JAERO: A program to demodulate and decode Classic Aero SatCom ACARS signals by Jonathan Olds.
From the webpage:
JAERO is a program that demodulates and decodes Classic Aero ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) messages sent from satellites to Aeroplanes (SatCom ACARS) commonly used when Aeroplanes are beyond VHF range. Demodulation is performed using the soundcard. Such signals are typically around 1.5Ghz and can be received with a simple low gain antenna that can be home brewed in a few hours in conjunction with a cheap RTL-SDR dongle.
In the advent of MH370, Classic Aero has become a well-known name. A quick search on the net using “Classic Aero MH370” will produce thousands of results. The Classic Aero signals sent from satellites to the Aeroplanes are what JAERO demodulates and decodes.
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I am sure rendition trackers have these and even more sophisticated passive tracking capabilities but I pass this on as a possible starting place for would be civilian surveillance specialists.
Governments are obsessed with surveillance, so much so that civilians need to return the favor, building passive and distributed systems of surveillance that surpass anything governments can obtain.
An interesting hobby to intercept such signals, which are falling in your yard right now, and even more interesting hobby if you capture those signals and share them with other hobbyists. Perhaps even some data science types who can munge the data to bring out interesting insights. Such as on rendition flights.
A couple of tips: Disguise your external receiving equipment to look like a disgruntled satellite TV subscriber (is there any other kind?). Probably a good idea to not discuss monitoring aircraft or other government activities at the local barber shop.
I’m not a conspiracy theorist about government activities but if they didn’t intend someone harm, then why do they keep secrets? If you think about it, none of the many decried data leaks over the last 50 years have resulted in a single American being harmed.
Some of them were embarrassed and probably should have gone to jail (Oliver North) but for all the conjured harms of data leaks, not one has made a whit of difference.
Makes me wonder if secrecy is a means to conceal incompetence and venal criminal wrongdoing.
You?