Funny that the conversation turned to RadarBox gear and AIS …
A couple of weeks ago I pulled my first ADS-B antenna out of a drawer to see if I could extract some value from it instead of it just collecting dust. It is a RadarBox branded mag-mount whip, specifications completely unknown, except for “1090 MHZ” on the packaging. I connected it to a RTL-SDR Blog v3 to see if I could pull in AIS. I had very low expectations, not just of the antenna but also my location being 6 meters above ground in an upstairs bedroom and multi-story buildings on three sides of me.
The end result was much better than I expected - 50-70 vessels tracked at any given time during the peak daylight hours and 20nm range in some directions. Considering the cost to me was nil (antenna, dongle and thin client computer already in hand) I have no complaints at all with what I am getting. My advice is you never know until you give it a try.
P.S. There are several AIS decoders out there but I have had great success and been impressed with AIS-catcher
