AIS and chartplotter

[paulburn]

Has anyone managed to display AIS data on a chartplotter ?

I have been struggling with Garmin 2106 and AIS receiver (NASA unit and then SLR200 unit) unsuccessfully. Now thinking of returning the Garmin and trying a Raymarine product.

Regards Paul

 

[jonjo]

My marina neighbour reports success with the EasyAIS black box plumbed into a Raymarine C80 running the latest free patch that AIS enables the chart plotter.

From Gosport he is picking up AIS targets way up in the Eastern channel shipping lanes. I might change my installation and install the Easy VHF splitter as per the neighbour because my pushpit mounted AIS antenna is only picking up targets at 8 miles out.

 

[Talbot]

Personally prefer to keep the two seperate on my laptop. so have the plotter and AIS software running simultaneously. Shipplotter AIS software will alert even if the other software is the active one. "Tab alt" between the two and calibrated satellite picture on the AIS adds extra to the picture.

Not a fan of the AIS splitter though did look very carefully at it. I have at least 12 nm from my stern rail AIS aerial (although over 40nm from the masthead). I can swap these over when needed, so also have a permanent emergency aerial rigged.

A splitter will reduce your reception capability by 50% and risks damage to the AIS if the splitter goes wrong. It is also another possible source of defects in a safety critical piece of equipment.

Besides all that a new aerial is cheaper than an AIS Splitter!

 

[Cutter]

this from a murky Channel crossing where pleased with AIS and shipplotter. gave early warning of something big and nasty. use it as stand alone prog on computer and works well. ask Parahandy if stuck.
now where is the IoW?

 

[Talbot]

Parahandy was the one who started me on shipplotter as well. It is the CPA facility in this programme that made a convert out of me

 

[Hoolie]

I fully endorse Talbot's approach. We get 13-14nm AIS from the pulpit rail-mounted antenna which can be rapidly connected to the radio in emergency. With a few exceptions this gives 20-30 mins warning. Seaclear is fine once you get the hang of setting up your own charts and a dedicated GPS interface.

 

[Talbot]

axsea gives you the ability to displat AIS and charts on the same high quality plotter (on the laptop).

Personally prefer to have the plotter and AIS as separate programmes running at the same time.