Want the Best, Cheapest Easiest AIS solution:-)

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

Having only one mast and limited real estate atop it I am fearful to ask where I should put the new antenna? :-)

MAybe change the point of attack. Does anyone have an AIS system they do not ? Something to stay away from. How important is it to transmit your own position. If you pick up a vessel that is a threat would you not phone and give your position? How important for safety in the open ocean is the transmit facility with Ais?

Well if everyone has receive only units.........

I've used both and the AIS transceiver wind hands down. To see large ships changing course over the visible horizon to avoid me , is just brilliant.

Dave

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

If you pick up a vessel that is a threat would you not phone and give your position?

oh...

[NorthPacific]

Jedi,

looking for justification for the added outlay for the transceiver!

Budget is tight. So getting the best, is not always an option. So sensible compromise is needed. Maybe a bosuns chair for the MRs!!

Still need life raft, emergency beacons, AIS. I have to remind myself that I have an old boat, with older gear, I will never have a 45-50 foot Ben-iria. All shiny and gleaming with state of the art new gear. However I will hopefully go cruising soon.

[engele]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

Jedi,

looking for justification for the added outlay for the transceiver!

Budget is tight. So getting the best, is not always an option. So sensible compromise is needed. Maybe a bosuns chair for the MRs!!

Still need life raft, emergency beacons, AIS. I have to remind myself that I have an old boat, with older gear, I will never have a 45-50 foot Ben-iria. All shiny and gleaming with state of the art new gear. However I will hopefully go cruising soon.

Like I mentioned, we love our Standard Horizon VHF. The AIS targets show up on your plotter with course, speed, MMSI, etc. setup takes about an hour.

If you want a deal on a one year old Zodiac life raft in a canister with a rail mount cradle, PM me. My wife and I are concluding our just over a year cruising trip and will no longer need it.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

Jedi,

looking for justification for the added outlay for the transceiver!

Budget is tight. So getting the best, is not always an option. So sensible compromise is needed. Maybe a bosuns chair for the MRs!!

Still need life raft, emergency beacons, AIS. I have to remind myself that I have an old boat, with older gear, I will never have a 45-50 foot Ben-iria. All shiny and gleaming with state of the art new gear. However I will hopefully go cruising soon.

Why are you thinking about AIS? Are you thinking about it as a collision avoidance tool or a toy? Why would you restrict it to 50% of what it's capable of doing? Collision avoidance requires multiple players, let the others know your position so they can participate!

[NorthPacific]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Why are you thinking about AIS? Are you thinking about it as a collision avoidance tool or a toy? Why would you restrict it to 50% of what it's capable of doing? Collision avoidance requires multiple players, let the others know your position so they can participate!

Don't be so condescending! How dare you speak to me in such fashion!

[galacticair]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

Don't be so condescending! How dare you speak to me in such fashion!

I agree, NorthPacific. There's a fair bit of anti receive-only AIS opinion on this forum...

I think AIS receive-only is a valid choice if budget/simplicity are a concern, especially when you have a whole suite of other gear to install. I had the same experience last year preparing a 20 year old boat for an ocean crossing. We had a ton of safety and other purchases/upgrades to do in a limited time, and chose a receive-only AIS for easy integration with our existing electronics (using splitter on 90ft masthead VHF). Despite no optimization of the antenna, we got great usable range in multiple busy shipping channels (English Channel, Kiel). Detection range over 10nm is hardly necessary for anti-collision in any case, unless you spend a lot of time sleeping with no one on watch...

Would the other ships have loved to see us on AIS? Definitely - but we had enough information to stay out of their way and were happy with that.

I do agree that receive-only AIS isn't as functional as transponder AIS, nor as friendly for other boats, but it does still help much reduce the stress of navigating a crowded area, or night time watchkeeping. Collision avoidance foremost is the responsibility of active watchkeeping by one's crew - if you keep crew eyes on deck 100% of the time, as you should, then receive-only AIS is an easy and sufficient tool, even if not the most full-featured solution. Invest first in EPIRBs, PLBs, and other mission critical safety gear if your resources are limited.

[Factor]

Yep, there is a bit of snobbery. Receive only is fine for short hop. or coastal work, even for passages, it supplements that most basic of safety processes, keeping a good lookout.

If you were wandering up and down the east coast of Australia for example, I would say it would do just fine.

[DotDun]

The value of the whole AIS system goes down every time a receive-only device is chosen over a transceiver.

Choosing a transceiver is showing consideration for others allowing them to keep a watch out for you. You are not alone out there.

AIS transceivers can be installed for <$500.

[engele]

Originally Posted by DotDun

The value of the whole AIS system goes down every time a receive-only device is chosen over a transceiver.

Choosing a transceiver is showing consideration for others allowing them to keep a watch out for you. You are not alone out there.

AIS transceivers can be installed for <$500.

Right,

I agree, but honestly small boats are not most boaters big worry. Our receive only AIS let's me know where the big boats are going 22 knots and allows me to call them at their bridge with DSC without hailing and praying they pick up on 16. Receive only solutions are a fraction of the cost on the low end and still let you know where the ships are.

I'd love a transceiver, but honestly I love our receive only VHF as well and the DSC bit is awesome because you don't need to type in the MMSI to call an AIS targets bridge. Even if we had a transceiver, I think I would still want our Matrix radio just for that capability.

For $300 you get a top class radio that happens to receive AIS signals and gives you a quick method of contacting the bridge on targets. Seems like a solid value to me. Especially if AIS isn't a priority for the purchaser (though the only people it wouldn't be a priority for are those who haven't used it yet).

Élan

[Triton318]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

So if I do not want to get run down by ships, on my way south what is the best cost effective way to go. Please.

Keep a good watch with your eyes and a pair of binoculars?

[Triton318]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Choosing a transceiver is showing consideration for others allowing them to keep a watch out for you. You are not alone out there.

I guess I'm just inconsiderate. If you want to avoid running into me out there, I guess you'll just have to be watching out for me with your eyes. But if you're not, that's okay, because I'll be keeping a watch out for you. With my eyes.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by engele

Especially if AIS isn't a priority for the purchaser (though the only people it wouldn't be a priority for are those who haven't used it yet).

Élan

And exactly the same can be said for a transponder. Once you get it you wonder why the h@eck you've been so stubborn all that time with receive-only

Like with everything, we need to learn using it, not just turn on and ignore.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by engele

Right,

I agree, but honestly small boats are not most boaters big worry. Our receive only AIS let's me know where the big boats are going 22 knots and allows me to call them at their bridge with DSC without hailing and praying they pick up on 16. Receive only solutions are a fraction of the cost on the low end and still let you know where the ships are.

I'd love a transceiver, but honestly I love our receive only VHF as well and the DSC bit is awesome because you don't need to type in the MMSI to call an AIS targets bridge. Even if we had a transceiver, I think I would still want our Matrix radio just for that capability.

For $300 you get a top class radio that happens to receive AIS signals and gives you a quick method of contacting the bridge on targets. Seems like a solid value to me. Especially if AIS isn't a priority for the purchaser (though the only people it wouldn't be a priority for are those who haven't used it yet).

Élan

1) I value not hitting any boat, large or small.

2) The feature you love, being able to hail the big guys easily, isn't needed if you have a transceiver, they already know all about you. I'm sure they have other tasks to tend to vs. talking to you via radio.

3) Yep, it costs $$ to play, but it's a whole lot cheaper than just a few years ago.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

Jedi,

looking for justification for the added outlay for the transceiver!

Budget is tight. So getting the best, is not always an option. So sensible compromise is needed. Maybe a bosuns chair for the MRs!!

Still need life raft, emergency beacons, AIS. I have to remind myself that I have an old boat, with older gear, I will never have a 45-50 foot Ben-iria. All shiny and gleaming with state of the art new gear. However I will hopefully go cruising soon.

The AIS receive side is the biggest bang for your buck in boat electronics. For a few hundred bucks you get a ton of way useful information. If I was cruising anywhere distant or locally in a congested area, I'd definitely put receive AIS way up the list. Until fairly recently the transmit side added a lot more cost. As the price of transmit has come down, it is starting to look much more reasonable for low-budget boat. You can get a full transceiver for US$475. So the call is certainly yours and your budget. Receive AIS on a small boat gives you the most value, with transmit giving additional safety. If you happen to be a single hander then I'd say transmit is much more important.