Inexpensive AIS Receiver

[Sailor Sailor]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

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

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

Recreational boaters equip their boats in compliance with existing laws and requirements, and as they see fit given the practicalities of their use. Smart boaters spend as little as possible, not as much as they can afford. They also realize there are unethical individuals who care nothing about their experiences as boaters, but just want to sell more unnecessary shizzle to them.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by thomm225

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.

We've had an AIS transceiver installed in two boats now. Seller/installer did the programming, no significant extra charge, just included in overall installation labor.

I'd imagine seller would program if buying a unit for a self-install. Hodges could maybe answer that question for you (I think their wording suggests they do the programming once you supply the info). Or maybe one of your local electronics installers could speak to it...

-Chris

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

Recreational boaters equip their boats in compliance with existing laws and requirements, and as they see fit given the practicalities of their use. Smart boaters spend as little as possible, not as much as they can afford. They also realize there are unethical individuals who care nothing about their experiences as boaters, but just want to sell more unnecessary shizzle to them.

As I said the debate over transmit ais is long over you either can afford or you can’t it’s not about debating the rights and wrongs of fitting if. It’s a genuine addition to boat safety , the legislation perspective isn’t relevancy anyway

Transmit ais brings genuine safety. Advantageous everyone excepts that’s after that it’s a simple matter if you can afford to Fit it

[Pizzazz]

There was a time a few years ago when we all had VHF/AIS receive and discussed at length how useful it was. These days are over. Today, AIS transmit is as desirable as a compass on any boat. It is a great safety feature, reduces the workload, allows other to track you (i.e. when arriving at a new marina), etc. Even if you are offshore you can have satellites track you. Most people who have upgraded from receive only to transmit would never go back. Listen to those people. What else would you spend $500 with a higher priority?

[requiem]

Originally Posted by Tranquil42

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

You need hardware to receive the signal first, in order for the software to be able to do anything with it.

[seadago]

AIS trasncievers are expensive, to buy and configure. When I outfitted Nausikaa I had a choice. Fit a radar or fit an AIS transciever. Couldn´t afford both. I chose the radar. Best choice I ever made. Now I have a radar and an IAS receiver as a function of my VHF radio, plus a second inexpensive AIS receiver with it´s own antenna as a backup. The Radar shows me everything dense: ships, boats, lobster pods, fishing nets, rainy squalls, even (happened once just outside Vigo in NW Spain) semi-submerged drifting containers. True, other AIS-enabled vessels don´t see me. But that is only relevant if I assume they are actually looking and have their proximity alarms set. Dangerous assumptions! Insofar as I see THEM, I take appropriate action, irrespective of what they do. I am alway looking and MY alarm is always set.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

There was a time a few years ago when we all had VHF/AIS receive and discussed at length how useful it was. These days are over. Today, AIS transmit is as desirable as a compass on any boat. It is a great safety feature, reduces the workload, allows other to track you (i.e. when arriving at a new marina), etc. Even if you are offshore you can have satellites track you. Most people who have upgraded from receive only to transmit would never go back. Listen to those people. What else would you spend $500 with a higher priority?

Actually most sailors don't need AIS at all (receive or transmit) or a chart plotter for that matter.

I used charts, compass, and an old GPS for the first 9 years on the boat I have now the Bristol 27. Less than that on all my other boats.

I mainly got a VHF w/AIS and GPS for a fun Raspberry Pi project.

It was a fun project for me since I'm an old electronics/computer tech that has been stuck as a manager of techs for the last 28 years.

I mainly use my AIS receive now to track ships for when I cross or am about to cross the shipping channels and to see how far away ships are when I head up the bay a bit where it starts to narrow some.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Actually most sailors don't need AIS at all (receive or transmit) or a chart plotter for that matter.



I used charts, compass, and an old GPS for the first 9 years on the boat I have now the Bristol 27. Less than that on all my other boats.



I mainly got a VHF w/AIS and GPS for a fun Raspberry Pi project.



It was a fun project for me since I'm an old electronics/computer tech that has been stuck as a manager of techs for the last 28 years.



I mainly use my AIS receive now to track ships for when I cross or am about to cross the shipping channels and to see how far away ships are when I head up the bay a bit where it starts to narrow some.

Yes buts , it’s a zero sum argument. Equally given a fair wind you could sail across the Atlantic in a plastic bathtub. We’re not in a dangerous sport in the main.

Hence the futility of such arguments about the precise specifics. I’m sure many have littke use hardly ever meet crossing traffic egress others may have dense traffic.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

We've had an AIS transceiver installed in two boats now. Seller/installer did the programming, no significant extra charge, just included in overall installation labor.

I'd imagine seller would program if buying a unit for a self-install. Hodges could maybe answer that question for you (I think their wording suggests they do the programming once you supply the info). Or maybe one of your local electronics installers could speak to it...

-Chris

Yeah I misread it.

Noticed that it was simply programming the unit before you received it . Had nothing to do with an install.

Noticed that yesterday when someone pointed out you didn't need a tech for install. No rule saying you did.

So now before I do overnight cruises on the outside I'll get and install an AIS transponder but that may be a few years away or sooner if I just need another project.

Right now though the priorities are a new mainsail and new rigging then AIS Transponder.

First overnighter on the outside I may do is to Round the Outer Banks coming back North say in June or July 2025 or 2026 with a nice Southerly breeze.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Yes buts , it’s a zero sum argument. Equally given a fair wind you could sail across the Atlantic in a plastic bathtub. We’re not in a dangerous sport in the main.

Hence the futility of such arguments about the precise specifics. I’m sure many have littke use hardly ever meet crossing traffic egress others may have dense traffic.

Like I said most sailors simply don't need an AIS Transponder.......but an AIS install does make for a fun project.....especially for some of us old electronics techs.

Even more so if you use a Raspberry Pi Computer

[chris mac]

In regards to receiver vs transceiver.
Everyone mentions it in relation to commercial traffic, and that is a very important aspect. However it is also very useful with other cruisers, especially on the icw. Being able to track oncoming vessels in low visibility areas, call other vessels by name and for them to do the same, for passing in tight quarters or hazards along the way.
It is also quite useful for those of us that go to other countries to see if any friends are on island or in the anchorage. If you mark a boat as a buddy/friend it will display in another color. With ours they display as yellow vs the green of other boats, and automatically displays the name.
As for price and install. We bought the em-trac at the boat show. From memory it was around $500. I installed and programed it myself. It was pretty simple and customer service was wonderful for the small problems I did have. It has run flawlessly for 3 years now

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by chris mac

In regards to receiver vs transceiver.
Everyone mentions it in relation to commercial traffic, and that is a very important aspect. However it is also very useful with other cruisers, especially on the icw. Being able to track oncoming vessels in low visibility areas, call other vessels by name and for them to do the same, for passing in tight quarters or hazards along the way.
It is also quite useful for those of us that go to other countries to see if any friends are on island or in the anchorage. If you mark a boat as a buddy/friend it will display in another color. With ours they display as yellow vs the green of other boats, and automatically displays the name.
As for price and install. We bought the em-trac at the boat show. From memory it was around $500. I installed and programed it myself. It was pretty simple and customer service was wonderful for the small problems I did have. It has run flawlessly for 3 years now

Sure anyone out doing "real" distance cruising would want an AIS Transponder but most sailors aren't out doing that.

Even I plan to get a transponder and install it before leaving to head South starting with Oriental, NC when I retire but for now AIS receive is fine and actually I don't even need that but it does make it easier to see where the ships are as I am approaching the shipping channels.

Sometimes the tankers and container ship can "hide" behind the bridge and then suddenly pop out coming over the tunnel at speeds in the low teens so going below to check the AIS Receiver info is very nice to have.

Picture is of me testing my nearly installed AIS Receive through raspberry pi at the dock with old monitor. I have gotten 148 targets on there before from Little Creek and surrounding area.

Ship is headed in probably to destination Norfolk

[Franziska]

Guys & girls, sail in an area with a lot of fog and traffic.

You learn very quickly about the advantages of a transceiver over a receiver.

Radar is likely better but also costs much more.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Guys & girls, sail in an area with a lot of fog and traffic.

You learn very quickly about the advantages of a transceiver over a receiver.

Radar is likely better but also costs much more.

Yep but most that sail don't sail in those conditions.

So I'd guess around 95% of all those that sail can do so without any AIS.

Of the 50 plus years I've been on the water on my own boats, this is the first one with any instruments at all!

This is my first with a VHF radio for example.

And I've had AIS Receive for only 2 years now.

But then again I was usually inside 20 miles of the coast on my other boats.

No more than 15-16 miles offshore racing on my beach cats.

We used land marks to guide on or if another boat was leading his sail if he appeared to know where he was going.

[Pizzazz]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yep but most that sail don't sail in those conditions.

So I'd guess around 95% of all those that sail can do so without any AIS.

Of the 50 plus years I've been on the water on my own boats, this is the first one with any instruments at all!

Your boat, your choice but you are missing the point. AIS Transmit shows your boat's name to everyone around you. They can track you, watch out for you and contact you if need be. It makes the boating experience so much easier and safer for everyone.

I understand that you are confident in your abilities, that you would never be distracted, asleep or busy doing something else. But people fail and AIS Transmit allows both vessels to be actively engaged in collision avoidance.

Here in the med, more than half of the boats have AIS Transmit and it is just fantastic. I would say, it is even more useful than radar (although I like the additional safety of radar). I would encourage everyone to transmit.

MV Ithaka