ADS-B, or Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast, is a system used by aircraft to transmit their position, altitude, speed, and other flight data. With a simple receiving setup, amateur radio operators and aviation enthusiasts can collect this data and share it to networks like FlightAware, FlightRadar24, or ADSBExchange.
A basic ADS-B station typically includes an RTL-SDR USB receiver or a purpose-built ADS-B dongle, an antenna tuned to 1090 MHz, and a small computer such as a Raspberry Pi running feeder software. Some setups also track 978 MHz UAT for U.S. general aviation traffic.
Questions:
– Have you ever set up or considered setting up an ADS-B receiving station?
– What hardware and antenna would you recommend—or do you currently use?
– Would you prefer to feed one network or multiple networks at the same time, and why?