Inexpensive AIS Receiver

[Sailor Sailor]

If you are willing to spend a bit more, I recommend the ICOM IC-M94D, a handheld VHF radio AIS receiver with Class H DSC. It is about $300 and presents the ideal ditch bag VHF for your liferaft. For a high quality handheld you keep in the cockpit, it is very useful for high traffic areas. It transmits with 6 watts, has float n flash, MOB distress signal function, and other features. The battery seems to last a long time. My only complaint is the alarm goes off too frequently.

The benefits for you would be obviating the need for a separate AIS antenna and the ability to take it with you wherever you go. My fixed VHF radio is ICOM also.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yeah, but it does insure that you can avoid them especially at night or in poor visibility

And allows you to see at long range what is over the horizon.

The AIS Receiver also has a CPA alarm which is nice if you are napping offshore

You can also see their MMSI Number

Certainly, better than nothing.

But "better than nothing" isn't as better as it could be.

Actually not trying to talk the OP into anything; just wondering why he's interested in receive only.

-Chris

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

Certainly, better than nothing.

But "better than nothing" isn't as better as it could be.

Actually not trying to talk the OP into anything; just wondering why he's interested in receive only.

-Chris

An AIS transceiver is much more expensive, you need a second antenna for good TX/RX, and many companies want you to pay a tech to install which adds more to the cost.

Plus I'm sure there are other things that I simply don't know about as far as installation since I don't have one yet.

Also since most sailors rarely venture more than 100 miles from home you really don't need a transceiver

As far as the install of an AIS Receiver that is pretty simple and can be a big assent especially here when nearing and crossing the shipping channels since you can see their speed and check their heading which helps on our northern channel

Also when exiting the bay you can see how busy it is ship wise before you even get out to the bridge tunnel area

https://charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12222.shtml

[requiem]

I would always suggest a transceiver if the budget permits, but "better than nothing" is still a significant improvement, particularly in confined waters where the initial responsibility is on the small boat to not impede.

Why? Because absent AIS (or radar) about all the small boat sailor can confidently determine in a reasonable time is if a CBDR condition exists. Estimates of TCPA can be wildly inaccurate, although experience can help a small amount. (Yes, you can factor in whether the ship is halfway to the horizon, or hull-down on the horizon, etc, or even use the mil-dots on your binoculars, but you don't know if they're making 8 knots or 13 and that's going to mess up any DST calculations.)

Open ocean and poor visibility make a much stronger argument for transmitting; hearing the nearby foghorn of a container ship in zero visibility doesn't exactly calm the nerves.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by thomm225

An AIS transceiver is much more expensive, you need a second antenna for good TX/RX, and many companies want you to pay a tech to install which adds more to the cost.

Plus I'm sure there are other things that I simply don't know about as far as installation since I don't have one yet.

Also since most sailors rarely venture more than 100 miles from home you really don't need a transceiver

As far as the install of an AIS Receiver that is pretty simple and can be a big assent especially here when nearing and crossing the shipping channels since you can see their speed and check their heading which helps on our northern channel

Also when exiting the bay you can see how busy it is ship wise before you even get out to the bridge tunnel area

https://charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12222.shtml

Objection.

Transceivers are not expensive at all these days. They are super easy to install. Plug in power, plug in the GPS puck and plug in a VHF antenna. Done.
No need for specialist installs. If someone wants to impose that on you I strongly suggest to go to a different supplier.

If you want to use a separate VHF antenna for it do not install it to low. VHF transmits normally line of sight.

Alternatively there are units which have a built in antenna splitter which allows you to share the use an existing VHF antenna with an existing VHF radio installation.

Distance from shore has nothing to do with AIS usefulness. Especially at night or in fog and close to shore is a huge gain in safety.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Objection.

Transceivers are not expensive at all these days. They are super easy to install. Plug in power, plug in the GPS puck and plug in a VHF antenna. Done.
No need for specialist installs. If someone wants to impose that on you I strongly suggest to go to a different supplier.

If you want to use a separate VHF antenna for it do not install it to low. VHF transmits normally line of sight.

Alternatively there are units which have a built in antenna splitter which allows you to share the use an existing VHF antenna with an existing VHF radio installation.

Distance from shore has nothing to do with AIS usefulness. Especially at night or in fog and close to shore is a huge gain in safety.

Yeah my antenna is on the mast head.

The point about distance from shore has to do with the your boat's crew not AIS Transponder usefulness.

When you sail say under 60 miles per day you are pretty much alert the whole time so having an AIS Receiver will work fine for you as you will be at anchor at the end of the day, but if you are further offshore where you may sleep at times a transponder would be better so the ships and other boats can see you

I was an IFF Transponder Tech as well as a PAR and ASR Radar Tech as part of a deployable Air Traffic Control Unit in the Marines for quite a few years so I know a bit about the technical end also.

I kept seeing ads like this one that say you need an FCC tech to program all units sold in the USA.

https://www.hodgesmarine.com/ves010-...SABEgJOvfD_BwE

**As the FCC requires all units sold in the US to be programmed by a qualified technician. Please submit the form below for programming at the time of purchase. A copy of the MMSI Registration or FCC Ship Station License is required along with the vessel master or owner's signature on the completed programming form. **


Is everyone doing this at the time of purchase here? If so, I still need to get an MMSI and set up my VHF/DSC etc.

I did find an AIS Transceiver for $494 still a lot more expensive that receive only.
When I do get a transponder I guess I'll have two AIS Receivers and one AIS Transmitter.....

[goboatingnow]

Fully agree

[BMD21]

I use AIS receive only through the boats VHF receiver. I do not expect a big boat to change course for me; I try to stay out of their way. Common sense and has worked for years.


Not arguing on getting an AIS transponder, but those biggies are in a lane/channel and not too free to maneuver. They transmit, I receive; works well. Assuming they will change course is suicide.


Boris

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by BMD21

I use AIS receive only through the boats VHF receiver. I do not expect a big boat to change course for me; I try to stay out of their way. Common sense and has worked for years.


Not arguing on getting an AIS transponder, but those biggies are in a lane/channel and not too free to maneuver. They transmit, I receive; works well. Assuming they will change course is suicide.


Boris

Approaching Naples one night I was delighted to see four tankers giving me sea room would never consider receive only these days. Waste of money

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Approaching Naples one night I was delighted to see four tankers giving me sea room would never consider receive only these days. Waste of money

Most tankers have radar and can easily see you with it.

With an AIS Receiver you can also see them sometimes as far as 30 miles out which gives you lots of time to avoid.

Not a waste of money at all as you are getting valuable information for your $150 or so spent

Also as I said. for most folks AIS Receive is all you will ever need.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Most tankers have radar and can easily see you with it.

With an AIS Receiver you can also see them sometimes as far as 30 miles out which gives you lots of time to avoid.

Not a waste of money at all as you are getting valuable information for your $150 or so spent

Also as I said. for most folks AIS Receive is all you will ever need.

Nope most ships can’t really detect yachts and ais telk them exactly who and what you are.

Ding try and tell me air isn’t good to breathe thanks ais transmit is brilliant safety advance

If you can afford it it’s the best

[SVTatia]

It amazes me the amount of opinionated members that must press their view, regardless of the question asked.

Good Seamanship always dictate that YOU are responsible for the safety of your vessel. For hundreds of years we did everything to stay away from ships.

Meanwhile, out of 25 responses, how many addressed the OP request about the equipment and its price??

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Nope most ships can’t really detect yachts and ais telk them exactly who and what you are.

Ding try and tell me air isn’t good to breathe thanks ais transmit is brilliant safety advance

If you can afford it it’s the best

What?

I have been contacted or my sailing buddy near me on his boat by ships several times after they saw us on radar........

As far as affording it, most anyone can come up with $500 for an AIS Transponder. Point is though is it needed?

An AIS Receiver which many of us already have as a part of our VHF is about all that is needed for most folks

Also most of us don't depend on ships seeing us as has been stated here several times.

This seems very strange to rely on the ship to see and avoid you while you are oblivious to what is going on around you.

[goboatingnow]

It’s not the issue. the issue is transmit AIS is a great aid to safety , it’s demonstrably so. It’s not for a debate at this stage.

Hence a responsible boat owner , IF they can afford a solution should feel obligated to best equip their boat to the highest safety Level they can AFFORD

of course money dictates fitment you can sail a derilect or a yacht with all the trimmings but again if you can afford it behoves the responsible owner to fit the best and most appropriate equipment and that without doubt is transmit AIS over receive only

The functional/technical debate is over long ago. Now it’s just money

[Tranquil42]

Doesn't Navionics include an AIS receiver in the software?