A few years ago, EASA started an initiative to establish ADS-L (ADS-B light) for General Aviation Europe. Today, it is getting more and more popular in GA, esp. smaller planes and gliders are using it. The popular Stratux is also including both a receiver for ADS-L and can include a transmitter.
Is it possible to include ADS-L also in Flightaware? Yes, it would require a second receiver and antenna (ADS-L uses 868 MHz), and the range of signals is way lower (approx 2-10 NM, depending on the situation), but esp. around smaller aerodromes, it could be a benefit.
This would be a third source which requires three devices and three antennas (or a wide-band which has disadvantages). In the US they have UAT which also has a different frequency.
2-10NM doesn’t make any sense for most of us, except the ones living close to an airport. For me i only get aircraft that close if they are right above me.
And i think it will take ages to get it fully implemented. Why? Well, the name of EASA says it all (hint: “European Union”)
We still have daylight saving here even if there was a survey ages ago that we do not need it.
The majority is using ADS-B, at least for international routes and i dunno why they should change that.
Well, no actual receive location would require 3 receivers (1090, 978 and 868 MHz) because 978 MHz is only used in the US and 868 MHz is only used in Europe. Wonder why Europe doesn’t use UAT (978 MHz) for this type of service.
Edit to add- AI provides the answer to that question:
Europe’s reluctance to adopt UAT (978 MHz) for ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) is primarily due to a combination of factors, including frequency availability, cost considerations, and existing standards. Unlike the US, where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) heavily subsidized the implementation of UAT, European nations haven’t been as willing to invest in the necessary ground infrastructure.Additionally, the 978 MHz frequency band is used for other purposes in Europe, including military communications and VORTAC systems, which limits its availability for ADS-B.
ADS-L seems well within the reach of what a rtlsdr can do, though from a quick search I don’t see an existing open-source demodulator – but it’s FSK, and demodulating FSK is straightforward. Unclear from a quick look exactly how stratux is doing it, I think it’s maybe?? delegating to OGN and OGN has historically been not very open so I’m not sure if there’s available code to reuse there.
Yes, but a different frequency. So it would require a wider range for the ADS-B limitation to 1090MHz and the filters.
Based on what is documented on Wikipedia i am not sure if it will really make it to a wider usage. ADS-L can be used for tracking only, not like ADS-B as an anti-collision system extension. So the benefits are really small.
My first thought when I read the ADS-L spec is that there is also a LOT of 868 MHz LoRa concentrators (SX1301/SX1302/SX1303) out in the field. Now, these are obviously mostly geared up for hardware-demodulation of LoRa packets - but they do all also have a hardware (G)FSK demodulator on them which is not used for much during normal LoRa/LoRaWAN usage…I got excited that maybe they could be activated for ADS-L tracking. But on further investigation from SX1302 datasheet (page 15) it seems to only be 50kbps and according to the ADS-L spec here on page 10 it needs 100kbps for M-band and 38.4kbps for O-band so guess it will only work for the O-band perhaps. Need to mess around with it more if I ever get time.
