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Guide Message database

adswill edited this page Oct 18, 2026 · 1 revision

Messages: the decoded-message database

View > Messages opens one searchable store of everything the decoders heard: ADS-B, ACARS, VDL2, HFDL, pagers, AIS, APRS, radiosondes, LoRa, BLE, drone ID and DSC. It is a SQLite file, <data folder>/messages/messages.db, with full-text search (words are ANDed, word* is a prefix), filters for mode, identity, time range and "with position", and a timeline (newest first, 300 per page).

  • Export: CSV, JSON (with every decoded field) or ADIF (APRS stations with a call sign) of everything the current filters match.
  • Retention: Storage section. Most rows, size cap in MB and days to keep; the oldest rows go first. Default 1 million rows, 512 MB, no age limit. "Record decoded messages" switches the feed off. "Clear all" empties the file.
  • Chatty updates (aircraft, vessel, sonde, BLE and drone positions) are stored at most once a minute per object.
  • Voice audio and encrypted traffic are never stored; the store refuses them.
  • The feed is a tap on the Automations event bus (Engine::setTap), so a decoder needs no extra code beyond emitting its automation event.

See also: Tutorials and guides, FAQ, Troubleshooting.

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