Advice needed on AIS

[smac999]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Hello all,

I don't have a chartplotter or other GPS other than cellphone

Where I cruise I cross a busy shipping lane that does get foggy. .

sounds like you need a radar...

[S/V Antares]

Don, Buy them separate or as a unit ....but get AIS. You will not regret it...it takes the terror out of high traffic shipping lanes. I have receive only and it works fine just knowing the ship name, course...etc. Mine was a free hand me down used unit but If I were buying today I would have a transponder.

[sy_gilana]

Consider no longer, get the Standard Horizon. You will love it.

[Snore]

I have had the GX2150 for over a year. Some thoughts.

The remote mike is nice, but in SFLA it has gotten waterlogged in a squall.

While recieving AIS is nice, "the plan" is to spend more time in the Bahamas; therefore I should have used the money for the AIS receiver towards purchasing the transceiver.

If you have plans of going outside the U.S., do NOT get the free MMSI, but instead get a station license. This license can be extended to your EPIRB or PLB, kind of ties all communication together.

The 2150 works great. Options on that including checking Madman Marine who makes a wifi link that can broadcast the AIS data to an iPad running a navigation app, or to a PC running opencpn.

Or, you can wire NMEA0183 to a serial plug, and then through a USB adapter into the laptop for a low budget chartplotter with AIS. Of course you will need the watts to power this

[barnakiel]

If fog is an issue at all (or if frequent rain is expected) and where shipping is regular, GET a transceiver.

If fog is not an issue and shipping is not too dense, get a receiver.

If cash is too tight to mention, sail safe. People sailed before AIS too!

We have a receiver and I am buying a transceiver next time we move.

b.

[CptLawrence]

my standard horizon gx2200 has a gps with waypoints no more than 30 miles. unless i read the manual wrong. i bought the smallest antenna for travelling convenience. ais is a little better than radar when the weather goes ugly and radar needs more amps and money

[colemj]

Originally Posted by CptLawrence

my standard horizon gx2200 has a gps with waypoints no more than 30 miles. unless i read the manual wrong. i bought the smallest antenna for travelling convenience. ais is a little better than radar when the weather goes ugly and radar needs more amps and money

I don't think I am understanding something correctly here. Your GPS doesn't come with waypoints - those you add yourself, and they can be at any distance you want.

You regularly travel with a fixed-mount radio? And its antenna? That must be a pain to install/uninstall constantly.

Mark

[CptLawrence]

the waypoints need to be entered. cig lighter plug and some velcro and its installed. only rigged it twice last year. wont be long before a wrist watch does it all and makes lunch

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by CptLawrence

the waypoints need to be entered. cig lighter plug and some velcro and its installed. only rigged it twice last year. wont be long before a wrist watch does it all and makes lunch

That sounds pretty strange to me for a standard horizon gx2200. And I'm assuming you got an antenna meant for a handheld radio?

How do you use this radio as a GPS? Why not a "real" GPS with nautical charts?

[DeepFrz]

Don, I think you are wise to go with the Watchmate Transponder. So many people on the forum have said they wished they had bought the transponder instead of the receiver.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Don, I think you are wise to go with the Watchmate Transponder. So many people on the forum have said they wished they had bought the transponder instead of the receiver.

+1

[roverhi]

My experience is ships will make exert every effort to avoid any small boat they see unless they are constrained by a channel or otherwise limited in maneuverability. It's realyy a big hassle for them if they run you down, tons of paperwork, etc.

Went for a send/receive unit because I want both the ships and me avoiding each other. Was nearly rundown by a ship that didn't see us off Santa Barbara.

[roland stockham]

If you do not have a chart plotter or use a computer on board I thing the screen on the radio may be a real problem. The extra size screen on the watchmate may be well worth it. If you want to save money and don't think you need the transponder the 750 is currently available for about the same price as the radio. I just ordered the 850 after the advice I got here.

[Don C L]

Wow, thanks all for the great feedback... I really WANT the watchmate, but can't spend over $1000 now for radio and watchmate. So my solution I think will be... door number 1! I'll get the radio/GPS combo and hold out (save up) for the watchmate and make myself a blip on someone else's screen, a screen someone is probably watching! Until then I'll just keep doing my usual; avoid the shipping lane in the fog and at night.

[Don C L]

Oh one more thing, is there an app to let others on shore see my position if I am running the transceiver?