Can Normal VHF Pick Up AIS ?

[rodney_k]

Barnie,

Go here for instructions for several different radios: Discriminator Output There is also a list of discriminator ICs with the unfiltered audio pin number identified. Link here: http://www.discriminator.nl/ic/index.html

[ms100]

I am not sure if this can be useful:

Automatic Identification System (AIS) using GNU Radio
see
Fun With Electronics - Automatic Identification System (AIS) using GNU Radio and
GNU AIS - Automatic Identification System for Linux

[barnakiel]

Mr. Rodney and Mr. MS100 - THX!

barnie

[pendragon]

Discriminator.nl is a great site, but they mainly mention VHF scanners and only list a couple of marine radios.
To get hassle free and cheap AIS output from your Marine VHF radio, check out
Cheapest AIS RECEIVER SYSTEM for Yachts
For navigation and plotting live AIS data you can use OpenCPN , a free download.
You buy an old VHF and dedicate it only to AIS, this radio than can also be used as a backup.
That's my 5 cents, for what ever it's worth.

[fairbank56]

Originally Posted by pendragon

To get hassle free and cheap AIS output from your Marine VHF radio, check out
Cheapest AIS RECEIVER SYSTEM for Yachts

An audio filter is not required. You tap the signal before any audio filtering stages. As I said before, I do this with an Icom M502 and only use a resistor and capacitor for coupling and minimize loading. If that's their expensive "filter", then it's a rip-off.

Eric

[pendragon]

Here'e how to do it for virtually any ICOM radio

Find the IC named TA31136 -->pin 9 is the discriminator.
If you connect your earphones to pin 9 and earth, you will hear very faint background noise and some blips . The blips contain the AIS data.. Turn the volume down completely in order to hear these sounds.

Solder a 10K Ohm resistor 1/4W to Pin 9 and solder a wire to the other end of the resistor
Solder a wire to earth of radio
Connect both wires to the Mic-in of the laptop (Eart connects to earth!!) Check that sound comes out of your speakers
Tune the radio to either Ch87 or 88 international
Download software called AISMON 2.2 Set it up for use
Use openCpn v3 0r 4 (not the new versions!) for data output on screen

Very simple to do Good luck