Commodore 128 Turns into Marine Vessel Tracker

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime radio communications software used to permit completely different vessels to establish one another and talk their actions and different telemetry. You can readily view quite a lot of AIS trackers on-line. Alternatively, you could possibly construct your personal, and display the data on a retrocomputer from 40-plus years ago.

The idea is simple sufficient—it’s a Commodore 128 displaying vessel tracks from AIS information. The group behind AIS4CBM applied this with meeting code to obtain information over serial, parse and decode the AIS stories, and handle vessel information. Meanwhile, the entrance finish is coded in BASIC 8, which offers helpful graphic routines for plotting vessels on a map. There’s additionally a BASIC 7 textual content interface should you choose to view the vessel information that means.

It’s value noting that you would be able to’t simply run this on a barebones C128. AIS4CBM requires a 512 KiB REU RAM growth, in addition to 64 KiB VDC reminiscence. You additionally want a SwiftLink appropriate serial interface to get the info into the machine within the first place out of your AIS receiver or different supply. The undertaking web site notes that an Ultimate-II+ unit is a good way to satisfy most of those necessities with a single piece of {hardware}.

If you dig the undertaking, you’ll be able to try a reside stream from the C128 doing its factor beneath. We wouldn’t advocate a Commodore 128 should you’re a harbor grasp or in any other case commanding ships on the water. Still, it’s a enjoyable undertaking, and much like the NES that was set up to track planes with ADS-B data. Video after the break.

Thanks to [Stephen Walters] for the tip!