ACARS
From The RadioReference Wiki
Contents
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:
129.125 130.025 130.450 131.125 131.550 136.575 136.650 136.750 136.800 136.850
For ACARS questions, please post them on the Aircraft Monitoring forum.
Operating Tips
- ACARS Frequencies in the NE US
- 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:
- Win108
- Yupiteru VT-125/150
- Yupiteru VT-225/MVT-3100
- Yupiteru MVT-7100/7200
Decoding Solutions
With the exception of PC-ALE, packages listed on the ALE page can also copy ACARS
Hardware Decoders
Discontinued Decoders from Universal Radio
Software Decoders
- Airnav
- acarsd
- MultiMode (MAC systems)
- PDW
- PlanePlotter
- RadioRaft Site 1
- RadioRaft Site 2
- KG-ACARS
- SkySpy
- SkySweeper (discontinued)
- Winradio Digital Suite
- Winradio Advanced Digital Suite
Mailing Lists
- acarsd Yahoo group
- ACARS on QTH.Net
- ACARSlogs on QTH.Net