Receiver guide
This is a receive-only hobby setup. It is not navigation equipment.
1 Choose hardware
Use a Raspberry Pi or Linux host with an RTL-SDR, AirSpy, HackRF, SDRPlay, SoapySDR-compatible device, or a dedicated dAISy receiver. Connect a marine-band VHF antenna tuned near 162 MHz. Mounting height and a clear path to the water determine practical range.
2 Install AIS-catcher
Follow the package or source-build instructions for your host. AIS-catcher decodes both AIS channels and emits NMEA messages.
3 Verify reception
List the detected hardware, then run the receiver and confirm that complete AIVDM or AIVDO sentences appear.
AIS-catcher -l
AIS-catcher -v 104 Multiplex the feed
AIS-catcher accepts repeated UDP outputs, so one receiver can feed Open AIS and other services. For mixed serial, TCP, and UDP inputs, use a dedicated NMEA multiplexer such as kplex.
AIS-catcher -u <open-ais-host> <port> -u <other-host> <port>5 Send to Open AIS
Create a station in your Open AIS account and use its assigned host and UDP port. Keep the default NMEA output format.
AIS-catcher -u <assigned-host> <assigned-port>Check local radio-reception and data-sharing rules. Do not use this setup for navigation or safety of life.