ADS-B flight tracking with Raspberry Pi, FlightAware, and ChatGPT

Friends of mine and readers of The Cubical Ruins will know that one of my interests is using software defined radio (SDR) to scan radio frequencies, connect to satellites and track flights. Back in the spring of 2024, I documented my first flight tracking system, which used an RTL-SDR Blog V4 dongle to collect Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) data from aircraft overhead. It was a simple set-up that used RTL1090, PlanePlotter and Virtual Radar Server to show flight data, and an air traffic control (ATC) map on whichever laptop I had connected to my SDR dongle and antenna. It was a fun experiment in SDR applications and flight tracking, and I even took my system airborne, tracking flights on my ThinkPad when I traveled to Europe last spring. 

Flight Tracking at Charles de Gaulle Airport

However, that setup left a bit to be desired. For one, I only had one SDR dongle that could receive the radio data from 1090 MHz, so I could only run flight tracking on one device at a time. Additionally, that device only pulled data when powered on and the appropriate applications were running. This made it difficult to use my laptop for other things, since the tracking software always needed to run continuously in the background. Since, I typically power my device down while not in use, this pretty much made it impossible to to be an ADS-B client for FlightAware, FlightRadar24 or any other crowd-sourced flight tracking organizations, as my laptop was only actively tracking whenever I decided to open the laptop and look at it. 

What I needed was a stand-alone computer, SDR dongle and antenna that could be dedicated to flight tracking 24/7. Enter the Raspberry Pi 3B+, a tiny, inexpensive single-board computer that can run a variety Debian-Linux based operating systems on 32 and 64 bit architectures. To go with the Raspberry Pi, I also purchased a FlightAware Pro-Stick Plus, which is similar to the RTL-SDR Blog V4 dongle, except it is specifically designed to collect flight data, instead of all-purpose SDR data. Those two pieces of hardware, along with an antenna, power and USB cables, are really the only pieces of hardware necessary to set-up a stand-alone ADS-B client that works in perpetuity, rather than only when my laptop is in-use. With this setup, I could use any computer on my local network to retrieve the flight data, and view flights on a map by connecting to my Raspberry Pi's IP address. I even went a step further by adding two LCD displays, so I could check out overhead air traffic anytime at my desk or at the kitchen table.  

Raspberry Pi 3B+ running PiAware

In 2024, when I started my flight tracking hobby, I used The Hobbyist's Guide to the RTL-SDR as well as online tutorials for set-up instructions, and GitHub to download and edit source code for applications like Dump1090 and RTL1090. This time, I would take advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create and edit the code for my Raspberry Pi-based flight tracker. 

At first I wasn't sure my AI assistant, ChatGPT, GPT model 5.5, was up to the task. I typed "How do I setup ADS-B flight tracking on my Raspberry Pi 3B+?", and got fairly straight-forward step-by-step instructions for installing and running Dump1090, a popular data translator for ADS-B radio signals. I followed the instructions, but ultimately kept hitting various snags. However, I consistently reported each issue I ran into, and ChatGPT continued to troubleshoot. Our ultimate conclusion was the Raspberry Pi's newest 64 bit "Trixie" operating system was interfering with Dump1090 in some way. ChatGPT determined this by indexing web results and finding that other users had the same problem with Trixie. What ultimately solved the issue was re-flashing the Pi with the older, simpler 32-bit "Bookworm" operating system. This solved the main issue, and Dump1090 began running successfully bringing in raw flight data and displaying it in the SSH (secure shell) terminal.  

Still, each time I ran Dump1090, a new issue surfaced. It was mostly due to driver issues related to using the RTL-SDR Blog V4 as well as missing directory files. Ultimately data stopped coming through Dump 1090 entirely, and I only found out after using an alternate RTL-SDR V3 that my V4 had probably broken at some point during installation and testing. So, I ended up purchasing both a general purpose Nooelec "Nesdr Smart" SDR dongle as well as the FlightAware Pro-Stick Plus. In my experience both the Nooelec and FlightAware sticks worked more easily than the RTL-SDR Blog V4, and I no longer had to worry about updating or installing drivers and directory files to get them to work. Once Dump1090 was installed successfully on the Pi, the Nooelec and FlightAware sticks were plug-and-play! 

SDR sticks I used

The final step was to set-up a flight map to display on my household LCD screens, so I could look at my local overhead flights anytime I wanted. I used one Chinese-made iPistBit 7 inch LCD screen and connected it to my Raspberry Pi board with an HDMI cable. Once the operating system was visible on the LCD screen, I used an iPazzPort Bluetooth Keyboard and Trackpad to navigate to the Chromium browser, and connect to the PiAware URL provided by FlightAware to see my data converted to a map with images of all planes flying overhead in real time. I then cloned the same operating system, applications and settings onto a second Pi and connected it to the other LCD screen so I could have two displays, one for upstairs and downstairs. Additionally, any browser on any device connected to my home Wifi network will be able to pull up my PiAware URL and display the same maps and data. I included more comprehensive step-by-step instructions below, so you can follow my process, If you'd like... 

Building an ADS-B Flight Tracker with a Raspberry Pi 3B+ on Debian Bookworm

I recently built a working ADS-B aircraft tracker using a Raspberry Pi 3B+, a USB RTL-SDR receiver, and FlightAware’s PiAware software. After a few false starts with outdated repository links, I got the setup working on Raspberry Pi OS / Debian Bookworm.

This guide walks through the successful setup.

Hardware Used

For this project I used:

• Raspberry Pi 3B+

• MicroSD card with Raspberry Pi OS / Debian Bookworm

• RTL-SDR USB dongle

• 1090 MHz ADS-B antenna

• Internet connection

• SSH access or a keyboard and monitor connected to the Pi

Step 1: Confirm the OS Version

On the Raspberry Pi, open a terminal and run:

cat /etc/os-release

The successful setup was done on Bookworm. You should see something similar to:

PRETTY_NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)"

Step 2: Update the Raspberry Pi

Before installing anything, update the system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y
sudo reboot

After the reboot, reconnect by SSH or open the terminal again.

Step 3: Install the FlightAware Repository

Download the current FlightAware APT repository package:

wget https://www.flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/files/

packages/pool/piaware/f/flightaware-apt-repository/

flightaware-apt-repository_1.3_all.deb

Install it:

sudo dpkg -i flightaware-apt-repository_1.3_all.deb

Then refresh the package list:

sudo apt update

This step is important. Earlier attempts using older package names failed with 404 errors or “file not found” messages. The key was using the current FlightAware repository package.

Step 4: Install PiAware

Install PiAware:

sudo apt install piaware -y

Then enable automatic and manual updates:

sudo piaware-config allow-auto-updates yes
sudo piaware-config allow-manual-updates yes

Step 5: Install dump1090-fa

PiAware sends data to FlightAware, but dump1090-fa is the software that actually receives and decodes 1090 MHz ADS-B signals from aircraft.

Install it with:

sudo apt install dump1090-fa -y

Then reboot:

sudo reboot

Step 6: Check That the RTL-SDR Dongle Is Detected

After rebooting, plug in the RTL-SDR dongle and run:

lsusb

You should see a device related to RTL-SDR, RTL2832U, Nooelec, or RTLSDR Blog, depending on your dongle.

You can also test with:

rtl_test

If you see a “device busy” error, that may actually mean dump1090-fa is already using the dongle, which is good. Only one program can use the SDR at a time.

Step 7: Check the Services

Run:

sudo systemctl status piaware
sudo systemctl status dump1090-fa

Both should show as active or running.

If needed, restart them:

sudo systemctl restart piaware
sudo systemctl restart dump1090-fa

Step 8: Open the Local SkyAware Map

Find your Raspberry Pi’s IP address:

hostname -I

Then open this in a browser on the same network:

http://YOUR-PI-IP/skyaware/

For example:

http://XXX.XXX.X.XXX/skyaware/

If everything is working, the SkyAware map should load. Aircraft will appear when your antenna receives ADS-B messages from nearby planes.

Step 9: Claim the Receiver on FlightAware

After PiAware has been running for a few minutes, go to FlightAware’s ADS-B stats page and claim the receiver while logged into your FlightAware account.

Once claimed, FlightAware will associate your Raspberry Pi receiver with your account and begin showing site statistics.

Troubleshooting Notes

Problem: Old repository package gives a 404 error

If a command tries to download an older package such as:

piaware-repo_10_all.deb
piaware-repository_10_all.deb
piaware-repo_9.0_all.deb

and it fails, use the current flightaware-apt-repository_1.3_all.deb package instead.

Problem: “Unable to locate package piaware”

This usually means the FlightAware repository was not installed correctly, or sudo apt update was not run after installing it.

Fix:

sudo dpkg -i flightaware-apt-repository_1.3_all.deb
sudo apt update
sudo apt install piaware -y

Problem: “Device or resource busy”

This can happen when another service is already using the SDR dongle. Stop competing services if needed:

sudo systemctl stop fr24feed
sudo systemctl stop readsb
sudo systemctl stop piaware
sudo systemctl stop dump1090-fa

Then test the dongle again, or restart the FlightAware services:

sudo systemctl restart dump1090-fa
sudo systemctl restart piaware

Problem: Map loads but no aircraft appear

This can happen if:

• No aircraft are nearby

• The antenna is indoors or poorly placed

• The SDR is not connected properly

• The antenna is not tuned for 1090 MHz

• dump1090-fa is not running

Check with:

sudo systemctl status dump1090-fa

Final Result

Once everything was installed correctly, the SkyAware map loaded and aircraft appeared on the local map. The Raspberry Pi 3B+ was successfully receiving ADS-B data through the RTL-SDR dongle and feeding the data to FlightAware through PiAware.

This turned the Raspberry Pi into a small, low-cost aircraft tracking station.

One of the most helpful steps ChatGPT included was the command code lines "sudo systemctl status dump1090-fa", which tested the Dump1090 software to make sure it was running, and "sudo systemctl restart dump1090-fa" which would re-start tracking in case the process was stopped. 

Once my system was up and running, and I had my own personal ADS-B flight tracking system. I set-up a FlightAware account and linked my feed. So, now I am officially an ADS-B client for FlightAware, meaning my data is being used to fill in up-to-date flight data for thousands of users who use flight tracking apps worldwide. So, if you're ever tracking a flight over Northeast Ohio, it might be my system that is collecting information from that plane! 

If you're interested in reading more, check out my March 2024 article, "RTL-SDR: Home-Made Air Traffic Control" about my early ADS-B systems, and how I set them up. Additionally, check out The Cubical Ruins' new-and-improved "What's Up There?" flight tracking widget on the right. This will give you a live feed of the airplanes my system tracks daily. Just click any plane for it's callsign, avionics and flight data.   

QRP Antenna Build with Induction Coil

The great thing about being in a HAM radio club is that there is always a variety of new projects and ideas I get to think about each time I attend a club event. It genuinely widens the hobby until you realize the science behind radio waves is so vast that even a PhD in electromagnetic fields wouldn't be enough to cover it all. 

Although I had been spending most of this past winter focusing on work and other hobbies, such as 3D printing and hockey, I did win a set of supplies to build a new HAM radio antenna at one of our club's raffles. The set was simple enough: a compact, retractable HF antenna for the 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. The antenna was "QRP," meaning it's meant to be used at lower power, prioritizing efficiency, saving battery power, and avoiding interference to other radio operators. 

QRP is also a type of contesting in amateur radio as well; like specializing in a certain event in track and field. QRP operators seek to operate at low powers, maximizing the benefits of antenna design and tuners, to reach longer distances. It's not only a challenge, but it mimics the real-life operating constraints a radio operator may face while working "in the wild" or in an emergency situation, where mobility is necessary, and power is scarce. 

The set I received seemed relatively simple. It consisted of an extendable whip antenna, a narrow PVC pipe, and about 240 feet of 1mm copper coil. The whip was a pretty standard piece -an antenna similar to the ones you'd find on a portable radio or a really old cell phone. The work was in winding the loading coil, which meant wrapping the copper wire around the pipe tightly 90 times, feeding it through the tube, and soldering it to the whip at the top and the "BNC" connector at the bottom. The BNC connector is a type of coaxial port that can connect your feed line to a transceiver. 

The wrapped wire acts as an inductor that creates a magnetic field. The field actually "lengthens" the antenna electronically. It allows the antenna to operate sufficiently at only a few feet, while a conventional full-wave antenna for the 40 meter band would need to be about 144 feet. 

If you compare the two static antennas I currently have for UHF/VHF and HF at my base station which both include more than 30 feet of antenna and feed line, this new QRP design should operate with a whip of only about 10 feet... and, that whip can be collapsed to something that can fit in or on a backpack. 

 

However, while the schematic was simple (like the diagram above), the construction was difficult for a first timer. First off, winding copper coil for an inductor is not easy, and takes a lot of patience. I actually wasted the wiring I got with my set by accidentally tangling it after it bounced off the PVC cylinder like a slinky (remember those!). That was my first lesson, make sure to use a set-up with clips, or even Scotch tape, to secure the coil. Then, carefully unwind the wire so no tangles or kinks get created. Eventually, I was able to use my own spare role of 1 mm copper wiring to create a new conductor on the PVC tube. Still, there were some kinks in my wiring, so I was a bit nervous about the results. 

Once I completed the induction coil, and attached the whip and BNC connector, I was pretty much done. All I did was add heat-shrink wrapping to weather-proof the antenna. 

At the end of the day, my little project was a success with some setbacks. At 40 meters (roughly 7.14 MHz), my NanoVNA network analyzer showed an SWR of less than 1.5 across the band. This was a great result. It showed that the length and dimensions of the induction coil and whip are perfect in this particular frequency range. However, I got inconsistent results for bands 20 meters and below. This could be due to kinks in my wiring, lack of protection from electronic interference in my feed line, or an inaccurate measurement of length and width of the conductor or thickness in the copper wiring. It could even mean a break somewhere in the line. Despite all this, my new antenna should work to contact individuals across the globe on 40 meters, a fairly popular HF band for amateurs. 

To compensate for high SWR on the other bands, I would likely need a tuner. 

While, I have the basic knowledge to build an antenna system for various radio frequencies, there is still a great deal I don't know. But, if you're more interested in the science of this antenna, there is a great Youtube video from The SmokinApe which goes through a similar project, and also provides an extraordinary measuring tool ,which can help wind an induction coil perfect for any wavelength you'd like to operate on.  

For me, This tutorial and measurement tool will be helpful in creating a new-and-improved version of the first design documented here.

Going Long-range with Transequatorial Propagation (TEP)

I just sent a radio message that was heard 5622 miles away, in Chile! 

I didn't use an Internet provider; no smartphone, no satellites... I didn't even have a big antenna (though, I want one).  

How did I do it? 

Contact with Chile

Well, I've got a nice HAM radio rig connected to a pretty low-tech antenna. But, what really helped was something called Transequatorial Propagation (TEP). TEP is a phenomenon that allows radio signals to travel much farther than expected when communicating across the equator. 

"Propagation" is the term used to describe how radio signals travel. 

Sometimes propagation is more direct. Signals are radiated from a transmitter and, for a certain distance, they are received clearly, provided there is a line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver. This is similar to how my UHF/VHF rig, and scanner, work. Regardless of the conditions, day or night, I can use my UHF/VHF rig to contact others within about 50 miles in all directions. Radios used by the Police, Fire, and Civil Service in my area do the same thing. They are very reliable within a certain range, but cannot propagate farther than that. 

The great thing about "HAM" radio is that we can experiment. We're not emergency workers or broadcast stations, so we can chat, or call out "CQ" to check if anyone is out there to talk to. In doing so, we can actually use our modest radios and antennas to communicate MUCH FARTHER than a standard commercial radio, by using propagation.

FT8 Contact with Chile

I've written other articles about propagation, but I have yet to really describe Transequatorial Propagation (TEP)... Perhaps because I didn't quite understand it when I was using it. 

But it all makes sense now. I've been able to regularly contact, through both phone/voice and digital messaging, South America -Argentina, Brazil and Chile- with relatively low power. 

It's all because of Transequatorial Propagation! 

Transequatorial Propagation (TEP)

As I have mentioned on The Cublical Ruins before, radio propagation is often assisted by ionization of molecules in the upper atmosphere. Ions in the "F" region of the atmosphere, in the right conditions, will reflect radio waves, and send them cascading over a much larger range than the original transmitter can send on its own. 

Night and day, Winter or Summer, there is always more Ionization near Earth's magnetic equator. It's receives the most sunlight year-round, and creates an equatorial field of ions and charged particles. This field creates a mirror (of sorts). It can amplify, and reflect, radio signals going directly across it! 

So this is why -on an otherwise bad day for radio- I can send a low-power signal, and get a response from Chile or Argentina! I used the Sun, sub-atomic particles, the ionization in the atmosphere and Transequatorial Propagation, to send my signal... 

Science is pretty cool!               

HAM Radio: Improving Range with Antenna Design

My new antenna design

I have two "HAM" radio antennas on my house currently. One is very obvious. The other is hardly noticeable. The obvious one (the big white pole out front) is my VHF/UHF antenna for transmissions in the 2 meter and 70 centimeter range- a potion of the HAM radio spectrum similar to AM/FM radio, which most people are more familiar with. 

The not-so-obvious one is a wire-system fixed to the side of the house which is hidden from the street. 

To a lay-person, the capabilities of these antennas may be misleading. 

My "big" antenna system; the VHF/UHF transceiver is very useful. However, at its highest power, it can only transmit roughly 60 miles in all directions. Meaning I can talk to northeast Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and maybe West Virginia and Ontario on a good day. Still, there are advantages to the fast-wavelength UHF/VHF bands. Day or night, I can use my ICOM IC-2730 transceiver to connect with people clearly in my region. Neither weather, solar, or atmospheric activity will interfere with my UHF/VHF signal. This is why FM radio stations (and most police and fire departments) communicate on the UHF/VHF bands: Because signal strength is guaranteed within the local region no matter what. In an emergency, I'm happy to have my tried-and-true VHF/UHF rig, because I know I can use it to get in touch with people close enough to my location to help if needed. This is same reason FM radio uses similar wavelengths; because they want their music, news, and programing to be available to everyone within a certain distance, no matter the conditions. 

My existing UHF/VHF antenna

But as an amateur radio enthusiast, I don't simply want to talk to people in the next town over. The fun is contacting people world-wide! (even when it's not an emergency).

So, I set up my "HF" rig with the Yaesu FT-891 and a very simple end-fed antenna that should be able to get my signal farther than Pennsylvania. I wrote about it in this blog! 

In the hands of an experienced radio operator, HF radio waves (which have a lower frequency than VHF/UHF waves) can travel world-wide, if propagation and conditions are right. However, sometimes atmospheric conditions simply aren't conducive for HF signals. And, even if a signal can be heard thousands of miles away, it takes two talented radio operators to send/receive the signal. Interference from weather, solar activity, nearby electronics and genuine randomness, make HF radio a challenge even for the most experienced operator. So, while an HF wave can bounce across the world, it's never as reliable as the UHF/VHF waves we rely on to listen to FM radio, or critical emergency communications. 

However, there are many ways to improve HF propagation and make world-wide amateur radio communication more reliable. One, is antenna design. 

My new HF antenna

My first HF antenna, which I documented here on Cubical Ruins, was about as simple as an antenna can be. In HAM radio, we call it an end-fed "random wire" antenna, because it's basically just that. It's a copper wire strung as high as you can get it. And, it worked! On a good day, when conditions were perfect for global propagation, I actually used that antenna to speak with a gentleman in Southern England from my station in Ohio. I heard him clearly, and he heard me. I was using only 40 percent of the available power on my transceiver. So, it's very easy to make an HF antenna. Basically you just need a metal wire, and a radio! (but, an antenna tuner like the LDG Z-11 Pro and network analyzer like the NanoVNA do help A LOT). 

Eventually it was time to design a new, more permanent, HF antenna. I had a design in mind for a while. I just needed the weather, and time, to set it up. I would go from an end-fed "random wire" antenna, which transmitted from the basement window where my rig was, to as high as I could hang it (about 17 feed up the side of the house), to a horizontally-aligned dipole. 

Unlike the old "random-wire," the dipole would uniformly transmit at a height of about 12 feet above basement window, and from two points at the far sides of the northern end of my house. This means that total the total radiating and receiving portion of the antenna would be both longer, and higher-up, than the previous antenna.  

The result looks like a "T" shape with the radiating antenna crossing horizontally across the house, and the "unbalanced" coaxial line that attaches the antenna to the transceiver making the "stem" of the "T", which terminates at the basement window where my radio is. The entire system, like the UHF/VHF system, is now grounded to reduce electronic interference and to mitigate lighting damage to the home -yet another improvement on my old "random wire." 

At the very least, the new design is more permanent. It's solidly fixed to the house, and has survived two major thunderstorms with significant wind-gusts already. Plus, it now has a lightning arrestor, which definitely makes it a safer long-term antenna than the previous one. 

Contacting Azores with the new antenna

PLUS, it looks like the performance of the the new dipole has improved as well. On the first day I tested the new deign, I made contact with stations in Venezuela and The Azores! And, Los Robles, Argentina, a whopping 5.5 thousand miles away from my location using only 60 of my available 100 watts of power.   

Like any scientific inquiry, it will take a while to truly determine if my new set-up is success. But, transmitting, receiving and collecting data is part of the fun of HAM radio. It's an experiment to see if my new design is an improvement... or if I should go back the drawing board (so-to-speak). 

For now my new antenna works! And it seems to work well.    

Contesting: The Competitive Side of HAM Radio

I finished my last ice hockey game of season in early April, but I didn't stop competing. This past weekend I participated in another competition, albeit a competition way different than ice hockey. I competed in the Florida QSO Party with my "team," the Portage County Amateur Radio Service (PCARS) from our club site in Ravenna, Ohio. The Florida QSO party is one of 50 state "Contests" that take place on weekends each year inviting any licensed amateur radio operators, and clubs like ours to compete and earn awards by contacting other stations, clubs and operators in certain locations during a period of time. 

Various award earned by PCARS

When I typically talk to people unfamiliar with HAM radio, I often focus on the practical aspects of the hobby. It teaches you all about waves, frequencies and signals, which we rely on constantly in our daily lives when we use radios, smartphones and WiFi. It could be necessary in an emergency, if cell service or power goes down -and PCARS does have volunteers who work for the county's Emergency Management Agency that train every two weeks for such an event. Amateur radio also allows a portion of the airwaves for amateurs to experiment with new wave forms, digital protocols, and communication technology that may help to drive innovation for the future. In fact, this is exactly why the Federal Communication Commission holds certain parts of the radio spectrum available for licensed amateurs like myself. But, what do we do with all this technology when there aren't any emergencies or communications problems that need to be solved? We have fun, of course! And, along with DX'ing, meeting new people from all over the world, and chatting with other HAM's in the local community, Contesting is a big part of that fun. 

So, what exactly is a Contest in terms of amateur radio? In the simplest terms, it's a competition to see who can contact the most individual radio operators and stations in a given time period. You use your radio to listen for other stations transmitting, or call out to request that other stations find you. Once you connect with someone, and they can hear you, you exchange some basic information, usually their call sign (the alpha numeric designation all licensed amateurs use to ID themselves over the air), their location and other details, such as a sequence number, a signal report or other pieces of information described in the rules of the Contest. Once you've got all the info you need from the other party, you'll write or type that information down, and submit it to the Contest officials after the competition is complete. The officials will then reconcile each submission to confirm that both parties made contact and gathered the correct info from one another to confirm a contact (or "QSO" as we often call it). Most of this is done digitally now, through SQL or other database software.

Award my team received for the Washington QSO Contest

Scoring depends on each individual Contest's rules. In most state "QSO parties" scoring is different for in-state contestants versus out-of-state contestants. In-state contestants may get points for both in-state and out-of-state contests, while out-of-state contestants may only get points for making contacts within the hosting state. For example, when competing in the Florida QSO party last weekend, my group from Ohio was only looking to call into Florida, as we wouldn't be awarded for making contacts elsewhere. This way, the state hosting the party is the focus of much of the radio activity that day. Additionally, extra points may be given for achieving certain goals like contacting someone from each county (or parish) in a state, or contacting one or more "special" stations, such as stations set-up in state parks, landmarks or points of interest. It's a bit like completing a "side quest" in a video game, or catching that "rare" Pokemon. 

Most Contests have different categories, so people with a wide range of interests can participate. Typically there are individual entries and group or team entries, but with those categories, different contestants can get awards in various categories, such as most VHF/UHF contacts, most CW (or Morse code) contacts, or most contacts on each HF band, etc. So there are usually a lot of ways to win or place, regardless of your interest. You can also uses contests to find new contacts on the radio, even if you aren't participating in the contest; as you can imagine, radio activity will increase in each state when they hold their contests, and this gives any amateur an opportunity to listen for and make contact with contest participants in a given location. 

When I first started in amateur radio, I did so because I wanted to learn about the technology, communicate with other countries and be prepared in case of an emergency. So, when I first joined PCARS, I was a little weary of "Contesting". I already played ice hockey, and the prospect of winning and losing was stressful enough. What if I sucked? I would be letting the whole team down! 

Images for our outdoor Parks-On-The-Air contest in January

Thankfully, PCARS and the amateur radio community at large are some of the nicest and most welcoming people you'll ever get to know. Just because it's a "Contest" and it's scored, doesn't mean it's stressful. Usually we simply stay on the radio only as long as we're comfortable. Some participants will work from their home rigs, and send in their contact sheet afterwards, and others will come to the club site and compete for a few hours each weekend as they have time. And each contest is a great opportunity to socialize, not only with the contacts you make on the air, but with other participants at your club or station. 

Good food is usually required as well. This past weekend, I not only got 5 contacts on the 20 meter band in the state of Florida, I also got two slices of pepperoni pizza, a Boston cream doughnut from Maggie's in Middlefield, Ohio, and all the Dr. Pepper I could drink! Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. 

Experimenting with Antennas: A Pursuit In Creativity

Testing my antenna using a NanoVNA analyzer

I'm writing this post now as a novice in radio. But, as I learn, I wanted to comment on how interesting it is to work with Antennas... you know, those big, strange looking structures on the tops of towers and buildings. Those dishes we use to get satellite TV (I loved having Direct TV), those fields of big disks we use to maybe talk to aliens, and those cute little feelers on the tops of ants' heads.

Again, I'm not an expert (yet), but antennas serve two functional purposes: 1.) to receive signals and 2.) to send them. A good example is my hearty, tried and true, UHF VHF antenna. It's designed to send radio messages in the very specific 2 meter and 75 centimeter range. In laymans' terms, it sends signals from my radio in all directions at roughly the same frequency as the FM radio in your car. So, just as if your were listening to an FM radio station based in Chicago, you could expect that the transmissions I put out will carry until you're about 60 to 75 miles away. So, If you're listening to classic rock in Chicago, and keep the same frequency during your journey, you'll like begin to hear static, NPR, sports radio or a charismatic Christian minister once you get about 60 miles out. Then, you need to re-tune in the local classic rock FM station. The same goes for my amateur UHF VHF antenna; anyone within about 60 miles can hear me clearly, when transmitting, at any time of day, but outside of that range I won't be heard. 

You've seen FM radio antennas just like mine before, they tend to be about 2 meter-high columns on top of a building or a tower of some sort. They're usually up high, because the farther above ground level they are, the better they receive and transmit.  

My UHF VHF (FM) antenna

However, antennas come in all different shapes and sizes for different needs. A concave disk is likely a receiving dish for a satellite in orbit around Earth (or beyond!). A short cylinder pointed horizontally is probably a microwave transmitter sending a signal on a linear path over land or sea in one direction. In an iPhone, the antenna is a simple metal node encased at the bottom of the phone near the charger. You can't even see it. 

When people typically think of HAM radio antennas, they think of the big towers that experienced, well financed, hobbyists have towering over their homes. I've called it the "tell tale" antenna, in that you can spot any serious ham by the big antenna on their house. However, as a new HAM radio operator, I've discovered that antennas are both much simpler, and at the same time, more complex than a big metal tower. 

My end-fed HF antenna

Take my simple end-fed, half-wave-length, wire antenna that I've been using on the 10 meter band for worldwide SSB phone and digital communication. It's literally just a 17-18 foot narrow copper wire hung on my house. The UHF VHF antenna, which took a lot of work, and looks impressive, is only good to transmit about 60-75 miles out -same as a typical FM radio station. But, the small wire hanging on my home's siding? If conditions are good, it can transmit to the entire world, New Zealand, Australia and Antarctica. (And there are people in Antarctica listening!) 

Below is a nice diagram of what a simple end-fed antenna looks like. To get the best reception, and resonance, you need to use some math to to calculate the length of your antenna. Because higher-frequency UHF VHF bands, like those used for FM, have relatively short wave-lengths, the antenna needs only to be one or two meters high. But for lower-frequency bands, such as 10 meter band I use for long range HF radio, you need a significantly longer antenna, like my 17-18 foot wire antenna used for around 28 Mhz. The reason why a lot of HAMs simply use wires is because they're portable. We can string them up when needed, and coil them back up for storage. 

Diagram of an end-fed antenna design

 

My home-made "dipole" wire antenna

When it comes to wire antennas, there are so many styles and variables to try. I'm currently having a lot of success with my end fed wire, which is also known as a "sloper" because usually it's hung diagonally, from a tree or structure, to improve upward propagation. But, since I'm limited in the space I can use at my house, I simply hung the wire vertically, and I get good results. Wire antennas can also be constructed different ways. For example, instead of an end-fed wire antenna which extends in one direction from your transmitter's feed line, you could use a "dipole" antenna which extends in two directions (poles) from a un:un or bal:un (or balancing coil), in the middle. This antenna design may improve propagation in multiple directions, and may also be more convenient for spacing, since the feed line is in the center. I'm currently working on a wire dipole antenna of my own with a store-bought un:un, but in the future I should be able to build an un:un or bal:un of my own, which is basically a wire coiled around a ferrite or iron tube; It's called a toroid. It balances the RF signal from the unbalanced feed line, so that the two poles of the radiating antenna are resonant, and RF energy does not feed back into the radio, which can not only impact the quality of your transmission, but also damage the radio.

A photo of a dipole wire antenna in the field

The big difference in the more substantial UHF VHF antenna, and the MacGuyer'd wire HF antenna, is that the UHF VHF, or FM, antenna can send messages about 60 to 75 miles out at any time of day, all-year-round, regardless of weather conditions. It's more reliable, and this is why FM is still the preferred broadcasting medium for radio. If the Solar Cycle shifts, you still get to hear Tom Sawyer by Rush (one of my favorites!). While it may not transmit far, you have steady reliability in a given range. Compare that with HF radio between 3 and 30 Mhz. Yes, with a simple wire hung on my house I can contact the world, but only at certain times given the atmospheric conditions. At other times my crappy little wire is unreliable. 

The insulator on my HF antenna

Take the 10 meter HF band for example. This range of frequencies propagates very well off any length of wire, if tuned appropriately. There's no need to install a dish or expensive antenna, and heck! you don't even need to get on a rooftop. Hang the wire anywhere, and you'll be able to receive and transmit signals. The catch is that the 10 meter band is only available during the daylight hours given certain conditions. 10 meter transmissions rely on the subatomic particles in the Ionosphere. During the day they create a "mirror" which reflects, and bounces, signals across the atmosphere. It only works during the day, when the sun is shining. At night, the band is not reliable, and signals from my antenna go off into the atmosphere, and right up into space to never be heard. 

We need the sun, and it's subatomic particles to transmit on 10 meters. At night, there is no sun, and no propagation. In fact, in the low portion of the Solar Cycle, it may not even be possible to transmit during the daytime as there is not enough Solar radiation to accommodate the 10 meter signal.

In short, a "bigger" antenna never really means a "better" signal. It all comes down to numerous variables. 

But, this is where the fun and creativity comes in! 

There are practiced and documented principles for making antennas; and, in general, (especially when learning), it's important to follow them. However, radio is a huge hobby that spans an almost infinite spectrum of expertise. So, there's plenty of room to experiment! 

Just speaking for my own radio club, the Portage County Amateur Radio Service, I've been introduced to a feast of Antenna designs made by local amateurs. For example: I got to assist in the construction of a J-pole-style antenna using all recycled materials. I am also learning how to construct a Quadrifilar Helix (QFH) antenna, with just PVC piping, copper wire, and other supplies that I can get at a hardware store. In the past I have use my UHF VHF antenna to receive satellite signals, but it's not specifically designed for that use, so I often have distortions in the images and data I retrieve for orbiting satellites. The QFH style antenna is designed to pick up signals from objects moving overhead from any direction. So, not only does it look really cool, it's also designed for better performance at that one particular task. 

A QFH (Quadrifilar Helix Antenna)

Antenna design leaves a lot of room for creativity. There are established  designs we follow when telecommunication is critical. However, as amateurs, we get to experiment too. I can create one super interesting looking antenna specifically built to contact NOAA weather satellites, and talk to my friend whose studying abroad in Italy. I can try out pre-tested designs or even try to design my own. Newly available meters such as SWR meters, and network analyzers, like my NanoVNA, make it easy to run field tests to make sure my design works. And radio equipment such as antenna tuners make it easier to transmit and receive multiple modes and bands on antennas not necessarily specifically designed to use them. This offers more flexibility when designing or considering new antennas. We have the option to make the perfect antenna for a specific purpose, or create an antenna, like the two I have, which comprise between serving a specific purpose perfectly, and serving multiple purposes well enough.   

There's no one antenna that will suit all radio needs, so HAM's often end up building and collecting many different models of antenna. They even use their expertise in wave propagation, to invent new styles of antenna! Which is why I find Antenna design to be one of the more creative aspects of amateur radio

Digital Radio: How to create your own Internet

Yes. You’re hearing me, right. I bought a Yaesu transceiver, a cheap Lenovo ThinkPad laptop, and some cables. Then I created my own Internet.

I can use my radio, a Yaesu FT-891 transceiver, and my Windows 11 laptop to build my own Internet. You probably have your own internet, it’s how you’re reading my article now! However, you are probably relying on a service provider and an electric provider to give you access to the Internet. You can contact your friends or loved ones overseas, but only because you pay a fee to the cell phone and Internet company.

 

What if I told you, you could communicate with the world without an internet service provider?

 

You can! And it’s a big reason I got into HAM radio. I can not only get on my microphone and talk with people all over the world; I can actually send them texts and files -with no internet service provider (ISP) needed.

 

Most of us “HAMs” use a system called “FT8” and an application called “WSJT-X” to send digital messages worldwide. FT8 is fantastic! We can see everyone who is active around the world, and we can contact them immediately. FT8 was initially created in 2001 and re-released in 2017 by a HAM radio operator named Joe Tayor (K1JT). FT8 uses 8 audible tones to transcribe small text messages into radio waves. So, using FT8, I’m able to send messages across the world using only a battery-powered laptop and radio. It’s like having a SMS/text message service without ever having to pay!

 

FT8 not only uses audible tones, but also employs error corrections, so that distortions in the transmission don’t create errors in the received message. Additionally, FT8 only uses 50 Hz, a very small portion of the available broadcast band. So, a lot of people can use FT8 at once without any service disruption. It’s also more efficient. I can spend all day talking on my radio’s microphone using 100 watts, and I won’t get to hear to anyone. With FT8, I can get a contact in Italy using only 15 watts!

 

FT8 is a data stream just like your WiFi network or the data you receive cell phone service on. But, it’s totally free and uses the radio spectrum bands the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has deemed FREE for amateur use. It’s like a more complex version of Morse code. Various tones are sent out via a radio and antenna, and are then transcribed by a receiving “station”, another person with a radio and a laptop with WSJT-X.

 

I’m not a computer scientist, so I can’t get into the details of how FT8 works. However, Thomas Brooks (KE1R) wrote an excellent article for QST Magazine explaining how the tone and error correction work. If you know as much as Tom, you’ll be set for life, because digital communication, whether it be via HAM radio, online, or on our cell phones, is critically important to our communications infrastructure.  Without it, how could you call your mom and dad on the weekends, bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers to win another NBA game, or post a good looking selfie to Instagram?

 

Fundamentally, those phones and systems we use are just like HAM radio and FT8. They’re more complex and private (encrypted), sure. But they basically use the same tech that we HAM’s use to talk on FT8. So, using digital modes like FT8 is not only a fun hobby, it teaches us how all digital communications work. Who knows, maybe the power and internet will go out and we’ll need HAM radio and FT8 to communicate? It’s happened before.