Buy a receiver
We recommend the following two options to purchase a Mode S/ADS-B receiver and contribute to the network. Both receivers have the OpenSky feeder preinstalled and require little technical expertise to setup and operate.
The OpenSky Receiver Kit from Jetvision is the cheapest (and our recommended) solution. The kit costs only 175 Euros (plus VAT) and includes all the hardware equipment and software that you need to setup a receiver at your place. This setup will give you already quite good reception with ranges of up to 600 km (depending on your environment). Setup and maintenance are very well documented in our manual.
The Radarcape is a more expensive alternative for users who want to support OpenSky with more accurate multilateration. The Radarcape costs 708.05 Euros but is equipped with an integrated GPS receiver for precise timestamps as required in multilateration applications.
Build your own receiver
(Raspberry Pi + RTL-SDR + dump1090)
If you like building stuff and you have already have a Rasperry PI or an old PC, you can build your own home OpenSky receiver yourself with less than 30$. With an RTL-SDR dongle, you can track air traffic with ranges of up to 600 km (depending on your environment and antenna installation). Don't worry if you are a beginner, setting up the receiver and software is not as complicated as it sounds. There are plenty of manuals around and we recommend starting with the following links
As soon as your receiver is up and running, showing aircraft on the map, you can start feeding data to the OpenSky Network.
Get a free receiver
Some organizations and individuals want coverage in their area but cannot install a receiver, for example due to bureaucracy or housing restrictions. On the other side, many people would host a receiver at their home, company, or institution if the hardware comes for free. We bring these two groups together with our sponsoring program. It allows people who are willing to host a free receiver to offer their site while everyone who wants coverage in that area (or simply wants to support our project) can sponsor the site by making a donation. The OpenSky Network Association will take care of the rest.
So you want coverage in your area but you do not want to buy or build a receiver? Then apply for hosting a free receiver for us or someone else! The only requirements are 24/7 Internet access (Wifi or LAN) and power supply, and the possibility to install the antenna outdoors with a good line of sight in all directions. If you meet all these requirements, apply here for becoming a host of a sponsored receiver.
