AIS

Seajet

Seajet

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I'm hoping to fit AIS during my health enforced refit to the boat; I can look up prices, but what is your real experience with relatively low cost AIS please ?

I aim to include a transponder and would like a decent ' Wacky Races ' they're there and you're here display screen.

I'm aware of the Standard Horizon VHF with AIS but really think the display too small and would like a transponder.

The NASA kit is not for me.

Any advice gratefully received,

Andy
 
Recently fitted a Digital Yacht combined plotter and AIS to one of my boats for not a lot. Tried their website to get a link but its not working.

Any ideas anyone, were they too cheap???
 
Can't help with the transponder bit, but I have one of the Std Horizon VHF + AIS sets. I don't expect to be using the VHF screen to assess things, as you say, it is quite small. It sends the data to the chart plotter just fine. One advantage of the VHF+AIS is that you can call the MMSI of a vessel on the display without keying it into the VHF set.
 
Seajet said:
I'm hoping to fit AIS during my health enforced refit to the boat; I can look up prices, but what is your real experience with relatively low cost AIS please ?

I aim to include a transponder and would like a decent ' Wacky Races ' they're there and you're here display screen.

I'm aware of the Standard Horizon VHF with AIS but really think the display too small and would like a transponder.

The NASA kit is not for me.

Any advice gratefully received,

Andy
Click to expand...



I fitted a Digital Yacht Transponder last season and been very impressed, it does the job reliably and talks happily to my Open CPN software. I recently had a problems with the Windows link and Digital Yacht were excellent in the response to my request for help. I'm also aware of others who have been assisted by Paul of DY, lets hope they don't sell out to on of the biggies.

Best for a speedy return to sailing.

Peter.
 
Hi Andy

I have Simrad AI50 which is excellent although the screen is a little small, it does have basic outline charts built in. I do find the GPS is rather slow to first fix but the kit is very well made and waterproof. The Icom unit which is a similar price does not have outline charts I don't think.

I decided that as the AIS is principally a safety device it should be self contained and not rely on my chartplotter and it's associated GPS in order to operate.

Hope this helps - another opinion to think about!

Regards
Michael
 
I reckon it's more about the screen you display it on than the receiver itself. Have to say I was somewhat disappointed with my SH CP180i - it worked fine from a technical point of view, but was a bit awkward to really use. For example, it's all very well knowing that your Closest Point of Approach with a ship will be 0.1nm, but is that 200 yards across his stern or 200 yards in front of his bow? Rather different situations, those two! If I remember rightly, it also couldn't tell you the current range and bearing of a ship, which seemed an odd omission.

It can be tricky with a less well-designed unit to set up useful alarms. You either have it going off for ships that don't matter (yes, it's pointing at us, but it's also anchored) or you turn off the nuisance alarms and don't get warned about something you wanted to know. Less of an issue for Channel crossings as you pretty much know where the ships are going to be, it's more about threading yourself in between them.

Given my dissatisfaction with the 180i, I did a lot of research for the new boat and settled on the Vesper Watchmate units, which are dedicated AIS displays designed by New Zealand sailors, rather than Chinese software engineers who've been given a list of features to build but know nothing about boats. They're the only ones I know of that can draw you a little picture of the predicted CPA situation, and they have very configurable alarms. As a bonus, it uses very little power compared to running a plotter - and if you are also running a plotter then its useful to be able to have AIS and chart on different ranges. The people are good to deal with, and have already accepted one of my suggestions for a future software update.

Haven't actually used the thing yet, but from everything I can find out, it seems pretty good.

Pete
 
Would recommend the Digital Yacht transponder, but understand the company is currently in Administration so they may no longer be available.

The best presentation of AIS data is on OpenCPN with the CM93 chart detail turned right down. CPA is very clearly displayed and the alarms are very flexible.

I appreciate that this needs a netbook (or higher) to run and they consume amps, but it's better to improve your battery system than to buy an expensive (dedicated) display IMHO.
 
I went with a Digital Yacht AIT2000 transponder, at the time I was drawn to it for its multiple connectivity options (NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000 and USB).

I simultaneously use the NMEA 0183 HS output to the fixed Garmin chartplotter and also the USB connection into my laptop running OpenCPN which is far better at showing the AIS contacts. Whilst we have no other NMEA 2000 devices onboard at the moment knowing that it should be simple to connect should I choose to upgrade was also a factor.

It's been installed for coming up to a year now and I've been happy with its performance to date and would recommend it.

Past experience of Digital Yacht's website is that its often unavailable over the weekend but I'd expect it to be working again tomorrow (Monday). www.digitalyacht.co.uk
 
Playtime said:
The best presentation of AIS data is on OpenCPN with the CM93 chart detail turned right down. CPA is very clearly displayed and the alarms are very flexible.

I appreciate that this needs a netbook (or higher) to run and they consume amps, but it's better to improve your battery system than to buy an expensive (dedicated) display IMHO.
Click to expand...

This is all true, and pragmatically may be the best way of doing things. I just have an irrational objection to computers on boats :)

Pete
 
prv said:
I did a lot of research for the new boat and settled on the Vesper Watchmate units, which are dedicated AIS displays designed by New Zealand sailors, rather than Chinese software engineers who've been given a list of features to build but know nothing about boats. They're the only ones I know of that can draw you a little picture of the predicted CPA situation, and they have very configurable alarms. As a bonus, it uses very little power compared to running a plotter - and if you are also running a plotter then its useful to be able to have AIS and chart on different ranges. The people are good to deal with, and have already accepted one of my suggestions for a future software update.

Haven't actually used the thing yet, but from everything I can find out, it seems pretty good.

Pete
Click to expand...

I have a Watchmate and can confirm that the little picture of the relative positions at the CPA is very useful for resolving which way to turn. A good AIS.

Angus
 
AIS on a very small screen is problematic, but on a 5" plotter screen it's OK. Can I ask why transponder? I don't want to repeat all the reasons why it's of little value but if you have a spare £500 extra, why not spend it on either a seeme and actually be seen on ship's screens, or on a larger and better functioned plotter for better display of recieved signals.
 
prv said:
I reckon it's more about the screen you display it on than the receiver itself. Have to say I was somewhat disappointed with my SH CP180i - it worked fine from a technical point of view, but was a bit awkward to really use. For example, it's all very well knowing that your Closest Point of Approach with a ship will be 0.1nm, but is that 200 yards across his stern or 200 yards in front of his bow? Rather different situations, those two! If I remember rightly, it also couldn't tell you the current range and bearing of a ship, which seemed an odd omission.

It can be tricky with a less well-designed unit to set up useful alarms. You either have it going off for ships that don't matter (yes, it's pointing at us, but it's also anchored) or you turn off the nuisance alarms and don't get warned about something you wanted to know. Less of an issue for Channel crossings as you pretty much know where the ships are going to be, it's more about threading yourself in between them.
Click to expand...
I concur with your evaluation - having got a SH CP180i ourselves. Having said that - it is adequate for our current requirements - the CPA of a ship, you're warned about - but once it's within visual range I tend to work of CAS (collision avoidance system) Mk1 ... ie Eyeballs!
If we were intending on doing a lot of XC sailing then I would consider a larger screen plotter - probably OpenCPN with a waterproof display on deck.
 
When I researched this recently I was told by several repair merchants that most of the accepted brands including the IMHO overpriced Raymarine use the same printed circuit board and components, its just the case that changes. Don't buy an expensive one thinking it will be better. I should add that this applies to those that work through a chartplotter. Others like the NASA thing are their own manufacture I believe.
 
boatmike said:
When I researched this recently I was told by several repair merchants that most of the accepted brands including the IMHO overpriced Raymarine use the same printed circuit board and components, its just the case that changes.
Click to expand...

The recent YM (or was it PBO?) article on AIS said the same, and named the third-party company that actually makes the things, though I can't remember it now. They gave a link to the datasheet for this board, suggesting it would help you establish (by feature details, connector locations, etc) which name brands were just putting the standard part in their own box.

Pete
 
I also have a Vespa watchmate transponder, it's an excellent bit of kit with good screen and the ability to set different modes (with different alarm settings) depending on your sailing (coastal, inshore, offshore, anchored). I bought it after seeing it on a number of open60's and those boys (and girls) know a thing or two about ease of use and a understanding a situation at a glance.

It also uses very little power, when inshore it repeats AIS data to my SH plotter but when offshore the chart plotter is off (to save power) and I just use the watchmate for monitoring any AIS targets.
 
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