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We believe that Acarsdeco2 is probably the best decoder for ACARSĪvailable as it has good decoding performance, is capable of decoding up to 3 ACARS channels simultaneously and much easier to set up with multiple ACARS streams than by using multiple VFO’s in a program like SDR-Radio or the
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In this tutorial we will show how to use the Windows version, but use of the Linux, OSX and Raspberry Pi versions should be very similar. This means that no audio piping is required, and no programs like We highly recommend using Acarsdeco2 however.Īcarsdeco2 is a Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi and OSX compatible command line based multi channel ACARS decoder that directly interfaces with the RTL-SDR. In the next sections we show tutorials on how to use the four ACARS decoders mentioned above. If you are outputting the audio to speakers you willĪlso hear a sort of screeching sound when a ACARS packet is received.

ACARS signals come in bursts, and will look something like the waterfall image shown below. In SDR# you may also get better results with turning Filter Audio on, but experimentation may be necessary.Īt this point you should be able to see some ACARS signals appearing in the spectrum. If you are looking to combine multiple ACARSĬhannels on the same audio channel with multiple VFO’s it may be best to enable the squelch. Using audio AGC may or may not work well, you will need to experiment with what works best. Set the receiver mode to AM, turn off squelch and turn off any noise reduction filters. Adjust the tuned bandwidth of your receiver to around 5-10 kHz, so that the bandwidth just covers the entire ACARS signal.Ĥ.
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Adjust the RF gain settings so that the ACARS signal is strong and free of out of band interference.ģ. You should see some ACARS signals on the RF spectrum and waterfall. You are wanting to use PlanePlotter, AirNav ACARS2 or ACARSD and wanting to track multiple ACARS frequencies.Ģ. Note that we highly recommend using SDR-Radio with multiple VFO’s or the multiple VFO plugin for SDR# if Open a general SDR program such as SDR# or SDR-Radio and tune to an ACARS frequency such as 131.500 MHz. See Appendix A: Audio Piping for more information.įirst, we will try to receive ACARS messages in SDR# or another similar program such as SDR-Radio to confirm that they are receivable.ġ. At the moment we currently recommendįor using PlanePlotter, AirNav ACARS 2 and ACARSD you will also need to have installed a Windows audio piping program installed. Below we present tutorials on each software. These are Acarsdeco2, PlanePlotter, AirNav ACARS 2 and ACARSD.

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There are four commonly used ACARS decoder software programs. If not, please follow the Quickstart Installation Guide section. In the table below we show some common ACARS frequencies.įor most of this tutorial we will assume that you have an RTL-SDR dongle installed and working on a Windows or Linux PC. This is a great aide to aircraft spotters and anyone who just wants to see what is flying in the air around them.
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So why receive ACARS? Well apart from watching the messages that come through, most decoder software will also look up the received aircraft registration number on the internet and display information and a photograph of theĪirplane transmitting. Preselector section for more information.

An LNA and bandpass filter may also help but are not necessary unless you have poor reception. See the antenna guide section in this book for more information on these antennas. Because ACARS uses vertically polarized signals we recommend a discone, collinear, quarter wave ground The sky, with a good antenna you should be able to receive messages from high altitude aircraft that are up to 200 miles away.

As ACARS transmits in the VHF band, reception is very nearly line of sight. With the RTL-SDR and some decoding software, the ACARS messages around you can be received and displayed live on your PC. The HF bands, but these bands are not as commonly used as the VHF band. There are also ACARS messages transmitted via the Inmarsat Satellite network and on Standard ACARS transmits at a VHF frequency of 131.550 MHz, but there are various other frequencies also in use depending on your location. The aircraft registration and fight identification number. Some ACARS messages will also contain aircraft GPS coordinates, but if your goal is aircraft radar, the ADS-B aircraft radar tutorial will be of more interest to you. Some messages you might hear on ACARS are OOOI events (messages reporting changes in major flight phases such as O ut of the gate, O ff the ground, O n the ground and I nto the gate), digital information sent to the aircraft avionics and It is a digital communications system that commercial aircraft use to send and receive short messages to and from ground stations. ACARS is an acronym for A ircraft C ommunications A ddressing and R eporting S ystem.
