AIS
- Thread starter jacko
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- Feb 19, 2006
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- 20280
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Cal....in my experience, there hasn't been a bit of lag. Two years ago, we were escorting Christmas ships across the shipping channel. One of the boats had an AIS while I used my laptop. My readings were more accurate than his, in that the site revealed the inbound ship before his did.
It's even better with the shipfinder app. we used last summer. I'd spend my money on an Ipad, which gives you other marine abilities vs. buying a one dimensional AIS.
It's even better with the shipfinder app. we used last summer. I'd spend my money on an Ipad, which gives you other marine abilities vs. buying a one dimensional AIS.
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Actually...it does give speed. You just click on the vessel icon and it will tell you everything about the ship and it's journey.
Your sniveling about breakfast money?
Say it isn't so!
(quote]Originally posted by TurboWarp
Looks like the raymarine 500 is not avialable for less than $1000.00 Has built in vhf and nema mutiplexers but that is still a lot of money.
[/quote]
Say it isn't so!
(quote]Originally posted by TurboWarp
Looks like the raymarine 500 is not avialable for less than $1000.00 Has built in vhf and nema mutiplexers but that is still a lot of money.
[/quote]
Think of it as radar if the other vessel is equipped with a transponder that can see around corners, in the dark, pea soup fog and over the horizon. It gives the vessels name, call letters, weight, speed and direction even the rate of turn in relation to your vessel. With my all Garmin NMEA2K system and the NMEA2K AIS transponder it is a simple click on the screen and the push of a button to hail the vessel even negotiate a working channel. I love the operation it is simple and effective I just wish more vessels had transponders on them.
Bill
Bill
Receiver only vs. transponder:
If the captain of that oil tanker or container ship sees your 35' boat in his path, will he alter course to avoid you?
I'm thinking once the harbor is filled with pleasure boats crisscrossing the shipping lanes and transmitting AIS data, he will turn the little boats off or ignore them.
I may buy the Standard Horizion VHF with the built in AIS receiver. That should do it for me. I figure it's my responsibility to stay out of the way of the bigger ships.
If the captain of that oil tanker or container ship sees your 35' boat in his path, will he alter course to avoid you?
I'm thinking once the harbor is filled with pleasure boats crisscrossing the shipping lanes and transmitting AIS data, he will turn the little boats off or ignore them.
I may buy the Standard Horizion VHF with the built in AIS receiver. That should do it for me. I figure it's my responsibility to stay out of the way of the bigger ships.
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Your sniveling about breakfast money?
Say it isn't so!
(quote]Originally posted by TurboWarp
Looks like the raymarine 500 is not avialable for less than $1000.00 Has built in vhf and nema mutiplexers but that is still a lot of money.
[/quote]
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It isn't so!
But, do I smell a new boat in the offing?
Your sniveling about breakfast money?
Say it isn't so!
(quote]Originally posted by TurboWarp
Looks like the raymarine 500 is not avialable for less than $1000.00 Has built in vhf and nema mutiplexers but that is still a lot of money.
[/quote]
--------------------------------------------
It isn't so!
But, do I smell a new boat in the offing?At least he'll know WHO he just ran down....
Actually he WILL avoid you if he can (not in a narrow channel or constrained by traffic). The paperwork involved is a lot more trouble than a minor course change.
But he's gotta see you first. You can't avoid what you can't see.
Actually he WILL avoid you if he can (not in a narrow channel or constrained by traffic). The paperwork involved is a lot more trouble than a minor course change.
But he's gotta see you first. You can't avoid what you can't see.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2003
- RO Number
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- 12,219
one concern i have about loading up your bridge with electronics is that it can be a fine line between being useful and a distraction.
on ships and larger boats, you will have more than one person on the bridge to stand watch, navigate and "drive" the boat. On a smaller boat like most of us run here, 95% of the time you will be alone at the helm doing all these tasks and the risk of becoming distracted becomes a serious issue.
when running in dense fog, looking outside the boat is absolutely critical and ecvery extra seconds with your eyes looking inside means more chances to run over something. typically, you already have to look at the radar, plotter, engine instruments, possibly the depth sounder, as well as pressing the horn button every two minutes, even if you have a hailer with automatic fog signal since that is not loud enough. you also need to monitor the VHF... Do i really want to read the name, heading and speed of traffic around me? I dont' think so. If i see a couple of fast large echoes coming at me or coming at a position ahead of me, I really dont' care to know the exact speed and heading... the name may sound useful to contact them but usually there is no need for that and obvious course change will tell that traffic that i have them in radar sight and taking action.
One radar feature which i find the most useful and a better alternative to AIS is Trails. I set them at 3 minutes which gives me a good idea of traffic speed (the longer the trail, the faster) as well as their heading. No distraction, just the basic info i need.
so, spending a few more $ for a better radar and also decent horns is a lot more important to me than AIS. how many boats have horns that can be heard even 1/4 mile away over the noise of engines? isn't that a lot more important? everytime i run in fog, i'm a lot more concerned about small boats than big commercial traffic.
Small boats (mostly sub 30 center console type) pose two serious dangers... first you have those driven at high speed in limited visibility and this is where having good horns are critical. That nut behind the wheel running 20kts in dense fog will not hear those little tiny car horns so many boats rely on... Second, you have guys anchored or drifting in small boats and even if you running at slow speed, in dense fog you don't have a lot of time to see them and change course... so while you are looking at the speed, course, name of that tanker 2 miles away, you may be missing that 18' CC right in front of you, especially if your radar is set a longer range...
AIS is great technology but like all, use it wisely and go for it once you have your bases covered with good radar on a separate display and good horns.
on ships and larger boats, you will have more than one person on the bridge to stand watch, navigate and "drive" the boat. On a smaller boat like most of us run here, 95% of the time you will be alone at the helm doing all these tasks and the risk of becoming distracted becomes a serious issue.
when running in dense fog, looking outside the boat is absolutely critical and ecvery extra seconds with your eyes looking inside means more chances to run over something. typically, you already have to look at the radar, plotter, engine instruments, possibly the depth sounder, as well as pressing the horn button every two minutes, even if you have a hailer with automatic fog signal since that is not loud enough. you also need to monitor the VHF... Do i really want to read the name, heading and speed of traffic around me? I dont' think so. If i see a couple of fast large echoes coming at me or coming at a position ahead of me, I really dont' care to know the exact speed and heading... the name may sound useful to contact them but usually there is no need for that and obvious course change will tell that traffic that i have them in radar sight and taking action.
One radar feature which i find the most useful and a better alternative to AIS is Trails. I set them at 3 minutes which gives me a good idea of traffic speed (the longer the trail, the faster) as well as their heading. No distraction, just the basic info i need.
so, spending a few more $ for a better radar and also decent horns is a lot more important to me than AIS. how many boats have horns that can be heard even 1/4 mile away over the noise of engines? isn't that a lot more important? everytime i run in fog, i'm a lot more concerned about small boats than big commercial traffic.
Small boats (mostly sub 30 center console type) pose two serious dangers... first you have those driven at high speed in limited visibility and this is where having good horns are critical. That nut behind the wheel running 20kts in dense fog will not hear those little tiny car horns so many boats rely on... Second, you have guys anchored or drifting in small boats and even if you running at slow speed, in dense fog you don't have a lot of time to see them and change course... so while you are looking at the speed, course, name of that tanker 2 miles away, you may be missing that 18' CC right in front of you, especially if your radar is set a longer range...
AIS is great technology but like all, use it wisely and go for it once you have your bases covered with good radar on a separate display and good horns.
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2006
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PDE. Finger the icon of the ship. The name of the ship should appear. Then hit the blue arrow key and that will open a new window, giving you the full info about the ship, including speed, destination, so forth. Also gives you pictures of the vessel.
HTH
-Greg
HTH
-Greg
Greg: That works on my laptop but on the phone it merely dives the ship name, the arrow opens a share with friends window???
I think I figured it out. The data window is only on the paid version, not the free one.
I think I figured it out. The data window is only on the paid version, not the free one.
Bruce,
I can confirm that military ships will not show up on AIS.
We once tried to do some test work with a Navy ship. Contacted their navigator to confirm that they had AIS and that it was always on. Did the test but failed to find the ship. After we got home we again called the ship's navigator who said "Sure it is always on - in receive only. We never transmit our location".
Mike
I can confirm that military ships will not show up on AIS.
We once tried to do some test work with a Navy ship. Contacted their navigator to confirm that they had AIS and that it was always on. Did the test but failed to find the ship. After we got home we again called the ship's navigator who said "Sure it is always on - in receive only. We never transmit our location".
Mike
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2003
- RO Number
- 11439
- Messages
- 704
Isn't this the point where Les would usually step in and give us a good sale on an AIS unit? Hint Hint
AIS doesn't load up the bridge with another display Pascal. It integrates with your chartplotter and VHF radio when properly wired and configured in a networked system. You can always turn it off if seeing little triangles (vessels) is too much for your brain to handle.
Bill
Bill
I am with Pascal on this one to a large degree. Even if it is integrated, it is another piece of information to process. I think it is a wonderful piece of technology and would be particularly useful on the inland rivers in the south and midwest where the is a of barge traffic not easily picked up by radar, and you are dependent on knowing where they are talking about when the announce position on the VHF. Though it is on "The List", it hasn't been very high and still isn't.
We have had to navigate solely on instruments a number of times, on the Atlantic ICW, SF Bay and Delta and Long Island Sound/RI/MA waters. Watching the radar, sounder and manning the VHF and blowing our big air horns (I have never used the hailer's function for reasons Pascal describes) is about all I can handle. A man's got to know his limitations. Having Ann out on the foredeck listening and looking is invaluable. I would hate to do it solo. This is defensive driving; it is amazing the number of people who just use their plotter, no radar and don't monitor or use the VHF. Frankly, I'd go out and buy AIS tomorrow if it tracked bass boats, skiffs, small express cruisers, etc. The big guys I see plenty well.
I am not discouraging anyone buying AIS, just make sure you can properly process the information you have now before you add more. And do not buy it if you are going to use it at the expense of learning to use your radar.
George
Hatteras 56 MY
Boston Whaler 130 Sport
We have had to navigate solely on instruments a number of times, on the Atlantic ICW, SF Bay and Delta and Long Island Sound/RI/MA waters. Watching the radar, sounder and manning the VHF and blowing our big air horns (I have never used the hailer's function for reasons Pascal describes) is about all I can handle. A man's got to know his limitations. Having Ann out on the foredeck listening and looking is invaluable. I would hate to do it solo. This is defensive driving; it is amazing the number of people who just use their plotter, no radar and don't monitor or use the VHF. Frankly, I'd go out and buy AIS tomorrow if it tracked bass boats, skiffs, small express cruisers, etc. The big guys I see plenty well.
I am not discouraging anyone buying AIS, just make sure you can properly process the information you have now before you add more. And do not buy it if you are going to use it at the expense of learning to use your radar.
George
Hatteras 56 MY
Boston Whaler 130 Sport