AirNav Systems Forum

AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: richk107 on May 28, 2020, 03:37:44 AM

Title: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: richk107 on May 28, 2020, 03:37:44 AM
Hi everyone

I just picked up the UAT 978 FlightStick, hoping that I can use it alongside my original RadarBox.    My original RadarBox has been chugging along fine without issues on version 6.02.003 running on Windows 10 Pro. Today, after setting up the 978 antenna on my chimney, I was looking forward to seeing what the UAT 978 would provide. 

When I start the software and it begins to search for devices, instead of finding a device in addition to “RB1 – found”, the software simply stated “MicroRB – found” and starts the app.  Once up, the app shows nothing visible in my area.  I’m 6.87 miles from Newark Liberty Airport so there is always something to see in the area.  If I remove the UAT 978 and restart the app, the RadarBox is found and it begins to display the surrounding aircraft. 

I also own a 1090 green ADSB flightstick which I use when I travel, so I already had drivers installed on my Surface Laptop. I hen tried both the green and red sticks on my laptop, only a single device is reported as “MicroRB – found”.  When I use the green dongle alone I’m able to see the surrounding aircraft.
 
Is there a configuration I am missing when attempting to use two dongles or a dongle with the original RadarBox?  Both dongles are recognized and are shown under “Universal Serial Bus devices” as “RTL2838UHIDIR”

Regards

Rich
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1080 FlightStick?
Post by: Runway 31 on May 28, 2020, 07:59:01 AM
Micro RB is what is shown on start up and also bottom left of the screen Hardware connected with a green square.  The hardware connected will show red if there is an issue

First question I would ask are there aircraft in your vicinity that are using 978 instead of 1090 as the stick is designed to pick up 978 equipped aircraft and will not/cannot display 1090 equipped aircraft

Are you close (10 miles) of a small airport, with lots of GA traffic? Then yes, you will see UAT flights.  Otherwise, you will see a reduced amount (close proximity to medium or bigger airports, or in the middle of nowhere), to none (if you are close of a restricted airspace for that kind of flights.  UAT flights are limited to low altitude, under 18,000 ft and you will only usually find it used within the confines of the USA as its use is rather limited internationally.

Support will be able to provide more guidance but from your details I suggest that the stick is working ok just there are limited 978 equipped aircraft in your area for you to pick up

Alan
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: richk107 on May 28, 2020, 02:44:45 PM
If the PC has both the RadarBox and 978 connected, what is the expected behavior?  It appears that the app is only recognizing the 978 and is ignoring the RadarBox or the 1090 dongle when both are connected.  After disconnecting the 978 dongle and restarting the app, I'm back to seeing normal air traffic.

As for UAT flights near me, I'm unsure but the likelihood of there being something near me is high.  I have 4 small airports within 10 miles so the likelihood of something that should pop up is good.  I set the antenna up very late last night so that obviously drops my chances of seeing something.  I have the dongle connected again and I'll be monitoring throughout the day in the hopes that something shows up in the app.
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: Runway 31 on May 28, 2020, 03:33:56 PM
You can only feed to the V6 software with one receiver at a time, there is no way of connecting two on the same computer as far as I am aware

If you leave it connected I am sure that you will see something popping up.  I don't know how 978 works in heavy traffic areas near major airports, you may have more luck if you could go mobile outside the city but that may not be possible in these times with covid around

Alan
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: abcd567 on May 28, 2020, 11:48:48 PM
The Tuners in FlightStick (green or red) are NOT tuned to any frequecy. It is the software using the dongle which tunes the dongles to 1090 Mhz or 978 Mhz (or any other frequency). 

As far as I know, the AirNav software for Windows by default tunes the dongle to 1090 Mhz.

If my understanding is right, then if you plug in a green dongle or red dongle or a generic DVBT dongle, all are tuned to 1090 Mhz by AirNav software.

If these dongles are plugged in RPi, and used by software dump1090, these are tuned to 1090 Mhz. If used by software dump978, these are tuned to 978 Mhz.

Now the big question: Why these dongles are designated 1090 and 978 when their tuners are not pre tuned to these frequencies?

The answer is that the green dongle has a filter for 1090 Mhz and the red dongle has filter for 978 mhz. Since the Generic DVBT  and Black microRadarbox do NOT have filters, these are not marked as 1090 or 978. These can be used for any of these frequencies, and even for Air Band, FM and Acars, or any other frequency in the range of their tuner chip R820T or R820T2 (24 Mhz ~ 1766 MHz).

Although richk107's 978mhz dongle is tuned to 1090 Mhz by AirNav software, he does not see even 1090 mhz adsb planes because his 978 Mhz antenna and red dongle's 978 mhz filter weaken the1090 mhz signals so much that these become unuseable.

CONCLUSION:
If my understanding is right, then to receive 978 Mhz UAT, use RPi and install rbfeeder with dump978-rb.

If my understanding is wrong, please ask support how to set AirNav Windows software to receive 978 Mhz.
.
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: Runway 31 on May 29, 2020, 06:25:55 AM
 I dont know if the V6 software is so sophisticated abcd567.  The software has been around well before dongles so I dont know if it actaully sets to a specific frequency, It may well do through the drivers but as there is only one stick driver set I believe the V6 software can only be used with 1090

I presume that when he is using the different receivers that he isusing the correct antenna for each and as you state the anteena will only pick up the specific aircraft for which it is designed for therefore you will only see those aircraft on the V6 map, you cant get both together.

It may well be that the 978 receiver is only intended to show on the Radarbox map and not the V6 software but you will only find that out by asking Airnav hence why I stated in my first reply that support can provide guidance

If the V6 software cant be used to display 978 output, 978 feeders wanting to see their output on a map the will either require to use the Radarbox map or do away with Windows and go down the Pi route, only Airnav can provide the answer

Alan
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: Runway 31 on May 29, 2020, 12:35:20 PM
One your behalf I contacted support and they advise that the 978 stick works with the V6 Software.

If you have not seen a contact yet I can only suggest that when you are able to, to take the stick and your laptop to a local GA airport and see if your get anything

Alan
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: abcd567 on May 29, 2020, 03:06:20 PM
One your behalf I contact support and they advise that the 978 stick works with the V6 Software.

This is good news. Thanks.
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: richk107 on May 29, 2020, 10:10:00 PM
Thank you everyone.

I've been running the 978 stick now for over 24 hours and the lack of visible aircraft is disappointing. I recorded my first aircraft today, flight UAL1022 out of EWR.  What is disappointing is that the aircraft disappeared just passing 2NM from my house at an altitude of 8200 ft.

What kind of range should I be expecting?  My Radarbox is able to pick up aircraft 145 NM from my location.  If I can only pick up aircraft directly overhead, the 978 will be useless.

Thanks Alan for checking if the 978 will work with the V6 software. I like running the standalone app instead of a browser.

There was a question posted earlier regarding my antennas. The 978 is connected to the AirNav RadarBox 978 MHz optimized antenna.  My original AirNav is connected to a DPD Productions ADS-B Vertical Outdoor Base Antenna which has been working flawlessly for years.

I'll try your suggestion Alan and visit the local GA airports with the stick and my laptop.  I'm hope to find a lot of GA pilots taking advantage of the nice weather this weekend.
Title: Re: Can the 978 Flight Stick work with the original RadarBox or 1090 FlightStick?
Post by: Runway 31 on May 30, 2020, 07:51:00 AM
I much prefer the V6 software to the browser myself so understand where you are coming from.  I have no knowledge on 978 as it is not used outside the US

The fact that the system is limited to aircraft flying under 18,000 ft may limit your expected range especially as you are living in an urbanised area like New York.  The aircraft you are picking up at 145nm with 1090 may possibly be flying above the 18,000ft limit for 978 so I would expect your range to be lower that your 1090 setup but that is assumption on my part

Alan