Become a Feeder

All you need is a Raspberry Pi, an RTL-SDR dongle, and an antenna. Setup takes under 15 minutes.

What You Need #

Setting up a feeder requires minimal hardware. Here’s what you need to get started:

Total: from ~$113 USD (~₹10,100 INR)

Note: A better antenna (Vinnant, Sirio, or DPD Productions) will dramatically improve your range. Plan for ₹3,000–₹15,000 more if you want serious coverage. See our equipment guide for recommendations.

One-Line Install #

The fastest way to get started. Just run this on your Raspberry Pi:

curl -Ls https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bharatradar/infra/main/scripts/bharatradar-feeder | sudo bash

That’s it. The installer will:

1. Detect your SDR — automatically finds RTL-SDR, Airspy, or HackRF devices
2. Check for existing software — if you already have readsb/tar1090 installed, it offers to reconfigure instead of replacing
3. Install readsb — builds from wiedehopf’s fork with your specific SDR support
4. Install mlat-client — for multilateration support
5. Create systemd services — three services that auto-start on boot
6. Connect to our server — sends ADS-B and MLAT data to feed.bharatradar.com

What the Installer Does #

SDR Auto-Detection #

The installer scans USB for known SDR devices:

If no SDR is detected, you can still run in feeder-only mode to forward data from an existing readsb on your network.

Existing Software Detection #

If you already have ADS-B software installed, the installer asks what you want:

Services Created #

Three systemd services are created and enabled:

Auto-Fixes #

The installer also:

• Blacklists the dvb_usb_rtl28xxu kernel driver (common RTL-SDR conflict)
• Generates a unique feeder UUID (saved to /etc/bharat-radar-id)
• Detects your location from your public IP as a starting point

Configuration Wizard #

During install, you’ll be asked for:

1. Latitude — your receiver’s GPS latitude (auto-detected from IP as default)
2. Longitude — your receiver’s GPS longitude
3. Altitude — antenna height above sea level in meters
4. Feeder Name — what shows on the MLAT map (auto-generated from UUID)
5. MLAT Map Visibility — whether to show your feeder publicly (default: visible)

After Installation #

Check Status #

sudo systemctl status bharatradar-feeder
sudo systemctl status bharatradar-mlat
sudo systemctl status bharatradar-readsb

View Logs #

sudo journalctl -u bharatradar-feeder -f
sudo journalctl -u bharatradar-mlat -f

Your Feeder Map #

Once data starts flowing (usually within 2-3 minutes), visit:

• Your personalized map: https://my.bharatradar.com
• Public live map: https://map.bharatradar.com
• MLAT coverage map: https://mlat.bharatradar.com

Local Map #

If readsb is installed, you also get a local tar1090 map at:

http://<your-pi-ip>:8080/

Troubleshooting #

No SDR Detected #

Make sure your RTL-SDR is plugged in and visible:

lsusb

You should see a line with Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL2838 or similar. If not, try a different USB port.

Blacklist Fix Didn’t Work #

If readsb can’t find the SDR, the kernel driver might still be loaded:

lsmod | grep dvb_usb

If you see dvb_usb_rtl2832u or rtl2832, unload it:

sudo rmmod dvb_usb_rtl2832u
sudo rmmod rtl2832

Then restart:

sudo systemctl restart bharatradar-readsb

Feeder Not Showing on MLAT Map #

MLAT requires at least 3 receivers with overlapping coverage to triangulate positions. With only one feeder, the map will show "peers": {} — this is normal. As more feeders join in your area, your MLAT position data will appear.

Check if Data Is Reaching the Server #

# On your Pi — check feeder is connected
sudo journalctl -u bharatradar-feeder --since "1 min ago"

# Check MLAT client sync
sudo journalctl -u bharatradar-mlat --since "1 min ago"

Reconfigure #

To change your settings later:

curl -Ls https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bharatradar/infra/main/scripts/bharatradar-feeder | sudo bash

The installer will detect your existing config and let you reconfigure.

Need Help? #

• GitHub: bharatradar/infra
• Issues: Report a bug