Getting Started¶
AIS-catcher turns an inexpensive SDR dongle into a complete AIS receiving station, set up and run entirely from the browser. From plugging in the hardware to ships on the map takes six steps — no configuration files, no command-line options.
Only the first two steps happen on this page: connect your hardware and press Start Installation. Everything from step 3 onward continues in the browser.
Your Station in Six Steps¶
Connect the hardware
Plug the SDR dongle into your computer and connect the AIS antenna
Install AIS-catcher
Install and start the program
Open the dashboard
Browse to your receiver on port 8118, e.g. http://raspberrypi.local:8118, and set a password
Run the setup wizard
Pick your input device, optionally enable output feeds, save and start
Optional: install AIS-catcher-control
A separate tool for Raspberry Pi, Ubuntu and Debian to manage the AIS-catcher program from the browser: start and stop the service, and update with one click
Join the community
Register your station at aiscatcher.org to track your station's performance and contribute to the global feed
For a complete guided walk-through, see the Quick Start on aiscatcher.org.
Prefer the Command Line?¶
Managed mode is the default, not the only way to run AIS-catcher. Started with command-line options, AIS-catcher behaves as a classic command-line tool and does exactly what you type — see Manual Mode.