Any sea or navigable inland waters (canals, rivers, lakes) can be covered and shown on the MarineTraffic Live Map in real-time. If you are located near such a place (up to 10 miles from the water or even more if the altitude of your location is high enough) or near a place of special maritime interest (ports, harbors, marinas, canals) or on the top of a mountain, then you may start installing your own AIS-Receiving station!
The most important factors for efficient reception are the altitude (elevation difference from water-level – the higher the better) of your location and an obstacle-free, clear view of the horizon.
Additional prerequisites are the ability to install an external VHF antenna on the roof of your building or a vertical pole, the ability to connect the AIS device to the internet by using an Ethernet cable or wi-fi, and a constant power supply.
We are very keen to install AIS receivers in areas where no other stations exist. However, the installation of receivers in locations where a nearby station already exists would still be very useful in many cases since this could significantly improve the quality and the reliability of the collected AIS data in the subject area.