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 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: header
magic: aDsB
server_version: (string)
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 (see [Packet]; 4 byte payload, 2 bytes when decoded)
- Mode-S short (see [Packet]; 14 byte payload, 7 bytes when decoded)
- Mode-S long (see [Packet]; 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], in units of 1 / (mlat_timestamp_mhz * 10^6) Hz
rssi: (integer) RSSI of the receiver 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