03. Feeds and Merged Feeds

Feeds and Merged Feeds

This page is a quick navigator for feed topics.

Recommended order

1. Configure feed source and MLAT behavior.
2. Use Add Feed Set for multi-port receivers on one IP.
3. Configure merged feeds.
4. Check merged feed coverage if you need to validate reception footprint.
5. Apply feed filter rules last.

Detailed pages:

1. 09-Feeds-Smart-Ports-and-MLAT.md
2. 10-Feed-Filter.md
3. 11-Merged-Feeds.md
4. 16-Coverage.md

Add Feed Set

Use /admin/feeds -> Add Feed Set when one receiver exposes several standard ports from the same address. It is a shortcut, not a separate feed type: VRS X creates normal feeds underneath with names like FEED01_ADSB, FEED01_MLAT, and FEED01_MLATHUB.

Typical use:

1. enter one Base Name,
2. enter one Address / IP,
3. select the primary ADS-B port (30003 or 30005),
4. optionally add dedicated MLAT (30105 or 30106),
5. optionally add MLAT Hub (31005 or 31006),
6. optionally attach all created feeds to an existing merged feed.

Important behavior:

1. all generated feeds are TCP active feeds,
2. custom ports, passive mode, and serial receivers still require normal Add Feed,
3. endpoints already configured with the same normalized address and port are skipped,
4. when not linking to a merged feed, primary ADS-B stays visible in the radar dropdown while MLAT-only feeds stay hidden by default,
5. when linking to a merged feed, the visibility checkbox applies to created feeds and the selected merged feed receives all new source IDs.

Coverage after merged feeds

/admin/coverage works on enabled merged feeds. It visualizes where aircraft were actually observed by the merged feed sources and can be used to validate coverage holes, inactive sources, and archive history. See 16-Coverage.md.

Common issue: selected feed still shows too much

Symptom: selecting a specific feed still shows aircraft from other feeds.

Checklist:

1. Verify feedId mapping in output data.
2. Verify frontend sends the correct feed parameter.
3. Compare All feeds vs single feed for the same bbox.
4. Repeat test on a second feed for the same user.
5. Remember there is a short stability window: aircraft recently seen by selected feed can remain visible briefly to reduce flicker.
6. For merged feeds, filtering remains anchored to selected feed ID (no automatic expansion to all merged sources).