ais reciever advice please

beerbelly · 27 February 2019, 06:24

hi first run out last weekend and an hour in the fog dropped on us to the extent I couldn't see the bow of the rib from the helm .luckily it was eerily flat calm. but to get back to the slip I had to rely on the nav which wasn't too much of an issue as its where I boat regularly and know where any hazards are. but I had to cross the entrance to the river Tees a very busy shipping channel (which was an arse nipping few mins ) . I know some will say I should have a radar reflector but I would prefer to see where ships are and just avoid them. so can I get an add on to my nav to give me an idea where ais equipped ships are around me . I have a Lowrance elite 5 any recommendations apreciated

boristhebold · 27 February 2019, 08:12

Depends upon what inputs your gps/plotter will take, various makes of AIS black box type of equipement out there, you may also need additional connectivity in terms of antanee feeds etc.

Also various types of AIS out there, listen only or listen and transmit capability, class A and class B etc.

do some searching on google and have a read of the various types and products available.

I hate fog even with a decent chart plotter its so easy to be several metres out of position and if your navigating close inshore or in a channel that can be an issue, then there are people who drive their boats at speed in fog with no lights and no horn...grrrrr, and plotters are too slow to react which makes things worse, getting an additional more active electronic heading compass can help a bit also. Fog is always best avoided in my opinion.

Last Tango · 27 February 2019, 10:05

Been through this, caught in fog a lot more often than foul weather and now on my third AIS so a couple of don'ts....

Matsutec......Not waterproof, lasted about two months.

Nasa............Can be made waterproof but steams up inside and very difficult to read even when it's not steamed up.

I'm now using an Icom MT500 TR that seems pretty good at the minute (transceiver) output is nmea0183 that's linked to a Garmin but it has it's own display that's much better for collision avoidance than the "clutter" on the plotter's screen. Aerial.....https://www.scoutantenne.com/en/category/ais_antennas/
better range than any VHF aerial I've encountered and not expensive although what's close is of more interest than what's 30 miles away.

andrewjparish · 27 February 2019, 10:57

I have an ais receiver built into my icom m506 vhs - has its own small screen and talks to my chart plotter via nmea 2000 or nmea0183 works well so far. As an alternative to a receiver there are some websites that relay ais information. I guess there is a bit of lag but better than nothing in the fog. Google marinetraffic

beerbelly · 27 February 2019, 19:50

thanks for the input folks some useful tips and brand names thanks more research needed I think

breezeblock · 27 February 2019, 20:00

I use the digital yacht ais it transmits across n2k to the plotter and the radio it works quite well as the targets show up on the plotter so it makes it dead easy to work out where and who they are

Pikey Dave · 27 February 2019, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerbelly

thanks for the input folks some useful tips and brand names thanks more research needed I think

IF it was me, I’d go the extra mile & fit a transponder. It’s nearly the same amount of work.
You increase your margin of safety, in theory. Hopefully the other guy will be trying to avoid you as hard as you’re trying to dodge him. If people only fitted receivers, who would they receive [emoji848]? Apart from commercial vessels over 300gt that is.
As an aside, afaik, it’s a legal requirement to fit a radar reflector if practicable.

Tim M · 27 February 2019, 20:49

Cheapest and easiest (and probably the most reliable) AIS receiver on a RIB would be a VHF with built in AIS. Plug and play installation - will give you a list and graphical indication of AIS targets on the built in screen (both class A and B) along with closest points of approach etc etc along with target names, MMSIs etc if you need to call them up:

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/mar...th-ais-and-gps

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/mar...h-ais-receiver

GuyC · 28 February 2019, 07:08

I haven't used them yet but these seem quite good. They sell transponders but I'd agree with PD that fitting a transponder is probably a good way to go.

https://www.em-trak-uk.com/

jafman · 24 January 2020, 11:08

Hi Guys if you need some information regarding the em trak my company has all the detials. I dont mean to jump in here but they also have a new range the B900 series which is replacing the B300 and B100 series. Link for the information below:

water resistant AIS, shockproof AIS - EM Trak B900 Series

I would say that I beleive these to be one of the best class B AIS's for the smaller class vessels because of there spec's

regards

Jodey

Bushrider · 24 January 2020, 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by jafman

Hi Guys if you need some information regarding the em trak my company has all the detials. I dont mean to jump in here but they also have a new range the B900 series which is replacing the B300 and B100 series. Link for the information below:

water resistant AIS, shockproof AIS - EM Trak B900 Series

I would say that I beleive these to be one of the best class B AIS's for the smaller class vessels because of there spec's

Moreover - its class B+ - SOTDMA with new technology of transmitting and 5W instead of 2W .
Consider one but did not buy yet .

GuyC · 24 January 2020, 18:44

If the new B900 series is set to replace the 'old' B300 series, it may be worth waiting a while and buying a B350, for example, when they are discounted. At the moment the B350 and the B951 are the same price and they appear to be a similar specification.

mikehhogg · 24 January 2020, 20:50

I personally wouldn't put my faith in AIS as its only required on vessels over 300tonnes and for a variety of reasons may be switched off. If you cant see you shouldn't be out there.Ok we can all get caught out once.

nocando · 24 January 2020, 21:20

Wouldn't have a boat without AIS having had it. It is not a replacement for common sense ofcourse and should be used with that in mind.

Bushrider · 25 January 2020, 03:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikehhogg

If you cant see you shouldn't be out there

Why do you think it's only for situations with low visibility ?
Last channel crossing - sun & steel blue sky - I got a fishing net in my prop - just in a traffic separating zone and was drifting helpless .
My first view was on the plotter checking which vessel is on collision course .
The other option is that your wife always know in which pub you are in case you need help [emoji848][emoji16]

GuyC · 25 January 2020, 08:04

When crossing the channel or any other busy commercial seaway, AIS is useful to seeing what traffic is about particularly at night. As nocando has mentioned, you do need to apply common sense as a vessel on a collision course with you but 30 miles away is probably not a priority.

With the price of AIS coming down, more and more leisure users are fitting it.

The 300 GT threshold is only for international voyages. Fishing boats operating in the EU over 15m are required to have AIS as well. In the neck of the woods I frequent, even the small fishing boats have AIS.

Linked in with a chart plotter, it is a very useful tool.

Brian · 25 January 2020, 08:10

mikehogg,
I would not put BLIND faith in AIS, but....it adds tremendously to your boating experience.
It tells you the name of the vessel, its speed and direction, ports of call, wether you are on a collision course, time to impending collision, etc etc.
When making long passages at sea it takes the edge of boredom- and I get bored very easily!
It, of course, does not tell you about vessels you dont see, but does tell you about ships you can see, with your eyes and ones you cant, either over the horizon, due to bad weather, or at night electronically.
A lot of value in that.
If you can afford AIS, get it.

Pete7 · 25 January 2020, 09:47

I would second what Brian has said

. For £360 you can have an AIS transponder, receiving and giving your position.

We have had a receive only AIS for 12 years on the yacht and it has been very useful. Now upgraded to an Em Trak B100 because at that price I consider it a useful tool for even coastal trips.

Pete

Pete7 · 25 January 2020, 09:48

I would second what Brian has said

. For £360 you can have an AIS transponder, receiving and giving your position.

We have had a receive only AIS for 12 years on the yacht and it has been very useful. Now upgraded to an Em Trak B100 because at that price I consider it a useful tool for even coastal trips.

Pete

beamishken · 25 January 2020, 15:05

I dont get the whole AIS thing if you have Radar. Apart from the novelty of knowing what ships names are surely Radar is a far better tool ais only shows you certain stuff but radar shows everything
Are people saying AIS is handy if you can't fit radar? given the choice surely radar would be first on the shopping list if installation is practical?