Build a Decentralised AIS Ship Tracking Station on MastChain

Automatic Identification System (AIS) is used by ships worldwide to broadcast their position, speed, and identity. Traditionally, this data is collected and distributed by centralised providers.

MastChain introduces a decentralised alternative. It allows individuals to run their own AIS receiver stations and contribute live vessel tracking data to a distributed global network.

In this project, I’ll show how to build a fully working MastChain AIS station using a Raspberry Pi and MastControl, a simple installation script that automates setup and configuration.

This approach removes complexity and allows anyone to deploy a station in minutes.

🔧 Hardware Components

• Raspberry Pi 3 or 4
• RTL-SDR Blog V4 USB dongle
• AIS antenna (~162 MHz marine band)
• (Optional) uputronics filtered preamp
• 5V power supply or buck converter

🧩 System Overview

The station works by receiving AIS radio signals from nearby vessels, decoding them locally, and uploading processed data to MastChain.

Signal flow:
Antenna → SDR → Raspberry Pi → AIS decoding → MastChain network

MastControl automates the entire setup process, including installing the AIS receiver software and configuring data uploads.

⚙️ Installation Using MastControl

The easiest way to deploy a MastChain station is with MastControl.

Run this command on your Raspberry Pi:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mastchain/mastcontrol/refs/heads/main/mastcontrol.sh | sudo bash -s -- install

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mastchain/mastcontrol/refs/heads/main/mastcontrol.sh | sudo bash -s -- install

This script will:

• install AIS-catcher (MastRadar)
• configure your station
• set up automatic data uploads🔑 Enter Your Station Token

During installation, you will be prompted to enter your station credentials:

your_email:your_token

your_email:your_token

Where do you get this?

You need to create a MastChain account first:

👉 Go to: https://app.mastchain.io/

• Sign up / log in
• Go to your dashboard
• Generate your station token (USERPWD)

This token links your Raspberry Pi station to your MastChain account and allows it to securely upload AIS data.

⚠️ Important

• Keep your token private (do not share it publicly)
• Each station should use its own token
• If needed, you can regenerate a new token from the dashboard

✅ Check Station Status

sudo mastcontrol status

sudo mastcontrol status

This confirms your station is running correctly.

📡 View Live Data Uploads

sudo mastcontrol logs

sudo mastcontrol logs

You should see successful upload messages confirming your station is contributing data.

📡 Deployment Location

Coastal location is best but any shipping routes are providing AIS coverage of vessel traffic in surrounding waters.

Even modest antenna height can yield good results when positioned near active shipping routes.

📊 Results

Once deployed, the station:

• receives AIS signals from nearby vessels
• continuously uploads data to MastChain
• runs reliably with minimal maintenance

💰 Earning Rewards

By contributing AIS data, operators can earn MAST token rewards.

Rewards are based on:

• coverage quality (how useful your location is)
• uptime (keeping the station online consistently)
• data contribution consistency

Stations positioned in active shipping areas or locations with limited existing coverage tend to perform better.

🌍 Why This Matters

Decentralised infrastructure networks (DePIN) are expanding beyond traditional sectors.

MastChain applies this concept to maritime data by allowing individuals to contribute AIS coverage from independent stations.

This creates a network that is:

• more distributed
• more resilient
• less dependent on centralised providers

It also opens participation in maritime data infrastructure to a much wider community.