---
name: "gps2udp"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "gpsd"
version: "3.27.5-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/gps2udp"
---

# gps2udp(1)

feed the take from gpsd to one or more aggregation sites

## NAME

gps2udp - feed the take from gpsd to one or more aggregation sites

## SYNOPSIS

**gps2udp** \[OPTIONS\] \[server\[:port\[:device\]\]\]

**gps2udp** -h

**gps2udp** -V

## DESCRIPTION

**gps2udp** is a tool to connect to **gpsd** and output the received sentences to one or many UDP host:port destinations. This makes the program useful for feeding AIS information from **gpsd** to aishub, marinetraffic, shipfinder,...

**gps2udp** does not require root privileges, but can run as root.  It can be run concurrently with other tools connecting to the local **gpsd** without causing problems.

The output will consist of one or both of NMEA (**-n** option) or JSON (**-j** option) **gpsd** sentences. The output is sent to one or many destinations host through a UDP network socket (**-u HOST:PORT** options) .

Optionally a server, TCP/IP port number and remote device can be given. If omitted, **gps2udp** connects to localhost on the default port (2947) and watches all devices opened by **gpsd**.

**gps2udp** may be run as a daemon (**-b** option).

**gps2udp** is designed to run smoothly in background; it reconnects automatically to **gpsd** whenever it is restarted. For debugging purporses, there is an option to exit gracefully after a given count of packets (**-c** option).

## OPTIONS

- **-?**, **-h**, **--help**

  \-Print a usage message and exit.

- **-a**, **--ais**

  Send only AIS messages.

- **-b**, **--daemon**

  Causes **gps2udp** to run as a daemon.

- **-c COUNT**, **--count COUNT**

  Exit after COUNT sentences are sent.

- **-d LVL**, **--debug LVL**

  Set debug level to LVL. LVL = 0 prints nothing. LVL = 1 prints sent packet on stdout. LVL = 2 prints ignored packets.

- **-j**, **--json**

  Causes JSON sentences to be output.

- **-n**, **--nmea**

  Causes NMEA sentences to be output.

- **-t**, **--tpv**

  Only output TPV sentences. Implies --json.

- **-u HOST:PORT**, **--udp HOST:PORT**

  UDP destination for output sentences (up to five destinations).

- **-v**, **-V**, **--version**

  Prints the program version, then exit. -v is deprecated December 2020.

## ARGUMENTS

By default, clients collect data from the local **gpsd** daemon running on localhost, using the default GPSD port 2947. The optional argument to any client may override this behavior: **\[server\[:port\[:device\]\]\]**

For further explanation, and examples, see the **ARGUMENTS** section in the [**gps**(1)](/gps/1.md) man page

## EXAMPLES

With a running **gpsd** accessible on the network this will collect data from localhost:gpsd display them on stdout and send a copy to test aishub in NMEA format.

```
gps2udp -d 1 -n -u data.aishub.net:2222
```

This will collect data from a remote **gpsd** located on fridu.net host, will filter AIS messages and send them to 3 destinations (aishub, marinetraffic, shipfinder) in NMEA format, while running in background mode

```
gps2udp -a -n -b -u data.aishub.net:2222 -u 5.9.207.224:5321 \
   -u 109.200.19.151:4001 fridu.net:2947
```

## RETURN VALUES

**0**

on success.

**1**

on failure

## SEE ALSO

[**gpsd**(8)](/gpsd/8.md), [**gps**(1)](/gps/1.md)

## RESOURCES

**Project web site:**  \<https://gpsd.io/\>

## COPYING

This file is Copyright 2013 by the GPSD project\
 SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-clause

## AUTHOR

Fulup Ar Foll