Small Boat Radar

[Lodds]

As a gadget lover I suspect you have made your choice, reef early and don't put the scanner up the mast. All the best with it.

Yes I think I have made my choice now. I'll be going for an 18" Garmin xHD at some point in the near future couple with an AIS receiver. I'm leaning towards a stern pole style installation but refuse to pay 1.5k for it. I am looking at a DIY jobby.

Thank you all for your comments they have been most useful and helped me make up my mind to buy and justify the cost.

 

[pvb]

Yes I think I have made my choice now. I'll be going for an 18" Garmin xHD at some point in the near future couple with an AIS receiver. I'm leaning towards a stern pole style installation but refuse to pay 1.5k for it. I am looking at a DIY jobby.

Off-the-shelf pole systems such as Scanstrut are great, but expensive. When planning your DIY pole, perhaps give some thought to pole diameter. So many DIY poles look incredibly spindly compared with the 75mm diameter Scanstrut pole.

Before you finally order an 18xHD radome, it might be worth talking to Garmin and checking its compatibility with your plotter. I've read somewhere that the different colour representation of strong and weak targets doesn't display properly on 4000 & 5000 series plotters; you only get a monochrome display. This may have been resolved with a software update.

 

[Lodds]

Off-the-shelf pole systems such as Scanstrut are great, but expensive. When planning your DIY pole, perhaps give some thought to pole diameter. So many DIY poles look incredibly spindly compared with the 75mm diameter Scanstrut pole.

Before you finally order an 18xHD radome, it might be worth talking to Garmin and checking its compatibility with your plotter. I've read somewhere that the different colour representation of strong and weak targets doesn't display properly on 4000 & 5000 series plotters; you only get a monochrome display. This may have been resolved with a software update.

I agree they are very expensive for what they are. I'm looking at a 2" diameter pole so it should hold up okay and not look like someone trying to spin a plate on a stick.

Good point about compatability. I have spoken to Garmin and they assure me that there will be no compatibility issues. Their website does say that my unit is compatible but it doesn't hurt checking.

 

[Lucky Duck]

OK - rant time !

Personally, I think it's reckless and irresponsible not to have AIS. Why risk the safety of your crew and other boats when you can have it fitted so cheaply ? Like immunization, the benefit comes from the 'herd' effect of everyone taking part, not to do so is anti-public spirited.

Hopefully, it won't be long before all commercial boats, including fishing, are legally required to use AIS.

Until there is an dramatic improvement in how plotter software deals with AIS I dread the prospect of every vessel broadcasting their intentions on AIS.

 

[Lodds]

Until there is an dramatic improvement in how plotter software deals with AIS I dread the prospect of every vessel broadcasting their intentions on AIS.

I must be honest, that thought did cross my mind also. From what I have seen AIS transponders do have a quiet mode but relies on the user to switch this on or off. Perhaps it will regulate itself by users going into quiet mode and only switching them on for extended journeys.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Given the number of boats continuously broadcasting their presence in their home berth I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for people to only use AIS in poor viz or the like.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

2" will be fine with a plate welded on the top and a small shoe plate for attaching to the boat deck, don't rely on just clamping it to the pushpit.

AIS will become self defeating in inshore situations you only have to look at how many people leave them needlessly transmitting, the whole screen becomes clogged with useless information.

 

[pvb]

Until there is an dramatic improvement in how plotter software deals with AIS I dread the prospect of every vessel broadcasting their intentions on AIS.

All plotters have a maximum number of AIS targets which they can display simultaneously, typically no more than 100. If the receiver has data on more than this max number, the plotter normally will only show the nearest vessels.

 

[doug748]

Given the number of boats continuously broadcasting their presence in their home berth I would hold my breath waiting for people to only use AIS in poor viz or the like.

I think you are right.

My recent set up will allow me to edit out unwanted AIS transmissions including class B. Could be very useful.

 

[paulburn]

I'm not sure I understand the AIS clutter problem.

Why not just simply switch off the AIS display on the chart plotter? And only turn it on in specific potential collision situations or poor visibility, when there are likely to be few vessels around.

 

[Lucky Duck]

One of the best things about AIS is that it is 'always on', if you have to mess around to display it then one might as well switch the radar on instead....