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VHF ACARS Decode & Plot Software
KG-ACARS v 1.1.0 readme
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Thank you for your Downloading the KG-ACARS VHF ACARS Decode & Plot Software. This software allows displaying flight data including its position, registration, weather conditions,
Flight level, images and more on the PC screen by receiving (ACARS: Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) signals using a wide-band receiver. No decoder is needed as the signals are processed in a sound-board of your PC, and a connection requires only a commonly available audio cable between PC’s audio input and a receiver’s earphone plug.
Another unique e-mail notice function alerts you when your preselected equipment is caught by KG-ACARS by e-mail message.
[About liabilities to your hardware and intelligence property]
Please be noted that this is a free software therefore all those “Do’s and Don’ts” for liabilities and copyrights of freeware in common apply for the use of this software as well. If you are not aware of those common senses and/or disagree, please delete the downloaded folder and the extracted files immediately. This software won’t mess up PC registries..
[Hardware requirements]
Below devices are necessary to use KG-ACARS.
○ An air-band receiver: Most wideband receivers and handheld ham-radio transceivers that covers AM air-band RX around 130-136MHz are believed to be usable. Be sure that the radio can fully open the squelch, receives AM mode, turn off the battery-save mode (although BS won’t work when squelch is open) and if available, select “high-tone” setting for audio output. However, some radios are not very suitable or not properly working due to its audio characteristics. Sorry, KG-ACARS can’t help in such case so please just try with another radio. A use of AC-adapter is strongly recommended as the radio must be turned on all the time during the operation.
○ An audio cable to connect between PC’s audio-input and radios’ earphone/EXT SP terminal. Both MONO/STEREO can be used as well as a straight or resistance cable, depending on your hardware. Please continue to read for details.
○ PS spec :
OS: WindowsVista/XP/2000. Older OS such as Windows 98 and ME also work but partial malfunctions are reported so we don’t recommend those.
CPU: Pentium3 600MHz or better
Memory: 512MByte or more (more memories, more comfortable operations)
Display: 1024x768pxcel or higher / 32bit color
Sound-board: 22 KHz recording sampling compatible. A SigmaTel Sound board has been reported as NOT compatible. You may use an external USB-audio board also (especially if your on-board chip is SigmaTel’s). Anyway configuration-related troubles can’t be corrected by the software. Please replace the hardware with another one.
An internet connection is strongly recommended to obtain full-functions of KG-ACARS but simple decoding and plotting does not require the internet-connection.
○ An external antenna for VHF aviation-band. Perhaps this is the most important hardware you may need to fully enjoy the Acars-decoding. No signal, No fun.
To our research and Japanese radio magazines’ reviews, following radios are believed to be most suitable for KG-ACARS, but most current handheld receivers made by Japanese manufacturers are working just fine as well.
ICOM IC-R8500 / AOR AR-5000A / Alinco DJ-X3(X3S)
○ Before start setting
Again, remember “NO signal, NO fun”. Please receive the aviation band and check if you can hear the ACARS signals. If not, all the effort will be useless.
Surf the net by using keywords such as ACARS, frequency and a name of the international airport nearest to you.
l 131.250/131.450/131.950MHz Japan
l 131.450/131.550 MHz Far East Asia and China
l 131.725 MHz ACARS Primary channel for Europe
l 131.525 MHz ACARS Tertiary channel for Europe
l 136.900 MHz ACARS Channel logged near London
l 131.550 MHz ACARS Primary channel for North America
l 130.025 MHz ACARS Secondary channel for North America
l 129.125 MHz ACARS Tertiary channel for North America
l 131.475 MHz Company channel for Air Canada and some European airlines in North America
Above are some of known and popular ones, however a lot more are widely used throughout the world so be sure to surf the net and collect updated frequency information. Aviation radio propagates hundreds of miles if your antenna is properly set up, so don’t give up even if a big airport is not located near you. Usually more traffic (more signals) are received during the day-time, not 2AM in the morning.
In case your radio receives “pitt, pit jeeeerrrt” sounding data-signals often and strongly, it will worth continue to read more.
KG-ACARS does not support all the ACARS system at 100% accuracy due to the difference of the message-system they use. Below is the list of carriers KG-ACARS is believed to be accurate enough for position-plotting.
JC :JAL Express
NU :Japan Transocean
JO :JAL ways
EG :Japan Asia
NH :All Nippon
EL : Air Nippon
KZ :Japan Air cargo
NQ :Air Japan
FX :FedEx
NW :Northwest
UA :United
CI :China Dynasty
AA :American
CO :Continental
UP :UPS
KE :Korean air
OZ :Asiana
MU :China Eastern
CA :China Int’l
BR :Eva
FM :Shanghai
Sorry, we have hardly seen the European carriers’ plots due to the difference of avionics they use.
○Installation and uninstallation of KG-ACARS
Just download the Zipped folder, unzip it and put the folder in a proper directory. To uninstall, just delete the whole folder. This software does not use registries. As we mention below, this software can be customized to suit your preference but never change the name of files or sub-folders otherwise the software won’t work properly.
The original folder contains:
kgacars.exe / program
readme.txt / you are reading now
wave.wav / sound file
Data folder / customizable worksheets are stored in here.
Lines folder / for map and airway data
Logs folder / logs will be taken and stored in here
Pics / you can store sum nails in here to show them on the screen when you receive its signal. Sample images are taken by K.G, author of this software in Tokyo / Haneda airport.
Points / Navaids related file is stored here.
○ Receiver setting
Turn on the radio and check audio property related functions. If your radio is gorgeous enough to have LPF setting, set it below 4 KHz or less. AF-filter OFF, Audio-tone HIGH are the MUST.
IF frequency is adjustable, set it to 12~15 KHz, battery-save OFF. Anyway these are the setting requirements for high-end radios.
ALL THE RADIOS MUST:
l Be set in AM mode
l Open squelch (in way that you always hear the noise / Don’t worry you will use earphone port for PC setting so won’t actually hear the noise during the operation)
l Set the audio level to about 30-40% of the max level.
l Make sure the antenna is properly connected and the radio is receiving the ACARS signal.
○ Connection
Connect the radio and PC with a cable. If Line-in(audio input) port is available, use it, because it’s the most simple configuration. If not, MIC-port can be used but often requires a resistance cable. In some cases a circuit shown below may be required to cut the power-supply from the PC to the radio (this is mostly for the notebook PC that Line-in port is not on-board). Use of an USB external sound device is an alternative to avoid complicated wiring for a note PC.
From radio ────┐ C
│ - +
VR──┤├── To Mic port
│
Ground ────┴────── Ground
VR: 10kΩ or so, variable pot may be used
C :an electrets capacitor 10μF or so
○ Setting the software
Click KG-ACARS.exe icon. When ready, you will be seeing a map on the main screen.
Right-click on the map and select (W) menu, then select your audio device by pointing it and press デバイス選択 key, and press OK to exit. Click Speaker icon (2nd from the right on the tool-bar) and monitor the sound. You must hear noises and signals that the radio is receiving from the PC’s speaker at this status.
Look at the indicator on the very right end of the tool-bar. It will illuminate red or green already if you are lucky enough. If not, show Audio property (Volume control property) of your PC (The property dialogue that appears many audio-related parameter slide-bars). Select recording(input) from the option menu’s property and click OK. Select Line IN or MIC as per your setting, then move the slide-bar so that the indicator illuminates green when the signal is received and stays off while receiving the noise only. The red is alerting that the input level is too high. You can adjust the level from the PC or by radio’s output level. Some PC has ALC circuit to automatically adjust audio levels so you may not see the red light even the audio level is too high. At any case, keep the green lights lit as often as you can, that means everything’s in order and KG-ACARS is performing in its best condition. When indicators start working properly, click on TXT icon on the tool-bar, the 4rd from the left. A small window appears. Select RAW. When decode is successful, the text messages received from the aircraft will be displayed. This is another useful tool to optimize the audio level, adjust the audio to indicate the text as much as you can in accordance with the ACARS signal you receive.
○ About the interface
Major operational areas are:
l Tool-bar:
l Map: Shows the map and flying aircrafts. Airnav signs and airways can be temporary eliminated from the screen by using icons on the tool-bar.
l Position report: the right window that indicates flights’ flight level, climbing or descending, temperature and wind level.
l Flight-level window: Shows the relative flight levels of aircrafts shown on the map.
About tool-bar icons: From the left to right.
1: Aircraft list window: Opens/closes the aircraft list window/ Details will follow.
2: Aircraft information window: Displays the information of the flight/equipments most recently received. / Details will follow.
3: Aircraft search window: You can input desired aircraft data so that the software will alert by display and sound when the selected aircrafts’ signals are received. / Details will follow.
4: Text window: Opens/closes the Text window / Details will follow.
5: Plot display: Turns on/off the plot lines of the flight.
6: Shows only the most updated flight plot when ON is selected.
7: Flight-data selector:
l FL: Flight level = Indicates flight level under the plot points.
l TIME: Time = as above, shows the local time of the latest signal received.
l DATA: Flight data = as above, shows airport of dep/dest and type of equipment. Such information is not automatically generated therefore updates of files in DATA folder is necessary.
8: Triangles: Moves the map to the related direction. The map can be moved by simply dragging to the direction you wish with your mouse on the map. Dragging the mouse on the map will also move the map.
9: Zoom in/out/size of map: Use these to select the map size.
10: VOR-DME/VORTAC/NDB/WAYPOINT/AIRPOT : Use these icons to select AIRNAV positions you wish to turn on/off on the display.
11: VOR/NDV/NAV : Use these icons to select airway lines you wish to turn on/off on the display.
12: Company selector: Newly received carriers are added to the list in each operation. Select the carrier you wish to monitor on the screen. Select “all” to indicate all plots.
13: Monitor: Click this to monitor the sound.
14: IP: Use this to connect to the server.
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○ Network function
KG-ACARS allows users to share the data via internet network or cable LAN.
In order to do so, 1 PC must be set as a server. To do this, exit from the KG-ACARS, open INI file in the KG-ACARS folder by clicking it, write 1 to the [NET] Server parameter. Also your IP address should be fixed for operating convenience. Turn on KG-ACARS again, and observe its title as KG-ACARS (Server 0 connect) and additional indicator appears. The clients PC setting is very simple, just click on IP icon of the tool-bar, input IP address of the server then click OK.
An additional indicator will appear for the server level. The Port KG-ACARS use is 「49505」.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Sharing communication data and/or open it to the public may violate your local law. Note that the aviation communication/ACARS signals are not broadcasting therefore please respect rules. KG-ACARS decline any responsibilities of consequence of any kind the users may misuse the software. Be a good Air-band listener / spotter, friends!
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15: KG-ACARS banner Click this for the version and connection to KG-ACARS official site in Japanese.
16: Level indicator: As mentioned already, lit green when receiving signal level is correct, red when over-input.
○ POP-UP menu See the GIF file “right-click-menu” for quicker references.
Right-click on the map to use pop-up menu.
l (G) Save map image / (H) Copy map image to clip-board: Use these commands to save the map-images in BMP format.
l (I) Delete Plots and Aircraft list window: By clicking (Y) on the dialogue will reset plots, aircraft lists and position report window data.
l (J) Delete selected plot: Clicking on one of the points of the plot then right-click, select (J) and select (Y) on the dialogue box will delete selected plot data from the map, aircraft lists and position report window.