Anyone use AIS system?

http://www.siitech.net/VTSLite/AView.aspx

Yes, and it's brilliant!

Have a look at this:

http://www.ais-live.co.uk/AIS%20Live/aissolent.html

Anyone have it on a RIB.

Anyone have it on a RIB.

Brian does. See post #2 in this thread.

Yes.
And it is still brilliant!

Brian,
I'm now slightly intrigued.....

I took your offer to "crawl all over" the new RIB at he weekend at face value, and didn't spot any hint of an AIS receiver... does is interface with the Raymarine gear?

Richard
The AIS is a receive only unit that is fitted "out of the way".
It interfaces with the Raymarine plotter.
You see black triangles on your plotter representing ships transmitting AIS information (they are significantly diferent to other displayed items) and you then hover your cursor over the target and it displays basic info.
You can then press a softkey marked "Display full AIS info" and the whole caboodle comes up as an overlay. Depending on what they are transmitting (and it does depend on what they want to show) you see:
name of vessel
ports leaving and destination
cargo
speed and direction
tonnage
etc etc
AIS is received via a second arial so it depends how far you can reach with that arial.
The receive-only unit is remarkably cheap. Well worth the extra.

I have AIS fitte.

We have a full class b tarnsponder fitted to the boat. We use the AIT250 from MES. In our ickle office we have the Easy AIS and Easy Split from Echo Pilot.

We use the system for two main reasons:-

1, so the we can see and be seen by all the commercial vessels when we are out and around the Goodwin Sands or anywhere.

2, anyone in the office can see where the boat is and or track it at anytime ( we are normally never out of AIS range of the office.

Both are interfaced into a plotter both Standard Horizon. Have to say works really well and on the back of it a good number of locals have now and or are fitting it.

I know there is all this "big brother" stuff but IMHO its a great add on safety feature and getting cheaper all the time.

Cheers

Yup. Simrad AIS50. I seldom leave the Solent/IOW area and have a healthy distrust of some of the convenience flagged box carriers. Pity is that one doesn't know if there is anyone on the bridge looking at their own display!
It's a good bit of kit marred by a screen that is too small for my ageing eyes and is sometimes not quite bright enough. If there's anything better next year I will fit it on next boat.

Yup. Simrad AIS50. I seldom leave the Solent/IOW area and have a healthy distrust of some of the convenience flagged box carriers. Pity is that one doesn't know if there is anyone on the bridge looking at their own display!
It's a good bit of kit marred by a screen that is too small for my ageing eyes and is sometimes not quite bright enough. If there's anything better next year I will fit it on next boat.

As I understand it many large vessels don't have a user friendly display (radar style) for AIS information... so even if there is someone on the bridge he may not be getting the info you expect.

Don't a lot of the later Garmin chartplotters have AIS receive built in?


jky

Anybody using one of these which I have just found on MM:

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/gps-radar-plotters/ais-radar-detector690891.bhtml

Can't find much info about it but it looks like a good idea!

Its a pity that in common with most NASA gear, its not waterprrof and would be useless on an open RIB.
If it had been more than splashproof I would have had one myself.

Garmin, like most chartplotters these day's will take a feed from an AIS device and overlay that info on the chart. Garmin do not have AIS engines built in.

Anybody using one of these which I have just found on MM:

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/gps-radar-plotters/ais-radar-detector690891.bhtml

Can't find much info about it but it looks like a good idea!
Its a pity that in common with most NASA gear, its not waterprrof and would be useless on an open RIB.
If it had been more than splashproof I would have had one myself.
It's only the units in that style case that aren't waterproof (and it's a shame they aren't) - otherwise a useful unit. The yottie instruments are all waterproof though.

Garmin, like most chartplotters these day's will take a feed from an AIS device and overlay that info on the chart. Garmin do not have AIS engines built in.

Fair enough. I run Lowrance, so I was going on hearsay.

jky

an aid to safety; when crossing Biscay at night called up a boat on collision course to confirm he had seen us and would alter course

calling MMSI or by name as opposed to "ship on my starboard side lat ....."

AIS is great downside is ya can run but ya cant hide.
Did a delivery from Holland to south west scotland a few weeks back and had a series of phone calls, when we were in telephone range, from mates watching AIS on the internet from Holland and the uk.
"Cant you see the island in front of you? Youre gonna hit it --no we are just going into IOW for lunch!"
"Its cracking along well that boat isnt it we have you doing 26 knots - yep thats what we have on the plotter ta"
Why have you stopped, have you broken down, you havent moved for half an hour - we are having a relaxing brew and a civilized lunch thank you!"
And finally from a certain ribnet member " Hey you lazy *** you are still tied up in that marina and its 8am " - the reply is not printable esp after a 4.30 am start the previous day and a 10pm finish!

Is there such a beast similiar to the NASA stand alone unit but waterproof and suitable for mounting on an open console?

Is there such a beast similiar to the NASA stand alone unit but waterproof and suitable for mounting on an open console? Comar do one but I'm fairly sure it's not waterproof. However, they are quite expensive (like £600) so you may as well use a cheap chartplotter.

I saw another one recently, but don't recall manufacturer but guess it wouldn't be cheap either.

Don't forget, for AIS purposes you wouldn't need a full chart - you're only interested in what's around you.

I have two plotters fitted already, really looking for a stand alone small unit like the NASA that has its own display and is at a reasonable price.
I don't think the Lowrances I have will take an input from an AIS engine although I could be wrong?

I don't think the Lowrances I have will take an input from an AIS engine although I could be wrong? Yes, only the newer Lowrance models will do AIS.

The lowrance manuals are really pants, which ones will take an AIS input and what would I need to fit it?

The new Icom 505 with AIS looks interesting, anybody got more info on how it connects and whether it will display onto a lowrance LCX-27?
I would as cheap buying one of these and selling my almost new 505 than paying for a seperate unit plus it will take up no more room on the console.

Yes does look good from the out set but you have to remember to have the radio in "scan" for it to pick up the AIS info.
The radio has the two AIS channels programmed in. You tag the channels and then scan. If it is scanning it will pick up the info and output it.
This means if you are talking on the radio of picking up radio traffic you will not be getting AIS at that time.

So they do not work like a normal AIS unit and pick up the info all the time and output it.

This could be a failing and not give the results expected.

Good idea though.

So its a distinct operation to set it to scan rather than constantly scanning?
How do I find out if my plotter will accept and display the data? There is little or no information out there that can be found.....

yes has to be a concious act to make it work, not a background task.

You could try calling Simrad as they are now the lowrance people.

Most Garmin and Standard Horizin kit now have AIS overlay as standard.

I contacted navico today and they have confirmed Lowrance LCX plotters don't accept AIS input. There may be a product update next year to accomodate this but not at the moment, and no guarantees it will happen!
I have been looking at the various stand alone versions and only Furnuno and Simrad seems to be around that are waterproof and stand alone with screen.
They are both rather expensive, any other that anybody knows of?

They are both rather expensive, any other that anybody knows of?

Finally got around to wiring up my Garmin to an Easy AIS. Easy AIS was recommended to me by Garmin at the boat show rather than the NASA one due to quality and ease of setting up. After a bit of faffing around because Garmin and Easy AIS use different terminology for NEMA wires, it was plug and play. How sensitive is it, well with the range set at 0.5 miles the alarm goes off everytime the Gosport ferry crosses the harbour. What did suprise me is the number of small boats and yachts transmitting AIS.

How useful is it? well for a rib wandering around the Solent, it's only a "nice to have" and you won't want the alarm turned on or it will be constantly activating. However on the yacht for cross channel trips knowing were and how far away the big boys are is definately worth while.

Btw, had the chance to look at the NASA AIS at the boatshow. It's tiny, the screen is about the size of a fag packet (cigarettes for our colonial friends) black / white display and not waterproof according to there website.

Pete

I contacted navico today and they have confirmed Lowrance LCX plotters don't accept AIS input. There may be a product update next year to accomodate this but not at the moment, and no guarantees it will happen!
I have been looking at the various stand alone versions and only Furnuno and Simrad seems to be around that are waterproof and stand alone with screen.
They are both rather expensive, any other that anybody knows of?

As Jon has already said, since some of the units were developed, and AIS has become more available Navico have been buying up companies and now own Simrad as well as Lowrance. I'm convinced the update mentioned will be more of a 'Badge Engineering' solution.

What do you think Jon?

Nasher.