JSON protocol

This protocol was created by adsb-tools. This specification is official.

Format

JSON streaming encoding, line delimited. Each line must contain a single outer JSON object; no other outer types are permitted.

First frame must always be a header; frames can otherwise appear in any order, including additional headers.

type (string): one of:
- header (see Header)
- Mode-AC (see Packet)
- Mode-S short (see Packet)
- Mode-S long (see Packet)

type:
- String
- header
magic:
- String
- aDsB
server_version:
- String
- Unique identifier for this server implementation
- Recommended: https://url/of/source#version
server_id:
- String
- Unique identifier for this server instance
- UUID recommended
- 36 character limit
mlat_timestamp_mhz:
- Integer
- MHz of the clock used in subsequent mlat_timestamp fields
mlat_timestamp_max:
- Integer
- Maximum value of subsequent mlat_timestamp fields, at which point values are expected to wrap
rssi_max:
- Integer
- Maximum value of subsequent rssi fields

type:
- String
- One of:
  - Mode-AC (4 byte payload, 2 bytes when decoded)
  - Mode-S short (14 byte payload, 7 bytes when decoded)
  - Mode-S long (28 byte payload, 14 bytes when decoded)
source_id:
- String
- Unique value for the source that recorded this packet.
- UUID recommended
- 36 character limit
mlat_timestamp:
- Integer
- Value of the MLAT counter when this packet arrived at the recorder
- Range [0, mlat_timestamp_max]
- Units of 1 / (mlat_timestamp_mhz * 10^6) Hz
rssi:
- Integer
- RSSI of the received packet at the recorder
- Range [0, rssi_max]
- Units unspecified
payload:
- Upper-case, hex-encoded
- See type for length

{"mlat_timestamp_mhz": 120, "type": "header", "magic": "aDsB", "server_version": "https://github.com/flamingcowtv/adsb-tools#1", "server_id": "fba76102-c39a-4c4e-af7c-ddd4ec0d45e2", "mlat_timestamp_max": 9223372036854775807, "rssi_max": 4294967295}\n
{"payload": "02C58939D0B3C5", "type": "Mode-S short", "rssi": 269488144, "source_id": "f432c867-4108-4927-ba1f-1cfa71709bc4", "mlat_timestamp": 247651683709560}\n
{"payload": "A8000B0B10010680A600003E4A72", "type": "Mode-S long", "rssi": 2206434179, "source_id": "f432c867-4108-4927-ba1f-1cfa71709bc4", "mlat_timestamp": 247651683777900}\n