Build a receiver

A receiver is a small computer, a USB radio (SDR) tuned to 1090 MHz and an antenna. The antenna and where you put it matter more than anything else.

ComputerRequired

Raspberry Pi 4 (1GB is plenty) or Pi 5. A Pi 3B+, Pi Zero 2 W or Orange Pi Zero3 also work. Skip the original Pi Zero W: most feeder images no longer support it. An old PC or VM works too.

Power supplyRequired

The official Raspberry Pi supply or a CanaKit (USB-C for a Pi 4, micro-USB for a Pi 3 or Zero 2 W). Not a phone charger. Weak power is the most common cause of dropouts and lost range.

microSD cardRequired

8GB minimum, 32GB or more for a longer life. Use a name brand (SanDisk Ultra or Extreme, Samsung High Endurance) or an industrial card, since a receiver writes to it around the clock.

SDR dongleRequired

A 1090 MHz ADS-B stick with a built-in filter and amplifier is the easy choice. A general RTL-SDR (RTL-SDR Blog V3/V4, Nooelec SMArt or SMArTee) also works, and an Airspy Mini is the top pick for range.

AntennaRequired

A 1090 MHz antenna. A small SMA antenna suits a window or loft. For real range, use an outdoor mast antenna (DPD Productions or Vinnant, for example) mounted as high as you can.

Coax cableOptional

Only needed for an outdoor antenna. Up to 1 to 2 m, RG-58 is fine. For 3 m or more use low-loss cable (LMR195 at minimum, LMR400 for long runs). Outdoor antennas usually need an SMA to N-type cable.

Filter or LNAOptional

Helps near cell towers or in busy cities. A combined filter and amplifier, such as the Nooelec SAWbird+ ADS-B, makes up for the signal a filter costs. Skip it if your SDR already has one built in.

978 MHz UAT kitOptional

US only. Small general-aviation aircraft below 18,000 ft often broadcast on 978 MHz. Add a second SDR with a 978 MHz filter and a 978 or dual-band antenna.

Case and extrasOptional

A case with cooling, a powered USB hub when running two SDRs, and a surge arrester on any outdoor antenna.

We recommend the adsb.im feeder image. It runs on the boards above, has a web interface and sets up the decoder for you.

1. 1
   Download the image for your board from adsb.im/download and write it to the microSD card with Raspberry Pi Imager.
2. 2
   Plug in the SDR and antenna, insert the card and power on. The first boot takes a few minutes.
3. 3
   Open http://adsb-feeder.local (or my.adsb.im) from a device on the same network.
4. 4
   Enter your antenna's location and altitude. Our elevation finder gives you both.
5. 5
   Enable TheAirTraffic as a feed, then save.

Prefer a different setup? See How to Feed for our script and Docker options.