Started using libacars to decode Iridium messages and it makes a big difference to that mode.
I feel that by bringing the ‘human readability’ of this mode into line with the other decoders that use it, Jaero, dumpvdl2 and dumphfdl for example, really lifts the value for running an Iridium station.
One simple example:
You can see the arinc622 encoded message in the red box. This is all we have been seeing from Iridium for the past few years.
Everything below it is the decoded data. This is new for this mode.
The difference is that libacars is not yet built into the MUCCC Iridium-toolkit and so no one has seen what Iridium actually looks like in this regard.
On a larger scale, here is a search on my site for AT1. and the source as irdm-
Now lets do the same search again after the arinc622 has been running for a few minutes:
Big difference in the readability and to the avgeek and osint value.
Now, when site searches are done, any ICAO or squawks, frequencies etc that are in the Iridium ACARS will be brought into play for the first time.
I will be raising a GitHub issue with the MUCCC guys to request they add it to the toolkit when using the -a acars decoder. If they agree, everyone will gain the value this mode can offer.