Squitter hunting

[flyguy]

Spent a few hours this afternoon hooking up ("installing") a passive ADS-B aircraft tracking system in the Tcraft. Didn't surprise me that it worked, but it did surprise me how well it worked.

I'm on the West side of the central valley in CA about 60 miles from the ocean and I picked up a Gulfstream GV at Fl 450 way over in Nevada. Along with about 100 or so other aircraft and that is with my plane sitting on the ground.

It works by way of a SDR (software defined radio) plug-in unit that goes into the USB port on a portable computer and the software I finally found displays the aircraft on a scope-like display on the computer screen.

Didn't fly it today as I need to find a good way to secure the notebook I am using.

Oh, by the way the cost of the receiver and antenna was $8.86, with free shipping.

Darryl

[Michael P.]

Re: Squitter hunting

Spent a few hours this afternoon hooking up ("installing") a passive ADS-B aircraft tracking system in the Tcraft. Didn't surprise me that it worked, but it did surprise me how well it worked.

I'm on the West side of the central valley in CA about 60 miles from the ocean and I picked up a Gulfstream GV at Fl 450 way over in Nevada. Along with about 100 or so other aircraft and that is with my plane sitting on the ground.

It works by way of a SDR (software defined radio) plug-in unit that goes into the USB port on a portable computer and the software I finally found displays the aircraft on a scope-like display on the computer screen.

Didn't fly it today as I need to find a good way to secure the notebook I am using.

Oh, by the way the cost of the receiver and antenna was $8.86, with free shipping.

Darryl

Where did you purchase from?

[flyguy]

Re: Squitter hunting

http://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-RTL2832U-Popular-Software-Packages/dp/B00C37AZXK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405730049&sr=1-1&keywords=sdr+dongle

About 95% sure this is the same vendor. The item shown is the same and it is the only one I have bookmarked. You should know that this comes all the way from China via a special combined shipping deal with the USPS. Mine got here much faster than I thought it would; about 2 weeks if I remember correctly.

DC

[astjp2]

Re: Squitter hunting

Please include the link for the software, I am curious to try it. I fly with a solar panel for power and think this might be a hoot....Tim

[Randy]

Re: Squitter hunting

Wow, very cool, I don't understand it but I want to try it

[flyguy]

Re: Squitter hunting

Had to look it up again--

http://rtl1090.web99.de/

Scroll down until you see the V3 version that mentions "scope." That is what you want.

The other software I have seen requires two sets of software to enable scope display.

I got three of the SDR dongles so I would have at least one back up unit. Guess I will let a amateur radio friend have the third one eventually. I think I want to try it out with the Android software on the little tablet I have. That would be spiffy, if it works.

Here is the Android Software link. Nice price.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wilsonae.android.usbserial&hl=en

DC