FlightAware SDR failures and no longer sold on Amazon

[polkaroo]

I had a second FlightAware orange stick go haywire and curious if anyone's also noticing this. My first orange stick lasted about two years alongside NooElec NESDR v1 and v2 and generic wild-PPM sticks working 24/7, and the second one was with my laptop that I use daily.

The first indication of the failure is FMP24 (DSDPlus) will report the SDR serial string as 77771111153705700 and the spectrum window will be blank or appear frozen. I don't know why this serial shows, but that's what it shows on both my now-wonky Flightaware sticks. Sometimes it works (shows the original programmed serial) though.

Also, RTLTool cannot write any values to the stick (eg. serial, hardware IDs, etc.)

And lastly... noticed FlightAware doesn't sell their SDRs on Amazon.ca anymore. It was excellent value to have a SDR stick with a UHF amplifier for $30 CDN. Any suggested alternatives?

 

[n0esc]

These may be a functional alternative. https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=AirNav+RadarBox&ref=bl_dp_s_web_0

 

[sjacket99]

Here is the FlightAware Store: FlightAware Store Link

I stopped using the FlightAware Blue dongle and switched to the NooElec Nano3 and using a ADSB Filter. I am getting better results than the FlightAware one.

 

[PDXh0b0]

Had ran a nooelec and filter, rtl-sdr blog and filter, then I got the green radar box with Amp & filter built in..works great

Out of curiosity, are you running Windows 11?

 

[polkaroo]

These may be a functional alternative. Amazon.ca : AirNav RadarBox

Thanks!

@PDXh0b0 if you've used the green stick at 770MHz, could you let me know how well (or not) the filter works on it? The orange FlightAware didn't have a filter and the amplifier worked well for 700MHz as well, average for 400 and deaf for VHF. So it was perfect for public safety radio system monitoring while the blue FlightAware did have a built-in filter so it was really dedicated for ADS-B reception.

I also see a yellow VHF version! RadarBox VHF Airband FlightStick : Amazon.ca: Electronics

 

[PDXh0b0]

tossed it onto unitrunker , not much 700mhz here, but got 800mhz simulcast

 

[PDXh0b0]

Thanks!

@PDXh0b0 if you've used the green stick at 770MHz, could you let me know how well (or not) the filter works on it? The orange FlightAware didn't have a filter and the amplifier worked well for 700MHz as well, average for 400 and deaf for VHF. So it was perfect for public safety radio system monitoring while the blue FlightAware did have a built-in filter so it was really dedicated for ADS-B reception.

I also see a yellow VHF version! RadarBox VHF Airband FlightStick : Amazon.ca: Electronics

up till just here, I have only ever had it running rtl-1090 lol, works good on fm broadcast , 154mhz, guess in a pinch . $10 more you could just get an rtl-sdr blog

 

[slicerwizard]

I also see a yellow VHF version! RadarBox VHF Airband FlightStick : Amazon.ca: Electronics

That's not going to do much for 770 MHz reception.

 

[nosoup4u]

I have been running my Flightaware orange dongles for several years with no problem (I have 3 total). I had a RadarBox 978 red dongle go bad in about 2 months however. I think it is the luck of the draw with these things.

 

[polkaroo]

Ok, I got myself a green Radarbox stick. TL;DR: For our non-ADSB use, not good value.

Performance is on par with generic SDR sticks, runs about as hot so it'll probably cook itself in the plastic case much like the FlightAware sticks. But most importantly, it's not TCXO (temperature compensated.) Mine ran +30PPM on FMP24 compared to ~0.5 with FlightAware and NooElec sticks so really nothing different than the $20 generic sticks apart from the built-in SMA connector.