Using ACARS from Scanner while Mobile?

[John Moore]

I am just sort of wondering if there is anything to be gained from using an ACARS receiver (scanner) and decoding software while chasing. The software is free (although not open source). This allows one to decode any ACARS transmissions that the scanner can receive.

OTOH I some models, perhaps hourly ones, are initialized using this data (along with lots of other data).

Comments?

 

[rdale]

No - as there is no easy way to 1) capture all the info and 2) recreate a sounding.

Most of what you would get would be gate assignments, route information, etc. No valuable weather details.

 

[John Moore]

ACARS is used to feed models. It has weather data in it - see site . Unfortunately, the data is restricted because the participating airlines provide it, and they only provide it to the cooperative, NOAA, and researchers.

I believe they send altitude, pressure, temp, and flight level winds. I don't know if any send moisture data, although aircraft I worked on many years ago assimilated locally measured humidity into their flight computers.

If you have a scanner, you will pick up any aircraft in the area (most of which will be overflying at high altitudes, where you least need the data). I can think of a few cases where this might be handy - namely, near regional airports if those aircraft fly in at the right time.

However, if, as I believe, the models are using this for initialization, then a 1 hr RUC initialized with this data would be pretty much what you want.

 

[rdale]

I know what ACARS is used for. What I'm saying is that there is no easy way to reliably reconstruct a sounding from what you would be hearing on your scanner.

The link you show is not composed of a lot of scanners around airports, but a satellite-based feed. If you had access to that - then the story changes. Those soundings (and especially TAMDAR since they go to smaller airports and include moisture) are INCREDIBLY valuable.

 

[John Moore]

Sorry, I misunderstood. What you could get was the data elements I described, from aircraft within range (the program at the link does that). It would not be hard to process that into partial soundings (or even complete lower level (0-500mb), minus dew point, if the aircraft is in range during that time. Unless you have mountains in the way, aircraft are very likely to be in range for a complete descent, as takes very little radio power to reach out several hundred miles from the air.

My question is: is there *anything* particularly useful in this, or does the RUC assimilation of this data take care of that for us?

 

[rdale]

Sure there is SOME value in a partial ACARS sounding. I used TAMDAR a lot for cap determination. I don't know how many times the last few years it has helped rule out initiation even in PDS watches!

But I guess I question the value of using them without moisture - and the advantage of multiple flights is that you get to average out the values and seeing something a little more representative.

In any case - "real" soundings are MUCH MUCH more valuable that looking at the same point in a model assimilation. So by no means let me talk you out of the project, I just wonder if the time investment would have a notable return.