SQUAWK BOX

A program to decode squawk codes used by AirNavSystem's RadarBox and the SBS-1 BaseStation and display them as text.

The program can read both live flight data on port 30003 and '.rbl'/'.bst' pre-recorded flight data files as they are being created. It decodes the squawk codes for flights that have squawk codes and outputs the results together with the flight number to a scrolling window as displayed below. You can filter out squawk codes that you are not interested in and set alerts for the program to remind you when it detects particular squawk codes.

SquawkBox conveniently fits in the empty space at the top of the RadarBox or BaseStation display which means that it is possible to access all the functions of your RadarBox or BaseStation software while SquawkBox is running.

This is how the RadarBox screen appears with SquawkBox in place on top of RadarBox at the top of the window.

Click on the image above to see it larger

Cockpit view new features: Real-time cloud layer,
daylight setting, sizeable window, horizon offset
...and networking!

Other examples of the cockpit view

Click images to see them larger

SquawkBox can output an HTML file that can be viewed locally, showing the constantly updated aircraft positions and details of speed, altitude, aircraft type etc.

SquawkBox also outputs Google Earth files

SquawkBox can create kml files for viewing in Google Earth so you can see your flights and the paths that they take. These can take three forms;

Static files containing flight paths collected over a period of time.
(Click here to see an example file of the flight paths at Manchester airport, UK with en-route navigational aids added).
Files with animated flight paths for flights collected over a period of time.
(Click here to see an example file of an animated flight paths file for 25 minutes worth of flights near Manchester airport, UK. Click here to see the static flight paths file corresponding to this animated file but with the UK's significant navigational points added as well as other navigational aids).
A continously updated file showing the current position of flights as output on Port 30003. (Click here to see an example file of what you can expect to see when viewing flights output on port 30003. The data has been collected near Manchester airport, UK and set to show the full length of the detected flight paths. No navigational aids are added).

SquawkBox collects the data for these Google Earth files by saving all flights that it has positional data for while it runs. Data is stored up to a fixed storage maximum at which time older flights are deleted as new ones are saved. When the program has been running for a while (you'll probably want to wait at least 10 minutes) you can get the program to output these saved flights to a Google Earth kml file via SquawkBox's system menu option Google Earth.

At the same time that you save your flights you can decide whether you want SquawkBox to add the positions of navigational aids (currently VORs and NDBs) so you can see which flights use them for navigation.

Note: This program requires that the Microsoft .Net Framework has been previously installed. Version 2.0 or later is required.
You can download version 2.0 of the .Net Framework here, or version 3.5 the latest version, here
The service pack for verion 3.5 can be found here

Click here to download SquawkBox
for RadarBox versions 2.0, 3.13(2010) and for SBS BaseStation (882KB).

Unzip all files to an empty directory and run SquawkBox.exe
Remember to set Use folder names when you unzip
so that the SquawkBox directory structure is created.

Click here to read the Readme.Txt file included in the zip file above.

Version history
Latest update: 28/03/2010

Note that data output to recorded '.rbl' or '.bst' files is delayed by RadarBox or BaseStation for 5 minutes for security reasons. If you select a recorded file for viewing in SquawkBox when used with a version of RadarBox prior to 3.11 Beta then you will not see anything until these 5 minutes have elapsed.

This program would not have been possible without the detailed tutorial on port 30003 socket data maintained by Bones. Its author also was a major contributor in getting this program to work with BaseStation.