VDL2 & ACARS Hardware Build Guide

How to set up a dedicated 136 MHz VHF aircraft datalink ground station. Capture real-time aircraft position reports, runway departure milestones, OOOI operational timestamps, and high-altitude AMDAR weather from aircraft overhead.

Unified Windows Platform: Our Windows feeder software (FlightPatch) is identical across both ADSB IQ and VDL IQ. The exact same executable runs seamlessly on both networks—the only hardware difference is connecting a 136 MHz VHF antenna instead of a 1090 MHz ADS-B antenna!

The Ideal Window-Mounted Receiver

3D-PRINTED · SOLIDWORKS DESIGN COMING SOON

Designed specifically for airfields, home offices, and control towers where roof access is impractical. Stick the mount directly to window glass with zero tools, cradle your local SDR dongle directly at the antenna base for zero coax loss, and run an active USB cable to your host Windows PC.

SkyPowerServices 3D-Printed Window Antenna Mount Front View

SolidWorks Assembly · 136.975 MHz Airband Antenna Mount & Integrated RTL-SDR Dongle Cradle

SkyPowerServices 3D-Printed Window Antenna Mount Reverse View

Reverse View · Internal Dongle Housing, Cable Routing & 3M Command Strip Window Interface

🚀 Coming Soon: Downloadable 3D-printable STL files and full SolidWorks assembly documentation for this in-window 136.975 MHz VHF mount. Stick it directly in your window with 3M Command strips and plug directly into your Windows PC.

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3M Command Strip Window Mount: Attaches securely to the inside pane of any window facing runway traffic or open sky. Easily removable without leaving residue or damaging window tint.
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Zero Coax Loss (Direct Dongle Mount): The RTL-SDR dongle cradles directly beneath the antenna element inside the 3D-printed chassis. RF signal travels less than 1 inch from antenna to receiver, eliminating all coaxial cable attenuation on weak VHF signals.
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Active USB Extension: A standard 5m or 10m active USB extension cable carries digital I/Q samples safely down from the window to your Windows PC or Raspberry Pi.
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Tuned 136.975 MHz Airband Resonance: A quarter-wave element at 136.975 MHz is ~54.7 cm (compared to 6.9 cm for 1090 MHz ADS-B). The mount accommodates our tuned vertical monopole or PCB dipole element with solid ground decoupling.

Required Hardware Components

Software Defined Radio

RTL-SDR Blog V4

High-sensitivity SDR receiver with SMA connector, metal shielding, and thermal pad for 24/7 continuous operation.

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136 MHz VHF Antenna

Airband Whip or Dipole

108–137 MHz VHF antenna with SMA male connector. Telescopic dipoles set to 52–55 cm per element deliver outstanding gain.

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Window Interface

3M Command Large Strips

Industrial damage-free mounting strips rated for up to 5 lbs. Bonds firmly to glass and window frames.

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Active Cabling

Active USB Repeater Cable

5m or 10m active USB extension cable with built-in signal booster chipset for lossless data delivery to PC.

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Quick Software Setup

Option 1: Windows (FlightPatch)

The easiest way to feed. Run the installer, select the VDL2 / Airband dongle, and begin decoding immediately. Automatically updates whenever a new version is released.

Download FlightPatch for Windows (v0.4.10) ↓

Option 2: Linux / Raspberry Pi / Docker

Run our 1-step installer on Raspberry Pi OS or Debian/Ubuntu:

curl -sL https://vdliq.com/vdl2.sh | sudo bash

Or route from your existing dumpvdl2 daemon to feed.adsbiq.com:5552 via UDP or store-and-forward TCP.

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