shiptrax ouptut?

[gleff]

Hi all,

I've been using the Radarbox for a while now and have written my own software utilising the text output on port 30003 in real time.  I'm just wondering if the new Shiptrax hardware will be able to output in text format (comma delimited fields) like it does on the Radarbox?

On a slightly different note, any further update when the hardware/software will be available?

Thanks
Geoff

[tarbat]

The ShipTrax hardware outputs industry standard AIVDM messages on port 10110(?), COM, and USB.  The ShipTrax software can also output the same format messages on port 40004.

A useful page about the standard AIS data format is at http://www.bosunsmate.org/ais/#data

Java classes at http://www.navicon.dk/AIS/

[gleff]

The ShipTrax hardware outputs industry standard AIVDM messages on port 10110(?), COM, and USB.  The ShipTrax software can also output the same format messages on port 40004.

A useful page about the standard AIS data format is at http://www.bosunsmate.org/ais/#data

Java classes at http://www.navicon.dk/AIS/

Thanks Tarbat.

What I don't understand is if the hardware is already decoding the messages for the software, why can't it be output in human readable form such as what is available on port 30003 for the Radarbox?

While I understand the merit of outputting industry standard output, It would be nice to have the decoded data available so we don't have to re-invent the wheel.. or perhaps have both.

[tarbat]

What I don't understand is if the hardware is already decoding the messages for the software, why can't it be output in human readable form such as what is available on port 30003 for the Radarbox?

The hardware does everything except the decoding.  It delivers AIVDM messages on it's output ports, and the ShipTrax software does the decoding of the various messages types to extract the relevant information.

While I understand the merit of outputting industry standard output, It would be nice to have the decoded data available so we don't have to re-invent the wheel.. or perhaps have both.

I guess it wasn't high on the list of priorities, since all AIS software typically uses the industry standard AIVDM messages.  Decoding these messages is quite straightforward - for a good example, see Neal Arundale's AIS Decoder - http://web.arundale.co.uk/docs/ais/ais_decoder.html

I guess it all depends what you want to do with the data?

[gleff]

Thanks Tarbat.. I'll have a look.  I guess my hope was that if the software is already decoding all the messages in order to display them,  then they can make it easily available. Having said that.. I'll work out how to do it myself if necessary ;)