AIS on a SIB

[gocherhaz]

Hello, Has anyone got AIS on there SIB? If so can you help explain how I can achieve this?

Many thanks

[willk]

AIS receive only or full Transponder? What are you trying to achieve with whichever it is?

[gocherhaz]

To be able to track my movements on Marine Traffic

[davkt]

Just receive an android phone or tablet, cheap rtl sdr dongle (under £20) from amazon or ebay, Boat Beacon app and USB OTG cable, all in a waterproof case like an aquapack will give what you need.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by gocherhaz

To be able to track my movements on Marine Traffic

In which case you need a transponder setup.

[willk]

Originally Posted by gocherhaz

To be able to track my movements on Marine Traffic

Interesting. I asked because the purpose is as important as the method, IMO.

If your stated purpose is correct (you want a track, or maybe someone at home want's to "see" you) then you may get away with a mobile phone app from marinetraffic:
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/p/r...r-own-position
Obviously this depends on mobile data connectivity in your sea area and has ZERO safety benefits at sea. It may be the best way to link to marinetraffic though.

Using a live AIS signal sent from your boat for marinetraffic use is moot, as it depends on your "real" AIS signal being picked up by one of Marinetraffic's voluntary shore stations and relayed via the internet.

[Erin]

A proper transponder is obviously the better solution but you will need a GPS aerial and a VHF aerial for it to work and a stable power supply (i.e. battery charging off your engine). Not sure how practical that would really be on a sib especially the aerial aspect as that is critical to performance if you are some distance from a shore station.

Incidentally, I feed MarineTraffic with data from my own volunteer shore station made up from an old DigitalYacht ANT200 receiver connected to a homemade colinear aerial. It often picks up ships from 100 miles away according to the MT statistics https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...s/stations/999.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

A proper transponder is obviously the better solution.

Perversely perhaps, I'd would argue that if (as a SIB) he is inshore and has decent mobile data coverage, the App might suit him better for his purpose (tracking from home on marinetraffic).

I attach a marinetraffic track of my weekend jaunt to Ardbeg. I had data coverage for the vast majority of the trip (just a small dropout well offshore) and you can see the gaps where there is poor coverage from marinetraffic shore stations - NE Antrim is a total blackspot - Malin isn't great either.

[gocherhaz]

Thanks for everyone's help. I have settled for the OnCourse app by MarineTraffic. Should do me just fine