Marine Traffic AIS

NorthUp said:
Better paint out your vessel's name on the stern as well- I have heard of a secret organisation called Coastwatch that have operatives stationed around the coast of the UK, who watch shipping through binoculars and write down what they observe!
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When they were boys in short trousers, they went train-spotting, standing on the end of platforms with pencil and notebook. ;)



.
 
NorthUp said:
Better paint out your vessel's name on the stern as well- I have heard of a secret organisation called Coastwatch that have operatives stationed around the coast of the UK, who watch shipping through binoculars and write down what they observe!
Click to expand...

In fact, if you don't want folk to know where your boat is turn off the AIS and fit a cloaking device! I first saw it about 40 years ago on Star Trek, so it must be available these days. :p
 
We met some lovely people in France this year and I am enjoying watching them travel to their destination, knowing what their adventure is and knowing that they are getting there is a joy.
 
I didnt need privacy recently.
Marine traffic put my boat in the middle of the channel, when in fact it was berthed in Bayona, Very strange and marine traffic never answered any emails asking them why ??
 
Martin_J said:
as to reception whilst out of sight of land...aren't some satellites now listening on the vhf frequencies and re-transmitting ship positions back to ground stations.
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We use AIS transmit as a way of letting family (or anyone who wants to know) know where we are. My son watched us tacking in mid Channel and avoiding ships in the TSS, when we were well over 40 miles from land. I was told that as Marine Traffic.com was land based it could not do what it plainly just had done.

I have no explanation.

I know it also stops short of Falmouth and rarely shows us entering, even though I know there at least two reception points in Falmouth!
 
NPMR said:
I was told that as Marine Traffic.com was land based it could not do what it plainly just had done.
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Well, I receive voice VHF traffic from France (CROSS Jobourg and friends) while sailing in the Solent. Obviously AIS transmissions are weaker than them, but I don't think it's beyond the bounds of possibility that a radio geek with a big aerial on top of a hill is picking up AIS traffic from mid-Channel.

Pete
 
For those interested, there is a marine traffic app that lets you transmit your location to marinetraffic if you dont have an ais transmitter. Obviously it will only transmit to marine traffic, not other ships. You need internet access for this . I tried it out on the ferry to france with a wifi signal. the app is free, i have it on android.
 
Hello,
I am an open mind and share info to google, facebook, telco operators, etc.
BUT there are services in MarineTraffic that go beyond what i find normal: you can subscribe alerts for a boat. I find that uncomfortable and yes, i would like to opt out of it. Even from my mmsi to appear on their website. One thing is to broadcast to boats that are in your vhf range, the other it:
- Alert someone when i move my boat
- Show my movements to anyone
It is too easy and too handy for someone who wants to assault your house or for the lover of your wife :D...
I am sure this breaches GDPR
Again i am open to data collection but this goes beyond that...
 
wawando said:
Hello,
I am an open mind and share info to google, facebook, telco operators, etc.
BUT there are services in MarineTraffic that go beyond what i find normal: you can subscribe alerts for a boat. I find that uncomfortable and yes, i would like to opt out of it. Even from my mmsi to appear on their website. One thing is to broadcast to boats that are in your vhf range, the other it:
- Alert someone when i move my boat
- Show my movements to anyone
It is too easy and too handy for someone who wants to assault your house or for the lover of your wife :D...
I am sure this breaches GDPR
Again i am open to data collection but this goes beyond that...
Click to expand...

If you're that worried about the name and MMSI of your boat being available, you could always use stealth mode until a possible collision situation arises. :)

Richard
 
+1 for using the app to show where I am, when Marine Traffic cannot find my AIS. It makes it easier for sailing friends to rendez-vu.

For sailing in Greece and the Adriatic I would not turn off my AIS. Ferries doing 30kn appear one minute on the horizon and next a mile away. I am pleased that they can see my AIS and avoid me or hail me by name if necessary.

As for neer-do-wells knowing that I am not at home, well that takes quite a leap from my Marine Traffic profile to get to my home address. If the OP is worried about people knowing too much about him then there are much bigger organisations to worry about - Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter etc

TudorSailor
 
NorthUp said:
Better paint out your vessel's name on the stern as well- I have heard of a secret organisation called Coastwatch that have operatives stationed around the coast of the UK, who watch shipping through binoculars and write down what they observe!
Click to expand...

:cool:
 
RichardS said:
If you're that worried about the name and MMSI of your boat being available, you could always use stealth mode until a possible collision situation arises. :)

Richard
Click to expand...
It seems you are missing my point. Marinetraffic has NOTHING to do with avoiding collisions... They are exploiting ais information without paying attention to privacy. Again, nothing to do with what ais was designed for in terms of navigation safety...
 
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