AIS Catcher - A multi-platform AIS Receiver For Software Defined Radio

[@AaronHuber]

This works great for me. I live near a port and got it working in 5 minutes thanks to your great instructions.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You're welcome!

[@TerryLawrence001]

Awesome! I have been a Marine traffic contributor for years and will update my stations to this for certain. Nice!

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Have fun!

[@georgepapa2950]

Built a copy of the COMAR AIS receiver, nice additional software you have shown me really appreciate it !!!!

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You’re welcome 😉

[@tom23rd]

living in Florida along the coast, i am so checking this out today

[@stevesweb]

Wow, very nice review! I have tried AIS in the past, but didn't have much luck. I live in the middle of the US near a navigation channel that goes to the Gulf of Mexico. There are many barges and other boats. I will definitely add this to one of the open channels on the Kerberos SDR. I would like to have ADSB 1090, 978 and both AIS channels on it. Thanks for such great content!

[@TechMindsOfficial]

I have a Krakon which I am yet to try out.

[@stevesweb]

@@TechMindsOfficial I intended to use the direction finding with the Kerberos and never did. I use is as four RTL-SDR's pretty nice. I would like to try the Kraken but can't justify the cost. 😂

[@gordsec]

Fantastic, thanks Matt. I have been running AIS Dispatcher on a Pi for years, but I cant access the data from outside my QTH easily. I use Virtual Radar Server for ADSB when away from home, now I can use this to monitor AIS! 73 for now

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Very welcome!

[@georgef7754]

Thanks for the video. This looks great and I will give it a go with my rtl-sdr. This was incredibly easy to setup and works really well. Next to try the plug-ins.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@daveh7914]

Nice video. Clearly explained. Thanks.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

You're welcome

[@Timi7007]

If only someone made such a nice all-in-one software stack feeding all data exchange sites for ADS-B :/

[@RabMac108AT10six]

wiedehopf readsb and the guys at sdr-enthusiasts have already . Its a linux and docker build called Ultrafeeder which covers everything .

[@yv6eda]

Nice video, as usual! I know ADB-S for aviation, AIS for boats is new for me, thanks. I wonder if it's one for trains... I'm relatively close to Lake Erie here in Canada but my city has some train traffic. If you know one, may you make a video about it?

[@TechMindsOfficial]

I believe there is something for trains, but as far as I can tell it’s only in the US. So I can’t even try it. Maybe I’m thinking of digital comma rather than tracking though. Maybe I need to move to the states! :)

[@chipweather]

Atcs is the train version.

[@Gomendio]

Finding issues with open cpn plotter. Is anu batch file available already configured for the plotter to run? I don’t receive any mnea signals on it. I copy the poets into the open cpn section to no avail. Any guide to do it?

[@Gomendio]

Poets equals to ports. Sorry about that. 😅

[@SpookieNZL]

Excellent Video. Any Chance you can show how to add APRS, MarineTraffic etc into this? And if possible on a Raspberry Pi? Thanks

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Great suggestion!

[@SpookieNZL]

@@TechMindsOfficial Any Chance of a Video showing how to get going on a Raspberry Pi? And adding like MarineTraffic, APRS etc? I tried on PC and no luck. As others can’t seem to get plugins to work. Be much appreciated Thanks 👍😊

[@TEKKKNO]

Or if it possible to use usb microphone connecting to android phone receiving ais signals from vhf radio tuned to ais frequency 🤔

[@itsgranthere]

Great program but I am having trouble getting the plugins to load, I assume the command to call the plugins is included in the start.bat file? I have placed the command line before calling for the program, it says it has loaded the plugins but they do not show on the web portal. Anyone have any ideas/solutions ??

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Create a folder within the same folder as AIS Catcher, copy the plugins from the github to that folder. Then, within the start.bat file just add "-N PLUGIN_DIR plugins" to the end of the line but without the " quotes. Let me know if that works for you.

[@georgef7754]

@@TechMindsOfficial Didnt appear to work for me. I created the sub-folder plugins and copied all the the plugins from Github to it. Added -N PLUGIN_DIR plugins to the bat file and ran. Command window shows Server: adding plugin (a line for each plugin). When I open the webpage and click on the spanner in the top right corner (list installed plugins) nothing is listed. I also cant see the "extra details icon) for each vessel.

[@jvde-github8400]

Thank you for the great video discussing the project and the clear instructions! I am happy to help with any issues, ideally via raising an issue on the Github project page or sending me an email (email should also be on the project page). Thanks! Jasper

[@joszandstra2044]

Today I managed to install AIS-catcher on my Raspberry Pi 4 and it works a charm. Now I would like to have the software run without a terminal window open so as a service. I did see a script mentioned but that does not show (or I didn't find it) how to make it run as a service. I am a complete noob on Linux but hope someone could point me in the right direction for creating a script for this

[@TonyLing]

What is channel 2 paired with?

[@TEKKKNO]

If it's possible to use vhf radio to receive ais signals then import it via mobile phone as audio then decode it

[@Oreomeister]

The first company that lets me do ADSB and AIS on the same raspberry pi, on the same map and turn them on/off as layers gets my business. (SDRangel, love ya, but you're a bit...wonky).

[@MarkPentler]

This seems to be the holy grail everyone wants

[@TechMindsOfficial]

I’m sure there is mention of ADSB integration in the GitHub. Maybe they will add it. Although it can’t be that hard to take sources from ais and adsb and show on the same map. Wish I lived nearer the coast or a marina then I would develop something myself.

[@m0zeh]

could you show how to add all the plugins please?

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Create a folder within the same folder as AIS Catcher, copy the plugins from the github to that folder. Then, within the start.bat file just add "-N PLUGIN_DIR plugins" to the end of the line but without the " quotes. Let me know if that works for you.

[@m0zeh]

@@TechMindsOfficial I've already got -N 8000. So can I have two -N? And should the folder be named plugin_dir plugins? I'm not at the pc at the moment but will try again this evening.

[@georgef7754]

@@m0zeh I am also struggling with this. I dont want to mislead you but have a look at @GrantS comment and the replies.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Folder called plugins and yes to two -N