I run a DePIN station from home that contributes data to four decentralized physical infrastructure networks simultaneously. Here’s the setup and what I learned along the way.
The hardware
- MGW310 base station — triple-band GNSS antenna running GEODNET and Wingbits
- Raspberry Pi — running MastChain (maritime AIS) and soon Onocoy (GNSS RTK corrections)
- UM980 USB dongle — multi-constellation GNSS receiver for Onocoy
- AllBand+ survey antenna — L1/L2/L5 with 38dB LNA gain
Why DePIN?
Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks flip the traditional model. Instead of one company building and owning all the hardware, individuals run nodes and earn tokens for contributing real-world data. It’s infrastructure by the people, for the people — and it pays.
The networks
GEODNET
Centimeter-level GNSS corrections. My MGW310 provides base station data that improves GPS accuracy for agriculture, surveying, and autonomous vehicles. One of the most established DePIN projects.
Wingbits
Flight tracking via ADS-B. The same MGW310 antenna picks up aircraft transponder signals and contributes to a decentralized alternative to FlightRadar24.
MastChain
Maritime AIS tracking. A simple USB dongle on a Raspberry Pi receives ship positions, contributing to a decentralized maritime data network.
Onocoy
GNSS RTK correction data. The newest addition — a dedicated UM980 receiver feeding raw satellite observation data for precise positioning applications.
Lessons learned
- Don’t share antennas between networks unless you know what you’re doing. Signal splitters add loss and complexity. Independent antennas are worth the cost.
- A Raspberry Pi can handle more than you think. Running MastChain AIS processing and an NTRIP caster simultaneously — the CPU barely notices.
- Cable quality matters at GNSS frequencies. Cheap coax will eat your signal. The included 5m TNC-to-SMA cable from GNSS.store is properly spec’d.
- Mounting is everything. Clear sky view, solid mount, weather protection. Spend the time to do it right the first time.