group purchase of A.I.S. receivers

[micoverde]

Some yachting friends and I have put together a group purchase of NASA marine (UK company) "automatic information system" receivers.

Basically these units pick up continual broadcasts from commercial shipping (via your VHF ant) and pass it along to your navigation software. There are several companies offering software to support AIS -- Nobeltec VNS 8.0 etc but software will be included with this unit as well as a power cord and serial interface cable.

We're shooting for a purchase price of around $200 per unit -- Nobeltec sells the exact unit in their online store for $330 currently.

Link to the manufacturer's site:

http://www.nasamarine.com/AIS/AISENGINE.html

More info about the A.I.S standard from USCG:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/enav/ais/default.htm

Anyone interested can send me an email: micoverde@gmail.com

[CaptainK]

That is really something micoverde.

Thanks for posting that up. I was actually thinking along the lines of some kind of equipment like this one.

Very cool.

Thanks!!!

[micoverde]

Here's a link to a screenshot of what it looks like when integrated with Nobeltec VNS (supported in new VNS 8.x):

http://www.milltechmarine.com/images/VNS.gif

PS -- I've read reports from friends in Aussie that the system seems to implemented fairly broadly there as well.

[CaptainK]

WOW!!!

I am impressed micoverde.

Looks like you've made yourself a friend here.

By the way. I have just started checking out your website. Very nice!!

I plan on checking your site out more this evening.

[Weyalan]

You can buy the NASA AIS engine on Ebay "Buy it Now" for 119 UK pounds, which is equivalent to US$207 or AUD$290

The site has a whole range of NASA gear for pretty cheap. I have purchased from them, and had absolutely no problems (I bought the NASA Clipper GPS repeater for 75 UK pounds, or US$131

If you are patient, you will probably be able to bid and win the AIS engine for less than the aforementioned price.

The site address is http://stores.ebay.com.au/Online-Mar...Q3amesstQQtZkm

[micoverde]

Update on the deal -- unit price for group-buy is now $180 (using an American manufacturer now):

Hello all -- this is the first update mail for the AIS receiver group buy.

The good news this week is that thanks to SY Secret O'Life tipping me
off we've now found an American manufacturer that offering us a
receiver (with the exact same features and specs) for a lower unit
price than we'd anticipated.

The new price per unit for this deal is $180. Shipping to the US will
run around $12 and a little more to Canada.

Product info page (SR161):

http://www.milltechmarine.com/SR161.htm

Caveats -- the Mill Tech unit doesn't currently ship with SeaClear
software or interface cable as the NASA unit did. Note that SeaClear
is freeware (http://www.sping.com/seaclear/) and the serial interface
cable wouldn't be that useful to most of us since we're swapping it
for a serial-to-usb adapter anyway.

We'll let this group-buy run a little longer this week and then send a
final email with payment details (via PayPal).

SY Mico Verde
www.micoverde.com

PS -- it's possible that if more orders come in this week we may be
able to move the price down a bit so forward this to any friends who
may be interested.

[B&BJoas]

Hey Warren,
Off topic, but have you heard any news about how Mico
is fairing with all the south Pacific cyclones? Brian

[micoverde]

She's doing great so far (touching wood while typing this). It was a tough decision to leave her in the cyclone belt as oppossed to heading to NZ. However, as we were heading back to the states we just didn't feel up to slugging it out twice back and forth to the North Island.

Vuda Point is a great little spot to keep a boat and the six month rates are extremely reasonable. We ultimately decided to keep Mico in the water (and be looked after) but the other popular option is to put the boat into a "graveyard hole" for storage.

[micoverde]

FYI -- this deal will be open through the end of next week.

[micoverde]

FYI -- this order is now closed.