Can't figure out how to enable GPS location sharing on Rpi install

[jclima]

I have a vanilla install of AIS-Catcher as described in https://docs.aiscatcher.org/installation/raspberrypi/. It successfully captures AIS information and forwards to different aggregators with the following config:

AIS-catcher configuration

-F
-M DT
-p 1
-gr TUNER 42 RTLAGC off
-s 1536k
-a 192k

Web interface with GPS location sharing

-N 8100 share_loc on use_gps on own_mmsi 368392890
#-t gpsd localhost 2947
-v

If I uncomment the -t line, AISCatcher fails to start with the following error:

Sep 03 00:56:03 theoffice AIS-catcher[13326]: Decoding model and input format not consistent.
Sep 03 00:56:03 theoffice systemd[t]: ais-catcher.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=255/EXCEPTION
Sep 03 00:56:03 theoffice systemd[1]: ais-catcher.service: Failed with result 'exit-code.

I verified I configured gpsd correctly (at least for other uses). I get correct location in SignalK or via command line "cgps -s localhost:2947"

If I run "AIS-catcher -t gpsd localhost 2947 -N 8100 share_loc on" it works as well so I imagine there is something in the way the startup scripts are setup with the GUI that it will not let me start with that option in config.cmd. I'm new to AISCatcher so I can't tell if it is ordering, format, or anything else.

[jvde-github]

It seems your total configuration is:

-F
-M DT
-p 1
-gr TUNER 42 RTLAGC off
-s 1536k
-a 192k
-N 8100 share_loc on use_gps on own_mmsi 368392890
-t gpsd localhost 2947

I had to test myself to understand what the issue is. And this indeed does not work. Can you check if adding -d:0 before -F will resolve the issue and the program uses both the RTL-SDR and the GPSD connection?

This will tell AIS-catcher to run with the first connected SDR and all parameters following will apply to that (-F -p -s -a -gr). After that you define -t and a second device is created and any definitions/parameters that will follow from then on will apply to the 2nd device. Note: -N is not a device setting so is not specific to a single device.

The reason why without the -t it worked and the RTL-SDR is used for decoding is that AIS-catcher notices that you haven't provided the device to run (with -d -t etc) and AIS-catcher decides to pick a connected SDR.

If you add -t, then it will see one device being defined explicitly and apply all the settings to that device, it does not include the SDR anymore. As these parameters (-F) do not work for -t it will fail.

Sorry, is a bit complex but also not a standard scenario.

[jclima]

well, adding the -d:0 created this new error:
Sep 03 14:21:30 theoffice AIS-catcher[107669]: Searching for device with SN 00000001.
Sep 03 14:21:30 theoffice bash[107669]: usb_claim_interface error -6
Sep 03 14:21:30 theoffice AIS-catcher[107669]: RTLSDR: cannot open device.

BUT..... removing the -F made everything work, so I will take this as a win. Thanks a ton. Saved me hours of tinkering.

--JC

[jvde-github]

I probably misunderstood your set up but glad that it works.