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ACARS

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Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS)

ACARS data is used to send messages to and from commercial airlines' aircraft. A good explanation can be found here.
The frequencies used in the United States for ACARS are:

129.125
129.350
129.525  
130.025  
130.450  
130.825
131.125 
131.425 
131.550
131.725  
131.850
136.575  
136.650 
136.700 
136.750 
136.800  
136.850 
136.975

These frequencies may be used in some areas:

136.675 Delta and Jet Blue
136.725 Delta 
136.775 Air Canada, Air Transat, American, Delta, JetBlue, United

Operating Tips

  • In general, all that is necessary to hook up a receiver and PC to receive ACARS is a good shielded connection from the speaker or earphone of the scanner to the soundcard. A discriminator tap is not required, since it is not involved in AM reception
  • There's a brief sync tone sent before each transmission; if the software doesn't receive it, no decoding will occur. Most scanners' squelch cannot open up fast enough, so keep the squelch off. There are, however, a few scanners that do open up fast enough; these include:

Decoding Solutions

Links in bold are known to be compatible with certain SDRs such as the RTL-SDR, either directly or piping audio via applications like Virtual Audio Cable

For other RTL-SDR solutions, see the Big List of RTL-SDR Supported Software. Some of the packages listed here may work with other SDRs

Known United States VDL2 Ground Stations

 10103A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10142A [KIAD Washington Dulles International 38°54'N 077°30'W] [Dulles VA]
 10146A [KLAX Los Angeles International 33°54'N 118°24'W] [Los Angeles]
 10147A [KJFK Kennedy International 40°36'N 073°48'W] [New York NY]
 1014CA [KMHT Manchester–Boston Regional 42°54'N 071°24'W] [Manchester NH]
 1015CA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1019AA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 101C0A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 101C1A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10201A [KLGA LaGuardia 40°48'N 073°54'W] [New York NY]
 10204A [KBWI Baltimore/Washington International 39°12'N 076°42'W] [Baltimore MD]
 10205A [KDEN Denver International 39°54'N 104°42'W] [Denver CO]
 10207A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10208A [KSAN San Diego International 32°42'N 117°12'W] [San Diego]
 10209A [KIND Indianapolis International 39°42'N 086°18'W] [Indianapolis IN]
 10211A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10216A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1021CA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10240A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10245A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10250A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10259A [KSWF Stewart International 41°30'N 074°06'W] [Newburgh NY]
 10261A [KSFO San Francisco International 37°36'N 122°24'W] [San Francisco]
 1026AA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10288A [KADW Joint Base Andrews 40°36'N 073°48'W] [Camp Springs MD]
 102A0A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 102C0A [KFRG Republic Regional 40°42'N 073°24'W] [East Farmingdale NY]
 102C1A [KTEB Teterboro 40°54'N 074°06'W] [Teterboro NJ]
 102C3A [KMMU Morristown Municipal 40°48'N 074°24'W] [Morristown NJ]
 102C8A [PHNL Daniel Inouye International 21°18'N 157°54'W] [Honolulu HI]
 10303A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10309A [KBDL Bradley International 41°54'N 072°42'W] [Windsor Locks CT]
 1030CA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10314A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10315A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10316A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1031EA [KOAK Oakland International 37°42'N 122°12'W] [Oakland]
 10342A [KPIT Pittsburgh International 40°30'N 080°12'W] [Pittsburgh PA]
 10345A [KDEN Denver International 39°54'N 104°42'W] [Denver CO]
 10346A [KLAX Los Angeles International 33°54'N 118°24'W] [Los Angeles]
 10347A [KPHL Philadelphia International 39°54'N 075°12'W] [Philadelphia PA]
 10348A [KISP Long Island MacArthur 40°48'N 073°06'W] [Ronkonkoma NY]
 10349A [KALB Albany International 42°44'N 073°49'W] [Albany NY]
 1034DA [KBOS Logan International 42°24'N 071°00'W] [Boston MA]
 10350A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1039BA [KACY Atlantic City International 39°30'N 074°36'W] [Atlantic City NJ]
 10405A [KEWR Newark Liberty International 40°42'N 074°12'W] [Newark NJ]
 10406A [KSTL St. Louis Lambert International 38°42'N 090°24'W] [St. Louis MO]
 10409A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1040CA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10412A [KPVD TF Green International 41°42'N 071°24'W] [Warwick RI]
 10416A [KCHM John Glenn Columbus International 40°00'N 082°54'W] [Columbus OH]
 10440A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1044BA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10456A [KHPN Westchester County 41°06'N 073°42'W] [White Plains NY]
 1045BA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1045CA [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10495A [KATL Atlanta International 33°36'N 084°24'W] [Atlanta GA]
 104C3A [KTTN Trenton Mercer 40°18'N 074°48'W] [Trenton NJ]
 104CBA [KBED Hanscom Field 42°30'N 071°18'W] [Bedford MA]
 104CCA [KHVN Tweed-New Haven Regional 41°18'N 072°54'W] [New Haven CT]
 104CDA [KILG New Castle 39°42'N 075°36'W] [Wilmington DE]
 104D9A [PHNL Daniel Inouye International 21°18'N 157°54'W] [Honolulu HI]
 10500A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10502A [KPHL Philadelphia International 39°54'N 075°12'W] [Philadelphia PA]
 10503A [KBOS Logan International 42°24'N 071°00'W] [Boston MA]
 10507A [KSFO San Francisco International 37°36'N 122°24'W] [San Francisco]
 10508A [KJFK Kennedy International 40°36'N 073°48'W] [New York NY]
 10509A [KIAD Washington Dulles International 38°54'N 077°30'W] [Dulles VA]
 1050AA [KDEN Denver International 39°54'N 104°42'W] [Denver]
 10516A [KDCA Reagan Washington National 38°54'N 077°00'W] [Arlington VA]
 10518A [KSMF Sacramento International 38°42'N 121°36'W] [Sacramento]
 10519A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10540A [KLAX Los Angeles International 33°54'N 118°24'W] [Los Angeles]
 10543A [KIND Indianapolis International 39°42'N 086°18'W] [Indianapolis IN]
 10545A [KDCA Regan Washington National 38°54'N 077°00'W] [Arlington VA]
 10547A [KLGA LaGuardia 40°48'N 073°54'W] [New York NY]
 1054BA [KBWI Baltimore Washington International 39°12'N 076°42'W] [Baltimore MD]
 1054CA [KSFO San Francisco International 37°36'N 122°24'W] [San Francisco]
 10550A [KATL Atlanta International 33°36'N 084°24'W] [Atlanta GA]
 10552A [KEWR Newark Liberty International 40°42'N 074°12'W] [Newark NJ]
 10553A [KSAN San Diego International 32°42'N 117°12'W] [San Diego]
 10554A [KSTL St. Louis Lambert International 38°42'N 090°24'W] [St. Louis MO]
 10556A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 10558A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 11208A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 1131EA [KOAK Oakland International 37°42'N 122°12'W] [Oakland]
 11346A [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 208F37 [KACY Atlantic City International 39°30'N 074°36'W] [Atlantic City NJ]
 20D197 [KATL Atlanta International 33°36'N 084°24'W] [Atlanta GA]
 20D198 [KATL Atlanta International 33°36'N 084°24'W] [Atlanta GA]
 211197 [KBDL Bradley International 41°54'N 072°42'W] [Windsor Locks CT]
 213E77 [KBOS Logan International 42°24'N 071°00'W] [Boston MA]
 213E78 [KBOS Logan International 42°24'N 071°00'W] [Boston MA]
 215657 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 215D37 [KBWI Baltimore Washington International 39°12'N 076°42'W] [Baltimore MD]
 215D38 [KBWI Baltimore Washington International 39°12'N 076°42'W] [Baltimore MD]
 220C37 [KDCA Reagan Washington National 38°54'N 077°00'W] [Arlington VA]
 220C38 [KDCA Reagan Washington National 38°54'N 077°00'W] [Arlington VA]
 2215D7 [KDEN Denver International 39°54'N 104°42'W] [Denver CO]
 2215D8 [KDEN Denver International 39°54'N 104°42'W] [Denver CO]
 2215D9 [KDEN Denver International 39°54'N 104°42'W] [Denver CO]
 22DE57 [KEWR Newark Liberty International 40°42'N 074°12'W] [Newark NJ]
 22DE58 [KEWR Newark Liberty International 40°42'N 074°12'W] [Newark NJ]
 2441D7 [KHPN Westchester County 41°06'N 073°42'W] [White Plains NY]
 248497 [KIAD Washington Dulles International 38°54'N 077°30'W] [Dulles VA]
 248498 [KIAD Washington Dulles International 38°54'N 077°30'W] [Dulles VA]
 24B898 [KIND Indianapolis International 39°42'N 086°18'W] [Indianapolis IN]
 251977 [KJFK Kennedy International 40°36'N 073°48'W] [New York NY]
 251978 [KJFK Kennedy International 40°36'N 073°48'W] [New York NY]
 251979 [KJFK Kennedy International 40°36'N 073°48'W] [New York NY]
 260667 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 260677 [KLAS McCarran International 36°06'N 115°12'W] [Las Vegas NV]
 260717 [KLAX Los Angeles International 33°54'N 118°24'W] [Los Angeles]
 260718 [KLAX Los Angeles International 33°54'N 118°24'W] [Los Angeles]
 260719 [KLAX Los Angeles International 33°54'N 118°24'W] [Los Angeles]
 261C37 [KLGA LaGuardia 40°48'N 073°54'W] [New York NY]
 261C38 [KLGA LaGuardia 40°48'N 073°54'W] [New York NY]
 268D37 [KMCI Kansas City International 39°18'N 094°42'W] [Kansas City MO]
 268DF8 [KMCO Orlando International 28°24'N 081°18'W] [Orlando FL]
 26CE17 [KMSP Minneapolis-St. Paul International 44°54'N 093°12'W] [Minneapolis MN]
 278577 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 278578 [KOAK Oakland International 37°42'N 122°12'W] [Oakland]
 27BA97 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 2804B7 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 282197 [KPHL Philadelphia International 39°54'N 075°12'W] [Philadelphia PA]
 282198 [KPHL Philadelphia International 39°54'N 075°12'W] [Philadelphia PA]
 282697 [KPIT Pittsburgh International Airport 40°30'N 080°12'W] [Pittsburgh PA]
 285897 [KPVD TF Green International 41°42'N 071°24'W] [Warwick RI]
 2939F7 [KRNO Reno/Tahoe International 39°18'N 119°48'W] [Reno]
 2939F7 [KRNO Reno/Tahoe International 39°18'N 119°48'W] [Reno NV]
 2939F8 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 2985D8 [KSAN San Diego International 32°42'N 117°12'W] [San Diego]
 2999F8 [KSFO San Francisco International 37°36'N 122°24'W] [San Francisco]
 2999F9 [KSFO San Francisco International 37°36'N 122°24'W] [San Francisco]
 29A877 [KSJC San Jose International 37°24'N 121°54'W][San Jose]
 29A878 [KSJC San Jose International 37°24'N 121°54'W][San Jose]
 29B078 [KSLC Salt Lake City International 40°48'N 112°00'W] [Salt Lake City UT]
 29B4D8 [KSMF Sacramento International 38°42'N 121°36'W] [Sacramento]
 29B837 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 29BFD7 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]
 29D197 [KSTL St. Louis Lambert International 38°42'N 090°24'W] [St. Louis MO]
 2A1457 [KTEB Teterboro 40°54'N 074°06'W] [Teterboro NJ]
 2B3B37 [CALIFORNIA] [CALIFORNIA]

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