It shows on the Navico/Simrad price list, as well as on the distributors websites. Navico hopes to have it "soon".....though Standard said that for at least a couple of years, hopefully that won't be the case with this one.
Are you an Electronics Junkie?
- Thread starter jssailem
- Start date
Well, in response to several posts about the frequency of receiving AIS signals from ships in PNW, New England and the Chesapeake, you did imply to those folks that less than 1% of the ships that they would encounter are running AIS. Then you backed it up by talking about fishing boats in Asia! Sorry, but that just made me laugh! I thought the argument was silly.
I didn't think that you were saying it was silly to use AIS. I think you were trying to win an argument rather than acknowledge that the frequency of ships in commercial waters in high traffic areas in the US that are transmitting AIS is probably pretty high. I wouldn't be surprised if less than 1% of the boats I encounter in Barnegat Bay are transmitting AIS, but I'd also guess that a lot of boats are at least receiving AIS for those times when they are traversing the commercial zones in our area. Most of the bigger boats are probably also transmitting, since price is obviously no deterrent to those folks.
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Thinking about AIS brings me to the point that I think I need a tutor for all this electronic gadgetry! I am obviously having difficulty with my technology challenged abilities. I have an AIS receiver with my new B&G radio, which is connected to my N2K network. I would have been thrilled if I had seen this guy pop up on my chart plotter during a recent trip!
But I was having difficulty figuring stuff out until @Ward H gave me a clue. I told him that GPS coordinates aren't showing up on the radio from my chart plotter input as it should even though it is in the network. He casually asked … "Do you have a MMSI number?" Um NO. I got to thinking. I didn't obtain a number because I wanted to make sure the radio was functioning properly before getting a number and registering it with the radio. Well, the last page of the radio operation manual says that all DSC functions will not work until entering a MMSI number. Eureka! Was I supposed to read the thing from cover to cover?!?! That will probably enable AIS signals to the chart plotter, too! I can't wait to find out!
Ward answered 2 other questions in the space of about 5 minutes that I had been struggling with. For one, I couldn't figure out why the depth reading on my chart plotter doesn't correspond to the depth showing on my Triton display, which matches the true depth that is also shown on my old Datamarine depth sounder. So I read about calibrating the chart plotter, which I did with great success! But that threw off the depth on the Triton display. I went back and calibrated the depth on the Triton and the Chart plotter is now off again!
I absolutely need a tutor!
But I was having difficulty figuring stuff out until @Ward H gave me a clue. I told him that GPS coordinates aren't showing up on the radio from my chart plotter input as it should even though it is in the network. He casually asked … "Do you have a MMSI number?" Um NO. I got to thinking. I didn't obtain a number because I wanted to make sure the radio was functioning properly before getting a number and registering it with the radio. Well, the last page of the radio operation manual says that all DSC functions will not work until entering a MMSI number. Eureka! Was I supposed to read the thing from cover to cover?!?! That will probably enable AIS signals to the chart plotter, too! I can't wait to find out!
Ward answered 2 other questions in the space of about 5 minutes that I had been struggling with. For one, I couldn't figure out why the depth reading on my chart plotter doesn't correspond to the depth showing on my Triton display, which matches the true depth that is also shown on my old Datamarine depth sounder. So I read about calibrating the chart plotter, which I did with great success! But that threw off the depth on the Triton display. I went back and calibrated the depth on the Triton and the Chart plotter is now off again!
I absolutely need a tutor!
Anecdotally, here on the Chesapeake I am seeing almost all recreational vessels of 45-50 feet or more transmitting AIS. For sailboats in the 30-45 foot range it may be as many as 40-50% transmitting, whereas for powerboats in the same size range the percentage is significantly lower (although trawlers almost always transmit and cigarette boats never do). For recreational boats of 30 feet or less, almost none is transmitting, regardless of type. I’ve NEVER seen a fishing or crabbing boat transmitting but almost all commercial, merchant, and municipal traffic does transmit, regardless of flag.
I receive and do not (yet) transmit. I find having receive-only capability is helpful in avoiding shipping traffic and enhancing general situational awareness but probably wouldn’t be helpful in avoiding my bigger fear (and the more common collision type) which is being run down by a go-fast powerboat. If the power boat operator is drunk or reckless and driving erratically at high speed, there’s neither much value in having their AIS data nor in sending mine out.
I think the Vesper radio is neat, but I’ll be a lot more excited when (if) we start seeing products like that closer to $180 instead of $1,800. Until then, it’s a niche/luxury product. In fact, I’ve been keeping an eye on Class B AIS transponder prices for about five years and they’ve hit a floor – I can’t recall ever seeing one (legal for US sale) cheaper than $400 for a simple black box unit.
I receive and do not (yet) transmit. I find having receive-only capability is helpful in avoiding shipping traffic and enhancing general situational awareness but probably wouldn’t be helpful in avoiding my bigger fear (and the more common collision type) which is being run down by a go-fast powerboat. If the power boat operator is drunk or reckless and driving erratically at high speed, there’s neither much value in having their AIS data nor in sending mine out.
I think the Vesper radio is neat, but I’ll be a lot more excited when (if) we start seeing products like that closer to $180 instead of $1,800. Until then, it’s a niche/luxury product. In fact, I’ve been keeping an eye on Class B AIS transponder prices for about five years and they’ve hit a floor – I can’t recall ever seeing one (legal for US sale) cheaper than $400 for a simple black box unit.
@Scott T-Bird , we can play with those things before and after the race on Saturday. 1pm start and cook out at 5:30.
You were right on the money with regard to the external GPS antennae. There is an arrow right on top. How was I supposed to know that it has to be pointed in the direction of the bow!
B&G V60-B Fixed-Mount VHF Radio w/ AIS Receiver/Transmitter, NMEA 2000
Removable Fist Mic Connects to Front or Rear of Radio, Voltage: 13.6 VDC, Current Draw: 6.0 A (Transmit) @ 25 W / 1.5 A (Receive), Includes Integrated GPS and AIS Receivers, Includes Navigation Mode
BG V60-B VHF Marine Radio w/DSC AIS (Receive Transmit) [000-14474-001]
Out of stock right now, but includes gps antenna. BG V60-B VHF Marine Radio w/DSC, AIS (Receive Transmit) GPS-500 GPS Antenna
Looks like the B&G model is available.