GPS2UDP(1) GPSD Documentation GPS2UDP(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

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

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

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

**gps2udp** -h

**gps2udp** -V

# [DESCRIPTION](#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](#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](#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)](/man/os/gpsd/gps.1) man page

# [EXAMPLES](#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](#RETURN_VALUES)

**0**

on success.

**1**

on failure

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

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

# [RESOURCES](#RESOURCES)

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

# [COPYING](#COPYING)

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

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Fulup Ar Foll

2026-08-30 GPSD Version 3.27.5

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Document: gps2udp(1) from gpsd 3.27.5-r4 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://gitlab.com/gpsd/gpsd