ACARS

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

129.125  United States
130.025  United States
130.450  United States
131.125  United States
131.550  United States
136.800  United States
136.850  United States

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:
  • Win108
  • Yupiteru VT-125/150
  • Yupiteru VT-225/MVT-3100
  • Yupiteru MVT-7100/7200

Related Pages

• ACARS Online
• ACARS Online Wiki

Decoding Solutions

With the exception of PC-ALE, packages listed on the ALE page can also copy ACARS

Hardware Decoders

• AOR ARD-2 (discontinued)
• Hoka Code 3 Gold
• Hoka Code 3 Gold Professional

Discontinued Decoders from Universal Radio

• ACT-1
• M400
• M450
• M1200
• M8000 Vers 7.5

Software Decoders

• Airnav
• acarsd
• RadioRaft Site 1
• RadioRaft Site 2
• SkySpy
• SkySweeper
• Timewave ACARS
• NOTE: This package is no longer available; was previously known as AEA ACARS
• WACARS
• Winradio Digital Suite
• Winradio Advanced Digital Suite

Mailing Lists

• acarsd Yahoo group
• ACARS on QTH.Net
• ACARSlogs on QTH.Net