K2NCC’s Guide to AIS (using SDR# and the RTL-SDR dongle)

[SCPD]

K2NCC’s Guide to: Monitoring and Reporting Automatic Identification System (AIS) Equipped Ships

PDF, direct link
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/42020338/K2NCCGuide2AIS_v1.0.pdf

 

[hawkeye32]

Oh wow thats cool I didnt even know I could use my RTL dongle for this, thought it was just for aircraft only, just out of curiosty will the DPD antenna work with this or no?

 

[SCPD]

... will the DPD antenna work with this or no?

I don't know, I've never used the stock mini-whip antenna that came with the dongle. I would think it would rely mostly upon how well a signal you can copy with it. Almost certainly your distance will be shortened, so hopefully you live right on the water!

If you like this, check out my YOUTUBE page for recent samples of other cool things you can do with a $20 "toy"!

https://www.youtube.com/user/k2nccvids/videos

Right now I'm tracking planes via VDL2...

 

[mikewazowski]

Thread moved to Marine forum since this has little to do with airplane monitoring.

 

[SCPD]

LOL! No doubt, huh?! So many acronyms to keep track of... ACARS, HFDL, VDL, ADS, AIS, APRS, GMDSS, NAVTEX, RTL, SDR... etc.


Thanks for the QSY.

f

 

[RKG]

Just so you know:

Class A AIS broadcasts on 10 watts, usually with an antenna mounted no higher than the wheelhouse.

Class B AIS broadcasts on only 2 watts, often with antenna mounted on stern rail.

Not a lot of range.

 

[SCPD]

I'm amazed I hear as much as I do on AIS. East of Portland to the Coast. 3-foot discone, 230 elevation. Hills in the distance all around me. 60+ miles is a regular. Good clearing around me which I'm sure helps. I speculate "knife edge" on some of those hills.