HFDL System Table Update Pattern Emerges

Thanks to Ken on the HFDL mailing list for this intelligence:

2011/10/11(TUE) --> Pacific
DB36(024h): GS ID 1 SAN FRANCISCO(DIXON)
DB37(025h): GS ID 2 MOLOKAI
DB38(026h): GS ID 5 AUCKLAND
DB39(027h): GS ID16 AGANA

2011/10/18(TUE) --> North Atlantic(southern)
DB40(028h): GS ID 4 RIVERHEAD
DB41(029h): GS ID17 CANARIAS(GRAN CANARIA)

2011/10/25(TUE) --> South America
DB42(02Ah): GS ID11 ALBROOK(PANAMA-CITY)
DB43(02Bh): GS ID13 SANTA CRUZ

2011/11/01(TUE) --> Asia, Africa
DB44(02Ch): GS ID 6 HAT YAI
DB45(02Dh): GS ID 8 JOHANNESBURG <-- no change
DB46(02Eh): GS ID14 KRASNOYARSK
DB47(02Fh): GS ID15 AL MUHARRAQ


The next changes may be: (only my personal speculation!!!)

2011/11/08(TUE) --> North Atlantic(northern), Arctic
DB48(030h): GS ID 3 REYKJAVIK
DB49(031h): GS ID 7 SHANNON
DB50(032h): GS ID 9 BARROW

I hope the next would be the last.

You too, huh?

PCHFDL.DAT File for System Table #47

This file has been used on this computer to successfully update two different versions of PC-HFDL to System Table #47. The numbers changed to frequencies on both. 

I make no other guarantees, because it has not been tested on anyone else's machine.  Use at your own risk.  It won't hurt your computer, but it might not update PC-HFDL.  It should be downloaded as a binary file, and saved anywhere convenient.

In order to use it, first close PC-HFDL. Find the PC-HFDL program directory, go to the folder named "configs," and rename the existing PCHFDL.DAT to something else. Copy this new one in, and rename it PCHFDL.DAT.  Start PC-HFDL and pray.  If frequencies appear instead of numbers, it worked.

If it didn't work, close PC-HFDL again, delete PCHFDL.DAT, and rename the old one back to that name.  Then start PC-HFDL back up.

The link is:
http://www.ominous-valve.com/pchfdl47.dat

HFDL System Table #47/ 2F

Here is the latest HFDL system table, as sent about 15 minutes ago by San Francisco:

Version 47

Ground Station ID 1

SAN FRANCISCO - CALIFORNIA

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 121 45 34  W  Latitude 38 22 48  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 8

Frequency 21934000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 17919000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 13276000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 11327000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 10081000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 8927000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 6559000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 5508000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Ground Station ID 2

MOLOKAI - HAWAII

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 157 10 46  W  Latitude 21 10 47  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 12

Frequency 21937000 Hz Master Frame Slot 0

Frequency 17919000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Frequency 13324000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 13312000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 13276000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 11348000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 11312000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 10027000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 8936000 Hz Master Frame Slot 0

Frequency 8912000 Hz Master Frame Slot 0

Frequency 6565000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Frequency 5514000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Ground Station ID 3

REYKJAVIK - ICELAND

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 21 50 59  W  Latitude 64 4 47  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 8

Frequency 17985000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 15025000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Frequency 11184000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 8977000 Hz Master Frame Slot 0

Frequency 6712000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 5720000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Frequency 3900000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 3116000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Ground Station ID 4

RIVERHEAD - NEW YORK

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 72 38 22  W  Latitude 40 52 47  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 7

Frequency 21931000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 17919000 Hz Master Frame Slot 9

Frequency 13276000 Hz Master Frame Slot 5

Frequency 11387000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 8912000 Hz Master Frame Slot 9

Frequency 6661000 Hz Master Frame Slot 5

Frequency 5652000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Ground Station ID 5

AUCKLAND - NEW ZEALAND

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 174 48 35  E  Latitude 37 1 10  S

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 6

Frequency 17916000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 13351000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 10084000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 8921000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 6535000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 5583000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Ground Station ID 6

HAT YAI - THAILAND

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 100 23 24  E  Latitude 6 56 23  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 7

Frequency 21949000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 17928000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 13270000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 10066000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 8825000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 6535000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 5655000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Ground Station ID 7

SHANNON - IRELAND

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 8 55 46  W  Latitude 52 43 48  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 8

Frequency 11384000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 10081000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 8942000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 8843000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 6532000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 5547000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 3455000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 2998000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Ground Station ID 8

JOHANNESBURG - SOUTH AFRICA

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 28 12 35  E  Latitude 26 7 46  S

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 5

Frequency 21949000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 13321000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 8834000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 4681000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 3016000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Ground Station ID 9

BARROW - ALASKA

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 156 46 46  W  Latitude 71 18 0  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 19

Frequency 21937000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 21928000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 17934000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 17919000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 11354000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 10093000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 10027000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 8936000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 8927000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 6646000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 5544000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 5538000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 5529000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 4687000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 4654000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 3497000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 3007000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 2992000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 2944000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Ground Station ID 11

PANAMA - PANAMA

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 79 32 59  W  Latitude 8 58 12  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 6

Frequency 17901000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 13264000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 10063000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Frequency 8894000 Hz Master Frame Slot 6

Frequency 6589000 Hz Master Frame Slot 2

Frequency 5589000 Hz Master Frame Slot 10

Ground Station ID 13

SANTA CRUZ - BOLIVIA

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 63 7 46  W  Latitude 17 40 11  S

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 7

Frequency 21997000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 17916000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 13315000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Frequency 11318000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Frequency 8957000 Hz Master Frame Slot 11

Frequency 6628000 Hz Master Frame Slot 7

Frequency 4660000 Hz Master Frame Slot 3

Ground Station ID 14

KRASNOYARSK - RUSSIA

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 92 18 0  E  Latitude 56 6 0  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 7

Frequency 21990000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 17912000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 13321000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 10087000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 8886000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 6596000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 5622000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Ground Station ID 15

AL MUHARRAQ - BAHRAIN

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 50 39 0  E  Latitude 26 16 12  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 6

Frequency 21982000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 17967000 Hz Master Frame Slot 9

Frequency 13354000 Hz Master Frame Slot 5

Frequency 10075000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 8885000 Hz Master Frame Slot 9

Frequency 5544000 Hz Master Frame Slot 5

Ground Station ID 16

AGANA - GUAM

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 144 48 0  E  Latitude 13 28 11  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 7

Frequency 21928000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 17919000 Hz Master Frame Slot 9

Frequency 13312000 Hz Master Frame Slot 5

Frequency 11306000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 8927000 Hz Master Frame Slot 5

Frequency 6652000 Hz Master Frame Slot 1

Frequency 5451000 Hz Master Frame Slot 9

Ground Station ID 17

CANARIAS - SPAIN

UTC UNLOCKED

Longitude 15 23 23  W  Latitude 27 56 59  N

Squitter Version 0

Number of frequencies 6

Frequency 21955000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 17928000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 13303000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

Frequency 11348000 Hz Master Frame Slot 4

Frequency 8948000 Hz Master Frame Slot 12

Frequency 6529000 Hz Master Frame Slot 8

HFDL System Table Now at #47!

Yes, that's right.  Before I was able to post the new PCHFDL.DAT file for ARINC HFDL System Table #43, they put out another one... and another one... and another one... (total is five in about a week).

Obviously, there has not been an opportunity to catch up, and so the file will not be uploaded until this settles down.  Meanwhile, leave PC-HFDL going on a strong ground station all day, until it sends the table out to somebody.  The program will then update itself, and frequencies will replace the numbers.

Also, the changes in all five tables have been very minor.  One can still use old lists and spreadsheets to look up freqs manually.  A hassle, yes, but it works.  Keep in mind that freqs are numbered from the highest down.  Yes, that's right.  San Francisco is using 21943 (F-1) right now.  Gotta love solar peaks.

New Pchfdl.dat Is Up

A new version of pchfdl.dat, the ARINC system table #35 (0x0023) file for PC-HFDL, has been tested here and found to work properly. It came from the files section of the HFDL mailing list. I've also made it available here at this column's web site.

Close PC-HFDL if you have it open, go to the configs folder of the program's home directory, and rename the old file to something like oldpchfdl.dat . Download this new file as a binary and place it in the configs folder. Restart PC-HFDL. If the system table shows as #35, you're there.

The pchfdl.txt file that supplies the names of the ground stations to PC-HFDL has also been tweaked a bit to finally reflect the name change to PANAMA. It, too, is available on the web site, and should be added to the configs folder in the same manner described above.

More on HFDL

1. James Gilbert in Florida reports that he has the new PC-HFDL version 2.042 working fine under Vista and on a Winradio virtual sound card. Others report similar success with the program and Vista.

2. The new Panama HFDL station is being copied widely working aircraft on 10063 and 17901 kHz. It fills a gap in Central America. James has it in FL on 17 MHz, and so do I in CA. Along with squitters, I have recently logged new aircraft N317UP, N446UP (both UPS), LX-RCV (Cargolux), N17122, N33132 (both Continental), HP-1521, HP-1534CMP (both Copa), and XA-MXQ (Mexicana).

PC-HFDL Version 2.042 Now Available

The new HFDL system table got me interested, so I decided to install the new version of Charles Brain's commercial PC-HFDL program. It's been out for a couple of weeks now. While Charles' old web site is still gone forever, a stub page at his old link will give you a link to the new version, which is PC-HFDL 2.042.

The big news is that PC-HFDL now works under Vista. Most people are probably aware that Vista made large changes in the way the operating system handles the sound card. The code now handles these. I haven't tried it on a Vista machine, but those who have say it works just fine.

It still works fine under XP, though there are a couple of new quirks and weirdnesses that replace the old quirks and weirdnesses with regard to setting up the channels and spectrum display. Since my system is a bit different than most, there's no point in my describing my own strangeness, since your strangeness might vary.

Also, I am told that the program still works better with some sound cards than others. It does great with my old external USB Sound Blaster, and in fact the rate of successful decodes is up noticeably on weak signals. (At this point in the solar non-cycle, that of course is most of them.)

Charles has added the pcfhdl.dat file that we talked about in the previous post to this blog. This means that the program is up to date with system table number 34 (22 hex) right out of the box. You still have to change the entry in pchfdl.txt from Annapolis to Albrook AB in Panama, though. BTW, I have heard this ground station and aircraft exchanging data on 10063 kHz, so it is definitely live.

Given the many variables, I'd back up the files in the PC-HFDL subfolders before doing the update. While you probably won't need to uninstall everything and start over with 2.031, we are dealing with computers here. Nothing is too strange.

More On New HFDL System Table #34 (0x0022)

Users of PC-HFDL probably know that when ARINC changes the System Table of frequencies used for this huge system, the mismatch is picked up by the program. You see this when it reverts to using numbers instead of frequencies in kHz. Checking the "System Table" box to open the window won't help, because the program still doesn't have the new information.

PC-HFDL does have the ability to update itself, but you have to be lucky. What happens is that the mismatch is also picked up by the "real" HFDL system, which sends aircraft the new table until everyone has it. Those who are listening at the right time, or the real hard core fans who run PC-HFDL 24/7 are already in business.

Everyone else has to update it by hand. Here's what you do:

1. Find the directory containing PC-HFDL. There should be a subfolder called configs (all lower case). This contains, at a minimum, three files auto-generated by PC-HFDL the first time it runs. These are:

pchfdl.ini (don't worry about this one);

pchfdl.dat (contains a lot of weird text and binary stuff that is apparently a capture of the system table from the air; this is how the program updates itself);

pchfdl.txt (a list of ground stations, with unused slots and 0 padded with UNKNOWN).

2. Ordinarily, only pchfdl.dat would need to be changed. However, this time there's a new ground station. This one replaces the long-gone Annapolis station in slot number 11. It's at or near the old Albrook Air Base near Panama City, which was once used by the US until the canal was given back. Therefore the HFDL community has decided to call it ALBROOK in PC-HFDL.

Therefore, two files must be changed.

3. Back up pchfdl.dat and pchfdl.txt somewhere else, so you have untouched copies if you need to revert.

4. Make sure PC-HFDL is not running, or none of the subsequent steps will work.

5. Download the new pchfdl.dat from somewhere. I got my copy from the excellent HFDL group on Yahoo. This is a great group populated by the real heavy duty HFDL monitors, and it is highly recommended. If you don't want to join, a copy of the file is on the Utility World site. It's the same one in use here, though for various reasons I can't guarantee it will be right for everyone.

6. Go to the PC-HFDL config folder and rename the existing pchfdl.dat. Copy in the new one. Make sure the file doesn't get changed in any way, for it indeed IS a binary and must be treated as such. Most problems in this step come from the file getting changed somehow.

7. Now it's time to fix the ground station list. This is easy. Rename pchfdl.txt and open it an any plain text editor like Notepad. Don't use a formatting editor like MS-WORD that adds stuff, unless you know how to save straight text from the program. Find the line containing ANNAPOLIS - MARYLAND and change it to ALBROOK - PANAMA.

When you're done, the text in the file should look like this:

UNKNOWN
SAN FRANCISCO - CALIFORNIA
MOLOKAI - HAWAII
REYKJAVIK - ICELAND
RIVERHEAD - NEW YORK
AUCKLAND - NEW ZEALAND
HAT YAI - THAILAND
SHANNON - IRELAND
JOHANNESBURG - SOUTH AFRICA
BARROW - ALASKA
UNKNOWN
ALBROOK - PANAMA
ANCHORAGE - ALASKA
SANTA CRUZ - BOLIVIA
KRASNOYARSK - RUSSIA
AL MUHARRAQ - BAHRAIN
AGANA - GUAM
CANARIAS - SPAIN

Save as pchfdl.txt and exit.

8. Fire up PC-HFDL, find some squitters to decode, and you should be back in business.

I have working copies of pchfdl.dat and pchfdl.txt for public download on the Utility World web site. You're welcome to them, though of course I must again note that they have no guarantees due to the jungle that is Windows. They were good files whey I put them up there, but that's where my knowledge of them stops.

I also have version34.txt, which is just a straight capture of the contents of the window that comes up when you check the System Table box. It's a good way to get the new table in its entirety. However, it's not needed for the operation of PC-HFDL.

Have a good flight!

More from Charles Brain on the Vista Problem

Charles:

Hello Vista users,

I have done a Google search and it seems that the problem is due to the fact that Microsoft have moved the sound drivers from Kernel space to user space. This has caused the hardware acceleration used by some cards to stop working. Accurate information on this problem is very difficult to come by.

It seems the reason that Microsoft did this was to protect Vista from errant sound card drivers not under their control. They were getting fed up with being blamed for crashes that weren't their fault. There are some other reasons for wanting to move the drivers to user space I have been told.

At the moment I can't see any short term fix to this problem as it appears to be outside my control. I understand that this problem is causing a lot of grief among P.C gamers too as they have lost some of their special sound effects.

I am guessing here but what I think is happening is that when I ask for a 48K sample rate the card is returning something else (possibly 44.1K) and that is why it does not work. I base this guess on the fact that I can get PC-HFDL to start on a Vista laptop and display hfdl packets on the spectrum display (indicating the sound handling is working) what it does not do is decode the actual packets (indicating a sample rate problem).

I am sorry I can't be any more helpful/hopeful than that.

- Charles