AIS B in the USA, depressing
Dec 6, 2007
Honestly, what the hell is wrong with the FCC? Today some one who knows how these things work pointed out to me that the Commission only listed Docket
04-344–the | “
Amendment of the Commission's Rules Regarding Maritime Automatic Identification Systems”—on its Items on Circulation list as of November 19. I’m further told that, though the U.S.C.G. has asked the FCC to expedite this ruling, there’s really no telling when the Commissioners will sign off on it. And you’ll notice that many items on the list date from early 2007 and there are few from 2006! As for Ghassan Khalek’s mid-October “a matter of weeks, not months” and Jose Arroyo’s December prediction, I know not. Depressing.
Continue Reading
Comar, AIS crazy
Nov 26, 2007
Comar Systems introduced no less than five new AIS products at METS, most of them seen in the photo above, bigger here. Together with Comar’s existing receiver and Class B transponder, they represent about every AIS possibility there is…except for one-channel-at-a-time receivers which Comar doesn’t believe in. Neither does SeaCas. I agree, and think they’ll go away fairly fast once navigators see how slow one-channel-at-a-time Class B plotting is, and also as Class B hardware becomes less expensive. At any rate, here’s a page of new Comar gear, including a lower cost ($440 retail) true dual channel receiver, an Etherneted IP-talking receiver (the more shore stations the better!), and a $3,000 Class A transponder that might possibly be fit on non mandatory vessels without the need for the separate $1,150 display. Meanwhile, Panbo reader Kurt Schwer, blogging from the eNavigation 2007 conference in Seattle, reported that the USCG’s Jorge Arroyo predicted that U.S. Class B sales will start in December. A thank you to Kurt, and let’s hope.
Alltek engineering, "exactly like!"
Nov 23, 2007
That’s Charlie Hsu, sales & marketing guy for Alltek Marine Electronics Corp. (AMEC), along with the company’s chief engineer. They were at METS looking for companies interested in distributing their Class B AIS, mentioned here last April. When showing me the unit, Hsu pointed out some yellow colored targets and explained that they were “buddy” boats.
“Oh, you mean like the Simrad AI50’s buddy feature?” said I.
“Exactly like that!,” replied Hsu, laughing.
Then he showed me a new MOB product Alltek is working on, seen below (with the AIS display used to plot MOBs).
Of course I said “Oh, you mean like Raymarine’s LifeTag system?”
“Exactly like!” answered a proud Mr. Hsu.
Continue Reading
Simrad AI50, a lot of Class B for the money
Nov 20, 2007
I took to the Simrad AI50 at first sight, but the more I learn the more I like. Above is the back of a unit I played with in demo mode at the NMEA Conference, and I’ve also been checking out the manual (available here). Here’s what I’ve learned so far. First of all, as indicated by those dual (daisy chained) SimNet cables above, the AI50 is a NMEA 2000 AIS transponder, the only one I know of. In fact it also puts out AIS plot data on 0183, but I think the included GPS is N2K, and so are some of the network features. Like easily initiating a DSC VHF call to an AIS target, without having to type in its MMSI number. (At the back of the manual, Simrad has nicely listed all the standard and proprietary PGNs the AI50 uses, but I still can’t tell if this feature will work with other manufacturers N2K radios, though right now Simrad has the only ones.)
Continue Reading
AIS Class B in the USA, just "a matter of weeks"
Oct 19, 2007
Unlike last year, or last May, this morning’s GMDSS Task Force meeting seemed to yield good news about Class B AIS in the USA. The FCC has finally granted a waiver so that the various units already approved by the USCG can be sold and used even while further rulemaking takes place. The waiver needs to be reviewed by the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC), but FCC representative Ghassan Khalek said that would be done in “a matter of weeks, not months”. And publication in the Federal Register will not be necessary; the moment IRAC grants its blessing, CG and FCC approved AIS B units can be sold and used.
Why did I use the fudge word “seemed” in the first sentence? Well, a year ago Mr. Khalek told me that FCC Class B approval would be quick once the CG was done. So I double checked that “matter of weeks” quote with him as he exited the meeting. He nodded yes, smiled, and murmured a compliment about Panbo’s AIS coverage. Cool.
Seetrac Solo, more tender tracking
Aug 22, 2007
Well, my entry on how Rendez-vous tender tracking uses AIS message conventions seems to have confused even some AIS savvy folks (sorry, Del). To be clear, Rendez-vous will not show up on anyone’s screen unless that screen is connected to a specific network of Rendez-vous radios. Rendez-vous just uses the AIS data structure so that plotting software does not have be modified to see the tenders in a network. Get it? I think it clever, but the folks who developed the Seetrac Tender Tracking systems aren’t so sure:
Continue Reading
Rendez-vous, clever use of AIS standards
Aug 20, 2007
Tender tracking systems, like the Nobeltec/Seetrac combo discussed here last year, are a bit exotic (even a bit mockable). But I’ve seen the captain of a big charter yacht worry over a ditzy guest out on a PWC, plus I see how over-the-top some mega yacht tenders are getting (like the Vikal Limo). In fact, when I was in the British Virgin Islands last spring, it seemed like every big, really fine center console I saw turned out to be the “little” boat often towed by one much bigger. In other words, tender tracking can be serious business, and I think the new SeaCas Rendez-vous system looks to be a powerful solution.
Continue Reading
Pilot's bag, part 2 (belated)
Aug 15, 2007
Above is a laptop screen from the Wheelhouse II program which is part of the Raven pilot package I discussed back in June when I got a ride on Penobscot Pilot. Skip Strong grabbed the screen from a recording of the Nor’easter outbound trip he piloted that day, and it’s well worth seeing at full resolution. As I wrote in my Sept. PMY column:
Continue Reading
TH Class B, & come on FCC!
Aug 1, 2007
Back in June the FCC asked for comments regarding Class B AIS units, and several of you—along with the USCG and other safety minded organizations—all encouraged the FCC to approve, or at least waiver, transponders already approved and in use outside the U.S., as soon as possible. There were NO objections. I was not the only one who thought that units like this True Heading would be available shortly after the comment period ended, like now. But they’re not, and recently I heard that there will be yet another comment period and even waivers may not happen until October. How the FCC justifies it glacial pace I have no idea!
Continue Reading
On SoZ with Bruce, & FUBAR
Jul 27, 2007
Darn, I was hoping to get a shot of Bruce Kessler in his wheelhouse departing the Camden Public Landing this morning, but got distracted by a contest idea (that you’ll find here this weekend). When I looked up, he and his all-ladies-of-a-certain-age crew were headed out into the haze. You may still be able to catch Spirit of Zopilote at Shine Micro’s Live AIS, which, as shown below, can now overlay on Google Earth (and shows Penobscot Bay thanks to the Penobscot Pilots). I really enjoyed meeting Bruce last summer, but my admiration is up a few notches further after a couple of coffee-sipping hours with him this morning.
Continue Reading
Garmin 3D AIS, & an 0183 issue
Jul 23, 2007
Not one of my better pictures, but the bigger version here will give you some sense of how the Garmin 4– and 5000 Series handle AIS targets. At upper left you can see the AIS target on a the regular 2D chart; my first impression is that the icon representation may in some situations be a bit too busy compared to a standard AIS triangle. But I do rather like the 3D target representation in the Mariner’s Eye 3D view (sorry it’s a bit indistinct; I’m going to have do videos of this stuff at some point). You can also see the target icon just showing on the radar screen (which also gives you a reference to how the 3D radar overlay looks in 2D).
Continue Reading
Boston ferries collide, lack of AIS?
Jul 11, 2007
Interesting that an intrepid Boston Globe reporter figured out that AIS transponders might have prevented two Boston ferries from hitting each other in thick fog yesterday morning. This is the sort of thing that promotes public awareness of a valuable safety technology, and perhaps will encourage the FCC, USCG, etc. to move expeditiously on approving Class B and mandating its use on such vessels (or argue that Class A is worth the cost). On the other hand, operator error can not be ignored. Heck, these two boats both work for the MBTA. Wouldn’t you think that they’d know where each other was and be in VHF contact? Not that we all aren’t capable of mistakes. I’ve often thought that running ferries must be a particularly hard gig as the tendency to get lax must be major. (Thanks for the head’s up to Doran, who can, on a good day, float you over bustling Boston Harbor.)
Nauticast B, the hardware
Jul 10, 2007
Apologies to ACR and Visions of Johanna! But here’s how I used duct tape and hose clamps, those old quickie install standbys—plus a new favorite, velcro tape—to marry the Nauticast B’s AIS tuned VHF antenna with its GPS antenna so I could secure both with a single rail mount. The antenna duo are not as compact or elegant as Y-tronic’s combo, but they seemed to work well. It’s also worth noting that while both come included in ACR’s $1,180 kit (still not approved for sale in the U.S.), you can use your own GPS source or your own VHF antenna (and you’ll find that the Nauticast B’s PL258 VHF connector is more the norm in the U.S. than the BNC type).
Continue Reading
Real world AIS B #3, jumping bean plots
Jul 5, 2007
So somehow when I was actually plotting Spirit of Bermuda’s Class B AIS output in Hamilton Harbor my screen shots failed to save. But I still have the marks I made every time its plot updated and you can sort of see the jumping bean effect that results from Class B’s 30 second update rate. I connected them with route lines so you can get a better sense of scale, bigger here. As discussed earlier, a 30 knot boat is going to plot every .25 nautical miles; Spirit at 9 knots plotted at about .07 mile increments. It was a little disconcerting, especially when she made large course changes rounding up to a pier. (And, by the way, would have been twice as bad if I had been using a single-channel-at-a-time receiver). But, again, I still think Class B is valuable regardless, plus I figure some smart developer(s) is going to figure out a way to dead reckon these targets in a way that’s not confusing.
Finally, small world department, Spirit was built only a few miles from Panbo HQ at Rockport Marine, and we watched her launch from the bridge of Shanghai Baby last August, as noted in an article just published in PMY.
Real world AIS B #2, the name game
Jul 2, 2007
What luck that I got to monitor another active Class B transponder while testing one myself. As you can see above, and bigger in my first Nauticast B post, ACR’s included “Link2AIS Class-B” software identified the training ship Spirit of Bermuda’s AIS as a B model. Coastal Explorer did not make this distinction but it did decipher Spirit’s name and other “static” information. As mentioned in my one offshore post, none of the five ships I spoke with were getting our name on their Class A AIS displays, though they could see our MMSI, position, speed, and heading. We’ve discussed this issue before, and I’ve written about it in several magazines (Professional Mariner most recently), but let’s review:
Continue Reading
AIS Class B, real world #1
Jun 29, 2007
Check out the full size version of this Coastal Explorer (aka Maptech Chart Navigator Pro) screen. It shows how useful the Nauticast B AIS transponder was during the Bermuda-to-Maine passage, and suggests how it might have played a critical role. You can see that we’re just coming onto the continental shelf. It was no surprise that we drove right into a classic Georges Bank blanket of fog, but reassuring that the Nauticast B’s dual receivers picked up the Sealand Atlantic at about 25 miles, more so knowing that we were going to pass ahead of it with a wide CPA. Visions of Johanna’s 4kw open array Furuno NavNet radar didn’t pick up the ship (bow on) until about when this screen was made, and it wasn’t even a large target when broadside 10 miles astern. Had we been 10 miles further back on our track, and without AIS, the crossing might have been nerve wracking.
Continue Reading
Panbo offshore, 3rd try
Jun 27, 2007
6/28 I’m now ashore and able to upload this shot of Malcom Willard showing off a three-meal dolphin on a lake-like Atlantic ocean. It was taken on Tuesday, a few hundred miles south of the Gulf Stream. I didn’t manage to get the text below online until Wed. afternoon. Note that no electronics played a part in the fish’s demise:
Note to self: If I ever get to try this again---posting a Panbo entry from offshore with a sat phone---
Continue Reading
Nauticast B, the testing begins
Jun 23, 2007
As hoped for, waiting in Bermuda was an ACR Nauticast B Class B AIS and, happy day, I got it installed and working without a problem. In fact, I’m really impressed with the detailing—packaging, cabling, instructions, etc.—and also the variety of ways you can set it up. I’ll discuss all, not to mention how it works underway, when I have more time. Right now, I’m just going to use my last high speed connection for a while to put up some pictures. The hardware one above is bigger here
, and the software that comes with, below, is bigger here. I do have the Iridium/Xgate email working (nice!) but xWeb still eludes me, and so may not post again until we reach Rockland.
Pilot's bag, part 1
Jun 20, 2007
That’s Skip Strong making his way down Nor’easter’s twisty pilot ladder, as seen from the bow of the Penobscot Pilot. Man, that move must get the adrenaline pumping, say, on a dark night with a big sea running. (Capt. Ryan told me that they can manage a ladder like this in up to about eight footers, sometimes getting the ship to turn toward the ladder and using the flatter turbulence created inside the turn). At any rate, Strong, who is a bit of a geek (and I mean that in a good way) has quite the electronics in that bag he’s toting.
Continue Reading
Milt, from mid Atlantic
Jun 19, 2007
I’m way behind on work, not to mention the gizmo preparation, that needs doing before Bermuda (wow, Bill and Gram were fifth over the line and third in class corrected), so I’m turning it over to Milt Baker. These snippets are from today’s noon report, filed from almost the midpoint of the Med Bound 2007 Bermuda-Azores leg:
Ships are few and far between out here. We nearly always pick them up on AIS before seeing them on radar. Moana Kuewa (which has the same Furuno FA-150 AIS unit we have) clearly has the best installation {not trivial} and picks up the ships first every time, sometimes as much as 20-30 minutes before they show up on the AIS units aboard Salty Dawg and Bluewater.
Continue Reading
Penobscot Pilot, squared away
Jun 18, 2007
Not only did I get up on Mt. Battie yesterday and take that new header picture of a more June-like Camden Harbor (remember the old November one?), but I got down the Bay last Friday, catching a ride on the Penobscot Pilot. That’s Captain Jane Ryan and I above, and bigger here , just after she’d smoothly maneuvered alongside Nor’easter to pick up pilot Skip Strong (who snapped the picture). I’m wearing the float coat and harness because I’d been out on the bow shooting Skip’s descent down gangway and ladder, and because Jane runs a very safety conscious operation (with very good reason).
Continue Reading
Write the gov'ment, HF weather & AIS B
Jun 15, 2007
Two issues U.S. boaters might want to comment on:
1. Apparently the HF transmitters the USCG uses to send out offshore weather forecasts—voice, fax, etc.—need to be replaced and the government wants to know if it’s worth the money. If you use SSB or HAM for NOAA weather, or ever plan to, you might want to look here for ways to speak up. (I managed to find the electronic comments the other day at http://dms.dot.gov/, but can’t get there today).
2. Yesterday the FCC issued a request for comments regarding the granting of waivers so that USCG approved Class B AIS transponders can be used in the U.S. while the Agency works on a final rule making. The FCC’s online search and comment software is also clunky, but try going here to make comments, and look here to review them (nothing so far, but some interesting older stuff, like Orbcomm’s interest in providing satellite AIS tracking). In both cases use Proceeding # “04-344”.
AIS, this 'n' that #6
Jun 12, 2007
From the minutes of the 5/10/2007 GMDSS Task Force meeting, summarizing one portion of the FCC report:
Pending approval of AIS Class B Units: The Coast Guard has approved 4 AIS Class B Units and those same units are expected to receive routine FCC approval which has not yet been released, however.
What the ?!#$?&...
Continue Reading
AIS, this 'n' that #5
May 10, 2007
Y-tronic just introduced a slick looking combo GPS and tuned AIS antennas meant especially for Class B transponders. Y-tronic is also showing the Trueheading Class B as FCC approved. I wish that was true but think it’s a mistake based on SRT’s pulled-back approval. I still don’t know what’s up with the FCC and Class B; anyone?
Meanwhile, the new Barcelona World Race (two-handed non-stop round the world…exciting) has amended its Notice of Race rules to permit Class B in lieu of Class A transponders. Interestingly, a racer must use AIS in the Med, around the Horn, and within 50nm of the gates, and use is “recommended at other times when ships may be encountered”. (Thanks to Adolfo at Atlantic Source for this!)
And Fred Pot at SeaCAS continues to improve his line of high quality true dual-channel AIS receivers, what with direct connect cables for Raymarine and Furuno plotters, a powerfully spec-ed multiplexer (below, built by Actisense), and now a significant price cut on all three receiver models. But Fred’s pretty leery about Class B, as expressed on his FAQ page. I share many of those concerns, which I summarized in a March PMY column. However, I do question Fred’s assumed 4nm range for Class B. I’m hearing better from Europe, though I haven’t heard much. I’ve got a nice apple for the first company that can loan me a U.S. approved Class B transponder to try out!
AIS misinformation, and a worry
Apr 24, 2007
I hate to be a scold, but an otherwise fine new article about AIS in Cruising World contains this flawed paragraph:
Once an AIS signal is received by the antenna, it's sent to a black box that translates the data into NMEA streams that can be sent at 4,800 or 38,400 baud. The lower baud rate works with electronics suites still using the NMEA 0183 communication protocol; the higher baud rate works with proprietary networks, such as RayMarine's, and devices using the more capable NMEA 2000 communications protocol. Every AIS transponder and receiver I know of outputs the same way—NMEA 0183 data messages at 38,400 baud. The 38.4k speed rate is called NMEA 0183–HS (high speed) and is included in the current standard. As far as I know there is no AIS using the NMEA 2000 standard or a proprietary communications protocol, though the new Furuno receiver does do Ethernet in addition to 0183–HS and the junky NASA unit apparently filters out some AIS messages before it sends them down the 0183 pike (though NASA claims it uses N2K, God knows why).
I’ve heard a very ugly rumor that the Class B delay at the FCC may be something serious and long term. Can anyone elaborate?
Class B & the FCC, sounds good
Apr 16, 2007
A big thanks to Shine Micro for providing some useful detail about how the FCC is handling Class B AIS. First of all, the MMSI’s will be just like those used in DSC VHF’s (in fact, should be the same one already programmed into your boat’s radio). So, if your vessel requires an FCC station license, then you use the included MMSI. Otherwise you can use a free MMSI for a Class B transponder. And programming the MMSI is going to be left up to the manufacturer, who can do it themselves or pass it on to the dealer or user. However, the FCC is mandating that manufacturers preprogram all Class B devices with a unique unit identifier in the Vendor ID field of Static Data Message 24, and that field must be verified when the MMSI number is programmed during unit activation.
Now, I don’t quite understand how that last part will work in practice but the concept of every transponder having, besides an MMSI, a second fixed unique user ID that also identifies the manufacturer sounds to me like smart security, and a useful trouble shooting tool, without undue burden on anyone.
PS: If your company wants to get into the Class B transponder business, Taiwan manufacturer Alltek Marine has units purportedly ready to hit the approval circuit. They come either with or without a display, the former (below) expected to retail for about $1,000.
Crappy Class A AIS data, some stats
Apr 10, 2007
I’m still hoping someone will tell us more about the FCC and Class B AIS, but in the meantime Dan sent a great link to The Nautical Institute’s AIS Forum. It’s not a forum in the usual sense but rather a collection of Reported Problems and Technical Feedback papers. An interesting piece in the latter section is a PDF called Automatic Identification System (AIS): A Human Factors Approach, which strongly confirmed my notion that lots of user entered data is bogus. For instance, of nearly 31,000 AIS transmissions examined in one study 49% “showed obvious errors in the fields of destination and ETA.” Which reminded me of the screen shot Russ sent a while back, showing BoatingSF’s neat AIS tracker on Feb. 8, more than a month after the Pilot Vessel Golden Gate’s ETA! The boat, a violet target headed SW toward its namesake bridge, is also going 22 knots even though its Navigation Status is “moored”.
The good news is that user entered data isn’t very important (unless maybe you’re filtering targets based on their nav status), but the paper also confirms a rumor I’d heard that certain Class A transponders can broadcast a default MMSI in certain circumstances, leading to possible duplicates that really mess up the System. Well, it’s true, the MMSI is 1193046, and there’s a link to details about the units, causes, and remedies. We need to remember that AIS is a relatively young technology (and Class B is an infant).
FCC approves 1st Class B, now what?
Apr 9, 2007
A reader (thanks, Dan!) tipped me to this FCC approval issued last Thursday for Software Radio Technology’s Class B AIS transponder. Does that mean units using SRT’s circuit board can now be sold here, or do they need additional approval for their particular configurations? Will units from ACR, Shine Micro, Furuno, and Simrad be close behind (I don’t see applications in the FCC database, but I may not be looking in the right place). And what did the FCC decide about the MMSI numbers needed to activate a transponder; can boats in U.S. waters use the free ones easy to get—or already gotten for DSC radios—from BoatUS, SeaTow, and others, or will a user need to get an FCC license? Will a user be able to program a transponder with his MMSI number, or must a “qualified technician” do it? Inquiring minds want to know!
PS 4/12: So why does the “FCC approval” link now yield: “This application currently is not in final status”? Apparently the Government temporarily pulled SRT’s approval! My source says that this unusual move is only because the FCC accidently issued the certificate before publishing its own rules about Class B. Both rules and approval(s) should be out in a few weeks…for real.
Cross Channel AIS, part 2
Apr 4, 2007
Panbo friend John C. came back from more sailing aboard Solent Blue to discover that his overview photo of English Channel AIS traffic had stirred up quite a conversation. So he adds this:
The original photo was intended to show the number of AIS targets received from a 22 metre aerial whilst sailing across some busy shipping lanes. I don't routinely operate the equipment on 48 mile range other than to get a quick view of what is coming my way. Actually I do have some other photos taken in the same few minutes which depict a more normal operating practice at least for me.
Continue Reading
AIS Class B, messages & data fields
Mar 30, 2007
Geez, this morning I found myself confused about Class B AIS details touched on yesterday, and realized that my sources are somewhat sketchy. The USCG AIS site is pretty informative generally, but its Class B particulars seem suspect, the statement “IEC has begun work on a Class B certification standard, which should be completed by 2003” suggesting that it has not been updated in a long time. I am grateful for the Documentation section of AISParser.com, which is where I found the following message info, much edited and with a few notes added:
Message 18 - Standard Class B CS Position Report: UserID/MMSI, Time, SOG, COG, Longitude, Latitude, True Heading. {CS, or Carrier Sense, integrates “politely” with the Class A protocol known as Self-Organizing Time Division Multiple Access or SOTDMA, illustrated above}.
Message 19 - Extended Class B Equipment Position Report: Same as 18, plus Ship Type and Dimensions {measured bow/stern and port/starboard relative to GPS, which may be why they are often screwed up}.
Message 24 - Class B CS Static Data Report: UserID/MMSI, Boat Name, Ship Type, Call Sign, Dimensions, and Vendor ID {i.e. transponder manufacturer, to help track down problems}.
While I don’t understand the purpose of #19, which seems redundant, I think that the list includes every significant data field that a Class B can transmit. But I could be wrong!
Yipe, crossing the Channel with AIS
Mar 29, 2007
Ever wonder why the U.K. and Western Europe are such AIS hot beds? John C. send in this shot of his zoomed out screen, taken as he sailed across the English Channel yesterday:
I was heading northwest just about right angles to the main shipping routes. Those going northeast are heading up Channel to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Kiel Canal etc, and those heading SW in the other lane are heading to the rest of the world. A couple of cross channel ferries are more north/south. Equipment is a Raymarine E-80 with additional VGA screen (in photo) and Easy AIS receiver.
I wonder what this picture will look like with class B's as well! I am planning to upgrade to class B soon - please lets get some real user experience on this subject on your site soon! {I hope so too, but we don’t even have B over here yet—ed} BTW: with the class B's, do you know how I might differentiate between Underway Sailing, and Underway Motoring? {Anyone?}
PS I’d bet that if the 47’ Wahkuna, making a similar crossing in 2003, had had an AIS receiver like John’s, it might still be afloat. I wrote about the accident here, and the amazingly complete MAIB report is here.
PPS Regarding Underway status (and thanks to Marinate’s input below), apparently Class B can not send out Nav Status, but will see the Nav Status of Class A transponders.
Simrad A150 Class B AIS, color yet
Mar 16, 2007
Simrad introduced a Class B AIS in Europe today, and it looks very cool indeed. Besides the obvious, if unique, color plotting screen, this unit has a “Buddy Tracking” feature whereby you put in a list of your friends’ MMSI numbers and if they show up within AIS range, the A150 will highlight them. And if you have a “suitable SimNet equipped” DSC radio attached, you can cursor over an AIS target, select “DSC”, and the radio will initiate a call. I don’t know if the A150 outputs target data to other displays, via SimNet (aka NMEA 2000) or otherwise, and I also don’t know its price, but I’m guessing that it will get some serious attention. Mind you, of course, that the A150 is not for sale in the U.S. (see FCC languarge below, and click here for more on that subject, here for more on Class B in general).
This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.
Coastal Explorer AIS, plaudits!
Mar 15, 2007
How cool is that? In this cropped screen shot, Coastal Explorer is plotting a SAR aircraft that’s using the special AIS message discussed here the other day. Rosepoint’s Jeff Hummel, who sent the screen, says they’ve never actually seen message 9 data before, but this function was already built into CE, as are other obscure AIS and DSC capabilities. Jeff’s also proud that “Coastal Explorer works just fine on VISTA”, unlike the competition (and alma mater) he likes to tweak.
By the way, Rosepoint can see AIS targets cross country because they’ve got CE tapped into the IP feed of Shine Micro’s receiver network. Coincidentally I just learned more about this CE ability yesterday, even tried it, thanks to Penobscot Bay pilot Skip Strong, who’s responsible for the series of Shine Micro receivers that I’ve been enjoying via Shine’s public live AIS site. Strong is a big fan of AIS in general and this setup in particular, as he and his associates use it to avoid wasted time waiting offshore for a ship that’s forgotten to call in late. The CE screen below, bigger here, shows the Penobscot Pilot which may have just put Strong aboard the Alouette Arrow (off screen). I’ll have more one day on this gentleman, and also on a trip aboard the pilot boat which I’m looking forward to, big time.
AIS on SAR planes, plus a chip
Mar 12, 2007
C.A.P. Major Tim Strickland wrote in: “In my free time, I'm doing an experiment to track Civil Air Patrol Search & Rescue aircraft using the AIS SAR Aircraft Position Report (AIS Message 9) in maritime environments. There's interest in other SAR air assets doing the same, and curiosity on whether vessels can (they should) see these aircraft when they're transmitting. Have you seen much regarding the use of AIS Message 9? I've gotten one aviation AIS transponder company to loan a unit to test/demonstrate this and perhaps pursue migration to AIS Message 25 (BFT). I'm looking for a low-cost receive, display & chart (with land, not just marine maps).” I know nothing about this SAR Aircraft message, but am hoping someone can educate us in the comments section (or you can email Tim directly).
Meanwhile, if you’re thinking about building AIS transponders, CML Microcircuits wants you to check out their dedicated CMX processors. Their site is mostly above my head, but I think it’s another sign that AIS may get smaller and less expensive at a rapid rate. By the way, PMY has started to post my columns again, including my March one on Class B.
PS 3/13 Good question from Tim Flanagan, now at Navagear.com, who’s writing an article on the potential value of “Synthetic AIS”: “Is anybody broadcasting aids-to-navigation, hazards-to-navigation, or vessel-in-distress info from equipment NOT installed upon the affected vessel or object? By the way, have you encountered any nomenclature to describe this, besides Synthetic AIS and Virtual AIS?”
Speaking of AIS, the Raymarine Podcast
Mar 2, 2007
So while I was on my AIS soap box yesterday, Raymarine put up a podcast on the subject that I helped make a couple of months ago. It was done over the phone, and without a script, but some editor clipped out enough of my “ums and ahs” that I think it sounds pretty good. I’m also impressed by Raymarine’s apparent commitment to education over marketing. This was made well before I knew a thing about the Raymarine AIS250 and toward the end I went into my concerns about one-channel-at-a-time receivers. Raymarine could have easily edited that bit out of this sixteen minute podcast, but they didn’t. Not that Raymarine doesn’t know a thing or two about marketing. I was delighted to hear CEO Terry Carlson’s intro, in which he not only mentions Panbo, but spells out the URL! This is #8 in the podcast series; others deal with fishing, offshore sailboat racing, weather, etc. and you can even subscribe to an RSS/XML feed to be notified of new material. Pretty hip for a marine electronics company!
Class B AIS, ruminations
Mar 1, 2007
Word of ACR’s Nauticast B started an interesting, if sometimes fretful, conversation yesterday, and, whereas I’ve got the bully pit here (guest bloggers welcome), I’m going to exercise it. While the concerns about over-crowded AIS screens, Class B filters, and minimal big ship AIS plotting minded by minimal seamen all have truth to them—and should be part of every new AIS user’s education—I think their overall importance may be exaggerated. Here are some reasons why:
- While I’m sure that San Francisco Bay in heavy fog can be terrifying, in my experience the scariest contacts with shipping weren’t in crowded ports but out in the open ocean, where any bridge with half decent equipment and personnel will likely be monitoring Class B targets. Lord knows there are some dunderheads driving very, very large objects out there, but I do not buy the notion that a high percentage of commercial sailors are oblivious to small boats.
- This photo I took on Penobscot Bay illustrates another scenario. Shipping is light here—I’ve never seen two underway at the same time—but the traffic lane that runs down the bay crosses the route of almost every cruising boat going in or out of four active harbors. And it can get so foggy that…
Continue Reading
ACR Nauticast B, a new Class B playa
Feb 28, 2007
Over the years, I’ve gotten the impression that the FCC can be a capricious, even frightening, regulatory agency. For instance this is the only prototype Class B AIS that was actually shown to the public in Miami (I think), and ACR asked that I include the disclaimer below in this entry. At any rate, the Nauticast B looks pretty attractive (bigger image here). It’s quite compact at less than 8 x 6.5 x 2 inches—the translucent case apparently helping with its “water resistance” while letting the four LED status lights shine through—and it will retail for $1,000 (once it’s approved). It comes with a remote SRM (safety related message) send button which, like the SevenStar, can be reprogrammed by the user to instead turn quiet mode (receive but don’t transmit) on and off. But probably the most important thing about this box is the name on it. ACR’s reputation for quality, reliability, and support will be a real boon to AIS Class B adoption (as the new receivers from Furuno and Raymarine will be for AIS awareness overall). So, please, FCC, let’s get on with it!
This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.
AIS Miami, good times
Feb 21, 2007
 Yeah, man, that’s an Ethernet port on the new Furuno FA30 AIS receiver, meaning that it can plug right into a NavNet vx2 network. It also has standard NMEA 0183 38.4k AIS output, and comes with a PC AIS plotting program able to use the Ethernet feed, so it could be set up in many ways. The FA30 is a true dual channel receiver and will retail for “under $1,000.” It’s slightly bulky at about 10 x 8.5 x 3.5 inches, but that same box will house a Furuno Class B AIS that they’re planning to introduce eventually.
I’m a bit disappointed that Raymarine’s AIS250 is only a one-channel-at-a-time receiver, sporting a pretty stiff $1,120 MSRP too, but it does pack a lot of features under the hood. For one thing, it’s got a built in antenna splitter, allowing just one stick to feed AIS, FM, and VHF sets (preferably your standby set). It also has a built-in multiplexer offering two inputs and two outputs, all able to talk at either 4,800 or 38,400 baud as needed. This can solve lots of installation issues, particularly with single-NMEA-port C– and E-Series machines. Note that ShipModul has a special multiplexer for doing AIS with Ray C/E, as does Brookhouse (informative PDF here), and SeaCas is offering a dual channel receiver/multiplexer bundle.
AIS news, Class B and more
Feb 7, 2007
So while I’m wondering if anything is happening Class B AIS wise, the U.S.C.G. was type-approving its first Class B device! Not surprisingly it is SRT’s OEM transponder, also first in Europe, which means finished units branded by the likes of Comar, SevenStar, and Trueheading. But first they need FCC approval. A representative told me last October that they would grant at least provisional approvals quickly, but now I’m not so sure. (Confirmed later in the day; the FCC is concerned about “the control and allocation of MMSI numbers.”)
Meanwhile, at least two major brand AIS receivers will be introduced at the Miami Boat Show, and while both apparently have some unique features, just the names on the boxes are going to be significant in terms of AIS awareness amongst recreational boaters. And there will be at least one other major brand electronics company showing a demo model of a Class B transponder that it designed itself. I also noticed that Shine Micro recently put up specs on its interesting, but not yet approved, hybrid AIS receiver MURS transceiver, which may be useful for tender tracking or I’m-not-sure-what. And, finally, Fred Pot reports that the novel “Safe Pass” method of displaying AIS targets will soon be incorporated into Y-Tronic’s plotting software. It’s all good.
By the way, I was glad to see “transponder” used in the USCG approval, as nomenclature is an AIS issue (for instance, I was wrong to use “duplex”). I understand that transpond is not precisely what these things do, but I think it works.
PS. And here’s an interesting tidbit gleaned from SRT’s news page: “New Brunswick Technologies in the USA” became a licensee in December. I’m 99% sure they mean Brunswick New Technologies. Hello Northstar Class B AIS?
AIS simulation, a couple of ways
Feb 1, 2007
In a week or two, yet another ECS, Tiki Navigator, will add AIS targeting and it looks well done. Note in the screen shot (bigger here) how the red target is being DR’d, its last actual update shown by a little circle and the time of that update shown in a window just below its position. I know that some may find this is too complex, but I think it might be useful, especially with slow Class B data updates. Tiki can also draw a target predictor line based on ‘x’ minutes of speed/course, and it scales vessels if they’re sending dimensional info and if you’re zoomed in enough. Included in the demo file will be some charts of the Seattle area and a NMEA 0183 data file showing real AIS traffic.
Simulation is valuable as a lot of navigators have yet to experience AIS in action. You may recall that Capn Voyager can read a web stream of live AIS targets, which is even better than simulation (though I’m not sure that feature is still available). And Fred Pot at SeaCas has set up a way you can replay a voyage, AIS targets included, in Coastal Explorer (or Maptech Navigator Pro). Look for the “To see a demonstration” link at the bottom of this SeaCas page. I’ve tried it and it’s cool, including a close quarters “start the engine!” situation and AIS targets seen 30+ miles away, and on the other side of islands, all using Fred’s 300 model mounted on the stern rail.
By the way, I have heard that Class B AIS is selling well in Europe but not a darn thing about approvals and availibility here in the USA. Anyone?
AIS duplex vs multiplex, EasyAIS gets it right
Jan 3, 2007
I’m pleased to report—at least in part because of discussions here—that EasyAIS has rewritten its Web pages to clearly explain how its multiplexing receiver functions within the Class A and B System, particularly in relationship to more expensive full duplex receivers. In fact, they’ve put together the most thorough analysis I know of on the Web (go to home page, click on “AIS Capability). Besides laying out position reporting intervals in time and distance for various possible target vessels, they point up some other factors that suggest “additional uncertainty of class B reception, independent of the used receiver type.” EasyAIS concludes that both multiplex and duplex receivers “show satisfactory results for all class A scenarios,” but when “looking for fast class B targets, both concepts show weak points, as the information update rate is low.” One can argue that multiplexers are weaker in this regard, but the point is that users need to get educated about AIS target intervals as Class B becomes an actuality, and hats off to EasyAIS for now contributing to that education. (And Panbo rocks again!)
Northstar/Navman AIS plotting, lookin good
Dec 21, 2006
My attempt at a fancy illustration may be sketchy, and the language unfamiliar, but the color coded AIS targets and the full-on data screen behind them suggests that Northstar’s new plotting implementation is exceptionally thorough. The photos above, bigger here, were taken at METS and show one of the ‘new’ Explorer series; its Navman not-quite-identical twin is also getting AIS abilities. Below are screen shots from the new manual for the Navman 8120/Northstar M120 (and the new M84). Notice that AIS text messages can be read, a full target list is available, and alarms can be set on both CPA and proximity. Plus you can choose to have each target project its track based on time (2 minutes to 2 hours), which might help with the Class B jumping bean issue. I have the software upgrade for the 8120 that’s still here in the test lab and a loaner SeaCAS SafePassage 100 headed my way. I’m going to try this…after Christmas. I’m taking a long weekend off, and wishing all of you a wonderful holiday.
Another AIS Class B glitch, & a parser in a pear tree
Dec 20, 2006
When Class B AIS finally gets going, there’ll be yet another issue to deal with: not all existing AIS plotting systems are going to fully understand the Class B messages. Apparently separate messages were anticipated in the original Class A standard but the slotting and details were changed in the final B standard that went official just this spring. I understand that the dynamic data—position, speed, etc.—will likely show, but the static stuff—boat name, etc.—may not until the plotter, ECDIS, radar, or whatever is updated.
A good place to see exactly how AIS messages are structured is Brian Lane’s AISparser.com. Among other resources is a neat demo that let’s you turn your own raw AIS strings into targets plotted in Google Earth. Brian is even running a sort of Christmas sale on his AISparser SDK, which I’d guess to be quite good. (Imagine the look on her face!)
And here’s some more good/bad B news: An AIS expert at the U.S. Coast Guard told me that two of the Class B transponders now awaiting USCG approval will “retail for under $900”. But he could not say whose, or when approvals may be issued. Neither could the FCC.
Jeppesen ECS, AIS to the max
Dec 11, 2006
You really need the full screen above to see what’s going on, but that’s the “tow builder” feature in Jeppesen Marine’s new ECS product, which  previewed at the WorkBoat Show. A tug captain can graphically build a computer model of the whole tow he’s pushing up a river, which is useful in two ways. One is that his plotted vessel will show realistically in the ECS, as shown at right and bigger here . The other is that the ECS can then update the tug’s own Class A AIS transponder so that at least its rough total dimensions are visible to other boats on the river.
Jeppesen’s commercial marine Web site is still a bit skimpy on this product but there is a PDF describing a Precision Approach System (PAS) that will integrate with the ECS. “Hyper-accurate” GPS combined with secure wireless will let tugs and locks share all sorts of valuable data, probably including the detailed tow configurations. The overall product—ECS, PAS, and more hinted at—is called Jeppesen Marine OnBoard and is obviously adaptable, at least in part, to deep sea commercial vessels. The ECS, by the way, may or may not be based on Nobeltec code, I can’t tell, and Jeppesen’s purchase of C-Map still seems to be in its quiet period.
| 
