VHF Digital Link (VDL)

The term VHF Digital Link was adopted by the ICAO Aeronautical Mobile Communications Panel
(AMCP), at its first meeting in November 1991, to refer to digital communications systems
operating in the Aeronautical VHF band.The Aeronautical VHF Band is the section of the Very
High Frequency band allocated to
Aeronautical Service by the InternationalTelecommunications Union. It is made up of the
following two allocations:
ﾁ¡ 108-118 MHz assigned to the aeronautical radio-navigation service; and
ﾁ¡ 118-137 MHz assigned to the aeronautical radio-communications service.
The use of the VHF band for data communications was proposed in the ICAO Future Air
Navigation Systems committee report issued in 1988. This report led the ICAO Air Navigation
Commission to launch standardization of the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network and
the Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service (AMSS) but it took no immediate action to
standardize VHF data link.
The airline community had recognized the benefits of aircraft data link communications 10
years before the FANS report and had implemented the VHF version of ACARS. This led IATA,
with the support of the data link service providers including SITA, to submit a recommendation
to the 1990 ICAO Communications Divisional meeting that ICAO launch the standardization of
VHF data link. The ICAO meeting also reserved the 4 channels 136.900, 136.925, 136.950 and
136.975 MHz for data communications worldwide. This later decision catered for the
reservation of frequencies in order for such data service to be implemented in an environment
when the existing aviation VHF spectrum was considered saturated and congested with
existing VHF channels for ATS analog voice. The IATA recommendation led the Air Navigation
Commission in 1991 to convert the AMSS panel into the Aeronautical Mobile Communications
Panel (AMCP) with the following tasks:
ﾁ¡ Finalize the standard for the Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service;
ﾁ¡ identify means to increase the capacity of the VHF band; and
ﾁ¡ develop a standard for an ATN data linkservice using VHF radio.
The AMCP met for the first time in November 1991 and created three working groups to work
on these respective tasks. The AMCP has developed standards for VDL Modes 1-4 in which the
modes provide different capabilities.
This document describes the output of the AMCP work on the VHF tasks and the subsequent
implementation.
VDL Modes 1&2
The AMCP response to the task of standardizing the provision of ATN subnetwork service in the
VHF band was to develop the standard for the VDL Modes 1 and 2. The only difference
between these two modes is the VHF modulation scheme and resulting data rate. The AMCP
included VDL Mode 1 in the standard as part of the initial introduction of the VDL service using
analog radios, because no VHF Data Radio (VDR) had yet been developed. A VDL Mode 1
system was used to validate parts of the standard but since VDRs have now been developed,
VDL Mode 1 will never be implemented operationally and it is not considered in this document.
The AMCP has therefore recently decided to remove VDL Mode 1 from the standard. The
validated VDL standard was presented to the AMCP at its fourth meeting in March 1996, which
recommended that it be included in Annex 10. After approval by the member states, the ICAO
Council approved the standard in March 1997 with an applicability date of 6 November 1997.
ICAO VDL Mode 2 Standard
The VDL Mode 2 standard developed by the AMCP was inserted in the ICAO convention Annex
10 “Aeronautical Telecommunications” Volume III Part I “Digital Data Communications
Systems”. ICAO later decided to move detailed technical specifications out of Annex 10 into
manuals so the AMCP created the “Manual on VHF Digital Link (VDL) Mode 2 Technical
Specifications”, hereafter referred to as the VDL Mode 2 Technical Manual. The VDL Standard
and VDL Mode 2 Technical Manual specify the Physical and Link Layer protocols to be used
over the VHF digital link between aircraft and ground stations. It does not specify the Physical
Layer or Link Layer protocols used between VDL ground stations and terrestrial users of the
VDL subnetwork. The AMCP has also created Guidance Material for the VHF Digital Link (VDL)
Mode 2 and issued it as an attachment to the manual mentioned above.
Tiªu chuÈn cña ICAO vÒ VDL Mode 2
Tiªu chuÈn ®îc ph¸t triÓn bëi AMCP ®· ®îc ®a vµo quy íc Annex 10 cña ICAO
“viÔn th«ng hµng kh«ng” Volume III Part I “hÖ thèng truyÒn th«ng d÷ liÖu sè”.
Sau ®ã ICAO quyÕt ®Þnh chuyÓn ®Æc tÝnh kü thuËt chi tiÕt ra khái Annex 10
®Ó t¹o ra quyÓn híng dÉn AMCP “sæ tay ®Æc tÝnh kü thuËt cña VHF Digital
Link (VDL) Mode 2”, sau nµy trë thµnh tµi liÖu tham kh¶o nh lµ sæ tay kü thuËt
VDL Mode 2 . chuÈn VDL vµ sæ tay kü thuËt VDL Mode 2 chØ ®Þnh líp vËt lý vµ
líp giao thøc liªn kÕt sö dông qua ®êng liªn kÕt sè VHF gi÷a tµu bay vµ c¸c
tr¹m mÆt ®Êt. Nã kh«ng quy ®Þnh líp vËt lý hoÆc líp giao thøc liªn kÕt sö
dông gi÷a c¸c tr¹m mÆt ®Êt VDL vµ ®Çu cuèi ngêi sö dông m¹ng VDL. AMCP
còng t¹o tµi liÖu híng dÉn cho ®êng liªn kÕt sè VHF mode 2 vµ ph¸t hµnh nã
nh mét tµi liÖu kÌm theo tµi liÖu híng dÉn ®· nãi ë trªn.
VDL Mode 2 Protocol
Giao thøc VDL mode 2
The VDL standard specification of the physical layer protocol originally provided for two
modulation schemes called Mode 1 and Mode 2. VDL Mode 1 was specified to enable
validation, but it will not be implemented in operational systems and will be removed from the
standard. The ICAO VDL Standard specifies the use in “Mode 2 frames” of a D8PSK
(Differentially Encoded 8-Phase Shift Keying) modulation scheme and the encoding of data for
exchange over the VHF link.
®Æc tÝnh kü thuËt líp giao thøc vËt lý cña chuÈn VDL ®Çu tiªn ®îc cung cÊp
hai bé ®iÒu chÕ ®îc gäi lµ Mode 1 and Mode 2. VDL Mode 1 ®îc chØa ®Þnh
®Ó phª chuÈn, nhng nã sÏ kh«ng ®îc thùc thi trong c¸c hÖ thèng ho¹t ®éng
vµ sÏ bÞ chuyÓn ra khái chuÈn. ChuÈn VDL cña ICAO chØ ®Þnh dïng trong
“cÊu tróc mode2” cña mét D8PSK (kho¸ dÞch pha 8 m· kh¸c nhau ) s¬ ®å
®iÒu chÕ vµ m· ho¸ d÷ liÖu cho viÖc trao ®æi qua ®êng liªn kÕt VHF.
The VDL link layer protocol specifies the use of a Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA)
algorithm for media access control to the VHF channel. The VDL CSMA will provide better
performance than the VHF ACARS CSMA by using a VHF Data Radio to process the CSMA
function.The combination of VDL D8PSK scheme and its CSMA algorithm has been simulated
and shown to provide a user data capacity, per 25 kHz channel, of over 10 kilobits per second
when it is fully loaded. This compares to the 300 bits per second provided by the existing VHF
ACARS system in similar operational circumstances.
Líp giao thøc liªn kÕt VDL chØ ®Þnh dïng thuËt to¸n ®a truy nhËp ph¸t hiÖn
sãng mang (CSMA) lµm ph¬ng tiÖn ®iÒu khiÓn truy nhËp kªnh VHF. The VDL
CSMA sÏ cung cÊp hiÖu suÊt cao h¬n VHF ACARS CSMA bëi dïng v« tuyÕn d÷
liÖu VHF ®Ó xö lý chøc n¨ng ®a truy nhËp ph¸t hiÖn sãng mang (CSMA). Sù
kÕt hîp gi÷a ®iÒu chÕ VDL D8PSK vµ thuËt to¸n CSMA cña nã ®· chØ ra ®Ó
cung cÊp dung lîng d÷ liÖu ngêi sö dông trªn kªnh 25 KHz, víi tèc ®é 10 kb/s
khi cã t¶i ®Çy. So víi tèc ®é 300 b/s ®îc cung cÊp bëi hÖ thèng VHF ACARS
trong t×nh huèng ho¹t ®éng t¬ng tù.
The VDL Mode 2 Technical Manual section 5.3 specifies the use, between aircraft and ground
stations, of an “Aviation VHF Link Control” (AVLC) protocol. AVLC is derived from the ISO High
level Data Link Control (HDLC) protocol. The VDL Mode 2 Technical Manual section 5.4 specifies
the VDL Link Management Entity (LME), which provides AVLC link establishment and
maintenance and is the only entirely unique part of the VDL system.
The VDL standard specifies the use of the ISO 8208 “X.25 Packet Layer Protocol” to support
ATN communications. The airborne VDL X.25 packet level entity uses an AVLC link to connect
to a VDL subnetwork entity in a ground station that provides the airborne unit with access via a
terrestrial X.25 network to an ATN router.
Sæ tay kü thuËt VDL Mode 2 ®o¹n 5.3 chØ ®Þnh sö dông gi÷a tµu bay
vµ c¸c tr¹m mÆt ®Êt cña mét giao thøc ” ®êng ®iÒu khiÓn liªn kÕt
VHF hµng kh«ng” (AVLC). AVLC ®îc xuÊt ph¸t tõ giao thøc ®iÒu
khiÓn ®êng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu møc cao (HDLC) theo ISO. Sæ tay kü
thuËt VDL Mode 2 ®o¹n 5.4 chØ ®Þnh viÖc qu¶n lý ®êng liªn kÕt VDL,
cung cÊp AVLC thiÕt lËp ®êng liªn kÕt, ®êng b¶o dìng vµ chØ hoµn
toµn duy nhÊt phÇn hÖ thèng VDL. ChuÈn VDL chØ ®Þnh sö dông ISO
8208 “líp giao thøc gãi X.25” ®Ó hç trî truyÒn th«ng ATN. Líp gãi VDL
X.25 dïng cho trªn kh«ng dïng mét ®êng ®iÒu khiÓn liªn kÕt VHF
hµng kh«ng (AVLC) ®Ó nèi tíi mét m¹ng VDL trong mét tr¹m mÆt ®Êt
®Ó cung cÊp cho phÇn trªn kh«ng víi viÖc truy cËp qua mét m¹ng
®Çu cuèi X.25 ®Õn mét bé ®Þnh ®êng ATN .

VDL Mode 2 service implementation

SITA contracted with Harris Corporation to develop a ground station providing both VDL Mode 2
and VHF ACARS services. The deployment of these stations started at the end of 2000 and
continues into 2003 with initial site selection being driven by airline and ATS provider customer
requirements for AOA and ATN/VDL services respectively.
DÞch vô bæ sung VDL mode 2
SITA b¾t tay víi tËp ®oµn Harris ®Ó ph¸t triÓn tr¹m mÆt ®Êt cung cÊp c¶
hai VDL Mode 2 vµ c¸c dÞch vô VHF ACARS. Sù triÓn khai c¸c tr¹m nµy ®· b¾t
®Çu vµ kÕt thóc n¨m 2000 vµ tiÕp tôc vµo n¨m 2003 víi ban ®Çu lµ chän vÞ
trÝ bëi c«ng ty hµng kh«ng vµ ngêi cung cÊp dÞch vô kh«ng lu (ATS ) cho
kh¸ch hµng yªu cÇu riªng biÖt cho c¸c dÞch vô AOA and ATN/VDL.
VDL Mode 2 use for ATN
The USA FAA and Eurocontrol plan to use the VDL Mode 2 service in the framework of an ATN
Internet to support Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) in their highdensity
airspace. The first implementation on commercial aircraft of avionics handling VDL Mode 2
supporting ATN routing and CPDLC was by American Airlines on four Boeing 767 aircraft in mid-
2001 to participate in the Eurocontrol PETAL project. American followed this in September 2002
by installing the equipment on 16 Boeing 757 aircraft to communicate with the FAA CPDLC
Build 1 system in Miami.
VDL mode 2 sö dông trong ATN
Nhµ qu¶n lý hµng kh«ng liªn bang Mü vµ kÕ ho¹ch ®iÒu khiÓn ch©u ¢u sö
dông dÞch vô VDL mode 2 trong khu«n khæ m¹ng ATN ®Ó hç trî ®êng
truyÒn th«ng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu ®iÒu khiÓn phi c«ng (CPDLC) trong kh«ng
phËn cã mËt ®é cao cña hä. Sù thùc thi th¬ng m¹i lÇn ®Çu trªn tµu bay cña
khoa häc ®iÖn tö hµng kh«ng VDL mode 2 hç trî ®Þnh ®êng ATN vµ ®êng
truyÒn th«ng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu ®iÒu khiÓn phi c«ng (CPDLC) ®· ®îc sö dông
trong hµng kh«ng Mü trªn 4 tµu bay Boeing 767 vµo gi÷a n¨m 2001 ®Ó tham
gia vµo ®Ò ¸n Eurocontrol PETAL. Ngêi Mü ®· theo ®uæi ®Ò ¸n nµy tõ th¸ng 9
n¨m 2002 b»ng viÖc cµi ®Æt thiÕt bÞ trªn 16 tµu bay Boeing 757 ®Ó liªn l¹c víi
mét hÖ thèng truyÒn th«ng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu ®iÒu khiÓn phi c«ng cña nhµ
qu¶n lý hµng kh«ng liªn bang Mü (FAA CPDLC) x©y dùng ë Miami.
VDL Mode 2 use for ACARS
VDL mode 2 dïng trong hÖ thèng truyÒn th«ng th«ng b¸o vµ ®Þa
chØ tµu bay
While ICAO designed VDL to transport ATN air-ground communications, it can also transport
legacy ACARS communications. Following discussion of the options for VDL transport of ACARS
data, the AEEC Data Link Users Forum in January 1999, adopted as the standard interim
architecture “ACARS over AVLC” (AOA). In the VDL AOA architecture, aircraft use the existing
ACARS (AEEC 618) protocol over the ICAO VDL standard AVLC link providing 31.5-kilobit per
second capacity. This AOA architecture is very similar to the “ACARS over SATCOM “
architecture used over the ICAO AMSS standard air-ground link. Aircraft using VDL AOA will
obtain increased capacity over the VHF link but will only be able to exchange the ACARS
messages in the same character formats used over the existing VHF analog link. However the
performance of the AOA air-ground and terrestrial links offers an improvement over that of the
existing VHF ACARS infrastructure. In 2001 Rockwell Collins began supplying avionics in which
ACARS uses the VDL Mode 2 link. The other suppliers including Honeywell, Teledyne and Airbus
(for their ATS-Unit) are also upgrading their ACARS units to use the VDL Mode 2 link and the
first Honeywell units were installed in December 2002.
Trong khi ICAO thiÕt kÕ VDL ®Ó lµm ph¬ng tiÖn truyÒn th«ng ATN air-ground ,
th× nã còng cã thÓ lµm ph¬ng tiÖn truyÒn th«ng th«ng b¸o vµ ®Þa chØ tµu
bay (ACARS). Theo cuéc th¶o luËn vÒ viÖc chän ph¬ng tiÖn truyÒn t¶i VDL
cho d÷ liÖu ACARS, t¹i diÔn ®µn c¸c nhµ sö dông liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu cña uû ban
®iÖn tö hµng kh«ng th¸ng 1 n¨m 1999, thõa nhËn nh lµ mét chuÈn cÊu tróc
t¹m thêi “ACARS over AVLC” (AOA). Trong cÊu tróc VDL AOA nµy, tµu bay sö dông
giao thøc hiÖn t¹i ACARS (AEEC 618) qua chuÈn liªn kÕt AVLC VDL cña ICAO
cung cÊp dung lîng 31.5 KB/s. cÊu tróc AOA nÇy rÊt gièng víi cÊu tróc “ACARS
over SATCOM “ sö dông qua chuÈn liªn kÕt air-ground AMSS cña ICAO. Tµu bay sö
dông VDL AOA sÏ ®¹t ®îc viÖc t¨ng dung lîng qua ®êng liªn kÕt VHF nhng sÏ
chØ cã thÓ trao ®æi ®îc c¸c b¶n tin sö dông d¹ng ký tù t¬ng tù dïng qua ®-
êng liªn kÕt VHF analog hiÖn hµnh. Tuy nhiªn viÖc thùc hiÖn AOA air-ground vµ
c¸c liªn kÕt phÇn mÆt ®Êt ®· ®Ò nghÞ cÇn c¶i tiÕn c¬ së h¹ tÇng VHF ACARS
hiÖn hµnh. N¨m 2001 Rockwell Collins b¾t ®Çu cung cÊp khoa häc ®iÖn tö ¸p
dông vµo hµng kh«ng trong ACARS ®Ó sö dông liªn kÕt VDl mode 2. Mét s«
nhµ cung cÊp kh¸c bao gåm c¶ Honeywell, Teledyne and Airbus (for their ATS-Unit) ®·
kh«ng ngõng n©ng cao chÊt lîng phÇn ACARS cña hä ®Ó sö dông ®êng liªn
kÕt VDl mode 2 vµ Honeywell ®Çu tiªn ®· ®îc øng dông vµo th¸ng 12 n¨m
2002.
Linkage between VDL Modes 2&3
Sù liªn kÕt gi÷a VDl modes 2&3
The AMCP task of standardizing an ATN compliant VHF data link was separate from the task of
identifying means by which to increase the capacity of the VHF band. However the tasks
became related because the FAA required the VHF data link system to include provisions to
support digitized voice, which was the means they proposed to increase the capacity of the
aeronautical VHF communications band. The background to the AMCP task to identify means to
increase the capacity of the VHF band was that the European aviation authorities had
identified that all the VHF channels available for ATS analog voice services would be assigned
by 2000.
NhiÖm vô tiªu chuÈn ho¸ mét ®êng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu VHF theo m¹ng viÔn
th«ng hµng kh«ng (ATN) cña nhãm truyÒn th«ng di ®éng hµng kh«ng (AMCP)
®îc t¸ch ra tõ nhiÖm vô cña ph¬ng tiÖn nhËn d¹ng bëi viÖc t¨ng thªm dung l-
îng cña b¨ng tÇn VHF. Tuy nhiªn c¸c nhiÖm vô trë nªn liªn quan ®Õn nhau v×
FAA (nhµ qu¶n lý hµng kh«ng liªn bang) yªu cÇu hÖ thèng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu
VHF bao gåm cung cÊp c¶ viÖc hç trî sè ho¸ tho¹i, nã lµ ph¬ng tiÖn ®Ó thùc
hiÖn t¨ng thªm dung lîng cña truyÒn th«ng b¨ng tÇn VHF hµng kh«ng. Quay
l¹i nhiÖm vô cña nhãm truyÒn th«ng di ®éng hµng kh«ng (AMCP) lµ ph¬ng
tiÖn nhËn d¹ng ®Ó t¨ng thªm dung lîng cña b¨ng tÇn VHF v× r»ng c¸c nhµ
chøc tr¸ch hµng kh«ng ch©u ©u ®· nhËn thÊy r»ng tÊt c¶ c¸c kªnh VHF
®ang sö dông cho c¸c dÞch vô ATS tho¹i analog trªn thÕ giíi ®· ®îc quy ®Þnh
n¨m 2000.
The European aviation authorities had asked ICAO to approve an increase to the VHF band
capacity by reducing the channel spacing from 25 kHz to 8.33 kHz but continuing to use
analog signals. This recommendation was based on it having minimal impact on existing
aviation systems and its adoption on existing capable avionics. The FAA had proposed the
alternative of retaining 25 kHz VHF channel spacing but introducing a digital system using a
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) algorithm to provide 3 or 4 circuits per channel, each
supporting either a digitized voice link or a data link.
Nhµ chøc tr¸ch hµng kh«ng Ch©u ¢u ®· yªu cÇu ICAO phª chuÈn viÖc t¨ng
dung lîng b¨ng tÇn VHF b»ng c¸ch gi¶m kho¶ng c¸ch kªnh tõ 25 Khz xuèng
cßn 8.33 Khz nhng vÉn tiÕp tôc dïng tÝn hiÖu t¬ng tù. Gi¶i ph¸p nµy lµ c¬ së
lµm gi¶m tèi thiÓu c¸c va ch¹m trong c¸c hÖ thèng hµng kh«ng hiÖn hµnh vµ
nã còng t¬ng thÝch víi n¨ng lùc cña khoa häc ®iÖn tö hµng kh«ng hiÖn
hµnh. FAA (nhµ qu¶n lý hµng kh«ng liªn bang) ®· ®Ò nghÞ lùa chän viÖc gi÷
l¹i kho¶ng c¸ch kªnh VHF 25 Khz nhng giíi thiÖu mét hÖ thèng sè sö sông
thuËt to¸n ®a truy cËp ph©n chia theo thêi gian (TDMA) ®Ó cung cÊp 3
hoÆc 4 m¹ch trªn mét kªnh, mçi hç trî hoÆc lµ mét liªn kÕt tho¹i sè hoÆc mét
liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu.
However this system provided very different performance characteristics and required
completely new VHF radios. The VHF data link system, which AMCP called VDL Mode 1/2, was
from time to time viewed as a potential threat to the digitized voice system and resisted by the
FAA. However the VDL Mode 1/2 system was allowed to proceed provided that it did not
impose any requirements that would complicate the implementation of the system proposed
by the FAA, for which they finally adopted the name VDL Mode 3. At the ICAO Communications
Divisional meeting in 1995, the European aviation authorities proposed to resolve the
immediate scarcity of voice channels in Europe by introducing 8.33 kHz channel spacing for
analog voice and beginning the modernization of the VHF system by implementing VDL Mode
2.
Tuy nhiªn hÖ thèng nµy ®· cung cÊp nhiÒu ®Æc tÝnh kh¸c nhau cho viÖc
thùc thi vµ yªu cÇu hÖ thèng v« tuyÕn VHF hoµn toµn míi. HÖ thèng liªn kÕt
d÷ liÖu VHF, c¸i mµ nhãm truyÒn th«ng di ®éng hµng kh«ng (AMCP) gäi lµ
VDL mode 1/2, hÖ thèng ®ã theo thêi gian sÏ xem nh lµ mét tiÒm n¨ng ®e
do¹ tíi hÖ thèng tho¹i sè vµ chèng l¹i bëi FAA. Tuy nhiªn hÖ thèng VDL mode
1/2 ®· cho phÐp tiÕp tôc cung cÊp nã kh«ng cÇn mét ®ßi hái nµo vµ r»ng sÏ
kh«ng phøc t¹p nh hÖ thèng cung cÊp bëi FAA, vµ cuèi cïng chÊp nhËn víi tªn
lµ VDL mode 3. t¹i cuéc häp ph©n chia truyÒn th«ng n¨m 1995 cña ICAO, c¸c
nhµ chøc tr¸ch hµng kh«ng ch©u ©u ®Ò nghÞ gi¶i quyÕt lËp tøc viÖc khan
hiÕm c¸c kªnh tho¹i ë ch©u ©u b»ng viÖc ®a ra sö dông kho¶ng c¸ch kªnh
8.33 Khz cho tho¹i analog vµ b¾t ®Çu hiÖn ®¹i ho¸ hÖ thèng VHF b»ng viÖc
dïng VDL mode 2.
The FAA agreed not to block the European proposal in return for the European ATS providers
supporting the FAA proposal that ICAO adopt VDL Mode 3 as “the future VHF communications
system”. The main technical impact on the AMCP specification of VHF data link of the FAA
requirement to have provisions for digitized voice was VDL Mode 2’s use of the modulation
scheme and data rate specified by the FAA for VDL Mode 3. The FAA is the only ATS provider
with committed plans to deploy VDL Mode 3. Its schedule is to deploy just voice service in
some high altitude en-route airspace from 2009, adding data link capability in 2011.
FAA kh«ng ®ång ý víi ®Ò nghÞ cña khèi Ch©u ©u trong viÖc trë l¹i hç trî
cung cÊp dÞch vô kh«ng lu ch©u ©u FAA ®Ò nghÞ r»ng ICAO chÊp nhËn VDL
mode 3 nh lµ “hÖ thèng truyÒn th«ng VHF t¬ng lai”. Kü thuËt chÝnh t¸c
®éng ®Õn ®Æc tÝnh ®êng liªn kÕt d÷ liÖu VHF cña nhãm truyÒn th«ng di
®éng hµng kh«ng (AMCP) cña FAA ®ßi hái ph¶i cung cÊp tho¹i sè nh VDL
mode 2 vÒ s¬ ®å ®iÒu chÕ vµ tèc ®é d÷ liÖu chØ ®Þnh cña FAA cho nVDL
mode 3. FAA chØ cung cÊp dÞch vô kh«ng lu víi kÕ ho¹ch cam kÕt triÓn khai
VDL mode 3. S¬ ®å ®Ó triÓn khai chØ m×nh dÞch vô tho¹i trong mét vµi
vïng trêi cã ®é cao so víi mÆt níc biÓn tõ n¨m 2009, t¨ng thªm dung lîng liªn
kÕt d÷ liÖu vµo n¨m 2011.
VDL Mode 3
The VDL Mode 3 was designed by the US FAA to enable the integrated support of digitized
voice and data communications in a VHF Data Radio. This is similar to the Aeronautical Mobile
Satellite System in which the Satellite Data Unit avionics handles both voice and data
communications. The VDL Mode 3 protocol uses a “classic” Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA) algorithm managed by the ground station to support 3 or 4 logical circuits on an
assigned 25 kHz VHF channel. Each logical circuit can be used for the exchange of either
digitized voice or data communications. The operating concept for VDL Mode 3 is similar to
that of existing ATS analog voice in that all the aircraft in an ATC airspace sector are assigned
to the circuit used by the ATC controller for that sector.
VDL mode 3 ®îc thiÕt kÕ bëi nhµ qu¶n lý hµng kh«ng liªn bang Mü nh»m hç
trî viÖc tÝch hîp tho¹i sè vµ truyÒn th«ng d÷ liÖu trong v« tuyÕn d÷ liÖu VHF.
§iÒu nµy t¬ng tù nh ®Ó hÖ th«ng vÖ tinh di ®éng hµng kh«ng trong khoa
häc ®iÖn tö øng dông vµo hµng kh«ng cho khèi d÷ liÖu vÖ tinh bao gåm c¶
truyÒn th«ng tho¹i vµ d÷ liÖu. Giao thøc VDL mode 3 dïng mét thuËt to¸n
“kinh ®iÓn” ®a truy nhËp ph©n chia theo thêi gian (TDMA) qu¶n lý bëi tr¹m
mÆt ®Êt ®Ó hç trî 3 hoÆc 4 m¹ch logic trªn mét kªnh 25 Khz chØ ®Þnh. Mçi
m¹ch logic cã thÓ ®îc sö dông cho viÖc trao ®æi truyÒn th«ng hoÆc d÷ liÖu
hoÆc tho¹i sè . Kh¸i niÖm ho¹t ®éng cña VDL mode 3 lµ t¬ng tù nh tho¹i
analog trong dÞch vô kh«ng lu (ATS) hiÖn hµnh trong ®ã tÊt c¶ tµu bay trong
mét vïng kh«ng phËn kiÓm so¸t kh«ng lu (ATC) ®îc chØ ®Þnh ®îc chØ ®Þnh
®Õn m¹ch sö dông bëi ngêi kiÓm so¸t ATC cho vïng kh«ng phËn ®ã.
These aircraft decode all transmissions so that the pilots have the same impression as when
they use analog VHF voice. They need to listen out to hear whether the circuit is free before
talking, in the same way as for analog VHF voice channels. As VDL Mode 3 ground stations
would support voice communication, a dedicated VHF channel is allocated to each station in its
coverage area, in a similar way to the analog VHF voice ground stations they would replace.
The VDL Mode 3 stations would take over channels given up by ATC sectors migrating to use
VDL Mode 3. The VDL Mode 3 algorithm for coding and decoding voice introduces a 240
millisecond processing delay between speech going into the system and sound getting to the
listener. This could limit the timeliness of ATC applications use, especially when used in
conjunction with VSAT to link to the ground user. Such inherent performance delays could
handicap the suitability of VDL Mode 3 within terminal airspace where instantaneous
communications are needed.

The VDL Mode 3 protocol divides time into super slots of 120 milliseconds, which it subdivides
into either four 30-millisecond slots for normal range operations or three 40-millisecond slots
for long range operation. Each slot is allocated to a logical circuit. In each 30-millisecond slot
about 10 ms are used for channel management data and 20 ms for the exchange of user data,
which gives time for about 600 bits. The user data can be either digitized voice generated by a
codec in the VHF Data Radio or a data message. The FAA has specified the use of VDL Mode 3
to transport ATN messages. The VDL Mode 3 data link service would only be efficient if
messages were kept below 600 bits for sending in a single TDMA slot, so it would probably be
used primarily for CPDLC communications.

FAA VDL Mode 3 deployment plan

The FAA has launched a NEXCOM project to replace their analog VHF voice ground station
radios with 46,000 multi-mode digital radios. The NEXCOM radios will maintain analog voice
service at 25 kHz channel spacing, and also have the capability to provide an analog voice
service at 8.33 kHz channel spacing, and a VDL Mode 3 digitized voice and data service. The
capability of VDL Mode 3 to support the controller-pilot voice service of multiple ATC sectors on
a single VHF channel will need to be tested rigorously to calculate the potential risk of failure.
It is unlikely that the FAA will be able to use more than 2 circuits per channel for an ATS voice
service. The VDL Mode 3 allows for a configuration of the TDMA scheme to support data
communications on all the circuits, which could provide better performance than does VDL
Mode 2. However, it would require dedicated VHF channels for each ground station and there
would not be enough frequencies available in Europe or North America. For reasons of
frequency availability, the VDL Mode 3 implementation will only be justified to support digitized
ATS voice communications and a VDL Mode 3 data link service will only come as a by-product
of the voice service. Air transport aircraft would probably use a separate VDL Mode 2
connection through a different VHF Data Radio for AOC data exchanges. The FAA awarded a
contract to ITT Industries Aerospace/Communications Division in July 2001 to provide the FAA
with multi-mode VHF digital air-to-ground radios and more recently contracted with ITT and
Harris Corporation for both to develop prototype VDL Mode 3 ground station computers. VDL
Mode 3 voice full operational capability and VDL Mode 3 data deployment will likely occur
some time after VDL Mode 3 voice initial operational capability (IOC). The specific date(s) is
(are) to be determined and depend on the transition plan. The transition plan will be developed
through RTCA. The major threat to VDL Mode 3 implementation in the US is that an increasing
number of aircraft flying in the US are equipped with radios that use 8.33 kHz analog voice
channels in Europe. The FAA will find it hard to convince the aircraft operators to equip with
VDL Mode 3 radios when there is a way to increase band capacity that would cost them far less
money.

VDL Mode 4
The VDL Mode 4 has been designed by the Swedish CAA to support air-ground and air-air data
link communications. It uses a Selforganizing Time Division Multiple Access (STDMA) algorithm
on a 25 kHz VHF channel. The STDMA algorithm divides access to the VHF channel into 4,500
time slots per minute and requires the mobile terminals to synchronize using GPS time signals.
The algorithm is called ‘self-organizing’ because mobile terminals reserve the use of a future
slot in each transmission and do not rely on a centralized reservation system. The STDMA
system allows for the use of the same frequency by multiple ground stations, like in VDL Mode
2 and VHF ACARS. However the VDL Mode 4 ground stations would need to be connected to a
central management system to avoid transmitting in the same slots. The VDL Mode 4 standard
specifies the message labels and the related application data format that can be entered in
STDMA messages. There are specific labels to identify messages containing ADS broadcast or
GNSS Ground Based Augmentation Service (GBAS) messages. The following sections evaluate
the provision by VDL Mode 4 of the ADSBroadcast and GNSS augmentation functions. In
addition to the application specific labels, the VDL Mode 4 protocol can transport ATN
Internetwork protocol messages that can support any application. This means that VDL Mode 4
could be used for an ATN sub network service but the design needed to support ADS-B makes
it less suitable than VDL Mode 2. One issue raised by VDL Mode 4 is that the International
Telecommunications Union Radio-communications regulations assign spectrum to specific
functions.
The VHF communications band of 118-137 MHz is for aeronautical mobile analog voice and
data communications. The aeronautical VHF radio-navigation band 108-118 MHz is being
expanded from supporting ILS and VOR to also accommodate the GNSS GBAS navigation data
link. The aeronautical radio-navigation band 960- 1215 MHz is being expanded from supporting
radar to also support ADS-B surveillance.
As Communications, Navigation and Surveillance are supposed to use different frequency
bands, a VDL Mode 4 avionics could not handle ADS-B and CPDLC on a single channel. The VDL
Mode 4 mixture of functions also raises issues of how authorities certify avionics to provide
specific functions without interfering with others.

Glossary
ACARS Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
ADS Automatic Dependent Surveillance
ADS-B Automatic Dependent Surveillance (-) Broadcast
AEEC Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee
AMCP (ICAO) Aeronautical Mobile Communications Panel
AMSS Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service
AoA (or AOA) ACARS over AVLC
AOC Aeronautical Operational Control Communications
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATIS Automatic Terminal Information Service
ATM Air Traffic Management
ATN Aeronautical Telecommunications Network
ATS Air Traffic Services
ATS-Unit Air Traffic Services – Unit (Airbus avionics)
AVLC Aviation VHF Link Control
CAA Civil Aviation Authority
CDTI Cockpit Display of Traffic Information
CNS/ATM Communications Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management
CPDLC Controller Pilot Datalink Communications
CSMA Carrier Sense Multiple Access
d-ATIS digital - Automated Terminal Information Service
D8PSK Differentially–encoded Eight Phase Shift Keying
DCL Departure Clearance
DME Distance Measuring Equipment
FAA Federal Aviation Administration (of the USA)
FANS Future Air Navigation Systems
FM Frequency Modulated
FMS Flight Management System
GBAS Ground Based Augmentation Service
GES Satellite Ground Earth Station
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GPS Global Positioning System
HDLC High level Data Link Control
HF High Frequency
HFDL High Frequency Data Link
IATA International Air Transport Association
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation
ILS Instrument Landing System
IOC initial operational capability
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
ISO International Standards Organization
ITU International Telecommunications Union
Kbit Kilobit
LAN Local area Network
LME Link Management Entity
MLS Microwave Landing System
NDB Non Directional Beacon
PDC Pre-Departure Clearance
PSTN Packet Switched Telecommunications Network
RTCA Requirements and Technical Concepts for Aviation
SARPs Standards and Recommended Practices
SBAS Satellite Based Augmentation System
SCAT-1 Special Category-1
SITA Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques
SMS Short Message text Service
SSR Mode S Secondary Surveillance Radar Mode Selective
STDMA Self-organizing Time Division Multiple Access
TDMA Time Division Multiple Access
UAT Universal Access Transceiver
VDL VHF Digital Link
VDR VHF Data Radio
VGS VHF (VDL) Ground Station
VHF Very High Frequency
VOR VHF Omni-directional Range
WAAS Wide Area Augmentation Service