Easily Create Your Own Aircraft Virtual Radar Using The NooElec FlyCatcher Pi Hat

Here we take a look at the NooElec FlyCatcher. Two SDR receivers on one pi hat, one for UAT and one for ADSB. We also take a look at installing tar1090 and graphs1090 on a raspberry pi 3b+
FlyCatcher Available here:
US Amazon: amzn.to/4eucIl2
UK Amazon: amzn.to/4esTV9Q
Raspberry Pi:
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_mrC...
Software installation:
github.com/wiedehopf/adsb-scr...
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[@explodinglemur]

I don't understand the purpose of the Pi hat form factor if the GPIO header is completely unused and you plug it in via USB anyway.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You get 2 x SDRs, 2 x Filters, 2 x LNA in one small form factor board. USB is independent from the GPIO and any data capable lines on the GPIO would not have the throughput.

[@PaulGrayUK]

​@@TechMindsOfficial Really, it's just a plug and been way better if it was an external USB3 device as the hat form factor offer no advantage in the way it is designed, and don't see how it could. PCIe on the Pi4 would be an option, though external would be better on many level.

[@GeorgeAdams]

Right, this should be mounted underneath and not on top.

[@AdrianPatten]

I agree. what a messy setup.

[@explodinglemur]

@@TechMindsOfficial yep, but they could have made it just a separate device with its own enclosure (and could have used a USB hub IC so you only need one USB connection).

[@SnottyW]

Always look forward to your videos, thank you. Bought the Sawbird+ ADS-B a couple weeks ago but haven't gotten around to installing it. Returned it to Amazon yesterday and ordered one of these. Fingers crossed.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Awesome! Let us know how you get on with it. Which antenna will you use?

[@bob_mosavo]

Thanks, Matt 👍

[@kaptainkaos1202]

Sweet! I just ordered mine. I’ve got to get a tower set up.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@x_CrossHair_x]

LOL ..What an Innovative Product Name (FlyCatcher) .. This is another reason I would want a Raspberry Pi for a detocated Set up for ADS-B.. But .. I Don't need the Board as I would Just use a simple RTL-SDR with the Software.. The Home Brew ADS-B (1.09 Gig) Antenna that I made.. (Rocks) 200 Mile Radius Reception... No LNA or Filters needed. (Some PVC Pipe and some RG-6 Coax is all you Need to build one..) (16 Segment Co-liniar 👍)

[@coriscotupi]

Ditto. I fail to see why I'd purchase a $99 board if a $15 (or less) RTL dongle will do the job just as well. I have been providing flight radar and radar box with ADS-B data for many years now with el-cheapo RTL dongles and home made antennas without a glitch.

[@allanjones4283]

You're a champion !!

[@TechMindsOfficial]

We are all champions! :-) Cheers

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Thank you 👍

[@noclipkip]

Sweet hardware and great video!! Your channel is one the reasons I got into SDR radio.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Thank you! :-)

[@bmh67wa]

I run the blue FlightAware Pro USB stick with a Raspberry Pi 3B. It runs hot unless I use a fan so I've always been hesitant about using a hat with it. Maybe it's the quality of the heat sinks I'm using? I don't know but this hat is interesting and would be awesome for me since I can only do ADS-B and not UAT with my current setup. The ability to run both from one interface and one piece of hardware is awesome.

[@DownandOutNYC]

Why place the filter AFTER the LNA?

[@ZiggleFingers]

the lna adds insertion loss -- thus you have less signal to work with - counterproductive.

[@explodinglemur]

You've got two options for filter/LNA arrangement order and each has pluses/minusues. Antenna -> LNA -> filter: You get maximum signal into the LNA so you minimize your noise figure. However if you have strong signals not in your target band you can saturate the LNA and then get nothing of your desired signal. Antenna -> filter -> LNA: You reject all undesired bands so your LNA has only the signal you want being passed to it for the cleanest amplification. However the filter adds insertion loss and so with a lower strength input signal you get a higher total noise figure. So, it depends on your RF environment. A Pi sitting on a desk or in an attic is less likely to have strong signals in other bands saturating it so they went with the option for a lower noise figure. The best place for the LNA is right at the antenna though so you don't get feedline losses before the LNA which can increase your noise figure.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

And that’s why I used the LNA in my antenna and disabled LNA on board. Worked extremely well.

[@MatthewCrawford]

@@explodinglemur Really appreciate the very clear explanation.

[@bob_mosavo]

@@TechMindsOfficial "IN" your antenna or "AT" your antenna 🙃

[@Pedro8k]

You can do the same with two sdr connected to two usb on the pi

[@paulw7404]

To make this portable (Handy for Drone flyers wanting to monitor local A/C) I assume you could write a script to find the current location and use that?

[@mstover2809]

Will the RPi output this display on it own HDMI output or do you need an external PC?

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You can use the HDMI output to view the pi desktop and then just open Chromium browser to view. So yep, it can be done.

[@simonsimpsonuk]

Another Great Video thank you

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@borisvokladski5844]

Does the two SDRs have different serial numbers ? I could be a cool product, if the hat took advantage of the GPIO pins, instead of having the two USB cables hanging (not as compact). It is too pricy for me, beacuse I cannot use the UAT part in the EU. But it is always nice to see new products, so you know that is out there. Keep up the good work.

[@nofider1]

The UAT filter could be removed and replaced with a capacitor, You then have a wideband sdr for use on aircraft band using other software ie sdr#, HDSDR etc. After all they are 2 independant receivers. Just a thought. :-) Typo edited

[@TechMindsOfficial]

@nofider1 That's a really cool idea! As I am in the UK I would never use the UAT side, but having it connected to an AirBand antenna I could also use it to listen to airband.. nice..!

[@tratzum]

Why not just use the ADSB Exchange pi image? It uses the same UI.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Not everyone will want to feed their data. Anyhow, as I said in the video, there are many ways to achieve supported software, this was just one way which is easy.

[@rohnkd4hct260]

Want To try it. But I’m still having a problem getting mySDR working.

[@ocsrc]

It would be nice to have this to receive the entire band of 25 MHz to 1.3 Ghz and if it can decode DMR, NXDN, Open Sky, Phase 1 digital and phase 2 digital simulcast networks as well as analog So we can have a nice blind scan scanner

[@CosmopotamianAli]

This picks the most number of planes among all other options out there today. Pretty clean signal (very low NF). Well designed and matched RF chain.

[@cbllbc244]

So it's an overcomplicated, quite expensive SDR in which the filter is used after the amplifier for some reason, and it doesn't use GPIO anyway and has to be connected via a USB cable?

[@petewright2283]

Yep. Totally pointless

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You get 2 x SDRs, 2 x Filters, 2 x LNA in one small form factor board. USB is independent from the GPIO and any data capable lines on the GPIO would not have the throughput.

[@petewright2283]

But you get something that only can be used states side. Still rubbish here in the UK/Eu

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Rubbish? Did you not see in the video how well it performs? I think what you actually mean is that it’s uneconomical to use in the UK because one side of it is for UAT, which is unused in the UK. I would definitely not call it rubbish.

[@petewright2283]

@@TechMindsOfficial I did and I see better from a FA Pro stick plus, Uptronics LNA. The jet vision aerial is pretty bespoke you used. Heard mixed results with them but vs what I get using a Phil antenna, Noelec V5 and a Uptronics LNA I’m miles ahead.

[@autonomous_collective]

Cool 👍

[@LB5JJ]

I wonder if I'm the only one that checked Google Maps to see if you just gave out your exact home location 🤣

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Around 5 miles out :)

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Or maybe it’s 15 miles :)

[@mailtopps1]

As always, your videos and just superb and you manage to cover everything relevant. Thanks

[@TechMindsOfficial]

My pleasure!

[@petewright2283]

978Mhz is pointless currently in the UK. Let’s hope these are not as sensitive as the LNA make.

[@PavloD9]

Micro USB in 2024? What a shame

[@TechMindsOfficial]

I much prefer USB C myself, but I guess this is designed to be setup, installed, and then just left. Who knows :-)

[@Gigler43]

How much for you to build one for me?

[@cplcabs]

why not build it yourself. Its not difficult. Just attach the board to a pi, add antennas and load the software.

[@BlitzK]

This is a cool device at $25.... but $100? HA! No pass-through gpio pins, microusb (what year is it??), big ugly form factor... thats a no from me. Still better off with a couple Flightaware plus pro (or whatever they're called) dongles.

[@BalticLab]

First! 😀

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Yes you are!

[@SierraGolfNiner]

Big fail on this hat, it doesn't need/use (?) the 40 pin header and *doesn't* pass it through. The pins are unusable. So it blocks all the pins you might want to use for say.... environmental monitoring of the enclosure the pi is in. I love the idea, but this is a big fat Fail on nooelec's part. If you don't need the pins, either properly pass them through or don't use the form factor that blocks the pins.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Ummmm.. You can place the HAT at the top of the stack?