AIS
- mm5aho
- Old Salt
- Posts: 917
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:40 pm
- Boat Type: Rival 32
- Location: West Lothian
- Contact:
Re: AIS
I'm going to try it this summer.
I bought a really cheap broken one off Ebay. It had suffered physical damage, but I figured the board inside was probably OK.
After refurbishing the box, and fitting new connectors / sockets etc, it now works fine.
I tried it at home and can see ships a way out in the Forth and passing up the east coast. My antenna is about mast height, but above ground, which is about 150m asl. But I can "see" about 40-50 miles.
Its a receive only type, and I have it integrating to SeaClear. Hope to operate it to see how useful it is over the summer on the west coast.
I bought a really cheap broken one off Ebay. It had suffered physical damage, but I figured the board inside was probably OK.
After refurbishing the box, and fitting new connectors / sockets etc, it now works fine.
I tried it at home and can see ships a way out in the Forth and passing up the east coast. My antenna is about mast height, but above ground, which is about 150m asl. But I can "see" about 40-50 miles.
Its a receive only type, and I have it integrating to SeaClear. Hope to operate it to see how useful it is over the summer on the west coast.
Geoff.
"Contender" Rival 32: Roseneath this winter, Gourock in summer.
"Contender" Rival 32: Roseneath this winter, Gourock in summer.
- marisca
- Yellow Admiral
- Posts: 1362
- Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:55 am
- Boat Type: Contessa 32
- Location: Edinburgh
Re: AIS
I'm ahead of the curve then. Due to my superior brainpower, technical skills, etc., etc. I managed to connect my SH GX2100 to an IBM Thinkpad and generate targets on both Belfield and OpenCPN. I've had this capability for 2 years and can't say it is much improvement on the MkI eyeball except for a couple of days of fog last summer when knowing that it was the Clansman hooting in the Sound of Mull and that its track was missing me by a couple of cables stopped me scurrying towards the shore.
Otherwise, once the novelty has worn off, it isn't much cop and is off most of the time. If I needed to send a DSC call to a vessel on the display, it would be useful, but I never have.
Oh, and it can show ships changing course for you in places like the Minch, usually about 6 or 7 miles away, or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
Otherwise, once the novelty has worn off, it isn't much cop and is off most of the time. If I needed to send a DSC call to a vessel on the display, it would be useful, but I never have.
Oh, and it can show ships changing course for you in places like the Minch, usually about 6 or 7 miles away, or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
- Rowana
- Old Salt
- Posts: 775
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:58 pm
- Boat Type: Macwester Rowan 8 meter
- Location: Aberdeenshire
Re: AIS
Never seen the need for it in the type of sailing I do.
I've got a GPS, depth sounder and a bog-standard VHF. I would estimate that 95% of my navigation is by Mk1 eyeball, so I can't justify spending my hard-earned on a load of fancy gismos. Apart from calling Peterhead harbour to get permission to leave/enter the port, I've only used my VHF twice in 6 years, and one of these occasions was when another yacht called me!
I go sailing to get away from this high-tech world.
Having said that, I did get a new fancy phone which I can get weather forecasts on. This was purely because I could no longer get replacement batteries for my old one.
I've got a GPS, depth sounder and a bog-standard VHF. I would estimate that 95% of my navigation is by Mk1 eyeball, so I can't justify spending my hard-earned on a load of fancy gismos. Apart from calling Peterhead harbour to get permission to leave/enter the port, I've only used my VHF twice in 6 years, and one of these occasions was when another yacht called me!
I go sailing to get away from this high-tech world.
Having said that, I did get a new fancy phone which I can get weather forecasts on. This was purely because I could no longer get replacement batteries for my old one.
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE CRACKED,
FOR THEY ARE THE ONES WHO LET IN THE LIGHT
FOR THEY ARE THE ONES WHO LET IN THE LIGHT
- claymore
- Admiral of the Green
- Posts: 4228
- Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2003 2:55 pm
- Boat Type: Claymore
- Location: Ardfern or Lancashire
Re: AIS
Rowana wrote:Never seen the need for it in the type of sailing I do.
I've got a GPS, depth sounder and a bog-standard VHF. I would estimate that 95% of my navigation is by Mk1 eyeball, so I can't justify spending my hard-earned on a load of fancy gismos. Apart from calling Peterhead harbour to get permission to leave/enter the port, I've only used my VHF twice in 6 years, and one of these occasions was when another yacht called me!
I go sailing to get away from this high-tech world.
Having said that, I did get a new fancy phone which I can get weather forecasts on. This was purely because I could no longer get replacement batteries for my old one.
You'd get on well with Wight Dawn - he doesn't use his VHF either

Regards
Claymore

Claymore

- aquaplane
- Admiral of the White Rose
- Posts: 1507
- Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 12:55 pm
- Boat Type: Jeanneau Espace
- Location: Body: West Yorks; Boat: Tayvallich
- Contact:
Re: AIS
claymore wrote:Rowana wrote:Never seen the need for it in the type of sailing I do.
I've got a GPS, depth sounder and a bog-standard VHF. I would estimate that 95% of my navigation is by Mk1 eyeball, so I can't justify spending my hard-earned on a load of fancy gismos. Apart from calling Peterhead harbour to get permission to leave/enter the port, I've only used my VHF twice in 6 years, and one of these occasions was when another yacht called me!
I go sailing to get away from this high-tech world.
Having said that, I did get a new fancy phone which I can get weather forecasts on. This was purely because I could no longer get replacement batteries for my old one.
You'd get on well with Wight Dawn - he doesn't use his VHF either
I don't either, talking to a marina to see where they want me to park is what a moiby is for.
Seminole.
Cheers Bob.
Cheers Bob.
- Telo
- Admiral of the Red
- Posts: 2491
- Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 9:27 pm
- Boat Type: Vancouver 34 Pilot
- Location: Bampotterie-sur-mer
- Contact:
Re: AIS
Would be great in busy areas like down south, particularly cross-Channel passages, but not sure I see much point in The West unless you intend doing a lot of overnight sailing. I seem to recall that DaveS used AIS for some of his longer passages.
- claymore
- Admiral of the Green
- Posts: 4228
- Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2003 2:55 pm
- Boat Type: Claymore
- Location: Ardfern or Lancashire
Re: AIS
Yes, I agree with that - Parahandy wouldn't leave home without his but then he spends his days in and around the Solent.
I was just thinking about making the trip over to Denmark and whether or not I'd be better off with one
I was just thinking about making the trip over to Denmark and whether or not I'd be better off with one
Regards
Claymore

Claymore

- mm5aho
- Old Salt
- Posts: 917
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:40 pm
- Boat Type: Rival 32
- Location: West Lothian
- Contact:
Re: AIS
I'm expecting to find it more of a novelty and curiosity (what ship is that?, and... wonder how many megawatts it takes to get that ship to that speed?) than an aid to navigation.
Geoff.
"Contender" Rival 32: Roseneath this winter, Gourock in summer.
"Contender" Rival 32: Roseneath this winter, Gourock in summer.
- wully
- Yellow Admiral
- Posts: 1115
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:29 pm
- Boat Type: sailie boatie
- Location: Argyll - where else?
Re: AIS
I've got a receiver that will be of comfort in fog but it usually stays switched off since yer average yotty equipped with one leaves it on 24/7 and after a few days I was heartily sick of 'dangerous vessel' alarms anytime I was anywhere near a Yott harbour or anchorage.
It must be next to useless in the home of British Yachting, the magnificent Solent.
It must be next to useless in the home of British Yachting, the magnificent Solent.
- little boy blue
- Old Salt
- Posts: 667
- Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:53 pm
- Location: CLYDE
Re: AIS
claymore wrote:................I was just thinking about making the trip over to Denmark and whether or not I'd be better off with one
on our trip from forth to skaggerak in may 2008 I saw 4 boats, hth.
Return to “Shooting the breeze”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests