Kinetic is delighted to announce the availability of a Beta release of the ACARS decoding and display is available from our website.
The new firmware provides internal ACARS decoding on any of the the 4 SDR channels and the latest BaseStation software release provides not only a display of ACARS data but a socket stream interface as well.
This release cements the SBS-3 as the finest product of its kind in the world.
A tripple A product providing ADS-B, ACARS and AIS plus a multi channel SDR receiver. All in one box. Outstanding.
see the support download area of our website www.kinetic.co.uk
Enjoy :)
Sounds pretty cool Chris, may have to invest in the SBS3
Any pictures Of the ACARS in action?
Hi Chris
Thanks for that just what i been waiting for,updating as i type lol
Brian
Thanks Chris
This is the firmware upgrade I have been waiting for.
Upgrade and working fine. Using SDR1 &2 with 131.45 and 131.55 in Melbourne, Australia.
A rough comparison, running this alongside PlanePlotter ACARS Decoder and ACARSD, there appear to be quicker and more decodes. Far from scientific, more noticed by eye.
As this is a beta upgrade, a request.
I would prefer to see the ACARS window as a separate tabbed window rather than a floating window. perhaps a button adjacent to the show all / interested buttons.
Would be nice to have a window showing basic data and the open tab expand to show message content.
Also a facility to record logs, preferably in a 24 hour period in airmaster format.
I see the data is sent via port 30008. Is there any addons or future development to be able to use that? At this stage I can't see where that data can be used.
In all I think this is a great enhancement to the SBS3, I am really impressed with the display frequency column.
I am sure as this feature develops we may even see county flags and logos start to be incorporated!
Manyb thanks to the development team. Initially I am very happy to see this.
MD
Chris
Well do the team all working great good job done.
Brian
Hi Brian
Your signature says you have an SBS-1 and not an SBS-3?
Is this working with the SBS-1?
This release requires an SBS-3 firmware update as well as upgrading to Basestation version 170.
You will find the required files in the Download area of the Kinetic website under "Beta".
http://www.kinetic.co.uk/newsite/basestationdownloads.php
There are four downloads from which to choose:
- SBS-3 Firmware & Basestation + ACARS
This is a Zip file containing:
2-page PDF "BaseStation 170 Firmware 115.pdf"
SBS-3 Firmware File "L_0109_0000_0115_R_SBS3.kff"
Basestation version 170 "Basestation.exe"
- SBS-3 Firmware with ACARS
SBS-3 Firmware File "L_0109_0000_0115_R_SBS3.kff"
- SBS-3 Basestation with ACARS
Basestation version 170 "Basestation.exe"
- SBS-3 ACARS Documentation
2-page PDF "BaseStation 170 Firmware 115.pdf"
You only need to download the Zip file to get all three files at once.
However, there is a missing file that you will need to upgrade the SBS-3 firmware. This is the uploader file and you may already have this if you've previously updated any SBS-1e(R) or SBS-3 firmware. This file may be called:
"progUSBLattice.exe" or "SBS3FirmwareUploader.exe"
If you don't have this Firmware Uploader you can download it from the Kinetic Downloads section under the SBS-3 tab.
To upgrade the SBS-3 firmware:
1. Close Basestation
2. Remove all antenna connections from the SBS-3
3. Connect via USB not Ethernet.
4. Place the firmware and uploader files in the same folder
5. Right click on the firmware file and select "Open With" and then navigate to the firmware uploader.
The firmware update will commence in a DOS/Command window and will take about 8 minutes to complete. During this time make sure there is continual power for the PC, either mains or via a fully charged battery.
To upgrade to Basestation 170 you just need to replace the current Basestation.exe in the appropriate folder. You may like to save a copy of the current exe before replacing it.
When the update is complete the DOS/Commands window will close. Reconnect the antennae, launch Basestation and check Help->About Basestation to check that it's showing the latest firmware.
In my case About Basestation showed I was using Basestation 170 but the previous firmware version 114 and not 115. This needs further investigation.
Quote from: Anmer on May 22, 2012, 10:40:32 AM
In my case About Basestation showed I was using Basestation 170 but the previous firmware version 114 and not 115. This needs further investigation.
After a second attempt upgrading the firmware, it still showed as 114.
But removing the USB cable and reattaching it now shows 115.
I think I've tuned the SDRs correctly but there's not a single ACARS message displaying in the message window?
Using the supplied whip radio antenna on a top floor position.
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I take it all back, having seen a post on the Kinetic forum.
The messages populate the ACARS message window from the botton, necessitating a scroll down :-\
Not the cleverest bit of "usability" I've come across!
But no "message text"?
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Hmmm, not a single message since the previous ones at 13.02?
Something's not right.
:), Mine appears to be working. I love the action. But I don't see any ACAR position update on the radar screen. :( should I?
Later,
Quote from: MIXISM on May 22, 2012, 03:56:52 PM
:), Mine appears to be working. I love the action. But I don't see any ACAR position update on the radar screen. :( should I?
Later,
As far as I know, none of these SBS-3 decoded ACARS messages will plot anything on the Basestation map.
Getting some messages would be nice though. :-\
You might check your primary freq setting. hope that helps because tyou have help me in the past with fat fingers. 131.55 ;)
Later
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Just checked mine again using 131.525 and 131.725 and got about 6 different aircraft but while changing the size of the window from the corner to full window and back I have lost every plot on my main screen!. I have now waited for 5 minutes for my machine to reload. Checking the debug screen it has loaded everything but is failin g to even look for a connection to my local IP addreess as is normal........
Further to my recent message. I have had to completely stop and restart my PC 2 times before I was able to use BaseStation again. It would appear coinsidental that at the time I changed the size of the ACARs information box on screen from corner to full screen and then back, all the detail suddenly dropped out of the screen and at the same time basestation stopped plotting aircraft. I also noted that my Netgear Bridge (3001) had changed from a green (connected) to Red (unconnected) and I had lost ethernet connection to SBS3. As I say if this was the cause of everything or the end result I dont know, except my bridge has worked perfectly without faults since I got it.....
anyway, have visitors tonight so must shut down and show an interest. Will have another look again tomorrow..
Regards
Mike
Hi
Sorry Anmer i am running both sbs1 and sbs3
Brian
I can change the ACARS Messages window dimensions OK. But there's never any messages there.
Hi Anmer
Have you got a outside aerial you can put on to check acars with
If you update all you should get message showing when you start basestation.
Brian
I've got refurbishment work going on in my Radio Shack at present so everything is stripped out for at least a couple of weeks. I decided to upgrade the firmware in the meantime, although have no aerial connections to test it with. I definitely selected the Beta 115 firmware, it went in fine, I changed the exe, file, booted up, but of course no aerials, no traffic. I did notice however that the firmware stayed @ 114! I tried again, same result. Did the other members who experienced this anomoly solve it, or is it a gremlin in the Beta version? I decided to leave well alone until I can reconnect everything back up properly again.
Thanks Peter
Quote from: stonosnr on May 22, 2012, 07:53:44 PM
Did the other members who experienced this anomoly solve it
Yes, by removing the USB cable from the SBS-3, reconnecting it and then restarting Basestation.
I'm still not getting any ACARS messages and no data on port 30008?
I'll try that tomorrow then. I put it back in the loft out of the way but once the decorator starts steaming the old paper off, I'll get out of his way and experiment! So we are saying that if I reconnect next time by USB, then it will read the firmware number correctly? All my aerials and Ethernet terminate in a cupboard under the stairs within the work zone, so there is no way of testing it even if it comes up with 115, but understand that you have had no luck so far anyway. I'll keep in touch with my old laptop in the meantime!
Thanks
Peter
You can only update the firmware using USB not Ethernet to connect to the SBS-3.
Did you use USB?
Yes, definitely USB, all my ethernet cables come down from the loft in a pipe duct, and are rolled up in the cupboard at the end surrounded by wet paint! It took about 8 minutes to do the firmware upgrade, the title screen shows the new version of the exe. file, but the firmware version is stuck on 114. Once the builders get going again this morning, I'll retrieve the SBS-3 from the loft and find a suitable magmount which for 2m which might stir up the ACARS bit.
Peter
Hi there,
I did my upgrade using the USB and also just got v114 showing. However, I set BS for ethernet operation then shut BS down and disconnected the usb cable, on reboot using the ethernet connection it showed 115 on the debug screen and then I noticed it was also showing the same on the startup screen.
Mike
Attached is copy of the startup screen after upgrade. Note that at the top it shows the new firmware/version and below shows the older (but still latetst non beta version)
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Hi
Your two pics are showing that you have updated your software and firmware ,what are you looking for
a thing to tell you it is a beta version.
It dont tell you it is a beta version.
Brian
I left the ACARS frequencies running overnight and found some messages this morning. I assume the lack of messages is related to my antenna and position.
Other than proving that the SBS-3 v115/Basestation v170 combination can receive and present "decoded" ACARS messages, I'm not too sure how useful the data is in its present form? But this is a "beta" release and I'm sure Kinetic would welcome feedback both on performance and functionality.
Maybe, as with Basestation, Kinetic is hoping that third-party developers will grasp the opportunity and release useful add-ons. On the other hand, Kinetic may be looking for ideas to enhance this feature itself.
The following are "early user suggestions" and I'm sure others have better ideas and in time, new ones will evolve. But it's a start.
My first observation is the way the ACARS window displays. It opens with an empty list but with a scroll bar. As I (and others discovered) the list appeared empty whereas scrolling to the bottom we found some rows of data. New messages are added to the bottom of the list.
This morning I had an empty list but with a handful of messages at the bottom of a long scroll? So why the many empty rows at the top?
I've added some comments to the attached screenshot and thought of a few more so I'll repeat here:
1. Why does the window open with a scroll bar when there are no messages?
2. Don't display empty rows.
3. Option to sort, move and hide columns
4. "Decode" the messages?
5. Save data to an ACARS database similar to the Basestation.sqb
6. Plot non-ADSB aircraft to the Basestation map and highlight as such.
7. Where available from the Basestation.sqb file, display the aircraft owner and type.
8. Add a date column
9. Add departure and arrival airport columns.
10. Cross reference ACARS Flight Number to Mode-S Flight ID. e.g. BA2936/BAW2936
11. Select a row to open a pop-up window similar to the Basestation Aircraft Details window where one can view all current session (and optionally, historical) messages for the selected aircraft together with aircraft header such as owner, type registration and links to online photos.
12. Right click on a row to centre and select the aircraft on the Basestation map (if available) .
Googling "ACARS Decoders" will provide a handful of products, most of which appear to have reached the end of the development life cycle some years ago. Maybe they were overtaken by Mode-S receivers and software but some illustrate what could be possible.
I think Kinetic has a great commercial opportunity to "merge" the ACARS and Mode-S data and take full advantage of the 4xSDRs in the SBS-3.
Please feel free to add your own ideas or challenge others.
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Hi
Acars at work on SBS3
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Hi Guys
Been a bit poorly today, so only just got around to the tip that you need to D/C then R/C the USB lead to register the firmware upgrade. It worked here, but haven't been able to try and actually receive any ACARS, I'll get around to that perhaps by the weekend.
Thanks to all who helped
Peter
Hi there,
Have just swapped the supplied SBS-3 radio aerial for a splitter connection to my loft airband radio aerial and my ACARs receipts have gone sky high!.
Can I just ask one question? I have frequencies 131.525, 131.725 and 131.825 set for ACARS but I thought there were 4 in that range. If so what is the fourth frequency?
Regards Mike
This may help Mike:
http://www.acarsd.org/ACARS_frequencies.html
They are in the update of our release along with the instructions PDF
see http://www.kinetic.co.uk/DownloadFiles/Beta/BaseStation_170_fware_115_beta.zip
Thansk Anmer and Chris,
I knew I had seen it somewhere and couldnt remember where.
Regards
Mike
:-\ wow, I have been running ver 170 basestation for a while . I have a program that records Kbit usage on the ethernet port.
Running one channel AIS, 3 channels of ACARS and Basestation. The ip usage from the receiver to the PC is 7000 Kbits and from the PC to the receiver is 1700 Kbits.
WOW. don't expect to run this version across the internet.
Later
Basestation version 171 is now available from the Kinetic website under the Beta tab in Downloads.
Please download the PDF to view the changes which include:
- Adding a date column
- Set scrolling direction
- Option to output messages to a log file in csv format
- Option to set log file duration
All good stuff. Thanks to Kinetic.
Where is the link to the pdf file. how to save to csv. and set duration.
Later
Check this found under "Display Setting" ACARS. Not sure thats the right place for file saving. I would think to put it as sub tab of ACARS radio tab.
http://www.kinetic.co.uk/newsite/basestationdownloads.php#7
Later ;D
I have just installed latest Firmware and Software version. All went very smoothly indeed. ACARS running very well - great addition!
Chris
any ideas on why the high ip network usage. Is there a plan to reduce it?
Later
My guess is that if the squelch is open you are carrying white noise so constant 4 channels Audio
Plus ADSB,Mode A Mode C it all stacks up if you are using AIS too even more.
Wait till we start racking up some more ;-)
It would be nice if you could right click on a text field and copy the information, So you could then paste the information someplace else. Tuff to do from the current ACAR window.
Later
Hello
Just done the Firmware upgrade for the second time and noted the about base station window shows firmware build 113.
Uploaded version 115 as required and removed all connects to the SBS3 and D/C and R/C the USB cable as required.
Still shows version 113 but access to the ACARS SCREEN in base station (CTRL+ALT+A).
Any ideas or is this a possible known issue.
Paul MW0CVW
EGGP/EGNR 8)
Remove and reconnect the USB cable and restart Basestation. Then check.
Anmer,
Thanks for the information.
Had a kind e-mail from Chris (Kinetic) who advised me to remove the RED usb lead from the external power supply,
which in my case Ipad USB charger works great.
Once I removed the above connection the firmware updated no problem at all.
Firmware now upgraded for ACARS.
Just starting to find my way around ;D
Regards
Paul MW0CVW
EGGP/EGNR
Quote from: MIXISM on June 11, 2012, 07:17:09 PM
It would be nice if you could right click on a text field and copy the information, So you could then paste the information someplace else. Tuff to do from the current ACAR window.
Later
You can log all ACARS messages :)
As osme would say LATER