RECEIVER with screen


If you have a receiver with a screen, troubleshooting becomes easy. You can see from the screen exactly what is wrong. Here is what the text on the screen means.


Total = Total current aircraft seen by the receiver at this particular time.

Range = Range in NM of the receiver within the last 10 seconds.i.e the furthest tracked aircraft

Power = input power.

  • OK means everything is good.
  • Unstable could mean insufficient power. Try a new power adapter if the receiver constantly shows this, and you don't have power issues at the site.
  • On <10min means the receiver has been up for less than 10 mins, and it is evaluating if the power provided is sufficient.

Internet = Connection to FR24 servers

  • OK means everything is good.
  • Cable disconnected means LAN cable is disconnected or the Ethernet chip is damaged. Make sure to test with another LAN cable.
  • Offline means not able to connect to FR24 servers.


GPS = GPS fix 

  • OK means everything is good. 
  • Acquiring means the receiver is trying to get a GPS fix. 
  • Unstable means something is wrong, no signal received or very little signal received which is not enough for a fix. 
  • Antenna shorted means either the GPS antenna is shorted or you have connected the MODE S antenna to GPS port. 
  • Antenna open circuit means that either GPS is not connected or the cable is cut between the receiver and the puck.


Radar = Your Radar ID

  • F-ESSA1 (Your radar ID shows up here)
  • Not activated = Means your receiver has not yet been activated from the server side. Make sure you have GPS properly connected, and the puck has a good view of the sky.


Uptime = Time since last reboot.


IP = IP address of the receiver.

  • Cable disconnected: This means either the LAN cable is disconnected or the LAN port is faulty. Check and make sure the cable is connected properly and is working. Try testing with another cable or test the cable with another device to make sure the cable is good.


Temperature = Operating temperature of the receiver.


RECEIVER with LEDs


Normal Operation


We have supplied two versions of this receiver.  They perform exactly the same, but the earlier version, shown on the left, does not have a Power LED.




The receiver should be powered using the supplied 5VDC, 2A, 2.1mm, CENTER POSITIVE power adapter and connected to the antenna by the coax cable. The Ethernet cable should be connected to your router.



Under normal operations, the receiver front LEDs should be lit as follows:


LEDs

Operation

Power led (where fitted)

Steady red

Mode-s

Should flicker non-periodic in red when aircraft data is received

GPS

Should flicker once per second. Green is OK. Yellow is trying to get a fix. Red may indicate a problem. Make sure the GPS puck is placed horizontally outside a window, facing the sky.

Ethernet 

The rear Ethernet port should show green and yellow LEDs when connected to your local network via your router or network extender.



! Important


If the MODE-S and GPS LEDs stay lit steadily and do not flicker. There could be a software issue. Contact support@fr24.com in that case.



Typical Disruptions


1.  No GPS Position


Check that the GPS antenna is connected and that it’s located where it can get a satellite fix. The antenna is weatherproof and can be located outside, and it can also be installed inside, if preferred. The important thing to note is that it must have good visibility of the sky, so if it must be kept inside, it should be as close as possible to windows. Does the GPS green LED flicker?


2.  Poor or reduced aircraft range


Check that the ADS-B external antenna is connected to the receiver and is installed at the optimum location. Also, check the coax connections are tight and dry.  Moisture can cause a signal shortage.  Make sure the coax cable is properly connected to the antenna, as well as, to the receiver. Check both ends.



3.  No data is being uploaded to our server – Receiver Offline


Check the power supply is working and connected to the receiver.  Check that the Ethernet cable is connected to properly to the receiver, as well as your router, and you have an active Internet connection.


To check that the receiver is connected to your local network, open a browser and type in the receiver IP address to open the browser interface page.  The IP address is shown in your account.



4.  MODE-S and GPS LEDs lit steadily, not flickering 


If the MODE-S and GPS LEDs are lit steadily, and they are not flickering, this could indicate a problem. Check to make sure both GPS and ADS-B antennas are connected properly (connections are tight and not loose). If everything looks good, restart the receiver, if the LEDs still remain steady and do not flicker, contact support@fr24.com for further assistance.