San Antonio TX Custom ADS-B Setup

I've always been pretty intrigued with receiving ADS-B - especially more so now since ADSB seems to be taking off in the US a little more. I've used a AirNav radar box with good results but didn't like the lock-in with their software and hardware, so I've gone the RTL route.

I recently built a new house here in San Antonio and finally got all my ADS-B stuff installed and ready to go. My setup is as follows:

Hardware:

ASUS Netbook running Ubuntu Netbook 14.04
RTL2832U R820U NooElec DVB Stick (Amazon.com: NooElec NESDR Mini USB RTL-SDR & ADS-B Receiver Set, (Previously TV28T v2), RTL2832U & R820T Tuner, MCX Input. Low-Cost Software Defined Radio Compatible with Many SDR Software Packages. R820T Tuner & ESD-Safe Antenna Input, Guaranteed: E)
Mini Circuits 900-2000 MHz Preamp
DPD Productions ADS-B outdoor vertical antenna

Software

modeSdeco2 - ModeSDeco2 and ModeSMixer2 - console programs for RTLSDR and transcoding - Radarspotting
SBS Basestation - Home
PlanePlottter - planeplotter / FrontPage
Virtual Radar Server - Home - Virtual Radar Server
others

All the hardware is installed in the attic near a ventilation tile to make sure a very short run of coax is used from the preamp to the antenna. The DPD productions antenna is mounted to a PVP vent pipe on the roof. The netbook also sits in the attic and connects back to my local network over Wifi. The modeSdeco2 software provides multiple TCP interfaces to any computer on my network for platform independent decoding of ADS-B using most of the ADS-B scope type applications.

The setup allows me to regularly log aircraft from the Gulf of Mexico east, to the Mexican border south, to Houston and about 75 miles south of DFW. Pretty good range considering I'm in a somewhat lower section of North San Antonio with hills to my north.

Some pictures below.

Enjoy!

Very Nice! When do you plan on doing an updated shack post?

Coming soon - I've got some major work to do to get everything back up and running after the move back from Montana. I've got most of the antenna work done - now the office just needs to be re-organized and everything put in it's place and I'll have a new command post for you shortly.

This is the temporary setup for now...

blantonl said:

Coming soon - I've got some major work to do to get everything back up and running after the move back from Montana. I've got most of the antenna work done - now the office just needs to be re-organized and everything put in it's place and I'll have a new command post for you shortly.

This is the temporary setup for now...

Click to expand...

Wow...you shouldn't tease us like that! That looks great! Can't wait to see the more detail post!

Hello Lindsay, that's a very nice ADS-B setup, I've been wanting to do that here at my Radio Shack.
Speaking of Radio Shack, the store I manage is a "Clearance Hub" store and everything is 50 % off !!!
Our mutual friend John B ( The_Dog ) is here now and just snagged a new BCD-396XT for only $199 !
If by some chance you need another Radio Shack Disconne Antenna ( The Gold Standard as you say )
come by my and pay only $29 instead of the $59 regular price. I have quite a few other goodies as well.
Call or Come by the 281N and TPC Pkwy location next to Super Target. Things are flying out the door !

http://www.radioshack.com/radioshack-outdoor-scanner-ham-discone-antenna/2000043.html#.VLiKpdDnZxA

Nice looking! How many cords did you have to run to the pre-amp on the antenna in the attic? I thought you went to South Dakota?

Michael, is this Radio Shack North of S.A? Little out of my way, but might head through there on my way to Dallas Monday.

Nice! That wheel mounted rack looks interesting

ADS-B setup

Hello Lindsay! Nice setup, suggestion if I may, go get one of these Nooelec Nesdr Mini 2 USB DVB T Rtl SDR Receiver RTL2832U R820T2 Tuner MCX | eBay . It's just better in my humble opinion.

Also I'd like the part number on the mini circuits preamp. Not really sure it's needed but I'm willing to try. Have you determined it is a needed item in your setup? How much more does it get you? Range with range without?

The mini-circuits preamp part number is ZRL-2400LN+

When the preamp is mounted as close to the antenna as possible, it makes a huge difference in the amount of aircraft received. I would strongly recommend it. Don't remember the price, and I don't have any specifics on the actually differences in range but I can say it is significant enough to warrant.

I may pickup a few of the T2 tuners soon -

b7spectra said:

Nice looking! How many cords did you have to run to the pre-amp on the antenna in the attic? I thought you went to South Dakota?

Click to expand...

We lived at our home in Montana full time last year, but built a new home in San Antonio and returned this past summer.

I've got 120V socket in the attic over the garage that powers a wireless set of water sensors that shuts the water off in case of a leak, so I ran an extension cord to a power strip that gives 12V to the preamp and the netbook that runs the setup.

Nice thing about building a new home is you get to set it up for RADIOS!!!!

Yes indeed - I purchased 3 spools of LMR-400 on Ebay when the house was being framed and had the builder run 2 runs to the Apex of my roof in the back of my house, and had them bury 3 runs to the back of my lot (I've got a 1.12 acre lot with a huge greenbelt behind it) for HF loops and wire antennas....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Also had the electricians install a bonded ground rod just outside of my office in the same location where the 5 runs of LMR-400 come into my closet, along with other networking and audio distribution throughout the house. I live about 3 miles from the approach end of the San Antonio airport, so I can literally pipe the tower to my speakers outdoors, sit in the pool sipping martinis, and watch the planes on final while listening to the tower.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk