AIS (sort of) without the cost

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I really like this idea. One of the benefits of AIS is others being able to track you on websites like Marine Traffic.

This little app uses you iphone GPS to update your position. So, for coastal sailing at least others can follow you even without an AIS transmitter.

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/iais.aspx

 

[fireball]

Er - only if you use marinetraffic to do the tracking ... it doesn't push the data anywhere else ..

TBH - if you've got an iPhone then there are better tracking apps available - like "FindMyIPhone" or "Find Friends"

 

[monkfish24]

Good idea but as fireball says, it will only show on marinetraffic, I use marinetraffic/shipfinder all the time for coastal sailing.

As you say, saves having to fit an AIS transponder and for me that means fitting batteries......

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Er - only if you use marinetraffic to do the tracking ... it doesn't push the data anywhere else ..

TBH - if you've got an iPhone then there are better tracking apps available - like "FindMyIPhone" or "Find Friends"

For tracking when sailing I do not think those are better apps at all. Find Friends requires individual acceptance of tracking which isn't wht I am after. Find my iPhone is even worse as it entails giving someone your password!

Marinetraffic is fine. I am not talking about AIScreplacement, just following the history and track of the boat which neither of those apps do AFAIK.

 

[elioti]

i use ais on my phone, but it flattens my battery quickly, is a new android phone too!samsung mini galaxy

 

[stownsend]

kids love it, i've also got a clipper ais receiver and the kids like comparing the phone to the radar !

cheers

stu

 

[colvic987]

And whilst your all looking at your new phones, you collide with me due to the fact you cant see me as i dont have ais, and i am desperatly trying to avoid you all at no avail, while your sailing along gawping at your phones checking all the different apps just to get you safely from the marina around the bay and back to your berth......

 

[stownsend]

Not quite, we would have crashed as the batteries died on the phone so I was looking for the charger whilst trying to keep the kids occupied !

Cheers

Stu

 

[EugeneR]

Would it make sense to offer a service that uses an app on the subscriber's mobile to collect his position and then send out his position using the AIS protocol / frequency using land-based AIS transmitters?

Subscribers can pay by the minute - price will be double when there is fog on the water. Pay as you go means it won't clog up the airwaves / screens on nice weekend days etc.

Of course, it will be dependent on having mobile reception so most likely for coastal users only from where it will be possible to cover the area from the land-based transmitters.

The weakness is that, once the phone signal drops, you've just dropped off the chart. Of course the app could warn you about that but that doesn't solve the problem.

 

[sailorman]

i have just fitted a bellfield dongle to the lappi. it is very good on open cpn

 

[Conachair]

i have just fitted a bellfield dongle to the lappi. it is very good on open cpn

Have you tried it with the marine traffic ais layer loaded in the google earth plugin? You can compare both web based and real signals. About a mile difference in the faster vessel positions here in London.

 

[sailorman]

Have you tried it with the marine traffic ais layer loaded in the google earth plugin? You can compare both web based and real signals. About a mile difference in the faster vessel positions here in London.

i have yet to master the google earth add on

 

[AntarcticPilot]

All these apps assume a decent phone signal - which is not available in a lot of good sailing areas. On a lot of the West Coast of Scotland, you have to climb a hill to get a signal!

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

All these apps assume a decent phone signal - which is not available in a lot of good sailing areas. On a lot of the West Coast of Scotland, you have to climb a hill to get a signal!

As I said in the beginning, I thought this was a good app for others to follow you. I do not see it as really useful for on board. Much better at home.

If you live somewhere where there is no phone signal then you probably dont need a mobile phone anyway so the point is moot.

 

[prv]

Would it make sense to offer a service that uses an app on the subscriber's mobile to collect his position and then send out his position using the AIS protocol / frequency using land-based AIS transmitters?

You will first have to get your shore-based transmitters appropriately licensed.

Shore transmission of positions at sea to create "virtual" AIS targets does exist, but as far as I know it's currently only done by Coastguard-type bodies to produce virtual navigation marks etc.

Pete