Is VDL2 a replacement for ACARS? If so, is there a transition period?
If I wanted to start monitoring VDL2, what would I need?
I have an extra scanner, RTL-SDR dongle laying around and a couple of Raspberry Pi's.
Is VDL2 data trickier to capture than, ACARS?
1. Generally, yes. VDL2 is replacing legacy ACARS. IDK if there is a mandated transition period, but at my carrier legacy ACARS is becoming rare. Although our airplanes can still use ACARS as a reversionary mode if VDL2 is lost.
Edit: Also in the datalink section of the box, it refers to legacy ACARS as "Mode 1" and VDL 2 as "Mode 2". From my seat, both modes are functionally identical but VDL2 is faster and the audio from the data transmission doesn't bleed over and scream into our headsets like mode 1.
2. Also, yes. VDL2 isn't as forgiving with frequency tolerances, that makes it tricker. Also VDL2 is PSK modulated, so almost no audio is produced when run through AM.
I don't monitor VDL2 often, but when I do I use an SDR with MULTI PSK. ($50 software with a trial)
