Frustrated

[WouffHong]

Been trying to get ACARS running for days. Reading the instructions and prowling the net for answers hasn't yet helped, so I lay my case before y'all!

Installed in C: directory on WINDOWS 7 PC with scads of memory.

Do not have the ACARDS Server active as only want to listen.

Feeding Line-In of new HP-PC internal soundcard from my R7000 (also tried Scanner) in AM mode and the audio monitor in W7 shows the bursts whenever one is heard - tried different audio levels unsuccessfully.

The only screen I see is the one with the large Plane on it and it's alternate tabular screen, but NEVER have seen any data despite being quite active on 131.550 here N. of ATL.. Does the data appear in those boxes on the right side thereof? or??

I also cannot seem to get any responses from any active on-line server!

I admit complete amateur standing in ACARS decoding mrethodology and the program and could use a bit of interactive hand-holding, if y'all would be so kind! ;-)

THANKS in advance!

Tom in N. GA

 

[SCPD]

Install teamviewer and i will remote into your machine and install and configure it for you. Email me to setup a date and a time EST and i will help you

 

[DaveNF2G]

ACARSD is very finicky about soundcard settings.

 

[WouffHong]

ACARSD is very finicky about soundcard settings.

In what respect, David? - the earphone output on the R7000 is fixed - Perhaps too low? - BUT, what screen should be showing when program is running - the one with the large plane Photo?
Wouff.

 

[WouffHong]

Install teamviewer and i will remote into your machine and install and configure it for you. Email me to setup a date and a time EST and i will help you

I truly appreciate the offer, but would prefer to work it out in printable form answers.

 

[WouffHong]

ACARS help

Is there NOBODY else that can help with the problem? :-(
Tom

 

[rdale]

It's usually MUCH easier to have an expert walk through your system to troubleshoot. It's nearly impossible to think of everything and put it into printed form. You might see if someone who has the software running and is familiar with it could remote in to your PC and work with it that way.

 

[canav844]

Is the squelch at it's lowest setting on the radios? While I'm on a Mac so I haven't been able to find software to see if ACARs interests me enough to spend $ on it (i.e. I'm no ACARS expert), I do remember reading that the bursts are so short that you miss the first part of the code and the computer will miss the whole burst because the squelch takes too long to break through on some scanners.

 

[ka3jjz]

Indeed; if you're not hearing noise through your speakers, then the PC won't hear a short data burst that precedes every transmission. No data burst no decoding. Leave the squelch off.

And from what I recall, another poster said that ACARSD is sensitive to soundcard levels, and that's quite true (I used an older version for awhile). Every soundcard is different; no one can really say exactly what levels are best. And I always used the speaker output (I had an old 2004 which was superb for this sort of thing...). 73 Mike

 

[WouffHong]

It's usually MUCH easier to have an expert walk through your system to troubleshoot. It's nearly impossible to think of everything and put it into printed form. You might see if someone who has the software running and is familiar with it could remote in to your PC and work with it that way.

I hesitate to allow any remote access, having had a problem < 2 years ago when was configuring some software and allowed a chap access to help, wghich he did. BUT 2 weeks later I was hit for $9800 for weapons and Guitars that took 3 months of fighting with VISA to get reimbursed.

So there is NO treflection on the folks here offering to help that way, just still have scar tissue.

As retired NASA S&P and Comm systems PE, I should have known better.

So, I must maintain that posture and have promised myself not to weaken again.

AGAIN: Not a reflection on ANYONE here!

Tom

 

[WouffHong]

Continuing on.. ;-)

Indeed; if you're not hearing noise through your speakers, then the PC won't hear a short data burst that precedes every transmission. No data burst no decoding. Leave the squelch off.

And from what I recall, another poster said that ACARSD is sensitive to soundcard levels, and that's quite true (I used an older version for awhile). Every soundcard is different; no one can really say exactly what levels are best. And I always used the speaker output (I had an old 2004 which was superb for this sort of thing...). 73 Mike

Yes, I am hearing the short bursts from the PC speakers from the unsquelched R7000 rcvr speakers often here in N. GA, and have tried every one of the 8 "bars" in W7's Audio panel, attempting to find a response, to no avail (Yes I am in AM mode, also!! )

One question unanswered: WHERE will I see the decoded data? in one of the 4 boxes under the 6 green bars on the right??

The major part of the screen is occupied by the Plane Logo and ACARSD logo, both on the left side.

Dumb question: does the SERVER have to be running here also?

#2 - Why can I not receive info from the active servers - all I get is site not found, even on the "greened" active ones. NADA.. :-(

Tom

(Not totally naive - Hold Exra Ham ticket and General Commercial - Was 2nd Phone). licensed since late 50's . - Still miss Radios that glow and can killya )

 

[ka3jjz]

There is an ACARSD Yahoo group - if it isn't full of loggings, that might be a place to check out...73 Mike

 

[WouffHong]

my dumb question(s)

There is an ACARSD Yahoo group - if it isn't full of loggings, that might be a place to check out...73 Mike

can someone answer these, though: :wink:

One question unanswered: WHERE will I see the decoded data? in one of the 4 boxes under the 6 green bars on the right??

The major part of the screen is occupied by the Plane Logo and ACARSD logo, both on the left side.

Dumb question: does the SERVER have to be running here also?

TNX es 73
Tom
wouffhong.org

 

[punchcard]

can someone answer these, though: :wink:

One question unanswered: WHERE will I see the decoded data? in one of the 4 boxes under the 6 green bars on the right??

The major part of the screen is occupied by the Plane Logo and ACARSD logo, both on the left side.

Dumb question: does the SERVER have to be running here also?

TNX es 73
Tom
wouffhong.org

thats 2 questions

the traffic is in the large window on the left. where the logo is. the area on the right is for aircraft photos

the server does NOT have to be running.

I assume you followed the basic insctructions? installed to a suitable location, copied the plugin files and then run setup.exe inside the program directory structure?

look on the bottom status bar of ACARSD program window. there should be something like "[Vol:" followed by a number. if that number is zero then you arent getting sound from your line-in/mic input or the volume is incorrecty set in Sound Properties, Recording device.

does ACARSD with with Win7? with the sound driver changes I thought it wasnt..

 

[WouffHong]

I never could count right - I think you have nailed part of the problem, or at least tacked it ;-) Will be out of touch until tomorrow eve, but think the installation was blown.
Missed the copy files bit somehow - Just did the auto-install and made assumptions. ;-)
Tom