T&T: AIS issues

[Truelove39 at aol.com]

Hi  John-
 
We  are not loopers, although we traverse the East Coast twice a year and 
find  it invaluable, especially in rivers as well as coastal. In harbors, we feel 
 we are better off using our eyes as there are too many targets. As with  
radar, we think it's dangerous to get dependent on and complacent with AIS.  
There are plenty of big vessels out there that are not required to have it and  
occasionally we have seen a ship that either had it switched off or it wasn't  
working. And once, where the icon was 180 degrees off - coming at us but  
backwards!
 
We have  a Smart Radio SR-162 with antenna "splitter." Chinese-made. We have 
had it for 3  years and it seems to fulfil all out needs - simple but 
effective, and no noisy  alarms going off; just blinking red icons on the (CE) 
display. No  connection.
 
Regards,
 
John  & Penny
"Seahorse"
(aboard "Truelove" -  anchored in Prickly Bay, Grenada)
 

>  Does anyone have experience using the chinese AIS receivers on the  loop?

Are they worth it?





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