rb feeder on RPI4 B does not work

[CB17]

Just wanted to let you know that the RTL Blog V4 Stick is running on the Raspberry. Yesterday evening I installed a few drivers from the RTL-SDR site. So i followed the instructions for the “new” Blog V4 drivers. To be honest I don't know what exactly helped, because I tried everything that was described there in connection with Debian/Linux. I entered all the commands mentioned there. And...yes it's finally running. What I will definitely improve is the antenna. The dipole antenna is...well, bad. I'm going to make a homemade ground plane for ADS-B. I have already ordered the parts. N connector and copper wire. Afterwards I hope that the reception will be a little better.
But strangely enough, I noticed something about the stick. It always had a small red LED at the front that lit up (when the stick wasn't running on the Raspberry). Now that it's running, the little LED no longer lights up. Is this due to the driver? I have no idea...I can't say.
In any case, thank you very much again for your time and help. All the best and greetings from Germany.

[abcd567]

 Glad to know that finally your RTL-SDR V4 has started working.

I just now visited their gude linked below, which shows how to build & install the special drivers for their V3 / V4 dongles on various different Operating systems.

RTL-SDR BLOG V4 USERS GUIDE

Yes it seems a bit complicated for a user who is not familiar / proficient in Linux, because of multipe choices. The method which matches with Raspberry Pi OS (Which is reliant on Debian packages) is as follows:

Alternative Debian Package Installation Method
If you have a system reliant on the Debian packages (eg. FlightRadar24, FlightAware, ADSBExchange, OpenWebRX+ images) you can update them directly using this method:

Code: [Select]

sudo apt update 
sudo apt install -y libusb-1.0-0-dev git cmake debhelper 

git clone https://github.com/rtlsdrblog/rtl-sdr-blog   

cd rtl-sdr-blog 
sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b --no-sign 

cd ../

sudo dpkg -i librtlsdr0_*.deb 

sudo dpkg -i librtlsdr-dev_*.deb 

sudo dpkg -i rtl-sdr_*.deb   


After completing above, reboot Pi

Code: [Select]


sudo reboot   


NOTE: I could not test above method as I dont have V3 or V4. However from my knowledge of building packages from source-code on Debian based OS, it seems fit for Raspberry Pi OS (which is a Debian based OS with package install system).

If you have a SPARE microSD card, you can write Raspberry Pi OS on it, install rbfeeder, and then install V4 drivers by above method to test and confirm it works.


.

[CB17]

Ok, i will try that. Thanks

[abcd567]

Ok, i will try that. Thanks

Thank you.

Please do NOT re-image your microSD card with which your V4 is now working OK. Do NOT test the method I have posted on already sucessfully working microSD card.

Test the driver installation method I have posted on another SPARE microSD card.

[CB17]

So, I took another SD card earlier. I installed Raspberry OS on it and then the rbfeeder. Next, as you recommended, I installed the drivers for the SDR Blog V4. Copied exactly as you wrote it down there. And it worked. Very good!!!
Only MLAT didn't want to do it again, but now that I know what it should look like, I just entered the coordinates in the rbfeeder.ini file and everything works as it should. Yes, what can I say...great work from you. Excellent! Thanks

[CB17]

By the way, I currently have it set like this: network_mode=false. And it works.

[abcd567]

So, I took another SD card earlier. I installed Raspberry OS on it and then the rbfeeder. Next, as you recommended, I installed the drivers for the SDR Blog V4. Copied exactly as you wrote it down there. And it worked. Very good!!!
Only MLAT didn't want to do it again, but now that I know what it should look like, I just entered the coordinates in the rbfeeder.ini file and everything works as it should. Yes, what can I say...great work from you. Excellent! Thanks

Thank you for your efforts to conduct testing of procedure I have posted above for building & installing V4 drivers. This will help others who face this problem in future.

By the way, I currently have it set like this: network_mode=false. And it works.

With network_mode=false, the rbfeeder automatically starts it's built-in dump1090-rb

This proves that the builtin dump1090-rb is OK with V4, and the problem was actually V4 driver software.

[CB17]

First of all, i have to thank you...

But i have one more question. Ist it possible somehow to view/increase the gain of the RTL Blog V4 Stick in the rbfeeder? Just like on the PC (sdrangel) for example. Because i don't really know, if the RTL Stick works at his "best" settings right now. If i could see that somehow... thanks.

[abcd567]

But i have one more question. Ist it possible somehow to view/increase the gain of the RTL Blog V4 Stick in the rbfeeder?

The dump1090-rb is based on source code of dump1090-fa, which is open-source and available at https://github.com/flightaware/dump1090 . Although dump1090-rb is clone of dump1090-fa, its config file /etc/default/dump1090-rb is not provided,  systemd service file is not provided, and map folder /usr/share/skyaware" is not provided. As a result user cannot directly control it's config, and there is no map like skyaware map of dump1090-fa.

Also the systemd service file for dump1090-rb is not provided, and it is not configured to start automatically on boot/reboot. Instead, it gets start command from rbfeeder if network_mode is set to false.

Like startup parameter "network_mode=false",, the rbfeeder must have other parameters to  pass-on to dump1090-rb to control it's gain. Unfortunately RB24 developers have kept this setting "undeclared", although there is no logic and advantage in depriving users from this facility and keeping the gain setting parameter a secret.


This leaves the users only one option: Quit using dump1090-rb, and install open-source dump1090-fa or dump1090-mutaility whose all settings are declare and can very easily be changed by editing their config fie "/etc/default/dump1090-fa" OR "/etc/default/dump1090-mutability". These two decoders have additional advantage of providing local map in user's Browser in his PC/Laptop/Phone at "IP-OF-PI/skyaware/" OR "IP-OF-PI/dump1090/gmap.html".

[abcd567]

Do this experiment:

(1) Change setting of rbfeeder.ini to network_mode=true.
(2) Restart rbfeeder sudo systemctl restart rbfeeder.

As a result of (1) & (2) above, the dump1090-rb will no more be running

(3) Now run dump1090-rb manualy by command given below.
 dump1090-rb --net-bo-port 30005 --gain 28 --quiet

Since dump1090-rb is clone of dump1090-fa, both have same config parameters. Using this fact I have been able to control gain of dump1090-rb as shown from output of above command:

dump1090-rb --net-bo-port 30005 --gain 28 --quiet
Sat Jan 27 21:35:42 2024 EST  dump1090-rb 1.0.10 starting up.
rtlsdr: using device #0: Generic RTL2832U OEM (Realtek, RB24-1, SN 00001090)
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
rtlsdr: tuner gain set to 28.0 dB (gain step 15)
Allocating 4 zero-copy buffers

NOTE: To stop the manually running dump1090-rb, press Ctrl and C keys together.

With above manual command, the dump1090-rb outputs data on port 30005, which is used by rbfeeder to feed to RB24. Also since FightRadar24 and Flightaware feeders also use data from port 30005, these can also use output of dump1090-rb to successfully feed their sites.

Please have a look at screenshot attached below.

[abcd567]

But i have one more question. Ist it possible somehow to view/increase the gain of the RTL Blog V4 Stick in the rbfeeder?

To solve your problem of adjusting gain of Dongle, yesterday I created a work-around, and today morning I posted it here:

How to Make dump1090-rb Configureable




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[CB17]

Thanks for your effort. I will give it a try. Best regards

[CB17]

Hi abcd,

is there a way to share to FR24 and radarbox on the same PI?
If so, could you give me please some advice (commands)?

thank you very much

[Runway 31]

Have aread at this thread https://forum.radarbox24.com/index.php?topic=10201.0

Alan

[CB17]

I will have a look. Thank you