AIS Transponder - Anyone have one?

my3sons said:
Not sure I am understanding you correctly but AIS can be switched to stop transmission and just receive only.
I should say the Vesper units can. I have mine set up that way.
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My unit has a switch to kill transmission, but it will still receive.
 
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CaptRonn said:
Not sure I am understanding you correctly but AIS can be switched to stop transmission and just receive only.
I should say the Vesper units can. I have mine set up that way.
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My unit has a switch to kill transmission, but it will still receive.[/QUOTE]

1. A comment was made by SeasNT that AIS had limited value because commercial vessels would stop using the receive function to de clutter their nav screens.

2. I replied that commercial vessels were unlikely to do that (shut down AIS altogether) because not using AIS (something they are mandated to use) would increase their liability in the event of a collision.

3. I also pointed out that anyone who has AIS reception capability, but didn’t use it could also be exposed to increased collision liability as well. There is an established protocol that having radar but not having it running, or on standby, in a collision would increase liability. The rationale is that failure to use all available aids to navigation is a failure to mount a proper watch. The same argument could be applied to not having AIS working (reception and transmission) with the exception being avoiding pirates.
 
On our last boat we had a VHF with built in AIS Receive only. Our current boat we installed a Garmin AIS 800 Send and Receive. We are on the Chesapeake Bay and there is quite a bit of shipping traffic and boat traffic. So for that purpose I think it is good so others can communicate directly with us and vice versa. I have not needed to make the call nor have I received one.

Like Jeremy said I believe there are increasingly more boats with AIS Transmitting although most are yachts, freighters and sail boats.
I did turn off the AIS collision warnings sounds through the GPS. Seems like a great feature to have but near Annapolis there are so many boats the potential risk is very frequent and the alarms getting annoying.
 
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I'll chime in...

I have it and think it's a valuable tool...I do think the chart can become very cluttered if you have the targets showing on the plotter. I turn that off when in a crowded area...I like the ability to TX position as I'm sometimes solo and it's good to have eyes on ya... Though I also like the ability to go dark if you want.

Worth the investment IMO
 
Right, my point was directed a commercial vessels that are required by regulation to have AIS. They can shut off transmission



Gotcha.
I will admit that I do not turn it on at all when just cruising around the waterfront. The alarms from rec boats that are in constant transmit mode while tied to their docks are annoying. I find myself fiddling with the range settings, silencing alarms, etc. just easier to leave it off.
 
I have the alarms for collision warning from AIS turned off. All the alarms do get annoying. The screen shows boats that are a possible collision in red and others in green so it is a help visually on the screen. I have not found the clutter to be an issue. I like seeing them on the screen so I know what they are. We run in fog far too often, sometimes for 3-4hrs near shore and that is when AIS is very useful.
 
Jeremygavin said:
I have the alarms for collision warning from AIS turned off. All the alarms do get annoying. The screen shows boats that are a possible collision in red and others in green so it is a help visually on the screen. I have not found the clutter to be an issue. I like seeing them on the screen so I know what they are. We run in fog far too often, sometimes for 3-4hrs near shore and that is when AIS is very useful.
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Exactly. I also have the alarms turned off. It is very nice to have the AIS indicator on my radar as well. Just an added sense of security.

Having the receive is totally invaluable at times, but I guess the transmit would be the real benefit to show up on other's displays as well be able to be contacted in an emergency as mentioned earlier by unseen tugs etc.
 
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Here is a shot of what my MFD looks like with the AIS on. It isn’t a great pic because I had taken it for speed reference. The boats with a green triangle are smaller power boats. The more rounded boat shaped triangles are sailboats. As boats get larger such as ferries they View as little boat icons. Large ocean ships such as tankers are even larger icons. That helps identifying the boat with just looking at the screen. None of these boats in the pic are an immediate threat but as I would get closer the icon would turn red. As we come even closer together with great chance of collision they will blink red.

51977D80-361E-4457-B753-9C8548330EAC.jpeg
 
Jeremygavin said:
I have the alarms for collision warning from AIS turned off. All the alarms do get annoying. The screen shows boats that are a possible collision in red and others in green so it is a help visually on the screen. I have not found the clutter to be an issue. I like seeing them on the screen so I know what they are. We run in fog far too often, sometimes for 3-4hrs near shore and that is when AIS is very useful.
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screen clutter isn’t a problem, very few boats out on the water have AIS around here, I’ll have to dig deeper into my mfd, maybe there’s a setting that I can find that won’t default back to alarms each time I power up the electronics.
That would help.
 
My Garmin 4212 and 7612 both have options to turn the AIS alarm off permanently.
 
Jeremygavin said:
Here is a shot of what my MFD looks like with the AIS on. It isn’t a great pic because I had taken it for speed reference. The boats with a green triangle are smaller power boats. The more rounded boat shaped triangles are sailboats. As boats get larger such as ferries they View as little boat icons. Large ocean ships such as tankers are even larger icons. That helps identifying the boat with just looking at the screen. None of these boats in the pic are an immediate threat but as I would get closer the icon would turn red. As we come even closer together with great chance of collision they will blink red.

View attachment 93448
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You spend almost as much time in OB as I do.
 
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