Author Topic: KFFZ - On air!  (Read 10839 times)

Offline n224gr

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KFFZ - On air!
« on: January 26, 2011, 06:08:04 PM »
What a fun project putting together the server for my home airport that is now shared with the rest of the world.  :-)

I had an VIA EPIA M10000 mini-ITX motherboard lying around being non productive so it was pressed into service. I also have a PRO-2004 scanner from 100 years ago that I was also going to repurpose but that was incompatible with my desire to build a stand-alone, elegant package. Looking for a lowcost, compact scanner I came across the Bearcat BC355, what a perfect fit: exact same height and bit narrower than a standard external 5.25" drive bay... for which my case provided one; seems more than coincidental that Uniden would choose that form-factor and I love it. Scanner is intended to operate in electrically noisy car environment so why not take power from the PC? Sacrificed HDD power connector, soldering iron, heat shrink and shortened scanner power cord and that's done.

I live approx 4mi from KFFZ but the whip antenna just wasn't going to cut it and the radio was to be placed inside the PC case anyway... solution: BNC->F connector for radio, chassis mount F barrel connector through the back of case, and short piece of RG-6 and the packaging is complete. I recalled there was a VHF/UHF TV antenna in the attic, from the old days when TV was also wireless, which terminated at the house structured wiring so that was the plan.

My weapon of choice for Linux is Gentoo, so install instructions didn't match my setup but that was not an impediment as the application config details are the important part.

Lessons learned/suggestions to make things easier for others:
- Provide basic install details on liveatc.net forums, no implementation specifics, but application package names and other generic details would have been helpful while I waited for details

- monit, and others, process monitoring made my implementation much more rugged; I learned the hard way that a network cable disconnect stops streaming application and required intervention to restart process. monit supervises process status and ensures it continues to run and take appropriate actions to restart.

So there we have it...

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Dave, and all others responsible, for providing a great service... and hope for a non-Cupertino mobile app coming soon.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2011, 04:33:33 AM by n224gr »



Offline dave

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Re: KFFZ - On air!
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2011, 05:24:16 AM »
One of the nicest and most compact setups I've seen - nice!

There is an Android app under development - due out in roughly Q1 2011.  There is a lot of testing to be done due to so many different phones. 

BTW - it will require Android 2.1.  The older and less capable versions of Android are disappearing from phones (for good reason).

Offline kc5noi

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Re: KFFZ - On air!
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2011, 03:57:01 PM »
Very very nice! Clean layout.   :-D