# ACARS + Flightaware

**URL:** <https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547>\
**Category:** ADS-B Flight Tracking\
**Created:** [November 30, 2022, 10:48am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547 "2022-11-30T10:48:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 10:48am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/1 "2022-11-30T10:48:52Z")

</div>

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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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 1:20pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/2 "2022-11-30T13:20:06Z")

</div>

> [@vsqz44](#):
>
> At list, using the same dongle and dump1090-fa

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

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/3 "2022-11-30T14:15:29Z")

</div>

Hi, @abcd567

Right. Would you suggest a software to get ACARS ?

Thanks !

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 2:44pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/4 "2022-11-30T14:44:39Z")

</div>

> [@vsqz44](#):
>
> Would you suggest a software to get ACARS ?

&nbsp;

## AcarsDeco2

## Automated installation Script on RaspberryPi OS Stretch / Buter / Bullseye: [https://github.com/abcd567a/ad2](https://github.com/abcd567a/ad2)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 3:07pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/5 "2022-11-30T15:07:44Z")

</div>

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

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/6 "2022-11-30T22:05:13Z")

</div>

> [@vsqz44](#):
>
> 2 dongles on the same rpi ?

**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:

```auto
--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.)  
&nbsp;

**The file will become like below:**

```auto
--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**

&nbsp;

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/7 "2022-11-30T22:49:38Z")

</div>

Thanks a Lot !!!  
I’ll give a trial

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 3:40pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/8 "2022-12-01T15:40:13Z")

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Hi, @abcd567

Installed but, no data. See the enclosed.

 ![Acars1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/flightaware/original/3X/0/8/08b16cb6a506c4bc8277d3cf1c1967400b6ac5dd.png)

Forget it

 ![Acars2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/flightaware/original/3X/b/3/b33ccb9bd4b565c8c6d80451813667ecef75b72a.jpeg)

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/9 "2022-12-01T16:20:55Z")

</div>

> [@vsqz44](#):
>
> Installed but, no data.

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.

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

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

```

&nbsp;

After editing above file, save file and reboot Pi.

&nbsp;

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/10 "2022-12-01T17:49:19Z")

</div>

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

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/11 "2022-12-01T21:59:26Z")

</div>

> [@vsqz44](#):
>
> It’s working now.

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

&nbsp;

> [@vsqz44](#):
>
> Orange PC +

Which OS you have installed on your Orange PC +

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/12 "2022-12-01T22:20:34Z")

</div>

> [@abcd567](#):
>
> Glad to know that. 👍  
> Is it working on frequencies which were there by default at installation, or you had to add / change frequencies?

Default frequencies, no changes.

Os Orange pi pc + bullseye

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/13 "2022-12-01T23:17:10Z")

</div>

@vsqz44

### ACARS HELP

`pi@piaware:~ $ acarsdeco2 --help `

```auto
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 

```

```auto
  --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:~ $

```

&nbsp;

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vsqz44](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/vsqz44/32/135935_2.png) [@vsqz44](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/vsqz44)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 10:09am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/14 "2022-12-02T10:09:43Z")

</div>

Hi,

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![barrekj](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/barrekj/32/116802_2.png) [@barrekj](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/barrekj)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/16 "2023-01-08T18:23:22Z")

</div>

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 🙂

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](https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-016157)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jimMerk2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/jimmerk2/32/127232_2.png) [@jimMerk2](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/jimMerk2)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/17 "2023-05-06T18:05:11Z")

</div>

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.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abcd567](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/abcd567/32/113769_2.png) [@abcd567](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/abcd567)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/18 "2023-05-06T18:36:12Z")

</div>

> [@jimMerk2](#):
>
> 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?

&nbsp;

### (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](https://forum.flightradar24.com/forum/radar-forums/acars/7939-acarsdeco2-multi-channels-console-rtlsdr-acars-decoder)

&nbsp;

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

&nbsp;

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

&nbsp;

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jimMerk2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/jimmerk2/32/127232_2.png) [@jimMerk2](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/jimMerk2)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/19 "2023-05-06T19:14:29Z")

</div>

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).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![glennblum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/glennblum/32/113376_2.png) [@glennblum](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/glennblum)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/20 "2023-05-07T01:25:13Z")

</div>

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dvsvejk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/dvsvejk/32/136416_2.png) [@dvsvejk](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/dvsvejk)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547/21 "2023-05-07T12:03:28Z")

</div>

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.

> **[GitHub - TLeconte/acarsdec: ACARS SDR decoder](https://github.com/TLeconte/acarsdec)**
>
> ACARS SDR decoder. Contribute to TLeconte/acarsdec development by creating an account on GitHub.

[Next page](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/acars-flightaware/85547.md?page=2)
