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USGS Earthquakes → TAK

Polls the USGS earthquake GeoJSON feed and emits one CoT marker per quake to TAK Server.

Read the Flows overview first

Import the GeoJSON to CoT subflow before importing this flow, and have a data-mode service account ready.

What it emits

One CoT Point event per earthquake at or above the magnitude threshold:

  • Type a-u-G (neutral ground marker) — change in the subflow instance if you prefer a different symbol.
  • Callsign — USGS event title (e.g., M 5.2 - 100km S of somewhere).
  • Remarks — magnitude, location name, depth (km), event time (ISO), USGS event URL.
  • UID — usgs-<usgs-event-id> — stable so repeat polls update the same marker instead of creating duplicates.
  • Stale — 15 minutes.

Poll interval defaults to 5 minutes.

Install

Before you start

  • Flows overview prerequisites done.
  • GeoJSON to CoT subflow imported.
  • Service account created (e.g., svc_usgs) with the tak_* groups that should receive earthquake markers.

1. Import

Node-RED → ☰ → Import → Local tab → fasttak → usgs-earthquakes → Import.

2. Configure TLS

☰ → Configuration nodes → double-click USGS Server TLS. Check "Use key or certificate from local file", replace {svc_user} in the cert/key paths with your service account name, click Update.

3. Adjust filter (optional)

Edit the USGS feed URL change node to:

  • Change the feed — all_hour, 2.5_day, significant_week, etc. See USGS feed catalog.
  • Raise or lower MIN_MAGNITUDE (default 2.5). The filter runs in the Transform function node, below the URL change.

Poll interval is the Every 5 min inject node's repeat value (in seconds). USGS feeds update every minute; polling faster than that is wasted traffic.

4. Deploy

Red Deploy button. First poll fires within 3 seconds of deploy. Markers appear in TAK clients within another ~30 seconds (TAK Server LDAP refresh + client sync).

Verify

docker compose logs -f nodered | grep -iE 'usgs|http request'

Every poll should show an HTTP 200 from earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/feed/v1.0/summary/*.geojson. The function node logs warnings if the payload shape changes.

Files

  • nodered/flows-library/usgs-earthquakes.json