Monthly Archive: October 2005

FLIBS, I’m going! 0

FLIBS, I’m going!

Late on Friday I learned that PMY is sending a crew of editors to the delayed Fort Lauderdale show. I sympathize with all the exhibitors and locals who don’t think the show should be...

The raster flow begins, a CE first? 3

The raster flow begins, a CE first?

Rose Point Navigation just announced that Coastal Explorer is “the first program to include the entire NOAA chart collection covering all US waters.” What they mean is a sort of mulligan stew of cartography—500 ENC vector charts,...

More AIS…bad data, bad plot? 0

More AIS…bad data, bad plot?

What’s wrong with this AIS target, seen off Naples, Florida, a couple of weeks ago (with the Si-Tex receiver)? How about a bogus MMSI # (only 4 digits), no name, and destination as “HOME”...

Class B AIS, part 2 9

Class B AIS, part 2

Today, I’m afraid, we must speak of “frequency agility.” Part of the Class A standard is that transponders must be able to change channels if ordered to by the presiding local coastal authority. The digital command is received...

Class B AIS, the devil’s in the details, part 1 3

Class B AIS, the devil’s in the details, part 1

Finally I have some specifics about the Class B AIS transponder standard, which is “very close” to finalization: • Like Class A, static data will be broadcast every 6 minutes on alternating channels. A...

Furuno FLS, a category stimulated 8

Furuno FLS, a category stimulated

I first researched forward looking sonar (FLS) back in 2002, and later tested an EchoPilot Bronze on my 25′ Ralph. I really, really like the idea of being able to see underwater ahead of the...

Wilma & Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show 0

Wilma & Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show

Monday, 9:00 am: on Friday afternoon the organizers of the Fort Lauderdale show postponed the opening from Thursday to Saturday, but I’m beginning to wonder if it will happen at all. As you can...