ACARS + Flightaware

Hi,
I’m looking for a such software that allows to display ACARS togheter with Flightware map ( or any other feeder). At list, using the same dongle and dump1090-fa, in a separate map.
Thanks

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You can not use same dongle for both ACARS and dump1090-fa.
You will need 2 dongles, one for dump1090-fa, and other for ACARS

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Hi, @abcd567

Right. Would you suggest a software to get ACARS ?

Thanks !

 

AcarsDeco2

Automated installation Script on RaspberryPi OS
Stretch / Buter / Bullseye:

https://github.com/abcd567a/ad2

 

 

3 Likes

Thanks ! I’ll give a trial

Edit: onde more question: 2 dongles on the same rpi ?
If yes, How to separate one dongle for dump1090 and another one for ACARS ?

Thanks

AFTER dump1090-fa & AcarsDeco2 both have been installed, do following:

STEP-1:

Serialize dump1090-fa dongle to 8-digit serial number 00001090
Serialize Acars dongle to 8-digit serial 00000130

STEP-2:

Configure dump1090-fa config for it’s dongle’s serial number by following command:

For Piaware SD Card image:
sudo piaware-config rtlsdr-device-index 00001090

For package install of dump1090-fa on RaspberryPi OS image:
sudo sed -i 's/^RECEIVER_SERIAL=.*/RECEIVER_SERIAL=00001090/' /etc/default/dump1090-fa

STEP-3:

Configure Acarsdeco config for it’s dongle’s serial number by following method:

sudo nano /usr/share/ad2/ad2.conf

The content of this file are:

--freq 131550000
--freq 131725000
--http-port 8686

In this file at top add following line:

--device-serial 00000130

(IMPORTANT: Do NOT leave any blank line at top or between any two lines in this file.)
 

The file will become like below:

--device-serial 00000130 
--freq 131550000
--freq 131725000
--http-port 8686

Save file (Ctrl and O Keys) and Close file (Ctrl and x Keys)

STEP-4:

REBOOT Pi

 

1 Like

Thanks a Lot !!!
I’ll give a trial

Hi, @abcd567

Installed but, no data. See the enclosed.

Forget it

Thanks!

In file usr/share/ad2/ad2.conf use Acars frequencies which are used in your region/country. You can find these frequencies by Google search.

By default, following 2 frequencies are specified in config file.

sudo nano usr/share/ad2/ad2.conf 

--freq 131550000
--freq 131725000
--http-port 8686

 

After editing above file, save file and reboot Pi.

 

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It’s working now. Thanks again !
BTW, I’ve installed in my Orange PC +

Glad to know that. :+1:
Is it working on frequencies which were there by default at installation, or you had to add / change frequencies?

 

Which OS you have installed on your Orange PC +

Default frequencies, no changes.

Os Orange pi pc + bullseye

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@vsqz44

ACARS HELP

pi@piaware:~ $ acarsdeco2 --help

AcarSDeco2 v.20181201
Program options:
  -h [ --help ]         This help message
  --device-list         List available SDR devices
  --device-index arg    Select SDR device (default: 0)
  --device-serial arg   Select SDR device by serial number
  --gain arg            Set preamp gain of receiver, dB (default: auto)
  --freq-correction arg Set oscillator frequency correction, ppm (default: 0)
  --agc                 Enable automatic gain control in SDR chip (default:
                        off)
  --freq arg            Set receiver frequency, Hz
                        Specify option --freq multiple times to multiple
                        channels (Example: --freq XX --freq YY ...)
  --inConnect arg       Input connector. Format: (sbs|ad2):host:port
  --inConnectId arg     Named input connector. Format: (sbs|ad2):host:port:ID
  --inServer arg        Input server. Format: (sbs|ad2):port
  --inServerId arg      Named input server. Format: (sbs|ad2):port:ID
  --inServerUdp arg     Input UDP server. Format: (sbs|ad2):port
  --outServer arg       Output server. Format: (sbs|ad2|pp):port
  --outConnect arg      Output connector. Format (sbs|ad2|pp):host:port
  --outConnectUdp arg   Output UDP connector. Format: (sbs|ad2|pp):host:port 
  --http-port arg       Set port for http server (default: 8080)
  --vrs-url arg         Set VirtualRadarServer url for additional aircraft data
                        Example: http://example.com (default: off)
  --pictures-url arg    Set aircraft pictures collection url
                        Example: http://site.com/path/to/ (default: off)
  --pictures arg        Set aircraft pictures collection local path
                        Example: http://site.com/path/to/ (default: off)
  --silhouettes arg     Set path to directory of aircrafts' silhouettes
  --banners arg         Set path to directory of operators' logos
  --frdb arg            Set path to flightroutes database file
  --db arg              Set path to basestation database file
  --no-uplink           Don't display uplink messages (default: on)
  --no-sq               Don't display messages with SQ label (default: on)
  --no-empty            Don't display empty messages (default: on)
  --logfile arg         Set path to log filename (default: off)
  --logfile-sbs arg     Set path to SBS CSV log filename (default: off)
  --logfile-esbs arg    Set path to extended SBS CSV log filename (default:
                        off)
  --no-console          Disable logging on console (default: on)

pi@piaware:~ $

 

Hi,

Thank you ! I’ll explore this Acars Help. Very useful !

Hi so sorry for bringing up a old thread but was looking for info on the possibility of ACARS and thanks to you you came up in search results online :slight_smile:

One question what are you using for a ACARS antenna if I may ask?
Are you using a 1090 antenna or something like the ACARS/NOAA antenna from Diamond?;
ACARS/NOAA

Also bringing up an old thread as I am starting to look into ACARS. Have been listening with SDR++ on a Mac with a simple inside the house 1/2 wave dipole that I got with the RTL-SDR Blog v3 dongle. I can hear ACARS on 131.55, 131.725, 130.025, and 130.45 MHz. Also there might be others.

If I install acarsdeco2 on the RPi, curious about how the software monitors more than one frequency. For example if the default values of 131.55, 131.725 MHz are used, how does acarsdeco2 monitor those two freqs? Is the SDR dongle tuned to halfway between those two freqs and then the software does the final tuning of each frequency to 0 HZ ?

Also curious about how many different frequencies can be specified. It seems like there would be quite a load on the RPi, if 6 or 7 frequencies are specified. Also the spread of the frequencies can’t be more than about 2 MHz on an RTL-SDR dongle because that’s its bandwidth (assuming a sample rate of 2 to 2.4 Msps.).

Also, how far does acarsdeco2 decode into readable English? The screen shots above seem to show not too far.
Are there other ACARS decoders still available ?
TIA for any info.

1 Like

 

(1) Answers to many of your questions are in this (old) post by Sergsero, author of AcaSDeco2:
https://forum.flightradar24.com/forum/radar-forums/acars/7939-acarsdeco2-multi-channels-console-rtlsdr-acars-decoder

 

(2) General category ACARS, containing multiple threads
https://forum.flightradar24.com/forum/radar-forums/acars

 

(3) Automated installation of AcarSDeco2 on RPi by me:
https://github.com/abcd567a/ad2#readme

 

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Ok, thanks for the links. I see the original author of acarsdeco2 (Sergsero), updated the first link in 2018 to show the latest configuration possibilities: 3 frequencies maximum with a spread min to max freq of 1.3 MHz maximum. I guess to add more frequencies you would add another dongle (and add another instantiation of acarsdeco2, since it can’t handle more than one dongle).

ABCD567 did a excellent job of repacking the program and is very smooth installing. I have a separate Pi running AD2.

If you want to monitor more the three frequencies on a single dongle, you could take a look at acarsdec. It will do up to 8 frequencies within a 2Mhz span.

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