Ais using iPad

[Petercisco]

Hello All iPad experts. I have marine traffic, an internet based ais system but now plan to purchase a VHF version. My question is, will an NMEA 0183 or 2000 ais system integrate with an iPad using the Navionics app?
Thanks

[sharpey]

No.

You need a nmea to wifi unit...

Look at the dmk box. and then you need Inavix... Navionics doesn't accept nmea data over wifi yet.

[marlinmike]

This would interface with your iPad easily, although expensive:
XB-8000 AIS transponder with built-in WiFi and NMEA 2000 Gateway

[Tim R.]

Another round-about solution would be if you have a newer Garmin chart plotter that supports the wifi connected Helm app. This app lets you view and control your chart plotter screen. Assuming your AIS receiver/transceiver is interfaced with your chart plotter.

[JK n Smitty]

I like the idea of AIS but $800 seems a bit stiff. That's a big chunk out of the cruising budget.

For most of your busy shipping areas, iNavx can give you AIS data if you have a cellular or wifi connection. That's $50 but you aren't sending out a signal. Just receiving other's signals.

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

I like the idea of AIS but $800 seems a bit stiff. That's a big chunk out of the cruising budget.

For most of your busy shipping areas, iNavx can give you AIS data if you have a cellular or wifi connection. That's $50 but you aren't sending out a signal. Just receiving other's signals.

Actually you are not even receiving true AIS signals with iNavx. You are only receiving info that base stations relay to the internet. If a base station is down or there is no base station in the area you will not see the signals in that area.

It is not a good idea to rely on internet based AIS for navigation. Ok to play with but that is the extent you should trust this data.

Right now iNavx is showing no AIS signals in Penobscot Bay in Maine. Marinetraffic.com is also an internet based AIS system and that is showing the ferry traffic in Penobscot bay. Lyman-Morese Boatbuilding is acting as a private base station for Marinetraffic.com but not iNavx.

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

Actually you are not even receiving true AIS signals with iNavx. You are only receiving info that base stations relay to the internet. If a base station is down or there is no base station in the area you will not see the signals in that area.

It is not a good idea to rely on internet based AIS for navigation. Ok to play with but that is the extent you should trust this data.

Right now iNavx is showing no AIS signals in Penobscot Bay in Maine. Marinetraffic.com is also an internet based AIS system and that is showing the ferry traffic in Penobscot bay. Lyman-Morese Boatbuilding is acting as a private base station for Marinetraffic.com but not iNavx.

Very true.

Like I said before, I like the idea of AIS. Unfortunately it's not in my cruising budget. I also don't consider it essential cruising gear but that is a very personal decision based on where and how we will be cruising.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Petercisco

Hello All iPad experts. I have marine traffic, an internet based ais system but now plan to purchase a VHF version. My question is, will an NMEA 0183 or 2000 ais system integrate with an iPad using the Navionics app?
Thanks

Not sure where you're going with this, but...

VHF AIS is not a "version" of AIS, and MarineTraffic.com is not an Internet "version" of VHF AIS...

If you don't understand the difference, several folks here can wax philosophic about it...

-Chris

[GPSNavX]

For real world navigation I recommend having your own AIS receiver aboard..

Digital Yacht iAIS

[marlinmike]

Didnt see any prices on this, do you have an approximate cost.

Originally Posted by GPSNavX

For real world navigation I recommend having your own AIS receiver aboard..

Digital Yacht iAIS

[robert sailor]

AIS is cool for sure but many of us have been crossing oceans for many years and never had it. If I was tight on a budget it would not be near the top of my list.

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

AIS is cool for sure but many of us have been crossing oceans for many years and never had it. If I was tight on a budget it would not be near the top of my list.

Agreed but for a few hundred for a transceiver you can be that much safer. Just another tool. It does not replace radar, it does not replace a proper watch but it can let you see ships electronically before you see them visually. And the combination of radar and AIS will let you see a ship and then hail them by name to exchange intentions. I have done this many time in the fog/dark here in Maine. Very useful when a commercial boat, super yacht or Ferry hails you to talk about how you will pass.

You could take your example to the extreme and say we have been crossing oceans for hundreds of years without any electronic aids. True but we are safer now with the proper use of today's electronics.

[Tymadman]

Have a look at my NTWB1 NMEA to WiFi Bridges which are reasonably priced. I can configure them for 38400 baud for AIS use before shipping so don't be put off by the 4800 baud rate in my documentation.

[muttnik]

There was a thread on the Practical Boat Owner forum recently on similar topic. One user decided to take a chance on a cheap chinese ebay serial to wifi converter and overcame the slightly iffy manual to achieve the desired result. The cost (< EUR 60) is comparable to or less than the homebrew raspberry pi based solution, without some of the hassle (but also without some of the flexibility).

Obviously such a solution also requires an AIS receiver with serial output, but there seems to be more choice than with wifi-enabled units (some less than EUR 150).

If going for super-cheap AIS sources, maybe take a look at software defined radios. Search for "ais sdr". Plugged into a small computer with a wifi dongle capable of master mode you could probably build yourself a decent wireless ais system with networking capabilities far superior to those of some of the commercial systems which occasionally look as though the network programming has been done by donkeys.

I haven't personally tried the SDR route as, reportedly, the signal processing software is a bit of a challenge for my little pi.