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From: Capt_Douglas (no email)
Date: Fri Jul 01 2005 - 11:31:15 EDT
--- In , "jim_both" <jimthom at o dot dot dot > wrote:
> I was thinking of buying an AIS receiver which are now available for
> $US 200 (NASA brand). Does anybody know how effective these are?
> They are compatible with some PC based Navigation Software.
>
> Jim
Jim -
I've got lots of experience with AIS and recommend the system with
certain conditions. I am a bit confused about the USD 200 price
though. As I understand it, AIS is a transmitter and receiver unit
that provides vessel information to other AIS-configured vessels.
GPS, vessel, crew, and cargo data is transmitted to help vessels
determine courses of action. This requires a transmitter. In a
receive-only mode, other vessels are blind to you. I have no idea as
to the size and construction of your vessel but I'd want to have other
vessels see me on radar, AIS, ARPA, visually, and any other form so as
to avoid problems.
Transas and VNS Admiral both have plotting features for displaying
data on the screen. Most AIS receivers have displays that can tell you
the course and speed info, leaving you to do the plot. I believe these
black-boxes are about USD 1000. The AIS data overlay makes recognizing
vessels and determining courses of action a bit easier. However, AIS
is still new and not all vessels are required or will be required to
have it. Therein lies the problem.
Finally, as much as I've used AIS, I'd put my money into a radar and
one of those new active radar transponders. I get far more info and a
better confort factor with radar. And if I found enough change under
the sofa cushions I'd definitely get ARPA. ARPA has shown me to be far
more effective than AIS at avoiding the "pucker factor".
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