Design and implementation of a prototype with a low-cost SDR platform for the next generation of maritime communications

Abstract

In the last years, the increasing amount of maritime traffic has compromised the security of the AIS (Automatic Identification System). The use of two 25 KHz channels is not enough for the global amount of ships at seas. With the purpose of reinforcing the AIS, the VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) has been proposed in 2013. This system adds the AIS and four additional services, with challenges in modulation schemes, channel bandwidths and bit rates. The adoption of this new system implies a hardware challenge, because the VDES equipment could be more expensive than current commercial AIS transceivers. The SDR (Software-Defined Radio) technology is a versatile technology which could reduce the cost of the next generation of maritime communications equipment. In this paper, a prototype for the AIS and VDES is implemented on a low-cost SDR platform. Additionally, an RF circuit for filtering and amplifier in transmission and reception has been designed to improve the SDR performance.