[FedCom] Heard 08 October 2006 NYC area

[gary]

The Feds don't have to use ACARS. ACARS doesn't give a clue to the ICAO. 
  [I'm not 100% sure on this since I haven't done ACARS in a while, but 
am reasonably sure.] I considered it more like a merit badge than an 
interesting part of the hobby since 99.9% of what you get on ACARS is 
very boring. [BTW,A funny "fed" ACARS message is in this book
< 
http://www.amazon.com/Torture-Taxi-Trail-Rendition-Flights/dp/1933633093/sr=1-1/qid=1160456065/ref=sr_1_1/102-6767079-0504152?ie=UTF8&s=books>
)
To receive ACARS, I suggest getting a program called ACARSD
< http://www.acarsd.org/>
There is also a JACARS program on the site that lets you see the acars 
messages that other people are decoding.

The thing with acars is it helps to be in the boonies. For instance, 
many of the planes landing in the San Francisco bay area do their acars 
over Tonopah, which is maybe an hour away from landing. They often get 
the same information that would be heard over ATIS at the destination 
airport. They will notify the ground crew of things that need to be 
fixed so they have the right parts on hand.

Uran233 at aol.com wrote:
> Thanks
> On the FBI and DEA planes would the VHF acars give the registration number?  
> If it did then the folks that can see the planes at the airport could note the 
>  number run the WACARS on line and save the data then search for messages 
> under  that reg number. I have to hurry and order my SBS as I thought "How crazy 
> is  this that they let us track them real time" And with the reg number you 
> could  see the plane  online before they do the job they are doing. Isn't  
> technology amazing. I am grateful we are not using hollerith punch cards to do  
> this online posts.
> Michael
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