AIS certification

[4fun1]

I was having a conversation with someone who was having his AIS programmed by a certified tech so that he can get the certification he says is required by the coast guard. This is a recreational boat of 35 feet loa.

I never heard of this. Is it true that the system needs certification?

 

[kthoennes]

I'm not sure what he means by "certified" but you do have to send it out or have it done by a third party or authorized dealer or tech - sort of. Federal requirement as I recall, a security thing so you can't spoof or disguise your boat as something else. Our AIS unit is an em-track. I had to involve a tech at West Marine but he was able to write and email me a very short configuration file and I was able to run it and flash the unit myself.

 

[STB]

Not exactly, but close. To my knowledge, this is the governing law for Class B AIS devices:

-- https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/80.231

The upshot is that the law does require a professional program class B devices.

 

[magna 6882]

On my vesper ais it used a mobile app called watchmate. Once we logged into the unit we were able to add the mmsi number. This can only be done once so you have to go by several warning pages. If you get it wrong the unit has to be sent in to someone.

 

[STB]

Right....I didn't say that most people follow the law in this respect

Having said that, for the curious, the goal of the law is noble. It isn't to add complexity or to make work. It is to ensure that the information is programmed correctly such that it can be relied upon during the time critical moments of a life saving emergency response.

 

[kthoennes]

I never quite understood the requirement that it be done by an authorized third party though. If I'm Joe Terrorist I can disconnect my AIS unit, put it in my pocket and reinstall it on any other boat. Not sure why that really provides much security against deception.

 

[STB]

I never quite understood the requirement that it be done by an authorized third party though. If I'm Joe Terrorist I can disconnect my AIS unit, put it in my pocket and reinstall it on any other boat. Not sure why that really provides much security against deception.

Well, it need not be a 3rd party. It can be the seller (one of the two parties).

As for why they don't want it to be the end user...how often do people program replacement remote controls right the first time? How often would they work if they were hard to test? Even setting the time on a clock can sometimes be a challenge.

The goal is just to push the burden onto the seller, who can reliably do it right, rather than to risk the buyer not doing it, or starting and giving up, or messing it up.

Note, for example, that to my knowledge the law doesn't apply to Class A devices, where the users are generally themselves professionals.

 

[SoWhat]

As for why it can't be the end user...how often do people program replacement remote controls right the first time? How often would they work if they were hard to test? Even setting the time on a clock can sometimes be a challenge.

People manage to setup online banking accounts, complete with usernames, passwords, 2 factor identification, but you're suggesting they can't use a simple program such as ProAIS? Have a little faith.

I doubt all the people buying used AIS B's on EBay are paying the $90 to have them reset. I have little confidence in the actual data I see displayed on my MFD but all I really care about is their location.

 

[STB]

I think relatively very little used equipment is being reset by professionals. I suspect a lot of it isn't being reset at all. The latter is too bad, really.

When I used to run a lot at night in open water outside of Los Angeles, I appreciated good AIS data. Good static data let me know what the lights I could see were attached to and, thereby, helped me to learn to judge distance and vessel type. It also helped me hail vessels by name.

Good voyage data let me look out for what was being towed, and gave me a better sense of whether or not I should alter my course to ease the crossing of paths or avoid having autopilots steer us both toward the lighthouse at too close to the same time and place.

These days in Florida, I rarely pay it much attention. I boat less at night and the traffic I can see often keeps me too busy to worry about what I can't. I don't find myself travelling or crossing shipping lanes nearly so often.

 

[Olebird]

the fines for not following the rules are stiff! $20,000 per day. By the way you are broadcasting your sins to the enforcers every time you turn it on!!


https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ


https://www.marinelog.com/news/fcc-to-crack-down-on-non-compliant-ais-use/

 

[boomerang]

Most end users can "program" their AIS with a readily available ProAIS software for windows & mac. Things that might need to be programmed like nmea data sentences, AIS transmit on/off , boat data like length ,beam & even vessel name can be changed. What can't be changed easily is the ships MMSI# & I think the ships IMO & call sign but I'm not 100% certain about the last two being static data. Those items will require a manufacturer unlock sequence to access & modify.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I never quite understood the requirement that it be done by an authorized third party though. If I'm Joe Terrorist I can disconnect my AIS unit, put it in my pocket and reinstall it on any other boat. Not sure why that really provides much security against deception.

You are dealing with the government. No common sense required.

 

[Screaming04]

I never quite understood the requirement that it be done by an authorized third party though. If I'm Joe Terrorist I can disconnect my AIS unit, put it in my pocket and reinstall it on any other boat. Not sure why that really provides much security against deception.

I’ve programmed my own, however, upon purchasing a vessel with an existing mmsi entered, only a manufacturer’s authorized company was able to reassign the mmsi. Perhaps that’s the case here.

 

[denverd0n]

You are dealing with the government. No common sense required.

No common sense ALLOWED!

 

[CaptTom]

People manage to setup online banking accounts, complete with usernames, passwords, 2 factor identification, but you're suggesting they can't use a simple program such as ProAIS? Have a little faith.

I have very little faith. I've seen AIS signals with all kinds of incorrect information. Like entering the length in feet instead of meters. I can't count how many times I was looking for a 98 foot boat I saw approaching on AIS, and it turned out to be a 30-footer.

Don't feel bad, the pros screw up too. I see a lot of Class A signals showing "moored" at 25 knots. Or the "destination" is in the direction they're heading away from.

I'm not sure this particular law is the answer, but I don't really have a better suggestion. Maybe train the water cops to do a boarding and give a warning, sort of like having a tail light out in your car. But that would involve both educating and motivating them. That might be a problem.