Considering AIS on a budget

[tweitz]

I am curious about your Raymarine 435i chartplotter. I have one as well, and a year or so ago it decided that every day was Christmas. Well, almost. Every time I turn it on it thinks it is January 1 of some year about 15 years ago. I spent some time dealing with Raymarine, which tried to address it but felt it was probably a failure in the processor. In all other respects if continues to function as normal. The one big issue I have with it not knowing the date is the tide and current tables are useless. I have been fiddling around with possibly replacing it, but I have managed with it pretty well and use other sources for my tide and current data. I am helped by the fact that I mostly day sail locally and know my waters. Has your 435i experienced anything similar?

By the way, I also use a Standard Horizon VHF with built in AIS, and a remote mike at the helm. Although the display is miniscule, I can easily spot boats or ships with their names and information and I find it helpful. In our area many of the fast boats and fishing boats don't transmit or receive AIS anyway, so I am not as enamored as many of the posters are of the value of AIS.

[n5ama]

Originally Posted by seacap

I have the same radio and now have it wirelessly showing on my iPad nav program iNavX. And I believe it will work with other iPad nav programs. Very easy to set up and the seller offers great support if there is a problem. Cheap at around $56 with shipping from Australia. Highly recommended.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NMEA-to-WiF...4AAOSwc9ha6X~q

Hi Gary,
Exactly what I needed! Thanks

Tom

[JimStarkey]

No, an antenna on the stern rail is not just fine. A friend did a careful study of the distances that my shore AIS receiver could pick up his signal with both a stern rail whip and a masthead antenna through a splitter. The masthead antenna won hands down. I don't think the issue is mast height but signal interference from the standing rigging.

SOTDMA is better but unless you are crossing the North Sea or the Straits of Gibraltar, I don't think there is any practice difference. More power is better, but the limitation is generally line of sight. In an area of extreme AIS density, more power is necessary to blast though a distant ship sharing the same time slice.

[sanibel sailor]

Originally Posted by tweitz

I am curious about your Raymarine 435i chartplotter. I have one as well, and a year or so ago it decided that every day was Christmas. Well, almost. Every time I turn it on it thinks it is January 1 of some year about 15 years ago. I spent some time dealing with Raymarine, which tried to address it but felt it was probably a failure in the processor. In all other respects if continues to function as normal. The one big issue I have with it not knowing the date is the tide and current tables are useless. I have been fiddling around with possibly replacing it, but I have managed with it pretty well and use other sources for my tide and current data. I am helped by the fact that I mostly day sail locally and know my waters. Has your 435i experienced anything similar?

By the way, I also use a Standard Horizon VHF with built in AIS, and a remote mike at the helm. Although the display is miniscule, I can easily spot boats or ships with their names and information and I find it helpful. In our area many of the fast boats and fishing boats don't transmit or receive AIS anyway, so I am not as enamored as many of the posters are of the value of AIS.

Never had mine apart but I understand they have an internal battery to keep it alive for memory. Probably needs to be replaced. Likely easy if you have soldering skills. On mine, RC435, not i, the gps antenna is separate and that has a battery also.

[docvchulek]

I agree with Pete 7, if you are looking for a transponder the Em-Trak is the best value. I purchased the B-350 as I wanted the B+ but a very high quality product. If you are just looking to receive AIS on a budget, I suggest looking at the dAISy AIS receiver. It integrates easily via USB with OpenCPN and is only $60. You will need the BNC adapter that they sell for $5.
https://www.tindie.com/products/astu...-ais-receiver/

[rhpike]

I have a transceiver on my 44' sailboat. One of the benefits I have enjoyed in addition to the former posts is when I am on the ICW and call a tugboat pushing or pulling a tow. Before AIS, I had to know the nearest daymare number or statute mile number to identify myself and the tugboat. Even so, they would often not answer my VHF hail when I wanted to know what side I should pass them on. With AIS, I know their vessel's name and use it in my hail. They always answer now, probably because all their buddies have heard their name.

[Dwayne Lister]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

I looked at the GX2200 first as an all-in-one solution. But the guy at West Marine suggested Em-Trak which surprised me a bit as they don't carry it. The screen on the GX2200 is tiny and I understand has readability issues, but could be OK for hooking to the laptop. That VHF is about $400 so not much savings.


My current VHF does have DSC and ability for GPS input (which I have not hooked up)

Worth noting that without GPS input, DSC is pretty useless as it cannot transmit your location as part of any DSC message!

Dwayne

[docvchulek]

I did not have NMEA 0183 GPS to my VHF w/DSC either until I added the Em-Trak unit. It has an internal GPS and NMEA 0183 and 2000, along with a USB to connect with your OpenCPN if you are using it.

[Peterbreit]

What is "OCPN" please explain.
Thank you

[dougweibel]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

What is "OCPN" please explain.
Thank you

Open CPN is plotter software that runs on a computer or tablet. With a bit of additional hardware you are able to pull data from your NMEA network and get gps, instruments, ais, etc. data all into your computer and usable with the OCPN software. Lots and lots of threads here about OCPN.

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Dwayne Lister

Worth noting that without GPS input, DSC is pretty useless as it cannot transmit your location as part of any DSC message!

Dwayne

It was noted and pointed out 20-some posts earlier.

[damianham]

Originally Posted by Paul Kelly

I decided that I wanted AIS in the cockpit, so I could compare what it was telling me with what I could see. The Vespa Watchmate Vision looks great but is not cheap. But I found a good and cheaper alternative in the Matsutec HP-528A/CE. This is a 4.5” colour screen AIS and GPS that transmits and receives. It’s detachable so, when not in use it can be securely locked away down below. I’ve used it when crossing shipping lanes and it’s been excellent. They are about $360 (£300 GBP). You'll pay about three - four times that amount for a Vespa with a screen.

I am the developer of SmartBoat (available on Android Play store) and the new version has a map based AIS display. If you can get the AIS NMEA 0183 data over wifi, either directly from an AIS receiver or via an NMEA multiplexer, then SmartBoat is a good option for AIS display in the cockpit since it is free to use and runs on cheap commodity hardware.

Although iOS is a popular platform for mobile devices it is not supported at the moment. We figure it is better to use a cheap Android $150 USD tablet in the cockpit rather than expose a $1000+ device to sea spray.

[sanibel sailor]

Just read an “I barely escaped disaster” story in Good Old Boat magazine. Author had AIS on his VHF which was inadequate. Nearly got between tug and tow. Many other factors as well of course but this was pertinent to me.

I think I will get a basic transceiver and hook it to a stern rail antenna. I can spend the money on a splitter later if transmission/reception proves inadequate.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Just read an “I barely escaped disaster” story in Good Old Boat magazine. Author had AIS on his VHF which was inadequate. Nearly got between tug and tow. Many other factors as well of course but this was pertinent to me.

Not much of a way that AIS can save you from getting between a tug and its tow if no one is on watch. If you want to depend upon other ships to call you, then AIS transceiver is what you need - and someone needs to be on watch to hear the hail on VHF. There are both lights and sounds for a vessel with a tow.
There are rare times, in heavy fog or stormy weather, when it is good to transmit AIS. For most sailing, AIS receive is plenty.


In accordance with Rule 35 (c) (Sound signals in restricted visibility ), a vessel engaged in towing another vessel shall, instead of the signals prescribed in Rule 35 (a) or (b) (Sound signals in restricted visibility ), sound at intervals of not more that 2 minutes three blasts in succession, namely one prolonged followed by two short blasts.

(The vessel being towed, if manned, gives 1 prolonged and 3 short blasts immediately following the sounds from the towing vessel.)

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Just read an “I barely escaped disaster” story in Good Old Boat magazine. Author had AIS on his VHF which was inadequate. Nearly got between tug and tow. Many other factors as well of course but this was pertinent to me.

I think I will get a basic transceiver and hook it to a stern rail antenna. I can spend the money on a splitter later if transmission/reception proves inadequate.

I don't think being able to transmit wouldn't have really helped in this situation.

You're better to have a seperate antenna for AIS. Less expensive than adding a splitter and creates a redudancy in your antenna as AIS and VHF antennas are the same.