New SiiTech AIS Reporting System For Yachts

[sinbad7]

Siitech has informed me that they can also receive the yachts positions via a GPS/internet combination. More details to follow.

Tore

[GPSNavX]

iNavX on the iPhone/iPad supports the SiiTech AIS server ..

AIS data service for iPhone/iPad/iPod applications

[sinbad7]

The FREE AIS vessel monitoring network is back to normal:

World AIS

Tore

[fairbank56]

Where is the data coming from? I see over 60 vessels in the middle/upper Maryland Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay area of the U.S. on Marinetraffic.com but none on World AIS.

Eric

[sinbad7]

The Siitech network collects data from a variety of sources and also shares/exchanges certain areas with marinetraffic.com. Many receivers are privately owned and some are commercial companies. The network is far larger than you see but many areas are restricted to the providers for commercial reasons. The users have presently FREE access to data from around 21.000 vessels.

I notice there are a few targets received also in Chesapeak Bay.

Tore

[sinbad7]

My direct link to the FREE Siitech network is now back to normal:

World AIS

I have suggested to Dan that we make another plug-in for the purpose of relaying yacht positioning reports etc. to the Siitech network via GPS and internet when accessable. I am also trying to get a direct AIS data feed from their network in order to have our yachts and other shipping displayed in OpenCPN on 'real charts'.

The connection will be made via their AIS Server Lite (free)

http://www.siitech.com/Products/AIS_Server.htm

Tore

[LeaseOnLife]

Do I understand correctly, the free version suppresses info of some vessels, but does show other vessels in the same area?

Pretty useless, except for the armchair navigators.

I suspect this to be a bait and switch towards a PAID PROGRAM

Originally Posted by sinbad7

The Siitech network collects data from a variety of sources and also shares/exchanges certain areas with marinetraffic.com. Many receivers are privately owned and some are commercial companies. The network is far larger than you see but many areas are restricted to the providers for commercial reasons. The users have presently FREE access to data from around 21.000 vessels.

I notice there are a few targets received also in Chesapeak Bay.

Tore

[beneteau-500]

i just clicked on all links mentioned and it worked for me fine

[Auspicious]

No sign of all the big ships anchored off Annapolis waiting for dockage in Baltimore. No sign of my little Class B signal. All show up on Marinetraffic.com and on my own AIS receiver.

[sinbad7]

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"
As mentioned earlier,certain commercial contributors do not allow their data to be shared with third parties,and there is not much that can be done about that.

All AIS targets,(A an B) are displayed which are within range of participating land stations which the network is totally dependent on.

marinetraffic.com and Siitech has an exchange agreement on network resources but does not include ALL areas.

I am still happy with FREE access to 21.000+ targets as an extra aid to navigation.

I am hoping soon to have information as to how your GPS info can be fed into the AIS network.

Tore

[fairbank56]

Marinetraffic.com is FREE as well. This information is not meant to be used for navigation safety. You should only rely on information you receive directly from other vessels AIS transponders.

Eric

[sinbad7]

ALL navigation info is valuable but must be evaluated with dilligence.
If an AIS target from an internet provider appears to be on a collission course with your boat,I would strongly advice you NOT to ignore it!

Tore

[Aussiesuede]

So pirates & madmen can more easily identify preferred targets plotting their current speed, location, direction, and optimal contact points? Sometimes there is a such thing as too much easily accessible public information.

[sinbad7]

Aussiesuede..

So,your suggestion is back to the load stone and runes..
Some people have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Tore

[Aussiesuede]

Originally Posted by sinbad7

Aussiesuede..

So,your suggestion is back to the load stone and runes..
Some people have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Tore

It just seems to me that the reality of the world we live in makes something like this a bit too much information for public consumption. If a shipline wants to monitor it's fleet, then a private link to such a system is wonderful, but why would a pleasure cruiser NEED such information from a central publicly available system? Why wouldn't the info provided from his AIS receiver for all of the traffic which is local to him be sufficient? I don't mean to denigrate the usefulness of the system, since i think it's great technology. I simply question the nature of the copiuos amounts of public information of vessel movement considering the reality of our world. Imagine iff angbangers had access to the gps system which monitors the immediate whereabouts of every police cruiser at any given time? Makes planning crimes significantly easier. When the potential for easy misuse of intended information, versus the "real world" additional value off said information, are balanced - I simply believe info from the onboard AIS to be more than sufficient for the overwhelming majority of useful needs of pleasure craft. And I'm generally far from paranoid!