answers are yes, then you should be getting the returned Mlats sent to you.

What do you see on the Skyview page - enter the <IP address of your pi>:8080 in a browser and check to see if any Mlated planes are showing.

I suspect you may have overlooked section 5.2 here:

https://uk.flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/install

"Configure your location and antenna height on your statistics page by clicking on the gear icon located to the right of the Site name."

Tim

[Nigel]

Thank you for the various replies. Yes I'm running PiAware on the Pi and send data to FA. When I check the Skyview page for the Pi fee I see the Mlat planes. Even when I check the Map View in Planefinder that is beind fed data from my Basestation using the old Pg client running on my PC I now see the Mlat planes - that wasn't happening before until I added the 30105 port. So it seems that it is Basestation that isn't plotting them - the feeds seem fine.

Thanks

Nigel     

[Anmer]

Even when I check the Map View in Planefinder that is beind fed data from my Basestation using the old Pg client running on my PC I now see the Mlat planes - that wasn't happening before until I added the 30105 port.

How can BaseStation "feed" MLAT data to Planefinder?  Basestation doesn't plot Mode-S only messages.

[Nigel]

Maybe it is my lack of understanding here. I used to run a Puck displaying the data in Basestation and feeding Planefinder with the PF client running on my PC. I'm now using FA Prosticks and use MM2 on the Pi to present the data in Basestation from one of my Pis. It was my understanding that the feed to the old PF client was coming from Basestation as the Data format is Kinetic. I hardly use the old PF client as I have one running on my Pi, and the output display was identical. Since making changes to the MM2 commands on my Pi to try and display Mlat planes on Basestation, I'm now I'm seeing Mlat flights on the Map Display for the PF client but not on the Map Display for the client running on my Pi.

[Anmer]

Thanks Nigel.

Is it possible to describe each connection, perhaps like this?

Antenna->Pro Stick->RPi->ModeSMixer2 (input/output ports)->BaseStation (input port) etc

It will help me, and possibly others, to understand your setup and data flows?

[IanH]

I'm confused by mention of both PlaneFinder and PiAware.

So I agree with Anmer we need to understand what is feeding what.

[Nigel]

Thanks Anmer

My setup is as follows:

Antenna->Pro Stick->RPi->ModeSMixer2 (running on the RPi) inConnect RPi IP:30005 inConnect PRi IP:30105 outServer SBS10001:10001

I've slightly abbreviated the inConnect and outServer commands above

On BaseStation the input settings are RPi IP Port:10001

The 'old' PlaneFinder Client settings running on my PC are:

Tcp address: 127.0.0.1
Tcp Port: 3006
Connection Type: TCP
Data Format: Kinetic

When I use the PF Client Map View I see both ADSB and Mlat planes

I hope this helps

Many thanks

Nigel

[IanH]

Since PF Client is now showing both ADSB and MLAT where it was not before suggests that you are combining the data using MM2 and sending to BaseStation and then on to PF Client.

BUT suggest you turn off the PF client feed from BaseStation before they turn you off! They do NOT like combined feeds. See  https://forum.planefinder.net/threads/feed-plane-finder-from-virtual-radar-server.1038/ They do NOT like combined feeds.

Quite why you are not seeing MLAT on BaseStation with your setup is surprising. So there should be aircraft without position showing in the BaseStation aircraft list - is that the case?

You can also add a parameter to the MM2 command - something like --web 8081. Then in a web browser use http://Pi IP:8081 to get a map of what MM2 is receiving. There should be no major diffeence between this and BaseStation and/or Skyview. If there is, that needs fixing.

[evangel]

hi all
maybe this setup could help ?

RPi side

in /etc/piaware.conf  or in /boot/piaware-config.txt (if on piaware image SD card)
this line must be present

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mlat-results-format "beast,connect,localhost:30104 beast,listen,30105 ext_basestation,listen,30106"

for modesmixer

Code Select Expand


--inConnect localhost:30105 \
--inConnect localhost:30106 \
--outServer sbs10001:10001 \
--web 7788


note the multiple lines that makes easier editing and control
(space and backstroke for line ending except last line,
new command line starts with --)

Windows side:

browser:
eg 192.168.1.155:7788 to view modesmixer results

basestation:
as mentioned in previous post
under Settings->Hardware Settings->Network
address: eg 192.168.1.155
port: 10001





HTH
evangel




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