Ais

Guys,
As part of my recent mini refit I purchased and fitted an AIS system.
After a lot of research and internet scanning I originally was going to get a unit from the US as it would be by far the least expensive way to go.
At the recent Sancutary Cove Boat show at the Gold Coast in Qld Aus I came upon a transponder kit (send & receive) *from Oceantalk.
Complete kit under a $1000.00 (thats Aus dollars).
Kit included transponder box, VHF ant, GPS ant, cables for connection to computer or plotter and software.
After getting a a couple of brackets made for the ants it was a piece of piss to install and all up I had it running in about an hour or so.
I have it connected to my nav computer that runs Nobeltec VNS .

I have not used it in anger yet but only run it in port where it picks up any yacht, fishing boat running an AIS system.
It also picks up ships passing thru the pilot boarding grounds out to the east of Mooloolaba.

I think this is an excellent system and an absolute bonus for cruising out wide where the big boys go.
Having been at sea all my working life on tankers I know how we don't show up on radar and nobody takes any notice of the small cruiser.
Being able to track a close vessel , have their name and call sign is the absolute bonus.

Benn

Got to play with an AIS receiver on a recent trip on the Chesapeake, the D&C Canal and off-shore to RI. I have one on my wish list at the moment.
I'll give a look at your unit.
Thanks for sharing.

These are a tremendous help down here on the Gulf Coast ICW. There is a significant amount of commercial traffic that you can't see around the next bend. If you are paying attention to the VHF you should be able to "map them out" but with AIS, you know exactly where they are and what station name to call on the radio. Definitely nice to just pick up the radio and hail the exact boat you are trying to instead of calling the " eastbound empty double wide at approx mile marker xxx".... Many times they are not paying enough attention to hear the full description and they miss it. But they hear their name for sure!!!

Yea, and a lot of the boats don't have their name on the stern, just on the side. Either that or it's so small you can't see it, even with binoculars until you're in yelling distance.

If it's 40000 tonnes of Box boat doing 28 knots and you can read his name it's probably to late and you are to close.

O well now back at work so will probably be quiet for a while.

Benn

-- Edited by Tidahapah on Thursday 29th of July 2010 11:13:27 PM

Keep an eye on the board and your email if you can Benn. The guys are keen for that boating corroboree at your place (boat), and it's looking like last coupla weeks in Sept or first coupla in Oct. Enjoy working for a change....it'll remind you how it is for most of the rest of us, and make getting back all the sweeter. I gather that's the vessel you'll be working on off WA. I must say tho' retirement has a much nicer ring to it now for me than it used to.

Benn

Did you put in a class A or class B AIS??

Allan

http://www.bairdmaritime.com/index....ks-ais-breaks-1000-barrier&catid=78&Itemid=75
Allan This is web page for Oceantalk unit
Class B transponder send and receive Class A only for vessels over 300 Tonnes

Benn