[PUP] AIS

[John Ford]

I've seen what appears as ships that don't have AIS but I'm thinking  
it has more do to install and learning curves.  I say install because  
I was reading some where that the rules say that it is supposed to be  
constantly on, and I have two experiences where I know thats not  
true.  Just outside of Annapolis are two anchorages and I have seen  
ships just disappear as they anchor waiting for the Pilot ship to  
take them up to Baltimore.  I figure they must just be shutting down  
their electronics and turning off the AIS with them.  I have also  
heard on the radio as the bigs are negotiating passes one ask the  
other where there AIS signal is.  Then you hear a embarrassing OH and  
then poof they pop up, this is further proof that they are able to  
turn it on and off.  This ability to turn it off may also explain why  
some of the static information is missing, I'm wondering if that info  
is stored in a way that protects it even if the power is off.  If not  
that would seriously explain the 1 out of 5 ships on the bay that I  
see without names.

Anyway, I know I was rambling but I just wanted you to know that your  
not alone on questioning what is going on.. I think it will be a  
while before all the kinks are sorted out, and maybe now that the  
captains are getting used to the advantages of the technology it will  
sort itself out faster.

John Ford
KK44 Feisty Lady
Annapolis City Marina


On Jan 4, 2007, at 8:40 AM, Dave Cooper wrote:

> We just received our new SmartRadio AIS receiver SR161 for  
> Christmas and
> connected it up thru a Milltech provided serial to USB adapter to  
> our laptop
> running Coastal Navigator.
>
> Not a good out of box experience...nothing showed up on CN. After a  
> few days
> of working with Gregg at Coastal Navigator as we had no response from
> Milltech, the vendor, we discovered that our other serial to USB  
> adaptor
> that is used for our GlobalStar data connection for our email was  
> blocking
> the new one from working even tho all the computer ports seemed to be
> working and all the drivers were updated.
>
> It is now working well but we have observed that lots of large  
> ships (well
> over 300 tons) are not broadcasting any signals. We are less than a  
> mile
> from the ferry terminal where they have 3 or 4 boats daily coming  
> and going
> plus I have at least 10 oil tankers in visual, within 5 miles, at  
> all times.
> Moving the antenna doesn't seem to be any help. So I don't think it  
> is a
> signal strength issue.
>
> Can it be that this many ships over 300 tons are in violation of the
> international laws requiring the use of transponders?
>
> Has anyone else been able to verify the use or lack of use of AIS  
> on ships?
>
> Very curious to me........
>
> Cheers
>
> Dave & Nancy
> Swan Song
> Roughwater 58
> Puerto La Cruz
> Venezuela
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