Aircraft tracking has been possible for many years, however with the recent market surge of cheap SDR radio receivers, it has become a more popular topic. Using an inexpensive RTL-SDR USB dongle, anyone can decode ADS-B data and go “planespotting”! Or, if you have an HF rig and feel ambitious, you can plane spot as well!
Aircraft transmit data packets using a protocol called ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) which are received by other aircraft and ground stations to facilitate traffic handling and prevent collisions.
There are a number of tools available for receiving and decoding the data, and overlaying it on a map, using SDR# for Windows, and other SDR receivers. This activity also provides a wonderful opportunity to gain experience with building an antenna. A simple collinear antenna can be created to be resonant on 1090 mHz and should function reasonably well for receiving transmissions from outdated aircraft still transmitting on 978 mHz.
Click here for free software and info on ADS-B decoding
Make a coaxial collinear antenna for ADS-B reception! (Using old RG-6 75ohm coax!)
The predecessor to ADS-B is called ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System)
ACARS transmits on VHF and HF and the data can be decoded using a PC with software downloaded from here
VHF frequencies include:
| 131.550 | Primary Channel worldwide |
| 129.125 | Additional channel for USA & Canada |
| 130.025 | Secondary channel for USA and Canada |
| 130.425 | Additional channel for USA |
| 130.450 | Additional channel for USA & Canada |
| 131.125 | Additional channel for USA |
| 131.450 | Primary channel for Japan |
| 131.475 | Air Canada company channel |
| 131.525 | European secondary |
| 131.725 | Primary channel in Europe |
| 136.700 | Additional channel for USA |
| 136.750 | Additional channel for USA |
| 136.800 | Additional channel for USA |
| 136.900 | European secondary |
| 136.850 | SITA North American Frequency |
| 136.750 | New European frequency |
| 131.850 | New European frequency |
HF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FOR THE ATLANTIC ETC
| 8.825 | Santa Maria |
| 11.336 | Santa Maria |
| 13.354 | Santa Maria |
| 6.628 | North Atlantic |
| 8.831 | North Atlantic |
| 8.891 | North Atlantic |
| 11.309 | North Atlantic |
| 13.306 | North Atlantic |
| 13.291 | North Atlantic |
| 17.946 | North Atlantic |
| 5.610 | Luton / Britannia |
| 5.661 | Europe |
| 17.961 | Europe |
| 17.907 | South America |
| 4.675 | Shanwick |
| 5.616 | Shanwick |
| 5.598 | Shanwick |
| 5.649 | Shanwick |
| 6.622 | Shanwick |
| 8.864 | Shanwick |
| 8.879 | Shanwick |
| 8.906 | Shanwick |
| 11.279 | Shanwick |
VOLMET FREQUENCIES
( WEATHER FORECASTS FOR AIRCRAFT )
| 3.413 | Shannon VOLMET |
| 5.505 | Shannon VOLMET |
| 8.957 | Shannon VOLMET |
| 13.264 | Shannon VOLMET |
| 5.598 | Shannon VOLMET |
| 5.450 | RAF VOLMET |
| 11.253 | RAF VOLMET |
| 4.540 | Architect |
| 4.742 | Architect |
| 5.714 | Architect |
| 6.739 | Architect |
| 8.190 | Architect |
| 9.031 | Architect |
| 11.205 | Architect |
| 13.257 | Architect |
| 15.031 | Architect |
| 18.018 | Architect |
| 3.485 | New York |
| 6.604 | New York |
| 10.051 | New York |
| 13.270 | New York |
| 2.998 | Unassigned |
| 6.580 | Unassigned |
| 11.378 | Unassigned |