I think I have problem...there is a folder in my ROOT directory called "Run" but it doesnt have a sub directory called dump1090-mutability in there....maybe thats why I am getting that eror?
ACARS for Linux possible?
- Thread starter bobruzzo
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OK that seemed to work...issued those 2 commands and no errors that time! Now I gotta figure out how this all works.
Looks like things are working but I still dont understand what I am seeing....look at pic.....How do I start all this? I tried searching for acarsdec and dump-1090 but nothing comes uop....I did save link to website for dump-1090. Is there a config file to set frequency? Where do messages from aircraft display? Sorry for all the questions!
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lwvmobile
DSD-FME
That website is being hosted by your computer, locally just for you, and it pulls the map from mapbox and pins the airplanes and data on it with the data it reads from the aircraft.json file that is logged by dump1090. The terminal window with dump1090 is showing you a table of aircraft with their current position,speed, altitude, stuff like that.
The http backend was started with the lighttpd service which is running on your computer and serves you the http interface. The info it grabs is from the
Code:
dump1090-mutability --interactive --net --write-json /run/dump1090-mutabilitywhich you have to run each time you want to view this information.
dump1090 only looks at ADB-S data which comes in on 1090Mhz. Not really any config files for that, but you can specify options to dump1090 when you run it if you want to specify other parameters.
Probably will want to use acarsdec for that, or as morfis mentioned, dumpvdl2, which I can provide a quick guide to setting up. I'm definitely not the expert on aviation software, I just got this stuff running and look at all the info it dumps by default.
OK thank you....So I seem to have Dump-1090 working OK....I saved the code to start the program as a text file.....restarted dump-1090 and the website.....there is only 1 flight showing up and no planes on map. In the termianl is same info as on webpage....the same flight. Guess its not a busy day for flights. OK so now.....how do I start Acarsdec? Can't seem to find anything that looks like a script to start it. I have dongle connected to antenna and ready to decode acars.
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
Command not found! I looked in the acarsdec folder and there isnt a command called acarsdec. Not sure what I am doing wrong. sorry for all my mistakes, we can try this another day if its getting outta hand!
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lwvmobile
DSD-FME
One, or both of these will fix that, that's the same issue I was bonking into all day yesterday until I figured it out. Kind of an extra step you shouldn't have to take, but its caused by dump1090 not being able to write its aircraft.json file to the directory the web interface expects to find it in
Code:
sudo mkdir /run/dump1090-mutability
sudo chmod 777 /run/dump1090-mutabilityYou may find yourself having to run that after each reboot. I had to run it earlier today as well when restarting my VM.
Hahaha OK thanks....let me try that now.....YEP that worked...saved those commands in case I need 'em....Now to figure out what acarsdec wont work....
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
Well, if you care to venture to try one more program, I put together a quick install for DumpVDL2 since morfis suggested it. Seems to be in the similar vein to Acarsdec, but I'm not well versed in what all it does that the other doesnt, so I'll just quickly post this. The github does appear to have a few example use scenarios so maybe it'll be a bit more friendly to use and get more useful info out of.
DumpVDL2
step 1
install requirement, you may have these already, or most of them, doesn't hurt to run this again, it won't cause issues.
if installing on Ubuntu/Mint, I noticed you also need to get libglib2-dev as well
Build and install optional stuff - copy and paste each line by line
build and install dumpvdl2
Building and installing really does become the same few steps over and over once you get over the dependencies hurdle.
Run with
Basic Usage
DumpVDL2
step 1
install requirement, you may have these already, or most of them, doesn't hurt to run this again, it won't cause issues.
if installing on Ubuntu/Mint, I noticed you also need to get libglib2-dev as well
Code:
sudo apt install build-essential cmake git libglib2.0-dev pkg-config librtlsdr-dev libtool autoconf libusb-1.0-0-dev libsqlite3-dev libzmq3-dev libprotobuf-c-devBuild and install optional stuff - copy and paste each line by line
Code:
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/romanbsd/statsd-c-client.git
cd statsd-c-client
make
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/szpajder/libacars
cd libacars
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install
sudo ldconfigbuild and install dumpvdl2
Code:
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/szpajder/dumpvdl2.git
cd dumpvdl2
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make installBuilding and installing really does become the same few steps over and over once you get over the dependencies hurdle.
Run with
Code:
dumpvdl2 --rtlsdr 0 --gain 46Basic Usage
GitHub - szpajder/dumpvdl2: VDL Mode 2 message decoder and protocol analyzer
VDL Mode 2 message decoder and protocol analyzer. Contribute to szpajder/dumpvdl2 development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
OK for some reason I have to run acarsdec like you said: ./acarsdec -r 0 131.55 But I have to do it from the BUILD folder within the acarsdec folder. But it works....I tried making a symlink but didnt work. But I can run it from Build folder.
OK thanks....I have acarsdec working fine now......I will putz around with dump-1090 some more cause it still isnt working right. Still getting no aircraft showing up on webpage even tho I invoked those 2 commands again so I will keep messing with it. Maybe I will get adventurous and make this other program!Well, if you care to venture to try one more program, I put together a quick install for DumpVDL2 since morfis suggested it. Seems to be in the similar vein to Acarsdec, but I'm not well versed in what all it does that the other doesnt, so I'll just quickly post this. The github does appear to have a few example use scenarios so maybe it'll be a bit more friendly to use and get more useful info out of.
DumpVDL2
step 1
install requirement, you may have these already, or most of them, doesn't hurt to run this again, it won't cause issues.
if installing on Ubuntu/Mint, I noticed you also need to get libglib2-dev as well
Code:sudo apt install build-essential cmake git libglib2.0-dev pkg-config librtlsdr-dev libtool autoconf libusb-1.0-0-dev libsqlite3-dev libzmq3-dev libprotobuf-c-dev
Build and install optional stuff - copy and paste each line by line
Code:cd ~ git clone https://github.com/romanbsd/statsd-c-client.git cd statsd-c-client make sudo make install sudo ldconfig cd ~ git clone https://github.com/szpajder/libacars cd libacars mkdir build cd build cmake .. make sudo make install sudo ldconfig
build and install dumpvdl2
Code:cd ~ git clone https://github.com/szpajder/dumpvdl2.git cd dumpvdl2 mkdir build cd build cmake .. make sudo make install
Building and installing really does become the same few steps over and over once you get over the dependencies hurdle.
Run with
Code:dumpvdl2 --rtlsdr 0 --gain 46
Basic Usage
GitHub - szpajder/dumpvdl2: VDL Mode 2 message decoder and protocol analyzer
VDL Mode 2 message decoder and protocol analyzer. Contribute to szpajder/dumpvdl2 development by creating an account on GitHub.github.com
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
You can fix that by running sudo make install in the build folder if you want to, or just run it with ./acarsdec
Most times, its preferential to install it, but sometimes you may or may not want to, especially if you have multiple versions of something built and don't want to install it but just run it on demand from the folder.
Any aircraft in the dump1090 terminal? Could just be a slow time of the day, but also make sure you aren't using your dongle on another application at the same time if you only have one hooked up.
Yah, dump1090 a little wonky........But acarsdec running very well...I added an extra frequency to the command......This works WAY better than acarsd which I was using in Windows......I have text file on desktop with the command that starts acarsdec.....so I just go to the /acarsdec/build folder and copy/paste into terminal and its working fine. And there would appear 1 or 2 aircraft in the dump-1090 terminal....but then they go away....and no aircraft on map....its weird when I first got it going it was working OK....I also looked on the ADS-B exchange map (not the dump-1090 page) online and theres TONS of aircraft flying above me!
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It is very similar but designed for decoding VDL2 messages. This is a far faster and more modern system than the 1970s vintage 'legacy' ACARS and usage has largely replaced the older system. No doubt real anoraks would be able to tell you exactly how much more traffic goes via VDL2 but it is a LOT
Once you have dump1090(variant) working you might want to look at GitHub - wiedehopf/tar1090: Provides an improved webinterface for use with ADS-B decoders readsb / dump1090-fa for a much better web interface (adsbexchange saw how good it was so swapped their web interface to use it)
Cool.....you guys sure are good with this stuff! I will try dump-1090 again later and see if it will work. When I first started it after building it, it worked OK then nosedived.....wasn't copying plane data in terminal or displaying aircraft on the website. I retyped in a few commands that lwvmobile posted, it worked very briefly before slowing down to nothing again.....maybe its not writing to that json folder for some reason....I will try again.
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
Yeah, I couldn't really tell you why dump1090 was or wasn't working so well for you, could be the folder thing, but that just fixes the display in the web browser so you don't get the AJAX call error. Should have still had plenty of stuff in the terminal to look at, just so long as you were receiving a signal from them and whatnot. I think they fall off after a certain time frame if you aren't getting signal from them any longer.
I guess it could be something but I will keep troubleshooting....on the other hand acarsdec working VERY nicely. receiving lots of data, and I can track the flights on map. I will try to build that other program you posted later tonight. Is 1090 mhz the frequency? My dongle should recieve that but maybe thats the problem! I am using an outdoor scanner antenna.....is 1090 in the AM broadcast band? Oh wait, thats ABOVE!!!! OKI think I was using wrong antenna! I have an 800mhz yagi so that might work.....
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I'd suggest joining the discussion group at flightaware
if you plan to continue looking at decodong aircraft data. Again, though hosted by flightaware it is not exclusive to their system - far from it actually. A huge resource of information and knowledgeable, patient enthusiasts (as well as the people behind FA) willing to help newcomers (or those returning now that software is more plentiful).
There is also an aviaition data discussion group at:
That is not as good for setup/getting started help but is a bit more general in data coverage I think (so includes Inmarsat Classic Aero and HFDL which extend the 'ACARS' type traffic when out of VHF range)
if you plan to continue looking at decodong aircraft data. Again, though hosted by flightaware it is not exclusive to their system - far from it actually. A huge resource of information and knowledgeable, patient enthusiasts (as well as the people behind FA) willing to help newcomers (or those returning now that software is more plentiful).
There is also an aviaition data discussion group at:
main groups.io Group
A Group for those interested in ACARS / VDL2 / JAERO. HFDL is discussed in a sub-group. Mainly to exchange ideas and help members to get the best results. Not meant to discuss everyone's 'catch of the day'. Those will find a larger audience in the https://groups.io/g/UDXF.
acars-vdl2.groups.io
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