T&T: AIS, Gotcha

[Dave Legrow]

I'm not sure what the whining was about. It seems that the
handheld was defunct, as you should have heard the tug.  These
things happen.  However, acting as a professional, you should
have known that in a VTS area, you do not need to monitor
channel 16, if you are monitoring the VTS frequency.

Assuming the handheld had been working - the main radio - the
ICOM should have been on the VTS frequency - Ch 14 or 5, and
(until you didn't know it wasn't working) the handheld on 13 
for bridge to bridge comms if you are going to play like the big
boys.

"Seattle Traffic"
    Channel Designation: Ch 14 (156.700 MHz)
    Monitoring Area: The navigable waters of Puget Sound, Hood
Canal and adjacent waters south of a line connecting Marrowstone
Point and Lagoon Point in Admiralty inlet and south of a line
drawn due east from the southernmost tip of Possession Point on
Whidbey Island to the shoreline.
    Channel Designation: Ch 5A (156.250 MHz)
    Monitoring Area: The navigable waters of the Strait of Juan
de Fuca east of 1240 40' W. excluding the waters in the central
portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca north and east of Race
Rocks; the navigable waters of the Strait of Georgia east of
1220 52' W.; the San Juan Island Archipelago, Rosario Strait,
Bellingham Bay; Admiralty Inlet north of a line connecting
Marrowstone Point and Lagoon Point and all waters east of
Whidbey Island north of a line drawn due east from the
southernmost tip of Possession Point on Whidbey Island to the
shoreline.

As far as the AIS was concerned, obviously the collision alarm
limits were not set correctly for the area you were sailing in. 
It is just a matter of adjustment - you don't use a 1 or 2 mile
CPA in harbor waters.  AIS is a godsend to those of us that work
on the water, as well to those cruisers that have AIS receivers,
and it works quite well.  It can significantly improve your
situational awareness. However, like any navigational tool, you
need to know how to use it, and not condemn it because you
don't.


Dave Legrow
T'III


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