I’m anti AIS. BUT......

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I don't quite the privacy thing ! I mean youre in a boat with a big name and a number on the side , someone can look through a binoculars !!

I don't have a problem with other boats within VHF range knowing who and where I am ... that's why I installed an AIS.

It's people who harvest this data, and then upload it to the internet (Marine Traffic etc) for the whole world to see, that I'm not so sure I'm happy about.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Why would you buy a ais VHF AND a classB transponder ,when the AMEC has a silent mode switch ! That's turns off the transmitter what the point of the VHF equipped ais as well !!!

I use the VHF with ais for sailing well off of soundings. This allows me to turn off the plotter, leave the ais transponder on and still see ais targets.

[HeywoodJ]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I don't quite the privacy thing ! I mean youre in a boat with a big name and a number on the side , someone can look through a binoculars !!

Looking at me through binoculars is far different than hoovering up tons of data about me and putting it in a central repository. How fast did I sail? How often? To where? How long did I spend there? Where did I go next?

Coincidentally all the same kinds of data that CF (and Google, and Apple, and...) collect about me when I participate here.

[s/v Jedi]

I would love it when governments have no clue on my whereabouts nor movements. In this particular case, stopping AIS transmission won’t be enough because they also track our cellphones, our creditcards plus active methods like radar and when they want to know anything more about the radar echo, they check on any available optic asset, from USCG vessels or aircraft all the way up to satellites.

So, I gave up… for now. I still switch off AIS transmit now and then but due to concern over other boats, not big brother. Aslong as you know how to take yourself off grid if needed it should be okay.

[Manateeman]

It’s Christmas and I went way off the rails on Chotu. He did not deserve the attack.
No excuses. It was not justified in any way.
I offer a sincere apology to him.
Mark

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

I offered an alternative, but it didn't seem to generate any discussion. I was curious why it didn't rate consideration, because this is a method that I believe more reliably achieves your safety aims, while eliminating the need to broadcast all your information.

I thought your RADAR transponder (reflector) idea perhaps very useful. But also just another tool in the box, not 100% effective.

FWIW, around here I'm guessing 99% of boats we see do not transmit AIS... and a significant percentage, perhaps closer to 75%?, do not have RADAR... so neither of those are perfect either.

-Chris

[lordgeoff]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Well, I think I’ve had a change of heart about AIS.

I don’t like it. I don’t want to broadcast my information anywhere. BUT, I’d like to do some more overnight (Multi day) passages on the busy east coast of the USA than I used to.

I also recall a thread here recently where some beginners were talking about their overnight trip nose down in the electronics. Frightening. But if you can’t beat em, join em.

I want to be able to doze off and have an electronic means of helping with vessel proximity alerts.

To my understanding, radar and AIS are our only current way of doing this, right?

What is the lowest cost combined radar/AIS unit that will allow me to set a proximity alarm to wake me if something gets close during a cat nap? I would like it to transmit AIS as well as receive. I would only want to transmit AIS at night or in awful visibility since daytime and nice weather, I’m still kind of anti AIS.

Note: I do NOT have a chart plotter system yet, but have always used a Mac computer for that with MacENC. This time, I’ll use whatever software works best with free raster charts and this low cost radar/AIS.

Note: my vhf has AIS receiver capabilities already. I imagine that’s receive only.


Any ideas on the cheapest way to set these safety features up currently?

AIS is the cheapest and best piece of safety equipment. Just do it. Spend a few hundred dollars and get a send /receive AIS.

[s/v Jedi]

Here’s the list of options. I recommend one of the first two.
https://www.milltechmarine.com/Class...watt_c_77.html

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Just to correct this:

The company is Yakbitz.
They have several, low-priced, products, including the "TwinYakker"
Yakker

The TwinYakker takes in (up to) two NMEA0183 data streams and broadcasts by wifi.

I have one broadcasting my AIS (from Vesper Watchmate 850) and my wind/depth/STW.

Works very well. Not expensive. Reliable company.

You are correct
I didn’t remember the exact spelling of the company
Works great
Curious as to what you’re using for a display?
Chart Plotter? Tablet? And also what software you’re using?
I’ve got mine running in overlay mode on
an IPad using TZiBoat and INavX
When I’m back on the boat I’m going to try “AIS Radar” app
Cheers
Neil

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I thought your RADAR transponder (reflector) idea perhaps very useful. But also just another tool in the box, not 100% effective.

FWIW, around here I'm guessing 99% of boats we see do not transmit AIS... and a significant percentage, perhaps closer to 75%?, do not have RADAR... so neither of those are perfect either.

-Chris

Good point, but generally the boats without radar are just boats - ships have and keep the radar on. At a certain size they're required to have redundant radar systems. Fishing vessels will still keep the radar on, even when they turn off the AIS.

Downside it doesn't give you the "where and how far", but if the idea is to wake you up, so that you can take a good look, it would definitely do the trick. I wouldn't trust mARPA to pick up contacts reliably without human input, and even when it should work AIS sometimes just doesn't; I wouldn't trust it on its own.

[tanglewood]

Stand watch like you are supposed to do.

[Russian007]

Originally Posted by ABJ87

Vesper 8000xb ais / iPad and Furuno dsrw4 or 1620.

Probably the cheapest way to do what you want without diy electronics.

yep. good system. bang for the buck. get waterproof case for iPad. iPhone for backup

[Americat3014]

I was saving up for an AIS because I am thinking the fishing boats on the west coast of Florida may be using radar and AIS alarms to notify them when someone is near instead of always keeping a good watch. I am not very fast and not very visible on radar (I assume) so being seen on AIS seemed like a good defensive strategy. Sailing across the mouth of Tampa Bay at night with shore lights and the white range lights that could hide an approaching vessel was a bit un-nerving. I thought I was keeping a very good watch and was surprised by a freighter that passed behind me. It wasn't that close, but I think I took him for a condo/hotel when he had the shore behind him. Is there a better option than AIS?

Thank you,
Dave

[Russian007]

I wish people in my area would get AIS transmitters. That way I'd find all the secret lobster, fish, surf honeyholes.

[Russian007]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Let’s see how light you are, Francis, when everyone’s attacking you when you come in for some advice about what AIS transponder to get.

It's pretty much common knowledge around here that "Chotu" is an alias for the Dread Pirate Roberts, feared across the seven seas for his ruthlessness and sword fighting prowess, and is well known for taking no prisoners.