AIS receive only

[Irish Mist]

Anyone who has installed AIS receive only.. What was the best value and easiest to install?
Thank you

 

[SGIDAVE]

Anyone who has installed AIS receive only.. What was the best value and easiest to install?
Thank you

Easiest for me was to replace the Garmin VHF 200 with a B&G VHF with AIS. ANY brand vhf with AIS would meet your need, however, I STRONGLY recommend getting a vhf with NMEA 2000 connectivity. It makes interfacing it with your other electronics VERY easy.

A year or so ago, Active Captain had the B&G VHF (with N2K connectivity) AND the wireless remote mic bundled for $299 which was a SMOKIN deal. The B&G is the SAME as the Simrad RS35 shown here.

I'm sure there is a Standard Horizon product that would fit the bill, too.

If money is of less concern, then go with the Garmin 300 AIS shown here.

Again, the feature that make adding AIS easiest are N2K connectivity. If you don't need/want a new VHF, then Vesper and Digital Yacht make good products.

dave

 

[knotflying]

I added the Garmin AIS 300 receive only. The big boys don't care about you, but you need to know where they are. When in a busy area the big boys won't even reply to you, just get out of their way. I found the AIS most useful on the River systems with all the switchbacks. You did get a response from the tows and they would just tell you the one toot or two toot side. For my money and ease of installation I thought receive only worked fine for me.

 

[nzfisher]

If you are out in open water, particularly in the fog, it is nice to know that you are broadcasting your position to boats that might not otherwise see you even with radar. I am also out at night so the same thing applies. There are lots of fishing boats out there that travel at night that mostly have AIS.

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

I went with AIS 600 for two reasons: (1) "See and Be Seen"; and (2) helps my family/friends keep track of the boat and me (unless I decide to go dark).

 

[knotflying]

If you are out in open water, particularly in the fog, it is nice to know that you are broadcasting your position to boats that might not otherwise see you even with radar. I am also out at night so the same thing applies. There are lots of fishing boats out there that travel at night that mostly have AIS.

Be careful. AIS is a false sense of security. Boating is unlike planes which are required to have transponders functioning and active under instrument conditions, with air traffic control keeping everyone separated. AIS is an aid to see those who may have it, but it is far from perfect because not everyone has it. I would depend on radar before I would rely on AIS. As I said earlier, the commercial boats are required to have them so it is a great aid to see and avoid and make possible radio contact in tight situations.

 

[daveo]

I have a 2008. Wanted AIS VHF. The shop said they could do it in half a day. After two weeks in the shop, they said the NEMA 0183 was defective and I would need a converter to use NEMA 2000. The $200.00 part came in and they had it working in half a day. I wish I had gone to a send / receive unit. A lot of the smaller boats in the San Juans have send. Canada, hardly any.
Luckily, the shop did not charge me for the two weeks of head scratching on the NEMA 0183.

 

[dwaindumas]

I guess my experience on the rivers of the great loop was not the same as some others. The big boys called me 6 or 7 miles away telling me their pass intentions(and I show up on their screen as a pleasure vessel). Did they all call me, no, but I know they saw me and knew I was there, which is definitely an added safety factor especially in limited visibility situations during bad weather where clutter on a radar screens can blot out a target, or on a turn where topography will do the same thing. If I want to be stealthy, I have the ability to turn off my Tx. Even when flying and everyone has a transponder and they are controlled by center, I can tell you I have been in IFR situations where even controllers have made human errors which as they say could ruin your whole day. Just saying for my MONEY give me all the safety I can get, which includes a transmitter.
Dwain Dumas
R-25 Lydia