[C320-list] AIS

[Graeme Clark]

This might be worth a read

https://www.oceantimemarine.com/class-a-and-class-b-automatic-identification-system-ais/

Which is basically why I have receive only. I have little faith that big ships see Class B signals

If I know where they are and where they’re going I’m not too bothered if they know where I am! I can always hail them in the vhf

So I have a standard horizon unit with inbuilt AIS receiver which displays on my plotter. Uses the same single vhf aerial

Graeme

Sent from my phone. Excuse typos! 

> On 8 Jan 2021, at 18:40, Jeff Smith <jeffreyssmith at live.com> wrote:
> 
> I am considering adding AIS to Sailmates. I would like it to both send and receive versus just receive. I have read the previous exchanges about AIS but here is my question for anyone who has either installed AIS, is contemplating it, or just knows about it. I currently have an old Standard Horizon VHF radio at the nav station (with second mic at the pedestal) and a Garmin 74DV chart plotter at the helm. There seems to be two directions to go: 1. Add an AIS transceiver and use a splitter to utilize the existing VHF antenna, or 2. Swap my VHF for a VHF/AIS unit. My NMEA backbone is still 0183. I contemplated upgrading to NMEA 2000 at the same time but I don’t know that I will get any benefits.
> 
> My thoughts are that I am better off purchasing a Garmin VHF/AIS transceiver combined and just replacing my VHF. Costwise it will be about the same, as I won’t need a splitter but I will need to install a second mic at the pedestal. The unit should handle sharing the same antenna at least as well and probably better than a different AIS unit + splitter. The AIS is to help handle the busy Chesapeake Bay (we operate in the Hampton Roads shipping channel) and to increase my wife’s confidence for night sailing.
> 
> Am I missing something that makes this a bad idea? Also, if you think it is worth upgrading to NMEA 2000, feel free to chime in on that, as well. For further information, everything I currently have is NMEA 0183. This is why I originally decided not to convert because I am not sure there is any advantage, though I could be talked into converting if there is something I am missing.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any advice,
> 
> Jeff
> ’94, #121, Sailmates