AcarsDeco2 - up to 3-channels ACARS SDR receiver for RTL2832 dongle

Version 20140905: acarsdeco2_windows_20140905.zip https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7NYXizl0U6iSDQ1VklhbVVaSXc/edit?usp=sharing

+ Modified algorithm for determining multiple instances of RTL devices with different serial numbers, that are simultaneously connected to the computer.

Now if program was run with the option --device-list, it's allows you to determine the connected devices with their serial numbers:
acarsdeco2_device_list_a.png


To run multiple copies acarsdeco2 with different dongles, you need to specify the it unique serial id number in the option --serial-number for each program:
acarsdeco2_sn13_sn15_r11.png


If some dongles (s/n 15) already in the works, this will be indicated:
acarsdeco2_device_list_already_in_use.png


When you try to run the program with dongle, which is already used (s/n 15), you will receive the following message:
acarsdeco2_sn15_sn15_not_found.png


Thanks,
sergsero
 
thx I will check it when i am Home now i sit in the Train and the connection is not the best.
There is another wish for the future. For an easy way to create a Chart it would be nice to have a CSV File who all messages will be in one line.
When i have that information i can creat a chart who show me how many times i receive somesing on freq XY or how many times Company XY send a Message and/ or make a easy way to read all that messages.
 
any updates for raspberry pi?
Also, I'm having difficulty with v.20140807

I've tried to specify 3 ACARS frequencies:

pi@DadrPi-2 ~/acarsdeco2 $ cat acars2.sh
./acarsdeco2 --device-index 0 --freq-correction 68 --gain 38 --freq 130025000 --freq 130450000 --freq 131550000 --logfile acarsdeco2LOG

then executing acars2.sh

pi@DadrPi-2 ~/acarsdeco2 $ ./acars2.sh
AcarsDeco2 v.20140807
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Error: Invalid channel freq: No data available

as far as I can tell the R820 is capable of receiving within a 2MHz bandwidth.
thank you
lancemitrex
 
uh... nope.
this R820 can tune 1.4MHz bandwidth.
So, I added a 2nd RTL stick to tune greater than 1.4MHz......

stay tuned...
lancemitrex
 
I have questions about the files in the datasets directory. I've been experimenting and I'm still not sure how they are supposed to work with the program.

I provided a new airlines.txt file with IATA and ICAO codes for about 300 airlines, but the program seems to ignore that information most of the time. Sometimes I see a line that starts "Airlines:" on the console display, but not always. I expected the flight number to trigger a query to the airline data, but evidently that is not how the program works.

The data in aircrafts_s.txt is too mashed up for me to read or edit easily. I renamed the file so the program would not "see" it and edited the aircrafts_p.txt file (updating obsolete airlines). The program does show information from that file as expected, so I'm not sure what purpose the _s file serves. I plan to create a new file from my basestation.sqb in the near future. I spent yesterday adding data to that database so I could feed acarsdeco2 the information it wants.

Just for the sake of clarity, I should mention that I am using acarsdeco2_xp.

-Dave, NF2G, +xG
 
Hello Dave,

File airlines.txt must contain text strings with the codes of airlines in format: [IATA-code (two symbols), full_name_of_aircompany,] and [ICAO-code (three symbols), full_name_of_aircompany,].
For example:
Code: 
3V, TNT Airways,
TAY, TNT Airways,
"Comma, space,comma" in each line is required.

File aircrafts_p.txt contains more complete information about a specific aircraft in the format: [aircraft_registration_number, manufacturer, code_of_type, aircraft_model, aircraft_serial_number, IAIA-code_of_aircompany, ICAO-code_of_aircompany, full_name_of_aircompany, ,]
For example:
Code: 
B-6015, Airbus, A320, A320-214, 2212, MU, CES, China Eastern, ,

File aircrafts_s.txt contains a stripped down information about a specific aircraft in the format: [aircraft_registration_number, ICAO-code_of_aircompany, aircraft_model, aircraft_serial_number,]
For example the same aircraft B-6015:
Code: 
B-6015, CES, Airbus A320, 2212,

Provided that simultaneously with ACARS data you can receive ADS-B data from the same aircraft and If for display their you are using VRS, use the appropriate settings in acarsdeco2, it will receive the data from the VRS and to incorporate them in ACARS in WEB window.
Including will be placed the exact coordinates of location of the aircraft. In this case, the data of the above files *.txt will be ignored and replaced used in VRS from his basestation.sqb.

Thanks,
sergsero
 
sergsero said:
Hello Dave,

File airlines.txt must contain text strings with the codes of airlines in format: [IATA-code (two symbols), full_name_of_aircompany,] and [ICAO-code (three symbols), full_name_of_aircompany,].
For example:
Code: 
3V, TNT Airways,
TAY, TNT Airways,
"Comma, space,comma" in each line is required.
Click to expand...

That is how mine is formatted. But the program only seems to draw information from it for some transmissions. If the aircraft is not listed in the aircrafts files, then airlines is not checked, either.

Sometimes I get conflicting data from the two files, though.

For example:
Code: 
RX_ID: 63, Freq: 136.850MHz

ACARS mode: 2 (50), label: SA (Media Advisory)

Block id: 7 (55), msg. no: S34A

Aircraft reg: N727TW, flight id: DL0442

Vendor: Boeing, type: B757-231 (B752), cn: 30340, carrier: OZ, remarks: Asiana Airlines

Airlines: American Airlines

Neither airline identification is correct. This aircraft belongs to Delta. N727TW is in fact listed to Asiana in aircrafts_p.txt. But airlines.txt shows that OZ is Asiana and DL is Delta. So I have no idea how it came up with "American".

Provided that simultaneously with ACARS data you can receive ADS-B data from the same aircraft and If for display their you are using VRS, use the appropriate settings in acarsdeco2, it will receive the data from the VRS and to incorporate them in ACARS in WEB window.
Including will be placed the exact coordinates of location of the aircraft. In this case, the data of the above files *.txt will be ignored and replaced used in VRS from his basestation.sqb.
Click to expand...

I will try VRS and see what happens.
 
The only source of reliable information about the aircraft is the himself :). In every message is transmitted only two such parameters: the Registration Number and Flight ID. The first is used to find specifications of this aircraft in the files: aircrafts_p.txt and aircrafts_s.txt. The second is to determine name of the operator (aircompany) in the file airlines.txt.

If you add the option in start line of program: "--net 30008 - set TCP server for transmit data in Kinetic SBS-3 ACARS format on port 30008", so it will give to output RAW ACARS messages in SBS-3 format, then you can check these data. In Windows this can be taken through putty (RAW,IP,30008).

For example, on-line my data now:
Code: 
2014-11-30,03:16:32,131.725,O,OO-THB,,H1,5,D83A,3V0016,#DFBOO-THB,TAY016*,ZSPD,EBLG,ER,N562970,E0834983,031999,031534,070216,022,-058,-58.8,-061.4,455.5,00013,026

acarsdeco2_check.png

OO-THB is Reg.number of Boeing 747, s/n 35234/1386, ...
3V0016 is Callsign of TNT Airways with IATA code.

This same message in the WEB window of acarsdeco2, when not used additional data from VRS, only the files *.txt:

acarsdeco2_web_check.png


However, it is better to really take the information from VRS. I will be very interested in your feedback.

/sergsero
 
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I am not sure whether or not acarsdeco2 is actually talking to VRS. I am receiving ACARS transmissions, but the server aircraft counter stays at zero and nothing appears in the aircraft list. Also, I set my home location, but the map is still showing the Heathrow area.
 
Do you have a properly configured VRS, which is fed from 1090 MHz antenna and can you see aircrafts with ADS-B transponder on the built-in VRS Google Maps and their pictures?
If this is exist, then just add in the launch string acarsdeco2 argument:
Code: 
--vrs-url http://IP:Port
where IP is the address where you can see your VRS through the browser and its port. If the default port 80, you can omit it.

That is, the option will look like this: --vrs-url http://192.168.1.10:80

If everything was specified properly, you will see in the WEB window acarsdeco2 additional data that it will take VRS:
acarsdeco2_20140807.png

There will additionally see: the route of flight, coordinates, ICAO24 address, Callsign, Heading, Speed, Vertical Speed, Altitude.
All this information acarsdeco2 pull from VRS at the time of receiving new ACARS message from this aircraft. And constantly updates with each new message.
 
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I am still not seeing the interaction between acarsdeco2 and VRS. Here is the batch file I'm using, with the parameters on separate lines for clarity:
Code: 
@echo off
acarsdeco2_xp.exe
--gain 38.6
--freq-correction 80
--freq 136675000
--freq 136725000
--freq 136775000
--http-port 8080
--vrs-url http://127.0.0.1:80
--udp 127.0.0.1:9742
--net 30008
--no-uplink off
--no-sq off
--no-empty off
--logfile 5
 
1. Are you use version 20140905 of acarsdeco2?
2. In your's VRS really is used HTTP port 80?

If all this is true, then the interaction between acarsdeco2 and VRS should work.
 
Both of those things are true, but something is not right anyway.

The ADS-B receiver is counting up several thousand received messages, but still not one aircraft has shown up on the web page list. I have dozens of aircraft in range using ACARS, and none of them are on the list, either.

The actual URL I use to see the website is http://127.0.0.1/VirtualRadar. Is that what should be used for --vrs-url?

Should the http port be 8080 or just 80?

Which should I start first - VRS or acarsdeco2?
 
Are acarsdeco2 (with dongle) and VRS on the same computer or on different?
My be you have an authorized access to the VRS by login and password?

If you use option --http-port 8080, that own website of acarsdeco2 will be situated on port 8080. And access to him must contain in addition to the address and this port 8080:http://127.0.0.1:8080.

Further, if your VRS is on the same computer that is running acarsdeco2, and it use default HTTP port 80, its (acarsdeco2) option for communication to VRS should be:
Code: 
--vrs-url http://127.0.0.1
Anything more (80 or VirtualRadar/desktop.html and so on) is not necessary to specify.

Programs may start in an arbitrary order.
 
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Hello,

All of the dongles have significant frequency offsets from reality that can be measured and corrected at runtime. The error is ~70 +-20 ppm relatively stable once warmed up, and stable from day to day for a given dongle.
The main problem is that the crystal acting as the master clock for the dongle is an unadjusted 28.8 Mhz device. Since the frequency error is completely linear over the tuning range of the device, an error correction in ppm (parts per million) can be used to adjust and correct the device at the software side of operation.

Since initial settings of all dongle parameters, inclusive of ppm correction, and management is performed by using the same driver from osmocom, so any application, in this case, used only as front-end for rtlsdr driver. And the value of corrective offset frequency will be the same in any programs - SDR# or acarsdeco2.

Thanks.
 
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