Tracking aircraft with your UAT 978 MHz ADS-B FlightStick
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AirNav’s newest innovation is here. Introducing the Radarbox 978 MHz ADS-B FlightStick. With an integrated 978 MHz filter, built-in ESD protection and a preamplifier, our UAT USB Receiver is a one-stop solution to all your UAT 978 tracking needs. The 978 MHz ADS-B USB Receiver is ideally suited for tracking with a Raspberry Pi and customers can now track flights and feed 978 data to RadarBox in a breeze.
This concise guide will explain everything you need to know about the new RadarBox UAT 978 MHz ADS-B FlightStick and how to set it up with your Raspberry Pi.
Features
Here are some of the features that make the RadarBox 978 UAT FlightStick a great choice for tracking General Aviation Flights.
- Track General Aviation aircraft that fly below 18,000 feet.
- View live data on the RadarBox website & mobile app.
- View aircraft that your receiver is tracking on the MyStation Page.
- Doesn’t track aircraft using the 1090 MHz band.
- Integrated 978 MHz filter.
- In-built ESD protection and preamplifier
- Compact, inexpensive and quick setup process.
- Works with Windows PC, Raspberry Pi.
What is the 978 UAT?
A universal access transceiver is a data link intended to serve the general aviation community. To alleviate congestion on the 1090 MHz band as well as due to the large fleet of General Aviation aircraft in the United States, the FAA proposed an alternative option for ADS-B solutions that run on a dedicated 978 MHz band – Universal Access Transceiver, or UAT and are available for aircraft that operate below 18,000 FT MSL.
Difference between the 978 UAT & 1090ES
The ADS-B Out broadcast on 978 MHz carries all the same tracking data sent by Extended Squitter (ES) transponders on 1090 MHz. However, with regard to ADS-B In, the additional bandwidth afforded by the 978 MHz spectrum allows for a much more extensive list of data uplink services, especially weather (FIS-B) and traffic from ground radio stations (TIS-B).
ADS-B 1090ES operates on 1090 MHz and is required for aircraft operating above 18,000 FT MSL. The information sent over a Mode S transponder is greater and is called an "extended squitter". These aircraft will be able to display traffic directly from other ADS-B equipped aircraft and those with Mode S transponders without the need to rely on ground-based systems. FIS-B is not available to these transceivers.
Benefits
Listed below are some of the benefits you receive when you feed data to RadarBox. It’s our way of saying thanks!
- FREE Business account on AirNav Radar.
- Free premium apps on iOS & Android.
- Access to new beta features.
- Up to 25% off on our store products.
- 24x7 priority customer support.
Your RadarBox UAT 978 ADS-B FlightStick allows you to monitor flights in real-time on your AirNav Radar MyStation page and on your RadarBox iOS App and RadarBox Android App. |
Setting Up - Components
We’ve tabled a list of all of the components that you’ll need to obtain before you start sharing data and tracking flights. Most of these items can be bought on Amazon, eBay or on the RadarBox website.
Equipment | Cost | Where to buy | |
1 | RadarBox UAT 978 MHz FlightStick | $24.95 | AirNavRadar.com/store |
2 | Radarbox UAT 978 MHz Antenna | $49.95 | AirNavRadar.com/store |
3 | Active Internet connection | ||
4 | RadarBox account | Free | AirNavRadar.com |
5 | Raspberry Pi (Option 1) | Aprox $40 | Amazon.com |
6 | RadarBox Windows Client (Option 2) | Free | airnavsystems.com |
Approximate Total | $110 |
AirNav RadarBox 978 MHz optimized antenna
We have also developed an optimized antenna to be used solely on the 978 MHz UAT frequency.
You can buy at our store - AirNavRadar.com/store
Setting up your Raspberry Pi
If you haven’t already purchased a Raspberry Pi and the other components, you’ll have to first buy them. Once you’ve got all of the components, you can begin setting up.
If you live in a country where Amazon and eBay do not deliver, ask your local computer hardware store to try and source it for you. If you are still not able to source these items, you may email RadarBox support and we try to ship one for you.
To configure your Raspberry Pi, read the instruction guide here: AirNavRadar.com/raspberry-pi
Be a part of the RadarBox Network
When you start feeding data to RadarBox, you are automatically included as a member of the RadarBox ADS-B network & community. Users from over 150 countries currently share their data and you can compare what you receive with other stations.
Take a look at our worldwide receivers ranking now (you can filter by country and station type). You can also have a look at a list of the latest units added to our network. |
Need help?
Looking for more details or having issues setting up? Don't hesitate to contact our support.