AIS Contributor Network

Expand Global Coverage.
Earn Rewards.

Host an AIS receiver at your location and feed vessel data to ShipTracker. In return, earn Pro access, monthly credits, and API calls — proportional to your contribution.

Register Your Station How It Works
How It Works
Four steps to start contributing
You don't need to install any software from us. Most AIS hobbyists already have a decoder that can forward data to a TCP endpoint. Just point it at ours.
01

Get a receiver

An RTL-SDR USB dongle ($25), a VHF antenna ($20-50), and a Raspberry Pi or PC. Total investment: about $80. Or use a dedicated AIS receiver like dAISy ($65).

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02

Configure your decoder

Point your existing AIS decoder (rtl-ais, AIS Dispatcher, or OpenCPN) to feed.shiptracker.seatospace.com:5321

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03

We verify your data

Once we detect valid AIS data from your station, we activate it on our network. You'll see your coverage area light up on the map within minutes.

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04

Earn rewards

Your account is upgraded automatically. Earn free Pro or Enterprise access, monthly credits redeemable for cash, and API calls — all based on your data volume.

Contributor Tiers
The more you contribute, the more you earn
Rewards scale with your station's output. A receiver near a busy port earns significantly more than one on a quiet coastline — but both are valuable to the network.
Casual
Free Pro $15/mo value
Share AIS data from any source
  • Track 50 vessels
  • 90-day track history
  • Email alerts
  • CSV data export
  • Basic station dashboard
Dedicated
Pro + $5/month credits
Own receiver, 100+ unique vessels/day
  • Everything in Casual
  • 1,000 API calls/day
  • $5/month in credits
  • Detailed station analytics
  • Priority enrichment for your area
Premium
Enterprise $199/mo value
500+ vessels/day, strategic location
  • Full Enterprise access
  • 10,000 API calls/day
  • $50/month in credits
  • Full API access
  • Featured on contributor map
Business
All + Listing
Company station with 95%+ uptime
  • Everything in Premium
  • Company logo on nearby vessel pages
  • Company profile on nearby port pages
  • Guaranteed visibility in your coverage area
  • Lead tracking dashboard
Hardware Guide
What you need to get started
Three options depending on your budget and technical comfort level. All options work with free, open-source software.

Budget Setup

~$80
  • RTL-SDR USB dongle — $25
  • VHF marine antenna — $20-50
  • Raspberry Pi 4 — $35
  • Software: rtl-ais (free, open source)
  • SD card + power supply — $15

Dedicated Receiver

~$120
  • dAISy AIS receiver — $65
  • or Quark-elec QK-A026 — $120
  • VHF marine antenna — $20-50
  • Any PC or Raspberry Pi
  • Software: AIS Dispatcher (free)

Already Have AIS?

$0
  • Use your existing AIS setup
  • Just add our endpoint as an output
  • Works with any NMEA forwarder
  • AIS Dispatcher, OpenCPN, kplex
  • Takes 2 minutes to configure
Coverage Needed
Where stations are needed most
Red zones have poor AIS coverage. If you live near one of these areas, your contribution is especially valuable. But we accept stations everywhere — redundancy improves data quality.
Setup Instructions
Configure your decoder in 2 minutes
Choose your software below. The first NMEA sentence you send should contain your station API key (you'll get this after registering your station).

The lightest option. Runs headless on a Raspberry Pi. Install rtl-ais from GitHub, then run:

# Install rtl-ais
git clone https://github.com/dgiardini/rtl-ais
cd rtl-ais && make

# Run with ShipTracker as the output destination
./rtl_ais -h feed.shiptracker.seatospace.com -P 5321

# To run as a background service (systemd):
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rtl-ais.service
# [Service]
# ExecStart=/home/pi/rtl-ais/rtl_ais -h feed.shiptracker.seatospace.com -P 5321
# Restart=always

sudo systemctl enable rtl-ais && sudo systemctl start rtl-ais

Your station API key is sent automatically when the connection opens. Set it via environment variable: SHIPTRACKER_KEY=your-key-here

AIS Dispatcher is a free GUI application for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It supports multiple simultaneous outputs.

1. Open AIS Dispatcher
2. Go to Settings → Outputs
3. Click "Add Output"
4. Select: TCP Client

Host: feed.shiptracker.seatospace.com
Port: 5321

5. In the "Identifier" field, enter your Station API Key
6. Click "Save" and "Connect"
7. Status should show "Connected" within seconds

Download AIS Dispatcher free from aishub.net/ais-dispatcher

OpenCPN is a popular open-source chart plotter. You can add ShipTracker as an additional data output alongside your normal chart display.

1. Open OpenCPN
2. Go to Options → Connections
3. Click "Add Connection"
4. Set:

Type: Network
Protocol: TCP
Address: feed.shiptracker.seatospace.com
Port: 5321
I/O: Output Only

5. Click "OK" to save
6. Connection should activate immediately

Download OpenCPN free from opencpn.org

Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about contributing
Do I need to live near the coast?

Yes. AIS is a VHF radio signal with a range of approximately 40-60 nautical miles depending on antenna height and terrain. You need a clear line of sight to a shipping lane, port, or anchorage area. Higher antenna placement dramatically increases range — a rooftop antenna on a coastal hill can cover 80+ nautical miles.

What if my area is already covered by other stations?

We accept all stations regardless of existing coverage. Multiple stations receiving the same vessel from different angles improves position accuracy and reduces data gaps. Redundancy is a feature, not a problem. You will still earn full rewards based on your unique vessel count.

How much can I earn?

It depends on your location. A station near a busy container port like Singapore or Rotterdam might hear 500+ unique vessels per day, qualifying for Premium tier ($199/month in features + $50/month in credits). A station on a quieter coastline might hear 50-100 vessels, earning Dedicated tier (Pro access + $5/month in credits). Even a Casual contribution earns free Pro access worth $15/month.

Is my data shared with third parties?

Your data is used exclusively within the ShipTracker platform to improve vessel coverage for all users. We do not resell raw contributor data to third parties. Aggregated statistics (like total vessel counts per region) may appear in public analytics, but individual station data is never exposed.

Can I use the same receiver to feed multiple platforms?

Yes. Tools like AIS Dispatcher and kplex support multiple simultaneous outputs. You can feed ShipTracker, MarineTraffic, AISHub, and any other platform at the same time from a single receiver. There is no exclusivity requirement.

What internet bandwidth does it require?

Very little. A typical AIS station generates about 50-200 KB per hour of data — less than loading a single web page. Any broadband or even mobile tethering connection is sufficient. The receiver needs to be online 24/7 for consistent coverage, but the bandwidth impact is negligible.

Ready to contribute?

Register your ShipTracker account, then create a station from your dashboard. You'll receive your station API key immediately and can start feeding data within minutes.

Create Free Account

Already have an account? Manage Your Stations. Questions? faisal@vsg-labs.com