Radarspotting

Mode-S Receivers => FlightAware's Pro Stick => Topic started by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 06:33:14 PM

Title: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 06:33:14 PM
Hi,

I am a total Raspberry numptee.... I have bought a Rpi 4 from The Piehut with a preinstalled bootable copy of Piaware on an SD Card.

I have got the Rpi up and running on the FA site. I am uploading data including MLAT (I can see this on a browser loaded up on another device on the same network).

I have also managed to get a Windows PC on the same network to pick up a feed from the Rpi/stick and populate VRS and Planeplotter.

So, basically not bad for an afternoons work.

However, what I would ideally like to achieve is

1) Get the Raspberry to send data also to Flightradar and also Planeplotter?

2) Somehow keep a daily log of what I have picked up, that can be either pulled down off as and when or better still be auto uploaded / mailed out.

I can have the Windows machine running 24/7 along side the Raspberry (capturing data on its installation of VRS) But I would like to be able to shut it down if I wanted.

Is this possible? Or even part of it?? Maybe have the Raspberry uploading to Flightradar and or planeplotter even when the Windows box is turned off??

Also I normally use Basestation Reporter to study what I have picked up.... is there a better solution these days??

A lot of questions, and as I say I am a total newbie to all this

Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: Anmer on April 09, 2021, 07:00:02 PM
Well done.

You can configure PP to get data from your RPi running PiAware.

Options-> I/O Settings-> Mode-S/ADS-B-> RTL >RPI+Dump1090

Options-> Mode-S Receiver-> RTL dongle RPi Dump1090-> Setup TCP Client-> IP Address:30005

Where IP Address is the IP Address of the RPi.  For example 192.168.1.250:30005

PP uses a BaseStation.sqb file as it's local database.  So you can continue to use BaseStation Reporter to view your Sessions.  Personally I don't think there's a better option but others may disagree.

Your RPi will upload local data to FlightAware when the PC is off.  But PlanePlotter runs on a PC so I suspect your data sharing will not work when the PC is turned off.  But I may be wrong as I'm not a regular PP "user".
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 07:29:25 PM
Hi,

OK, thanks - I have already got PP on the Windows box to feed from the Rpi.

I was hoping there was a way to get the Rpi to feed out data to PP and FR24 in addition to FA while the Win machine was off. Guess not.

I seem to have added another device to keep on 24/7!

Never mind.

Can I access the feed coming off the Rpi while outside of my network? I am guessing it will need settings changed in my router?
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: Anmer on April 09, 2021, 07:35:48 PM
Quote from: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 07:29:25 PM
I was hoping there was a way to get the Rpi to feed out data to PP and FR24 in addition to FA while the Win machine was off. Guess not.

You can feed your data to FA and FR24 off the one RPi.  There are posts on this forum that explain how to do it.  Have a search.

Quote from: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 07:29:25 PM
Can I access the feed coming off the Rpi while outside of my network? I am guessing it will need settings changed in my router?

Yes, using port forwarding.  What did you plan to use to "access the feed"?
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 07:44:56 PM
Hi

Will have a better search.... I am just a little hesitant, as I dont really know how to get another software onto the Rpi. It boots off the Piaware SD card into just that. There doesnt seem to be another OS on the unit?

I was hoping to see my feed on my laptop / phone / Ipad while at work, or even out of the country?
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: Anmer on April 09, 2021, 08:09:42 PM
Quote from: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 07:44:56 PM
Will have a better search.... I am just a little hesitant, as I dont really know how to get another software onto the Rpi. It boots off the Piaware SD card into just that. There doesnt seem to be another OS on the unit?

The single OS supports the multiple feeds.

Found these posts by abcd567 which may help:

https://radarspotting.com/forum/index.php?topic=10733.msg44162#msg44162

https://radarspotting.com/forum/index.php?topic=9938.msg43054#msg43054

https://radarspotting.com/forum/index.php?topic=9623.msg40978#msg40978[/quote]

Quote from: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 07:44:56 PM
I was hoping to see my feed on my laptop / phone / Ipad while at work, or even out of the country?

You can view FlightAware's SkyAware Anywhere (which is your local receiver's traffic) using a web browser logged into your FlightAware account.  Select the MyADS-B menu option at the top of the page:

https://flightaware.com/

Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: DaveC on April 09, 2021, 08:18:35 PM
Hi,

When I started off a year ago with a Pi I used an earlier version of this script (https://github.com/mypiaware/virtual-radar-server-installation). I wanted to be able to have VRS running 24/7 without the PC having to be on all the time. Looking at it now it seems to have been updated so can't comment on the latest version, but the original version works for me. Like you I was a complete novice and it wasn't too bad to follow and get it up and running. Having said that I still need to tinker around with it so I can get the MLAT data you can see on the FlightAware SkyAware map onto the VRS map, so if you work that out give me a shout.

Have a look at planeplotter@groups.io and search for RPi4b and it should come up with some hits about setting planeplotter up on a Pi. I haven't been brave enough to start that yet because I find a lot of the instructions are quite in depth and not necessarily aimed at the novice.

Good luck

Dave
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 08:20:57 PM
Hi

Excellent, looks like all the data I could possibly ever need.

Just one more numpty question..... do I power down the Rpi and pull out the SD Card and then use a Windows machine to 'expore' it and cut and paste things to it??

Or can I some how get all this onto the Rpi another way? (off the Piaware command line somehow?)

Thanks
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 08:24:33 PM
Quote from: DaveC on April 09, 2021, 08:18:35 PM
Hi,

When I started off a year ago with a Pi I used an earlier version of this script (https://github.com/mypiaware/virtual-radar-server-installation). I wanted to be able to have VRS running 24/7 without the PC having to be on all the time. Looking at it now it seems to have been updated so can't comment on the latest version, but the original version works for me. Like you I was a complete novice and it wasn't too bad to follow and get it up and running. Having said that I still need to tinker around with it so I can get the MLAT data you can see on the FlightAware SkyAware map onto the VRS map, so if you work that out give me a shout.

Have a look at planeplotter@groups.io and search for RPi4b and it should come up with some hits about setting planeplotter up on a Pi. I haven't been brave enough to start that yet because I find a lot of the instructions are quite in depth and not necessarily aimed at the novice.

Good luck

Dave

Thanks Dave, I shall have a look.... I was hoping to turn off the Windows box (it currently runs 24/7 and I like the idea of giving it a break)

I sort of knew that dropping into the world of the Raspberry wouldnt be easy - which is why I have resisted for so long. However, I have got further in an afternoon than I expected to. So, maybe maybe...
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: DaveC on April 09, 2021, 08:44:50 PM
So when you are installing the script you can copy and paste it into the Terminal on the Pi from a PC by using VNC Viewer on your PC which makes life easier. VNC lets you access the Pi remotely from your PC (https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/remote-access/ssh/). Only thing I find is that if the Pi needs to reboot at anytime along the process your remote session will terminate and won't start up again in VNC Viewer. So you need to have a monitor connected to the Pi then you can start the remote session.
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 09, 2021, 08:55:14 PM
Hi,

I shall give that a whirl in the morning.... seems easy enough (famous last words)

Thanks

Paul
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: Triple7 on April 10, 2021, 07:48:56 AM
To upload to PlanePlotter from a Pi directly, you need PPUP1090. It does need a bit of compiling but works well. Have a search around on the PP group and you will find loads of posts about it. I don't use it myself but have thought about it!

As for viewing your Pi files, I use PuTTY, same as VNC really but you certainly don't need any form of monitor on the Pi (mine's in the loft!). When you reboot, just start a new PuTTY session, log in and off you go again. Tip: if you want to use a line of code on your Pi, view it on your windows PC, highlight it, copy it and then in the Pi "PuTTY window" just right click and that pastes it in for you, hit enter to run it. Saves a lot of typing and potential typos.

Tim

Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 10:02:36 AM
Thanks Triple7,, I shall have another go later.

Pretty pleased with what I've sorted so far.

Hue lights developing a mind of their own over night has slowed progress this morning, but will get back to this soon.

Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: DaveC on April 10, 2021, 12:56:58 PM
Cheers for the heads up on PuTTY Triple7. I've got the Pi reconfigured so it is headless now and works a dream using VNC. I always had the Pi running without a monitor but if I had done any changes that needed a reboot I had to have a monitor connected on startup because I couldn't restart the remote session and then get VRS up and running.

Headless the way forward, thanks for the tip Triple7

Dave
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 01:30:36 PM
Hi,

I've put an extension less file on the SD card for the Rpi called SSH, but when I try to Putty in its asking me for a password?!

I tried Raspberry as thats what a Google suggested but no luck?

Any ideas? Is it the Piaware site password?
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 01:40:37 PM
flightaware is the answer..... Googled a bit more!
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 02:28:14 PM
Hi,

OK I have now got my Rpi sharing data to Flightaware and FR24 - which I am pleased with.

I think for now I will keep the Windows machine running for VRS and PP, and my 24hour logs.

Will FR24 automatically restart feeding off the Rpi after a restart, or will it need me to Putty in an launch?
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: Anmer on April 10, 2021, 02:49:47 PM
Quote from: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 01:30:36 PM
Any ideas? Is it the Piaware site password?
PiAware isn't password protected.

But the OS might be:

https://flightaware.com/adsb/faq#piawarelogin
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 06:02:40 PM
User : pi
Password : flightaware
Title: Re: Basic RPi Help....
Post by: Triple7 on April 10, 2021, 06:26:27 PM
Quote from: HL7222 on April 10, 2021, 02:28:14 PM
Will FR24 automatically restart feeding off the Rpi after a restart

Yes, it should be configured to auto start on reboot. Here's the method I used:

sudo bash -c "$(wget -O - https://repo-feed.flightradar24.com/install_fr24_rpi.sh)"

You will be asked to enter your email address, say yes to Mlat stuff, input sharing key and antenna position xx.xx yy.yy, height ASL and say no to logging but accept the default log path.

Execute the command suggested

sudo systemct1 restart fr24feed

If the above doesn't work, 'sudo reboot' and wait a few minutes, the feed should come up on FR24 when you check on the My Data Sharing option under the account type.

Tim