Not using your AIS

[cabo_sailor]

I've recently installed a Standard Horizon VHF with an AIS receiver. It displays on a Garmin 7610 MFD. At first I thought it operator error but boats with AIS transmitters, either at dock or coming up the channel while I was docked were setting off the alarm. There was an icon to cancel the alarm, but after a minute the stupid alarm would deactivate.

I spoke with Garmin at the boat show">Annapolis Boat Show about this. Unfortunately the only answer is turn ALL alarms off on the MFD. Not what I call ideal and the factory reps agreed. Perhaps there will be a software upgrade.

I guess this is a bit of thread drift but if shopping for new electronics, it may be worth a question or two.

Rich


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[PeterLIA]

If we are underway we always have our AIS running, both transmitting and receiving.
I often make steering adjustments based on what I can see the targets doing via their AIS info.
Also I have noted the targets also make adjustments based on what they can see I am doing via my AIS data.
But further to the pirates and kidnapping threads we turn off our transmit function when in waters where those issues are possible, so we don't help them hone in on our location.
In summary a valuable navigation tool.

[skiggy]

Hi, I have AIS and keep it switched on but as long as boats/ships are not obliged to use their AIS unless they want to I will rely on my eyes rather than AIS.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Roy M

When I do installs of AIS for fishermen, they generally request my adding a switch that allows them to turn off their transmit function, yet retain the receive mode, so other fishermen can't tell where they are located. Some sail racers, also, like to have the option should they choose to exercise some secrecy in their tactical decisions. Like, the sun is going down, and if they choose to cut in close to the beach they can avail themselves of the light airs coming off the land. I call it the "black" switch. Easy enough to do.

How do you do it? Insert a physical switch in the cable path somewhere?

-Chris

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

I've recently installed a Standard Horizon VHF with an AIS receiver. It displays on a Garmin 7610 MFD. At first I thought it operator error but boats with AIS transmitters, either at dock or coming up the channel while I was docked were setting off the alarm. There was an icon to cancel the alarm, but after a minute the stupid alarm would deactivate.

I spoke with Garmin at the Annapolis Boat Show about this. Unfortunately the only answer is turn ALL alarms off on the MFD. Not what I call ideal and the factory reps agreed. Perhaps there will be a software upgrade.

Does the unit not have separate proximity and CPA/TCPA alarms?

-Chris

[tinkrman69]

Been on the sea for 40 years both commercially and private, never had a collision or close call. altho I've had a few dinghy's run into me at anchor, had the cockpit lit up too. of course there isn't any electronic gizmo that will fix a drunk captain. It's kind of like driving a car. You have to pay attention to whats going on. it's easy to be complacent. But the cost and fault would be yours and could be high.

[SailFastTri]

I have a class B transceiver. My AIS was showing a CPA of 50 feet on a converging course with a large ferry. I called the captain by boat name and asked him his intentions; to pass ahead of me or behind? He said he saw me and to stand-on, and he made a sharp turn to pass aft of my boat. I said "thank you captain" and he said "you're welcome". I said "my wife thanks you also", and he said "gotta keep the wife happy".
My wife is a classic "admiral" and she has a much lower risk threshold of collision avoidance than I do. My grown kids were also aboard and we all had a laugh about that conversation.

Without AIS on both boats that conversation would have gone differently, there would have been a lot less clarity about the situation aboard both vessels and more stress aboard mine.

[markpierce]

Have a continual self-debate on AIS. Haven't seen the need. But if I operated during the night or in an area of frequent restricted visibility, that would push me "over the edge" and get it.

Saw this approaching a mile ahead. We each turned starboard a couple of degrees and had a perfect pass. No communication needed. A typical "engagement."

[Cap Erict3]

When I lived in Egypt I was amazed to find that many drivers thought the use of headlights rude.

Having but not using ur AIS seems just as daft.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Roy M]

ranger42c, in your installation manual you will find a instruction for wiring the silent mode switch. It will be a simple connection to either a momentary or toggle switch - it depends on the manufacturer. I went to Radio Shack and purchased a small black plastic project box and a simple SPST toggle switch for the em-trak I installed this week. Other brands demand the two wires are connected with a momentary switch. It's because toggled switches are powered, momentary switches simply complete a circuit. I have mounted the momentary switches on the back of a NavPod for the fishermen so it's convenient yet insignificant. I've also hidden them for others. I think that all AIS units have this capacity, but I have only installed a few brands (Raymarine, Navico et-al, and em-trak).

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

When I lived in Egypt I was amazed to find that many drivers thought the use of headlights rude.

Having but not using ur AIS seems just as daft.

Oh? I thought the drivers did it to save battery? Crazy. I asked a taxi driver why and he said he only turns his lights on when he sees something on the road.
Crazy.

As for turning the AIS on only in congested waters that's just as crazy. Its needed most when you are not expecting anything.

But most turner-offers say they don't wished to be tracked by the Gov'mit. Like the CIA gives a rats ass who the hell some joker on a sailboat is.

Mine is on. It stays on! I am failable - unlike many on internet forums - and I need all the help I can get.


Mark-wid-da-AIS

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Juho

I have understood that some rich and famous prefer not to announce their whereabouts, and therefore switch off their AIS whenever that is ok.

That is exactly what we do. The paparazzi can be such an annoyance at times...

[captain58sailin]

When I was riding in Cairo, riding in a taxi right at night fall, I asked the same question. When everyone came to a stop at an intersection they all turned off their headlights, I was told it was due to not having very good batteries and I guess their alternators didn't work too good either, but they also thought that if the vehicle was in motion you should be beeping your horn, which was probably a good idea since they were fitting 5 lanes of cars into a two lane highway. As far as the AIS goes, for normal daily operation they are a good source of information for safe navigation, I used them on my tug and it was very helpful. Having said that, I did disconnect it during times (night) while operating off the west coast of Africa due to the piracy concerns, and yes they did have AIS units stolen from the boats that they had captured. Don't have one on my personal vessel due to the expense, will get one once I start delivering fish again.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Roy M

ranger42c, in your installation manual you will find a instruction for wiring the silent mode switch. It will be a simple connection to either a momentary or toggle switch - it depends on the manufacturer. I went to Radio Shack and purchased a small black plastic project box and a simple SPST toggle switch for the em-trak I installed this week. Other brands demand the two wires are connected with a momentary switch. It's because toggled switches are powered, momentary switches simply complete a circuit. I have mounted the momentary switches on the back of a NavPod for the fishermen so it's convenient yet insignificant. I've also hidden them for others. I think that all AIS units have this capacity, but I have only installed a few brands (Raymarine, Navico et-al, and em-trak).

Don't have the softcopy installation manual, so I'll have to check the paper copy when I can retrieve it.

Furno FA-50 operations manual and MFD-12 plotter operations manual, no instance of the word "silent."

-Chris

[jmschmidt]

Just went sailing with the XO of a nuclear sub. He said they don't broadcast their position with the AIS much. Wonder why?