--- product_id: 456364731 title: "AIS Dongle, Blue" brand: "shipxplorer" price: "€ 65.76" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 category: "Ship Xplorer" url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/456364731-ais-dongle-blue store_origin: IE region: Ireland --- # Real-time tracking Dual-channel reception Plug & Play convenience AIS Dongle, Blue **Brand:** shipxplorer **Price:** € 65.76 **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > 🚒 Navigate the Future of Maritime Tech! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** AIS Dongle, Blue by shipxplorer - **How much does it cost?** € 65.76 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ie](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/456364731-ais-dongle-blue) ## Best For - shipxplorer enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted shipxplorer brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Hassle-Free Setup:** Plug & Play functionality means no additional software needed. - β€’ **Compact & Portable:** Lightweight design (only 23 grams) for easy transport. - β€’ **Global Connectivity:** Track ships worldwide in real-time with optimized range. - β€’ **Stay Ahead of the Wave:** Decode and display AIS transmissions effortlessly. - β€’ **Universal Compatibility:** Works seamlessly with laptops, PCs, and Raspberry Pi. ## Overview The AIS Dongle in Blue is a cutting-edge device that decodes and displays AIS transmissions with dual-channel reception on 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz. Its compact design and USB 2.0 connectivity make it compatible with a variety of devices, including laptops, PCs, and Raspberry Pi. Weighing just 23 grams, it’s optimized for maximum range and allows users to track ships worldwide in real-time without the need for additional software. ## Description The ShipXplorer AIS Dongle is a dual channel AIS USB Receiver dongle, which allows the reception of AIS messages directly to your devices laptop such as a Raspberry Pi or Laptop via USB Review: Works well with AIS catcher - Purchased in order to set up a receiver station to relay AIS to MarineTraffic.com. I was able to receive well using the matching ShipXplorer AIS antenna and running AIS catcher under Windows 10. Follow installation instructions for SDR sharp first and you will have all needed drivers in place. Once AIS catcher is working, install AIS Decoder to decode the messages and relay to your favorite ship tracker or openCPN. I did find that this dongle is nothing more than a standard SDR device, but is frequency corrected, so you should not need to use an -p offset in configurations. The most critical thing in setup is antenna placement. I needed to experiment with several locations before finding the right place. Mounting high, away from interference and as close as possible to target traffic areas is what worked best for me. Many class B AIS transponders are only 2 watts, and have a max range of 15 miles, and a more realistic range of 5-7 miles. Don’t expect placing an antenna 10-20 miles from traffic will get great results. When looking for a home for equipment, try local marinas, they might be happy to let you use their Wi-Fi and roof to get boats on the map. Lastly, I’m using Google Remote Desktop to manage the little laptop that hosts the AIS dongle. This allows me to leave the laptop on site as a receiver, but monitor and control it from my cell phone or any computer easily. Happy receiving! KE8QQG Review: Non functional - Device packaging makes false claims about easy setup, and does not call out that they only support Raspberry Pi devices. ## Features - Decodes and displays AIS transmissions. - Dual channel reception on 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz. - Compact design. USB 2.0 dongle - Optimized for maximum range - Track ships worldwide in real-time.Plug & Play. No additional software required. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B09Y61CM12 | | Best Sellers Rank | #559 in USB Computer Network Adapters | | Brand | ShipXplorer | | Built-In Media | USB AIS Receiver | | Color | Blue | | Compatible Devices | Desktop, Laptop | | Customer Reviews | 3.1 3.1 out of 5 stars (52) | | Data Link Protocol | USB | | Data Transfer Rate | 480 Megabits Per Second | | EU Spare Part Availability Duration | 2 Years | | Hardware Interface | USB 2.0 | | Item Weight | 23 Grams | | Manufacturer | ShipXplorer | | Minimum Required Operating System Version | Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa, Windows 10 | | UPC | 895758001283 | | Warranty Description | 1 Year | ## Product Details - **Brand:** ShipXplorer - **Color:** Blue - **Compatible Devices:** Desktop, Laptop - **Data Link Protocol:** USB - **Data Transfer Rate:** 480 Megabits Per Second - **EU Spare Part Availability Duration:** 2 Years - **Hardware Interface:** USB 2.0 - **Item Weight:** 23 Grams - **Minimum Required Operating System Version:** Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa, Windows 10 - **UPC:** 895758001283 ## Images ![AIS Dongle, Blue - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61EZ-p200PL.jpg) ![AIS Dongle, Blue - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61A+eCiyqmL.jpg) ![AIS Dongle, Blue - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61wTkuVilyL.jpg) ## Questions & Answers **Q: Does this dongle has a builtin lna and 162 mhz filter?** A: Yes ... loaded it up on my Raspberry Pi 4 along with PiAware and didn't have any problems working side-by-side. The antenna they sell for it is the same as the ADS-B antennas for some reason. Wavelength of 162Mhz is ~6ft. Wavelength of 1090Mhz is about 10 inches. The antenna is about 26 inches. For AIS that means it is about a 1/3 dipole and for ADS-B it is ~2.5 dipole ... Recommend getting antennas with better matches to 1, 1/2 or 1/4 dipole for best performance. **Q: Which antenna is required with the shipxplorer ais dongle?** A: Hello.I use a normal vhf antenna you can find cheap vhf antennas on ebay. Regards Janne ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Works well with AIS catcher *by P***T on August 10, 2022* Purchased in order to set up a receiver station to relay AIS to MarineTraffic.com. I was able to receive well using the matching ShipXplorer AIS antenna and running AIS catcher under Windows 10. Follow installation instructions for SDR sharp first and you will have all needed drivers in place. Once AIS catcher is working, install AIS Decoder to decode the messages and relay to your favorite ship tracker or openCPN. I did find that this dongle is nothing more than a standard SDR device, but is frequency corrected, so you should not need to use an -p offset in configurations. The most critical thing in setup is antenna placement. I needed to experiment with several locations before finding the right place. Mounting high, away from interference and as close as possible to target traffic areas is what worked best for me. Many class B AIS transponders are only 2 watts, and have a max range of 15 miles, and a more realistic range of 5-7 miles. Don’t expect placing an antenna 10-20 miles from traffic will get great results. When looking for a home for equipment, try local marinas, they might be happy to let you use their Wi-Fi and roof to get boats on the map. Lastly, I’m using Google Remote Desktop to manage the little laptop that hosts the AIS dongle. This allows me to leave the laptop on site as a receiver, but monitor and control it from my cell phone or any computer easily. Happy receiving! KE8QQG ### ⭐ Non functional *by D***N on June 22, 2024* Device packaging makes false claims about easy setup, and does not call out that they only support Raspberry Pi devices. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fast delivery, working fine *by B***. on October 13, 2025* arrived on schedule.. working fine up to now ## Frequently Bought Together - ShipXplorer AIS Dongle, Blue - ShipXplorer AIS 162 MHz Outdoor Antenna, White --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ie/products/456364731-ais-dongle-blue](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/456364731-ais-dongle-blue) --- *Product available on Desertcart Ireland* *Store origin: IE* *Last updated: 2026-04-26*