How necessary is AIS?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by DotDun

I disagree!

To broadcast the location of my private vessel (and by association, me!) with all identifying information in (near) real-time on the Internet is a privacy breach!

Not sure how you believe it's not! If you have an equivalent service as an example, please provide evidence of such.

If that's what you believe, that's what you believe. Most people wouldn't be concerned. You could turn off the transmitter function or buy a receiver only in the first place.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Sorry to hijack this thread but I'm very interested in knowing more about your go-kit, especially about the USB SDR and weather fax. Are you able to detail your equipment and software? Thanks.

Sure. There is nothing magic. Some bits are on the bleeding edge but nothing that has not been done elsewhere.

The base is a Lenovo T450S with the biggest SSD I could find. I like the Lenovo T-series as they are robust. The newer ones have two batteries so you can swap the main battery without having to shut down. In addition the Lenovo auto/air DC-to-DC converters are electrically quiet and as such don't interfere with HF reception. I use Win 7 Pro. In my experience Win 10 is not a good choice for off-the-grid applications; the last thing I want is all my bandwidth being clogged up with Windows phoning home for updates when I'm flirting with the two-bar line.

For some years I've used a Kaito KA-1103 for weather fax. It's small. The downside is that it runs on 7 volts so I carry a small inverter to run the wall wart. Not my favorite so I've been looking at alternatives.

I bought an RTL-SDR and after a lot of messing about have it working with JVCOMM32. You have to get the latest version to get HF. I'm finding the front-end sensitivity to be less than the Kaito but the concept is promising. I bought the RTL-SDR in hopes of using the same platform for both weather fax and AIS. The RTL-SDR has been fussy so I ordered a dAISy 2+. That hasn't arrived yet so I can't speak to its performance yet.

The biggest issue with the RTL-SDR is that it runs really hot and draws a lot of power. On my own boat I lop off the cigarette lighter plug and hard wire the auto/air adapter into the boat. For deliveries I'm stuck with the plugs and regardless of what they are fused for the connection is only good for 6A. I've seen melted insulation and smoke. Fire is next. Lots of boats have just one 12VDC cigarette lighter jack at the nav station and I worry a lot about power. Keeping my laptop fully charged and plugged in all the time is my best solution so far. That cuts power consumption down. It means explaining to crew that no, I can't share the plug and their phone is not as important as a navigation system.

I also carry an unlocked quad-band Huawei GSM data stick and an external Shakespeare cellular antenna. That gives me good Internet way earlier than a phone with hotspot which helps with research, filing papers, and looking up contact information for service providers if I'm bailing out due to a failure.

Does this help?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by DotDun

This 'guy' has access to my home address. Doesn't take rocket science to assume if my boat is somewhere on the move, my house is not occupied.

There are laws protecting your privacy, try to look up a car license plate number for the owner's name and address. Hmm, can't do it wonder why??

You are paranoid. The police can easily find your address from you license plate number unless you lied about it.

As for the boat being on the move meaning your house is empty, that's not true. Whoever is on the boat may have left family behind or even rented the house.

Most burglars are not that organized, they just drive down the street, find an empty house and break in.

[Mike OReilly]

Concerns about private theft or piracy are really very low on my worry list. I’m far more concerned about corporate and government intrusion into my privacy. A functioning democracy relies on the ability of Citizens to operate outside the watchful eyes of authorities. Anyone who doesn’t understand this should re-read the history of any totalitarian country. Or if that’s not to your liking, 1984 gives a simplistic perspective that is easy to understand.

AIS is a pretty low risk function, but it is pretty easy to see how it can be used by people only interested in our “security” and “safety.” I worry when the state, or a corporation, tells me it only has best intentions in mind.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

For some years I've used a Kaito KA-1103 for weather fax. It's small. The downside is that it runs on 7 volts so I carry a small inverter to run the wall wart. Not my favorite so I've been looking at alternatives.

Been running one of those for years on a cheap ebay dc buck converter.

[SaylorMade]

Originally Posted by rwidman

It's up to you but I don't think the captain of that ocean going tanker really cares a whole lot about your (or my) little recreational boat. I wouldn't expect it to alter course because of my boat, I would be altering course to avoid it.

I think you are wrong.
I constantly experience that the big ships take a lot of care not to hit other ships, pleasure crafts included.
It is not good for your career if you sail over a familiy with your ocean going tanker...
That does of course not prevent you from avoiding them

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by SaylorMade

I think you are wrong.
I constantly experience that the big ships take a lot of care not to hit other ships, pleasure crafts included.
It is not good for your career if you sail over a familiy with your ocean going tanker...
That does of course not prevent you from avoiding them

Yes, he/she does not want to run over your little boat but he wants you to get out of his way. It's not like he can stop on a dime and wait for you to get out of his way. Often he can't change course because of draft.

I think it's basically stupid for a recreational boat to challenge a large ship over right of way. You can turn the wheel or slow down a lot easier than they can.

[Sid Post]

Originally Posted by rwidman

....

It's up to you but I don't think the captain of that ocean going tanker really cares a whole lot about your (or my) little recreational boat. I wouldn't expect it to alter course because of my boat, I would be altering course to avoid it.

Originally Posted by SaylorMade

I think you are wrong.
I constantly experience that the big ships take a lot of care not to hit other ships, pleasure crafts included.
It is not good for your career if you sail over a familiy with your ocean going tanker...
That does of course not prevent you from avoiding them

Originally Posted by rwidman

Yes, he/she does not want to run over your little boat but he wants you to get out of his way. It's not like he can stop on a dime and wait for you to get out of his way. Often he can't change course because of draft.

I think it's basically stupid for a recreational boat to challenge a large ship over right of way. You can turn the wheel or slow down a lot easier than they can.

Just ask the crew of the US Destroyer that ran into the Philippine cargo ship off the coast of Japan recently about the effects that has on their US Navy careers! No professional wants to end their career over something silly like ocean going 'road rage' over right-of-way.

And yes, right-of-way or not, I think it is reasonable for a pleasure craft to make a course adjustment for a SuperTanker or Ginormous container or cruise ship whether you are required to or not.

In the end, it's not a whole lot different then me on my motorcycle. I may have right-of-way but, the cellphone texting, burger eating, construction worker who is 5 minutes late returning to work may pay my heirs insurance claims but, I am still the one who died when they ran me over oblivious to the fact other people share the road with them.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I think it's basically stupid for a recreational boat to challenge a large ship over right of way. You can turn the wheel or slow down a lot easier than they can.

I tend to agree. I've been called a small handful of times by commercial vessels who were give way. My general response has been that it's easy for me to crack off a bit or slow down or both and take their stern. Why press the issue? When there is solid communication we can be rational and choose the safest option.

[Mariano]

I`m not in this forum for posting, only reading and seeking information, but , after reading page after page of threads like this one, I`m getting bore of bull@#!€. People say they don`t need AIS, Radar, Depthsounder or even VHF because they have "MK II eyeballs to keep watch", "a good lead to avoid going aground" and "good lungs to shout". It's like saying you don`t need an engine because you have sails, no PFD's because you know how to swim, no nav lights, what for if you can see other boats lights and avoid them...........and the list goes forever. It`s allways the same argument : sailors have gone to sea and crossed oceans without electronics since ancient history, but it`s just that: "HISTORY, TRADITION". I`m not saying it`s bad to study and preserve them, all I say is that some sailors are stuck there denying present sailing technology that makes our lifes easy, safe and confortable.

Mariano
Fair winds

[smj]

Originally Posted by Mariano

I`m not in this forum for posting, only reading and seeking information, but , after reading page after page of threads like this one, I`m getting bore of bull@#!€. People say they don`t need AIS, Radar, Depthsounder or even VHF because they have "MK II eyeballs to keep watch", "a good lead to avoid going aground" and "good lungs to shout". It's like saying you don`t need an engine because you have sails, no PFD's because you know how to swim, no nav lights, what for if you can see other boats lights and avoid them...........and the list goes forever. It`s allways the same argument : sailors have gone to sea and crossed oceans without electronics since ancient history, but it`s just that: "HISTORY, TRADITION". I`m not saying it`s bad to study and preserve them, all I say is that some sailors are stuck there denying present sailing technology that makes our lifes easy, safe and confortable.

Mariano
Fair winds

In some instances AIS I believe doesn't ad to safety, in fact the exact opposite. All the gadgets you mentioned are AIDS to navigation and if used as an aid at the appropriate time can be a help.

[conachair]

It's up to you but I don't think the captain of that ocean going tanker really cares a whole lot about your (or my) little recreational boat. I wouldn't expect it to alter course because of my boat, I would be altering course to avoid it.

Originally Posted by SaylorMade

I think you are wrong.
I constantly experience that the big ships take a lot of care not to hit other ships, pleasure crafts included.
It is not good for your career if you sail over a familiy with your ocean going tanker...
That does of course not prevent you from avoiding them

From experience I would agree, happens quite often offshore though without AIS you would never know a lot of the time, with a ship doing a dog leg to give you more sea room before it even appears over the horizon. Usually it's not what you would expect a ship to do but what the IRPCS have to say.

[a64pilot]

After watching ships on AIS for a while I've come to the conclusion that I believe they had just as soon you hold a steady course. That way your predictable. If your going to tack, call then first and tell them your intentions before you do it, and don't tack to cross their bow.
I think I have always been thanked when I called then first and told them what I was going to do, and have sometimes modified my plan based on what the ship asked of me.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by rwidman

If that's what you believe, that's what you believe. Most people wouldn't be concerned. You could turn off the transmitter function or buy a receiver only in the first place.

I'm not the only one concerned, as I stated earlier in post #66, IMO is concerned about it also. If you had read post #66, you would also realize that I already do what you are suggesting.

Originally Posted by rwidman

You are paranoid. The police can easily find your address from you license plate number unless you lied about it.

As for the boat being on the move meaning your house is empty, that's not true. Whoever is on the boat may have left family behind or even rented the house.

Most burglars are not that organized, they just drive down the street, find an empty house and break in.

Had you comprehended another earlier post (#126), you would have realized I'm not worried about Gov't tracking me, hence telling me that police can lookup my address using my license plate number on my car is not an issue to me. The 'guy' referred to in post #141 & #143 is not the police. The 'guy' (including you) cannot get my home address from my car license plate number.

I worked on Internet privacy professionally, you are entitled to your opinion, but you won't convince me or anyone with knowledge in the area that what is happening with AIS data re-broadcast on the Internet is not a privacy issue. Like I stated above, even the organization that defined AIS is concerned.

[SaylorMade]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Yes, he/she does not want to run over your little boat but he wants you to get out of his way. It's not like he can stop on a dime and wait for you to get out of his way. Often he can't change course because of draft.

I think it's basically stupid for a recreational boat to challenge a large ship over right of way. You can turn the wheel or slow down a lot easier than they can.

I agree with that (in most cases), but this is not what you wrote in the first place.