Who uses AIS?

Discussion in 'OnBoard Electronics & Controls' started by cthippo, Oct 20, 2010.

  1. powerabout
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    powerabout Senior Member

    Too true, all tools on all the time.
    Yet the IMO says AIS "may be" used as a collision avoidance tool some time in the future...I'm still waiting
    I have made it a point to ask each company I have worked for their policy of use of AIS and they just repeat the IMO line.
    In the offshore game most have not intergrated it to the radar (the cost of the video cards for an IMO spec radar is huge and its not yet a requirement)
    There is no mandatory course with AIS in it either....it was all a bit rushed as I said before
    I do sail on plenty of yachts with it though so without radar is helps to ensure we get the f*** out of the way.
     
  2. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    Whom are you telling that?:cool:

    I am completely on the same track, hence my comment to prohibit the use of transceivers on vessels without commercially certified master/officer.

    As mentioned, these are just tools, no replacement for good seamanship. But the average boater unfortunately has NO good seamanship, and replaces knowledge by electrons (at least he believes so).


    Nowhere one is allowed to program a AIS unit. But the yachtie (or everyone else) can easily manage to feed the unit with faulty input (unintentional).

    And very common is false data the ships crew has to type in. Like destination etc. Not dangerous, and easy to recognize by a pro, but leading to misinterpretation by amateurs. Which boater knows Gioia Tauro?

    Regards
    Richard
     
  3. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    No no Mate, most AIS units ARE integrated in the radar information on commercial craft.
    A Furuno 21xx series Radar is about 25k$ (IMO up to 10.000 tonnes), it displays on every computer display via Ethernet! No extra cost.
    A AIS class A is less than 5k$, and that is required anyway. When both are the same brand, (or NMEA, Ethernet capable) they just must be connected (cable is included).

    So, on a merchant vessel or AHTS, you will almost always find the AIS info on the Radar screen.

    Regards
    Richard
     
  4. Milan
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    Milan Senior Member

    With a space based tracking, I think that biggest advantage for the small sailing boats offshore is that they become much better visible to the big ships. (Small yachts are often difficult to see on radar screens).

    A small sailing yacht with a minimal crew and often slow speed can’t always get out of the way in time.

    In the Netherlands, amateurs needs basic marine radio operator certificate, to be allowed to install AIS, (class B) .

    I heard that Rotterdam’s harbour might demand obligatory use of AIS for all vessels by the 2012.
     
  5. fairbank56
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    fairbank56 Junior Member

    I'm not at all sure of your point. Recreational boaters who are using class B transponders cannot enter voyage data. They can't feed the unit with faulty input because they have no input. The transponder has it's own internal GPS and external GPS antenna and it just sends position, COG, SOG and vessel information that has been programmed into it by the dealer or installer. It's the class A users like commercial ships that can screw things up because they CAN program the unit with faulty data. The primary function here is to show ship positions, speeds and headings. Who cares if it says they are moored when they are not, or if their destination/eta is incorrect.

    Eric
     
  6. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    Coming from the commercial Marine world I did not touch a class B unit by so far.
    So my comment was exclusively about Class A AIS, which I am familiar with.
    That can easily be "misinformed".

    Regards
    Richard
     
  7. Stumble
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    Stumble Senior Member

    Lets be clear a second...

    I have and use an AIS reciever on every one of my boats with an installed radar/chartplotter (3 so far). Just the reciever costs less than $500 installed and while not perfect is a nice ancillary system for radar and visual watchkeeping. Recently for instance instead of calling on the VHF vessel at X mark headed down river at Ykn please respond, I was able to simply say Vessel Name this is Paloma over...

    Worked great, allowed me to contact them easily, no problems.


    On the other hand AIS transponders are significantly more expensive and can cost thousands to install. I am considering one for a 60' powerboat, but not on my 26' fishing boat, for the simple expedient that there are situations where other people actually care about where the big boat is, but noone really does for a small highly manuverable boat.
     
  8. fairbank56
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    fairbank56 Junior Member

    There are class B transponders available for less than $500 and they are relatively easy to install.

    Eric
     
  9. Stumble
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    Stumble Senior Member

    Fairbank,

    The cheapest AIS Transponder I am aware of is the West Marine AIS 1000 at $500. Not including shipping or instalation cost, or registration costs if you intend to travel outside the waters of the US. So unless you are staying within 12 miles of the shore you are supposed to have one.

    Now compare that to a reciever only at around $200, plus a NMEA cord and while neither is expensive, the reciever only is a much cheaper and easier to obtain option.
     
  10. fairbank56
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    fairbank56 Junior Member

    Milltech Marine has one for $495. Installation is easy, but if you can't do it, then yes there will be installation costs. An FCC station license is only required if you travel to a foreign port or communicate with a foreign station, regardless if you have AIS or not.

    Eric
     
  11. powerabout
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    powerabout Senior Member

    Hi Apex
    I think only 21xx flat screen has the ethernet connection the 21xx crt needs the video board.
    I only really see the flats coming out last couple of years on asian built vessels so there's thousands without it.
    Cheers
     
  12. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    That was valid for the 21xx series of the past. My last one was a 2119, which had no E-net connection. The recent 2117 and higher have the Ethernet and NMEA 2000 connection in the black box, according to my Furuno dealer.
    When you go Navnet 3D, you have all the data available via Ethernet, that makes it quite cheap to choose a display. A real investment in the past.

    Regards
    Richard
     
  13. BTPost
    Joined: Dec 2009
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    BTPost Junior Member

    Well that is NOT entirely true. No FCC License is required, IF the vessel is a non-Commercial Vessel, HOWEVER, if it is a commercial Vessel then a Radio License IS REQUIRED, for any and ALL US Flagged vessels.
     
  14. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    But do not sail into foreign waters! Almost worldwide a radio license is required, even if you have just a handheld VHF on board. On any craft!

    Regards
    Richard
     

  15. powerabout
    Joined: Nov 2007
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    powerabout Senior Member

    anywhere they sell Cornflakes you can just cut a US license from the packet
     
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