Aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out periodically broadcast their identity, position, altitude, and speed on 1090 MHz. With a low-cost SDR and decoder software, you can receive these broadcasts and visualize nearby traffic as a live awareness map.
ADS-B stands for Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast. It complements traditional radar by allowing aircraft to determine their own position via GPS and periodically broadcast it. In many global airspaces, this equipage is a regulatory requirement for commercial and general aviation.
Frequency
1090 MHz
Modulation
Pulse Position (PPM)
Range (LoS)
50–250+ Miles
At 1090 MHz, radio waves behave much like light—they travel in a straight line. This is why altitude is the biggest factor in reception range:
Line of Sight Visualization
ADS-B messages are typically unencrypted and unauthenticated. This is why researchers study signal integrity and spoofing risks—it is an observational aid rather than a trusted security boundary. Note: Understanding these risks is educational; broadcasting unauthorized RF signals carries severe legal and safety penalties.
RTL-SDR v4
Standard Receiver
Tuned Antenna
1090 MHz Optimized
dump1090
Decode & Display
Setup Time
~10 minutes
This is a real ADS-B hex string captured at 1090 MHz. Click decode to see what's inside.
Test what you learned about aircraft tracking
What frequency do aircraft ADS-B transponders broadcast on?