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App ACARS RX
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This page documents the ACARS RX overlay application for the experimental Labs edition. Install the app version matching the running firmware with UV Studio, then launch it from F + 7.
Note
Navigation follows SetNav: use UP / DOWN on UV-K5 or LEFT / RIGHT on UV-K1. In the controls below, UP/LEFT and DOWN/RIGHT refer to these equivalent keys.
ACARS RX is a receive-only decoder for the VHF ACARS aircraft data link. It samples the radio's AM audio, demodulates the 2400 bit/s MSK signal, checks odd character parity and the complete 16-bit block check sequence, and keeps the three most recent valid messages in RAM. Select an active local ACARS frequency in AM before launching the app; reception depends strongly on nearby air traffic, antenna, and obstructions.
The heading shows the aircraft address and, when present, the flight identifier. The body contains the message label and printable application text. Decoded view recognizes link-test (Q0), Media Advisory (SA), MIAM (MA), and ARINC 622 ATS (A6, AA, B6, BA) messages; for H1, it also extracts the sublabel and optional Message Function Identifier. Unknown or proprietary content remains available in raw view.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
UP/LEFT or DOWN/RIGHT
|
Scroll within the selected message; at an end, press again to select the newer or older message |
* |
Switch between the normal three-row view and compact four-row view |
1 |
Enable or mute received audio |
F |
Switch between decoded and raw payload views |
2 |
Clear the three-message history and all decoder counters |
EXIT |
Exit the application |
The speaker is not required for decoding. When enabled, it opens only after a complete ACARS header has been recognized, which avoids continuous noise while waiting. The selected font size and speaker state are saved; messages and counters are discarded on exit.
After a valid message, the bottom line shows its RSSI, the total valid-frame count (RX), and the number repaired before passing the checksum (FIX). Before the first valid message, it instead shows audio level (ADC), detected headers (SYN), checksum failures (CRC), and parity failures (PAR). A changing ADC value with SYN 0 means that audio reaches the app but the modem has not locked.
Note
ACARS messages are terse operational data, and many payload fields are airline-specific. The app deliberately does not claim to decode proprietary fields or the complete ASN.1 ARINC 622 payload.