Why have dedicated AIS display

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by bazzer

Whilst fishing vessels might not transmit
Their position on AIS they might well receive yours and therefore could warn you of a unsafe CPA

Agreed! One of the pluses with Vesper, it has the ability to shut off the transmission, either with the Wifi or a manual switch.

[rebel heart]

The only place my AIS contacts display is the gx2150 screen and ram3 remote. Shows me everything I need right next to my sog, cog, and current position.

I can handle the charting part with a pencil.

[Paul Elliott]

Earlier I described some of the advantages of having a separate AIS display, but there are certainly advantages to having the AIS targets displayed on your chartplotter:

1) As donradcliffe and others mentioned, showing the AIS targets overlayed on the chart can really help when navigating inland waterways.

2) Sometimes I overlay my radar and AIS on the chartplotter screen. In crowded conditions this helps me sort through the the different vessels, some with AIS and some without.

3) You may not have room for a separate display.

There are no doubt other advantages, and with practice either configuration can be extremely useful.

[estarzinger]

One if the "letters to the editor" on my Boatus AIS article was someone with a black box AIS displayed on his chart plotter. He complained that the AIS targets obscured the chart information. He said that was particularly a problem in Maine where there were random rocks and ledges and a decent amount of AIS traffic.

His unit has alarm filtering but not display filtering. The Veper has both.

[barnakiel]

I was wondering why filtering capacity is so poorly developed. Why not have filters like "closest N targets only" or "closest N CPA only" or "closest N TCPA only", ETC?

Amazing how very conservative manufacturers are.

Also, I used a unit where, when targets filtered, there was no 'AIS FILTERED' warning on screen. Why not. So difficult to build or the developer a moron?

Really, forums are full of such free good tips but it looks like their engineer goes thru the uni and then thinks they are smarter than the crowd.

b.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

What is the issue? Get the Vesper and forward the AIS data to your plotter.

b.

I have some latitude with a pilothouse's expanse of helm space to have separate displays without clutter. I will have a separate RADAR screen and a separate (and probably Vesper) AIS display with the same orientation settings. "Inside" plotting will be PC-based. I will have a smallish outside plotter able to overlay the output of either or both AIS and RADAR as needed, but primarily if I've moved outside on a dark/foggy inshore night, I'm going to well aware of my proper bearings and any CPA issues...I'm going to "eyeball mode" at that stage.

I find a plotter most useful for plotting land approaches and warning me of thin water or shoals/reefs. Away from land, off soundings, they are less useful...I would just use a paper chart and a lat-lon reading to determine headings and SOG...better I should see containers ahead than a little black triangle on a big blue rectangle!

Just my .02...I really have no concern in persuading others that they shouldn't have 17-inch screens at an aft-cockpit helm...although they can cack one's night vision.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I'm glad I went that way! I also have a Vesper (XB-8000). When I recently did a passage down the Pacific coast the new Garmin Plotter crapped out so I had no radar. So at night and in fog I was still able to see other vessels around me. And when out in the deep most vessels are commercial and are required to run the AIS.

Inland waters would be different but off shore AIS is a godsend. As as stated above the power consumption is very low when independent.

I deliberately have no interdependance between devices. This avoids the "one fails - they all fail" issues. We have Vesper Watchmate 850.

VESPER uses 3 watts: Chart plotter 20 to 50

VESPER (3 watts) operates as an anchor watch & alarm.

VESPER with dedicated antennas does not fight for VHS or GPS access.

AND - it is REALLY useful on inland waters of the Great Lakes. Most hits more than 5 miles offshore will be commercial or Coast Guard. Many provate yachts cruised here are now running AIS as well. I will never be without it.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I deliberately have no interdependance between devices. This avoids the "one fails - they all fail" issues. .....

I think this is an overrated issue. There is a significant difference between Interdependant and Interconnected. Most major electronics failures on cruising boats I know of were due to lightening strikes -- and these do not care if your instruments are seperated or not.

By having no interconnects you loose a lot of features available on modern electronic systems.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

(...) 17-inch screens at an aft-cockpit helm...although they can cack one's night vision.

If the stupidiest of the stupid street nav can read out turns and stops, why not have an AIS receiver read out ship's CPA/TCPA/crossing situation ??? This could save us some night vision allright.

Yet another point where nav equip manufacturers fail to get grip with how things get done by smarter others.

b.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I think this is an overrated issue. There is a significant difference between Interdependant and Interconnected. Most major electronics failures on cruising boats I know of were due to lightening strikes -- and these do not care if your instruments are seperated or not.

By having no interconnects you loose a lot of features available on modern electronic systems.

True, however, even with all new instruments, I have been unable to get any of the NMEA 183 promised communication and its convenience to work. I'm just a dinosaur with a flip-phone. I raced (pre-computer days) for 20 years in another lifetime with nothing but depth, speed & wind + compass & Loran. If communication was needed, we talked. Today, we have 5 seperate GPS antennas, 3 VHS, Radar, Bottom scanner, Simrad with remote repeater, 3 VHS radios, CB, FM, + standard wind, boat speed, depth & temperature. Two enunciators with sound signals. I keep a spare plotter in a box and a hand-held on my harness. We are definitely equipped and something is bound to work.

BTW, the VESPER has an alarm that iritates the heck out of my wife but I can't hear it. I added two external LED with audio alarms. These are wired to a 3-position switch; on-deck, below, off. This I can hear and the blue LED is not confused with anything else.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

True, however, even with all new instruments, I have been unable to get any of the NMEA 183 promised communication and its convenience to work.

If its new gear then it should all be interconnected with NMEA 2K, far more reliable and easier then 183.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If the stupidiest of the stupid street nav can read out turns and stops, why not have an AIS receiver read out ship's CPA/TCPA/crossing situation ??? This could save us some night vision allright.

Yet another point where nav equip manufacturers fail to get grip with how things get done by smarter others.

b.

I'm pretty sure I'd have this feature disabled most of the time - too distracting in an area with a lot of traffic..

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I think this is an overrated issue. There is a significant difference between Interdependant and Interconnected.

I agree. Integration doesn't have to mean there are single points of failure.

[Harryws]

The advantages of a standalone AIS have been outlined above. Having used a watchmate AIS for an Atlantic crossing and extensive coastal cruising in the Caribbean and E coast USA.
The major advantages of this unit are the four profiles: Harbour, Coastal, Offshore and anchor. These tunes out unwanted vessels. The additional anchor watch is very good.
The low power usage is a greatest advantage especially on ocean passages.
I have added an external alarm to wake me while off watch which has been a great help offshore.
I use the USB to connect with computer OpenCPM charts as a backup to chartplotter

My selection criteria are discussed on my blog Sailor Harry on Malua: May 2012

The additional advantages are you can find your friends in a crowded anchorage.

[Tynesider]

Interesting post !

Over here in the UK before I purchased my AIS system after nearly getting run down by a container ship in fog I did a bit of research first.

One of the same common problems arising was problems of differant makes not talking to each other, and sometimes for minor reasons the stand alone AIS unit going down.

So I decided to go for a simple Standard Horizon system using a SH GX 2100E radio (which has inbuilt AIS) and a SH 300i plotter to also display the AIS.

A few minor hickups on installation but I have to say the after sales backup by SH in the UK was excellant, To date it has worked well, user friendly and it does the job as a reciever only but with many features added that some models do not include.

The AIS display on the radio is small BUT can be used in emergency and I like that the whole set up only requires the standard VHF aerial which is ontop of the mast but again can be simply swopped for an emergency aerial if problems arise.

This is also the first time I have tried an 'in built' aerial on the plotter and again to date I have found no problems in reception and quality.

PS :I have no connections with Standard Horizon just a happy customer!