Software

Purchasing a radio scanner is an expensive outlay and needless to say you want to to the most out of your scanner. Here are a few optional choices of software (some free and others shareware) you may consider trying to use.

What you do need to use this software is a 3.5mm cable with male stereo/mono plugs at both ends. Cables like these are readily available at most cheap discount stores like Poundland, Poundstretchers, or selective supermarkets.

If not, you may have to order online at Maplins, Amazon, Radio Shack or other audio specialists who will supply these cables.

Once you have your cable you're good to go ! What are you waiting for? Ah yes, the software if you don't know about them already. Connect the cable to your headphone socket on the scanner and the other end into the line input on your soundcard, if using a laptop you may have to use the microphone input. Please note: your volume levels are critical with all the software mentioned in this subject. Unless you do not have the correct volume levels they will not decode your data signals.

After many weeks and hours of trial and error volume settings I finally managed to decode acars messages. Here are my settings:

My scanner volume set to 30. Have squelch turned OFF.

Here are the results (notice volume level showing at 15 on the bottom, circled in red).

The first piece of software is acarsd . It is for Linux and Windows (excluding Windows C E), this software is Freeware unless you are using it in a business enviroment (E.G to make profit out of the program if charging clients to have access to your server). Tune your scanner to an appropriate frequency listed below for your country, if it's not listed please do a Google search.

VHF ACARS Frequencies (AM)

131.550 MHZ Primary Channel worldwide
129.125 MHZ
Additional channel for USA & Canada
130.025 MHZ
Secondary channel for USA and Canada
130.425 MHZ
Additional channel for USA
130.450 MHZ
Additional channel for USA & Canada
131.125 MHZ
Additional channel for USA
131.450 MHZ
Primary channel for Japan
131.475 MHZ
Air Canada company channel
131.525 MHZ
European secondary
131.725 MHZ
Primary channel in Europe
136.700 MHZ
Additional channel for USA
136.750 MHZ
Additional channel for USA
136.800 MHZ
Additional channel for USA
136.900 MHZ European secondary
136.925 MHZ ARINC European Channel
136.850 MHZ
SITA North American Frequency
136.750 MHZ
New European frequency
131.850 MHZ
New European frequency

If you've managed to get acarsd working , why not try using Virtual Radar. Please visit Virtal Radar site to download free software.

Poc32 from baycom.de software is shareware and an excellent piece of software . As I have said before it is all down to volume levels. To get POC32 to decode almost perfectly (errors may creep in whilst decoding) I have my input level the same as the settings for acars at 100. Do not check the enable error correction and you'll have a much cleaner decoding. My whistler scanner volume is set to 30 although your volume settings may be lower (my AOR DV1 uses the Aux Output with a volume level of 17 and a squelch of 29).

For a list of known worldwide pocsag frequencies please visit globaltunters.com .

Another nice set of software for your scanners are WRTB Browser Pro, WRTB Browser, WRTB Online Search, Squawker,and last but not least is Mariner. To discover about this software please go to WRTB Browser website.