AetherLink SDR MCP

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aviation_track_aircraft

Track aircraft via ADS-B on 1090 MHz using an RTL-SDR and dump1090 or rtl_adsb decoding, with automatic fallback. It holds exclusive receiver control until stopped or the duration ends.

Instructions

Start tracking aircraft via ADS-B on 1090 MHz (dump1090, or rtl_adsb from the RTL-SDR drivers). Takes exclusive control of the RTL-SDR until aviation_stop_tracking or the duration elapses.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "aviation_track_aircraft"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`gain`	No	RTL-SDR gain in dB (default 49.6, the maximum; dump1090-fa then adapts it downwards automatically if the input is too loud)
`engine`	No	Receiver program. auto (default) uses dump1090 when installed and falls back to rtl_adsb (part of the RTL-SDR drivers) if dump1090 is missing or hears nothing.	auto
`fix_crc`	No	Enable dump1090 single-bit CRC correction
`duration`	No	Tracking duration in seconds; 0 runs until stopped
`aggressive`	No	Enable dump1090 aggressive mode
`receiver_latitude`	No	Optional override of the receiver latitude (decimal degrees). Normally the location is detected automatically.
`receiver_longitude`	No	Optional override of the receiver longitude (decimal degrees).

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.2.0Nov 7, 2026

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the full load and does well: it discloses that the RTL-SDR is taken exclusively until stopped or until duration elapses, which is the critical behavioral trait for a hardware-owning tool. It omits whether the call blocks or returns immediately and what an already-busy device produces, which keeps it below a 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences, front-loaded with the action and band, then the hardware-exclusivity caveat. No filler or redundant restatement of the tool name.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 7-parameter, no-output-schema tool with no annotations, the description covers purpose, hardware exclusivity, and termination conditions. The remaining gap is operational detail about blocking behavior and how results are subsequently retrieved, which is partly handled by the self-explanatory aviation_get_aircraft sibling.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so gain, engine, fix_crc, aggressive, duration, and receiver coordinates are already fully documented in the schema. The description only echoes the engine choices and the 1090 MHz band, adding no semantics beyond the structured fields; baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource: 'Start tracking aircraft via ADS-B on 1090 MHz', and names the concrete receiver programs (dump1090, rtl_adsb). This clearly separates it from aviation_stop_tracking, aviation_get_aircraft, and the non-aviation tracking siblings.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Names aviation_stop_tracking as the terminating action and frames the operation as bounded by duration, which implicitly tells the agent this is a session-starting call. It does not explicitly state preconditions such as what happens if another SDR session is already active, but the exclusive-control sentence covers the main usage constraint.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.