Radarspotting

Mode-S Receivers => FlightAware's Pro Stick => Topic started by: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 04:56:53 PM

Title: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 04:56:53 PM
Hi all
I wonder if anyone else has noticed the problem I'm having and, hopefully, has found a solution?
I have a couple of blue Prosticks hooked up to two laptops, and I have the same problem on each. None of the latest Maltese hexcodes are being picked up and shown on my basestation screen, the only way I can ID the aircraft is FR24 or ADSBx. It affects all hexcodes from 4D2400 onwards, so that includes all the new and rereg Wizz and all new Vistajets.
I've missed a few lately because I now get no warning that they're there unless I happen to be on a flight tracker at the time. As far as I can make out, 9H- is the opnly one affected - so far!
Any ideas please?
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Faramir on February 03, 2023, 06:42:04 PM
My thought is that Malta has got an extra bit aaded to it's original allocated block to accomodate all the Ryanair movements.
My entry for Malta in Countries.dat is now
Malta=010011010010xxxxxxxxxxxx,12,Malta.bmp
and all planes are decoded fine...
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 03, 2023, 06:50:38 PM
What are you using to decode the data from the Pro Sticks so that Basestation can use it?

Can you describe your hardware and softwarre setup?
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 07:02:56 PM
Both laptops are on Win 10 and I'm using Planebase to convert the hexcodes to registrations which then appear in my basestation, but that's not the problem - the hexcodes aren't even being picked up by the Prosticks in the first place. I live 2 miles from Luton, and normally when an aircraft departs it's shown on my basestation, but when one of these 9H- departs there's nothing showing at all, no reg, no hex, they're not even tracking.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: mhm on February 03, 2023, 07:19:20 PM
My Malta is showing
Malta=01001101001000xx,14,Malta.bmp

Last one that needs updating as its blank is 4D2486 in reporter
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 07:51:36 PM
Mine picks up everything up to 4D23FF, then nothing after that. I've looked in Basestation Reporter and that confirms it.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 03, 2023, 07:57:28 PM
Quote from: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 07:02:56 PM
the hexcodes aren't even being picked up by the Prosticks in the first place.

How do you know that?  What you're seeing (or not) are the messages decoded by Planebase.  How is Planebase decoding the data?

Can you describe precisely your setup and let us have some examples of the hex codes you're not "seeing"?
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 08:40:20 PM
The setup is as I said before and has been unchanged since I bought the Prosticks about 3 years ago, although both laptops are newer. Win 10 running Kinetic Basestation software (v 1.2.4.1884) along with Planebase.

The problem is that the Prosticks aren't picking up the codes in the first place, there's nothing for Planebase to decode. In the last couple of weeks we've had the following, none of which codes appear in Basestation Reporter, which goes straight from 4D23FF to 500057:-
9H-WAD  4D2402
9H-WAJ   4D241F
9H-VVE   4D2449
9H-VCV   4D2486
9H-WBX   4D247B
9H-VIT     4D247F
9H-VCU    4D2480
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 03, 2023, 09:04:18 PM
Quote from: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 08:40:20 PM
The problem is that the Prosticks aren't picking up the codes in the first place,

Sorry to labour this but how do you know the receivers are not picking up these aircraft?

Is Planebase "decoding" the messages?  I can't find a Planebase decoder.  That may be my fault.

What are you using to pass data to Basestation?

Wizz doesn't fly west of Cardiff so I don't pick up many of its aircraft.  But I have lots of hex codes received after 4D23FF.  And I have a ProStick.

My guess it's a software issue not the ProSticks.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: s92driver on February 03, 2023, 09:16:47 PM
Planebase does not decode the ModeS signals that are being picked up by your Prosticks, you must be using some other software.

I suspect you are actually using ModeSDeco2?  Which will not decode the expanded Maltese allocation if using the default settings.  If you confirm that you are actually using ModeSdeco2 I'll let you know how to correct the situation.


Steve
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 03, 2023, 09:21:44 PM
The hexcodes picked up by the Prostick are decoded by the Planebase program PBLink. This provides the link between Basestation and the Planebase database itself. As soon as a new code is picked up PBLink interrogates Planebase and auitomatically populates Basestaion, including whether or not it is required.
I can't see anywhere I can change the software setup, indeed, I've never had this problem since buying my first SBS-1 at the end of 2006.
The only other thing I've tried was to start a new .sqb file, but that obviously hasn't worked either.

I've just seen another reply which mentions ModeSdeco2, which is indeed what I'm using. I didn't mention this because I thought that was just needed to run the Prostick in the furst place, it seems that I was mistaken.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 04, 2023, 08:26:18 AM
Planebase is an external aircraft database.  Its application is "linked" to your local Basestation.sqb file.  The ModeS messages transmited by aircraft don't contain "personalisation" data such as registration, make, type, owner etc.  One has to add this manually to the sqb file or use an app like Planebase,

Basestation was designed to receive decoded and formatted data from a Kinetic SBS or Puck receiver.

The ProSticks do not decode or format the received ModeS messages.  One needs other software to do the decoding, such as ModeSdeco2, as pointed out by s92driver.  That's where the problem lies.  Unfortunately the ModeSdeco2 developer is no longer supporting his applications.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Keef on February 04, 2023, 10:34:26 AM
Hi s92driver,

Can I take you up on your offer of how to correct ModeSdeco2 to decode the expanded Maltese allocation please?

Cheers,

Keef
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 04, 2023, 10:43:57 AM
Thanks for clarifying that Anmer, now I understand it a bit better. Hopefully s92driver can come to my rescue.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: s92driver on February 05, 2023, 10:00:20 AM
Hi Keef,

You will need to edit your ModesDeco config file.  So that is the batch file you use to launch the program, it will end in .bat

Once you find the batch file you will need to open it in a text editor such as Notepad.

Then add the following     --filter-nocountry

Save the file and relaunch ModesDeco.  You will now start processing the new Maltese codes.


Steve
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Keef on February 05, 2023, 02:44:42 PM
Hi Steve,

Thanks for the info  :)

Cheers,

Keef.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 05, 2023, 07:53:17 PM
Thanks very much for that Steve, your help is very much appreciated. I'll change it now. Nothing due tonight anyway, hopefully tomorrow.

Keith
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: keef777 on February 07, 2023, 10:35:27 AM
Just as a follow up in case anyone else reeads this who has the same problem, I've edited the batch file and everything is working perfectly now, thanks once again to Steve.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 07, 2023, 03:10:39 PM
Interesting discovery today.

I use ModeMixer2 to feed data from PiAware to Basestation.

I noticed 9H-SEC tracking north of me on FR24 but no sign of it on Basestation.  Checking my PiAware map, there it was.

So ModeSMixer2 is also "blocking" some 9H messages.  Has anyone added

--filter-nocountry

to their ModeSMixer.bat file and if so, whereabouts?
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Faramir on February 07, 2023, 03:22:34 PM
Just added the --filter-nocountry to the ModesMIxer2.exe command line. I don't think I missed any aircraft but I'll keep a close eye on the Malta based aircraft.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 07, 2023, 03:29:09 PM
Thanks John.

By the time I'd added the filter, 9H-SEC was outside my range  :-\
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Faramir on February 07, 2023, 04:37:02 PM
My database has no 9H-SEC yet but I'll keep my eyes open.
The documentation for ModeSMixer2 is somewhat sparse but does anybody know how ModeSMixer2 filters the country-codes?
My ModeSMixer2 is placed in the BaseStation directory, could it be it uses the Countries.dat file? I changed the entry for Malta to include the new codes...

Malta=010011010010xxxxxxxxxxxx,12,Malta.bmp

Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Triple7 on February 07, 2023, 05:21:14 PM
I suspect that ModeSMixer is hard coded with the hex code ranges and therefore ignores any that are not included. Adding the --filter-nocountry overrides that and processes all hex codes regardless. I've had thet switch in my .bat file since I first created it years ago, so have not noticed the lack of plots mentioned in this thread.

I have also noticed that SBS-1 Populate shows the newer Maltese hex codes as "unknown" in the country field so that too must have some internal database coded into the app.

Tim
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 07, 2023, 05:32:49 PM
Thanks Tim

This is what I tried in the MSM2 bat.  Not sure if it will work?

@echo off
CMD /c I:\MSM2\modesmixer2.exe --filter-nocountry --inConnect 192.168.1.136:30005 --inConnect 192.168.1.136:30105 --outServer sbs10001:10002
exit
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Triple7 on February 07, 2023, 05:54:44 PM
Hi Mike,

Looks good to me  - same as mine, albeit in a different order but that makes no difference.

Tim
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 09, 2023, 01:24:23 PM
Just to confirm that the ModeSMixer2 BAT file change has worked and the new 9H codes are showing.

At least 9H-WBL did.  When I removed the BAT file entry:

--filter-nocountry

...the aircraft disapperared from Basestation.  Adding it back and the flight reappeared.

Thanks to all who helped with this.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: geoffjlee on February 26, 2023, 10:04:52 AM
Hi Sorry could someone please help me with this being old I dont know much about batch file ,.bat or how to change things I have tryed but keep going back to square one . If someone could do a step by step on how to do it it would be great .Thank you
Regards Geoff
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Faramir on February 26, 2023, 10:24:55 AM
Hi Jeff,

Do you mean how to invoke ModeSMixer2 with the correct parameters? The there are a few things we need to know. Could you be a specific you can be on what kind of receiver you use, and is everything on one computer of more etc etc.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: geoffjlee on February 26, 2023, 10:47:17 AM
Hi sorry I use the modesdeco2 could be why I not getting it right , I use RadarBox ADS-B Flightstick to run on Basestation it is set up on main Computer and Two laptops . as I said I am no good with computers after a year I just got modesdeco2 to work . hope you can help me thank you
Regards Geoff
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 26, 2023, 12:37:59 PM
Hi Geoff

Maybe the best approach is for me to do a remote connection and take a look with you?  We can arrange to do this when it's convenient for both of us.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Faramir on February 26, 2023, 12:43:50 PM
The --filter-nocountry option should be added to the command line for ModeSDeco. I'm guessing you use Windows running the the ModeSDeco program . If you have a shortcut on your desktop for the program, selecting it and then clicking with the right mouse-button should open a menu. The bottom option (properties) should give you a window where you can see the command line for the program (target). That should tell you how the program is started (with a command line or a .bat or .cmd file)
If the program is started directly from the target line then the --filter-nocountry option can be added there or if it needs to be put in the file mentioned on the target line.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: geoffjlee on February 26, 2023, 01:45:35 PM
Thank you Anmer that would be great , I,am working until Friday and then I,am off 4 days hope this helps you anytime then would be great .
        Thank you for your help if you need to email me off anytime please do .
        Regards Geoff
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Anmer on February 26, 2023, 02:05:34 PM
Hi Geoff

Maybe we can arrange this for next weekend or early the following week?  I'm around most of the time.

I've emailed you how to set this up.
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: geoffjlee on February 26, 2023, 03:53:02 PM
Thank you Saturday or Sunday would be good , no email has come yet . It should be the with @gmail.com at the end .
Thank you again Anmer for your help .
Regards Geoff
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: geoffjlee on February 26, 2023, 03:56:44 PM
Anmer it ok found it thank you Regards Geoff
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: geoffjlee on March 03, 2023, 11:52:51 AM
Just like to say a big thank you to Anmer for all of his help and time in helping me out .
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Jambo on March 27, 2023, 06:04:00 PM
Thanks to everyone on this thread (especially s92 Driver) for the answer to the Wizz Malta issue.

I have updated my Modesdeco file, as well as the countries file, and I can now see 9H-WAH passing me in Edinburgh on my basestation screen.

Neil
Title: Re: Latest 9H- hexcodes not showing
Post by: Mark16 on March 30, 2023, 05:52:40 PM
Noticed Wizzair aircraft with 9H-  reggies now appearing

Many thanks,
Mark