Inmarsat Aero-P includes an ACARS service for airlines to use while transiting the various ocean regions. This is much more reliable than HF ACARS. Inmarsat hosts 3-4 Aero-P control channels on L-Band for each ocean region. Each control channel is running OQPSK at 10.5K bits/s rate. This new decoder is actually 4 decoders in parallel and is capable of monitoring an entire ocean region. Currently both RFSpace SDR-IP and NetSDR is supported as well as the QSDR. The required bandwidth is 200 KHz. I can make this work with 190 KHz which would then add the SDR-IQ (with Ethernet server app) to the list of supported SDRs. As usual, this decoder interfaces over Ethernet. Below are a few screenshots of the working prototype.
![]()
R/RTLSDR: A subreddit for the low-cost software defined radio (SDR) community. Receiving Classic AERO. All this is running on Windows 10 laptop.
Here is plot of the 4 channels from the IOR region. These are always on and continuous transmitting so they are easy to find.
The next screenshot is POR region. You can see the 3 Aero-P channels in the IQ Viewer in lower left. Above that are logging windows for each channel, in POR case, there are 3 channels. The other console window is the main decoder log, shows current SDR status, Signal Unit count, ACARS traffic count, CPDLC counts as well as log-on events. All traffic is sorted per aircraft and written to disk – so everything is archived.
POR Aero-P ACARS Sample.
![]()
Here is a sample from UHF-Satcom for the AOR region (thanks Paul).
Here is a sample from another user monitoring IOR region.
![]()
IOR region Aero-P ACARS sample.
There is support for streaming all TEXT ACARS messages over to Plane Plotter.
Below is screenshot of directory where messages are stored. You can see in this case there is some trouble with WIFI.
Sample logging.
Support for ACARS Display was added, which is a step up from Plane Plotter IMO. You can see that ACARS Display will automatically look up the ICAO based on registration number.
If you click on one of the registration numbers (such as B-HKU) you will be brought to a website that will give you up to date information about that aircraft (as shown below).
Flight Lookup.
PC SatC
PC SatC enables you to get the most out of your INMARSAT C system using your Windows PC. Unlike the DOS based CAPSAT software, PC SatC will run under all versions of Windows; supports USB and PCMCIA serial ports; and supports any COM port number. Compared to the Windows version of CAPSAT, PC SatC supports the full range of INMARSAT C functionality, such as sending faxes; distress and priority traffic; EGC and SafetyNet messages; and more.
PC SatC supports all Thrane & Thrane and compatible terminals, listed here. It does not support Trimble, Marconi Orcades, JRC or Furuno terminals. PC SatC is not approved for use as part of SOLAS approved GMDSS equipment, though it supports GMDSS functionality for non type approved installations.
PC Sat C is designed to be similar to Outlook in appearance and behaviour, so you are instantly in a familiar environment. You can send and receive messages by all the methods supported by the INMARSAT C system, such as e-mail, fax, Special Access Code, or to other INMARSAT C terminals, as 5, 7 or 8 bit data. E-mail is made easy by hiding the technicalities of each service provider from you, so there is no need to configure headers and know the special e-mail gateway parameters of your service provider. If you need to send formatted messages, you can do this using RTF messages. You can also broadcast a message to multiple recipients.
A further enhancement is that PC Sat C can read NMEA coming in on another serial port, decode it, and place the values into the body of your message, making it easy to send position reports or to give information on the weather or sea temperature.
PC Sat C will receive and display all of the EGC messages (the offshore equivalent of NAVTEX), to give you weather information and navigation warnings. You can also select the types of messages you want to receive, and the sea areas that you want to receive them for.
In the event of an emergency situation, you have the full range of capabilities. You can use the Special Access Code to be connected through to a hospital or other support body. You can send out a distress message of the appropriate type. And you can send Priority messages to talk to the MRCC, Coastguard, or other vessels, about the distress situation.
PC Sat C also comes with a wealth of additional information about the INMARSAT C system; service providers and Land Earth Stations (LES's) and their contact details; procedures for registering or transferring INMARSAT C terminals; plus of course information on using the software.
The automated position reporting is used by many yachtsmen and fishermen to automatically send out a position report with current values of the vessel's position and other instrument data inserted into the body of the message.
![]() Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2022
Categories |