http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6547267.stm

Watch Officer to be charged with manslaughter.

Molesworth

Molesworth wrote in news:ukmole-
:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6547267.stm

Full AIS transponders.....the sooner, the better for everyone.

If you can afford a yacht, you can afford a small AIS transponder. Noone
HAS to die. Ouzo would have had the same size target on the AIS screen in
that ferry as a big aircraft carrier. No need, any more, to rely on some
plastic reflective ball to make you a tiny blip on someone's 1957 tube
radar screen, fading in and out as the mast lays over. EVERY yacht going
to sea in this traffic needs a full AIS transponder running 24/7.

There's too much big traffic, today, to go on without it.

Larry
--

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:19:35 +0000, Larry wrote:

Molesworth wrote in news:ukmole-
:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6547267.stm

Full AIS transponders.....the sooner, the better for everyone.

If you can afford a yacht, you can afford a small AIS transponder. Noone
HAS to die. Ouzo would have had the same size target on the AIS screen in
that ferry as a big aircraft carrier. No need, any more, to rely on some
plastic reflective ball to make you a tiny blip on someone's 1957 tube
radar screen, fading in and out as the mast lays over. EVERY yacht going
to sea in this traffic needs a full AIS transponder running 24/7.

There's too much big traffic, today, to go on without it.

Larry
Larry,
Great idea. I have been in situations where the ships can visually see
me but I do not appear on their radar screen - sea state and waves
etc. - I have the old metal "forget what it's called" aluminium sphere
permanently swinging at my cross trees.

Any idea what they cost and is there a fee involved or do you the
American tax payer foot the bill as you so generously do for GPS?

cheers
Peter Hendra

AIS is not a "silver bullet". Although many ships are transitioning to
"ECDIS" wherein they will end up having a screen with a chart/radar/AIS
overlay, it is not all that common yet.
In most cases you are still dealing with a seperate AIS screen which only
list the targets and is only usefull if you have some reason to look at
it..... so .....if they haven't seen the target visually and/or on radar,
they may not check the AIS to see what's about/around.
Prudence would say visual..... check the radar for targets with and without
AIS, check the AIS for targets missed on radar.... and back to
visual....i.e., with each new system you improve your lookout
capabilities.....but only if you use them.

otn

* otnmbrd wrote, On 4/12/2007 7:26 PM:
AIS is not a "silver bullet". Although many ships are transitioning to
"ECDIS" wherein they will end up having a screen with a chart/radar/AIS
overlay, it is not all that common yet.
In most cases you are still dealing with a seperate AIS screen which only
list the targets and is only usefull if you have some reason to look at
it..... so .....if they haven't seen the target visually and/or on radar,
they may not check the AIS to see what's about/around.
Prudence would say visual..... check the radar for targets with and without
AIS, check the AIS for targets missed on radar.... and back to
visual....i.e., with each new system you improve your lookout
capabilities.....but only if you use them.

But AIS adds an extra dimension - A smaller vessel that feels at risk
of not being noticed can now hail a large vessel by name and ask if
they are being tracked. That would make a huge difference when
crossing busy lanes.

"Jeff" wrote in message
. ..
* otnmbrd wrote, On 4/12/2007 7:26 PM:
AIS is not a "silver bullet". Although many ships are transitioning to
"ECDIS" wherein they will end up having a screen with a chart/radar/AIS
overlay, it is not all that common yet.
In most cases you are still dealing with a seperate AIS screen which only
list the targets and is only usefull if you have some reason to look at
it..... so .....if they haven't seen the target visually and/or on radar,
they may not check the AIS to see what's about/around.
Prudence would say visual..... check the radar for targets with and
without AIS, check the AIS for targets missed on radar.... and back to
visual....i.e., with each new system you improve your lookout
capabilities.....but only if you use them.

But AIS adds an extra dimension - A smaller vessel that feels at risk of
not being noticed can now hail a large vessel by name and ask if they are
being tracked. That would make a huge difference when crossing busy
lanes.


I think it's definitely a net positive, except for the cost. I suppose it'll
come down at some point.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Jeff wrote in
:

But AIS adds an extra dimension - A smaller vessel that feels at risk
of not being noticed can now hail a large vessel by name and ask if
they are being tracked. That would make a huge difference when
crossing busy lanes.



Class A AIS transponders and software also ALARM to wake up the watch to
the crossing/collision situation. He doesn't have to be staring at the
screen all night to notice you....LIKE RADAR.

Larry
--

Peter Hendra wrote in
:

Any idea what they cost and is there a fee involved or do you the
American tax payer foot the bill as you so generously do for GPS?



http://www.sailwx.info/aisinformation.html

http://www.panbo.com/yae/archives/001174.html
Panbo says they're coming out with one from UK for under $US500 for
pleasure boats. If the manufacturers knew AIS transponders were going to
be REQUIRED on every yacht, not just a few where they may lose their
shirts, the competition would drop prices like a rock.

The ship owners want to keep small boats from having AIS, probably
because the victims of the crashes don't survive to SUE THEIR ASSES....

http://www.dolphinmaritime.com/hardware/csb200.html
HACSB200 Class B transponder - 525 British pounds.
Only puts out 1-4 watts, not 12.5w. 4W will give it plenty of range to a
ship's tall antenna, but may cause crashing with other 12W stations who
cannot hear it that are in range. That would make the packets crash as
it wouldn't have a timeslot reserved on ALL the radios to the
horizon....not good.

http://www.euronav.co.uk/PriceList/L...istLeisure.htm
Euronav has the same CSB200 transponder for EU425 w/o VAT.
It pays to shop the internet....(c;

http://www.sevenstarelectronics.com/
Sevenstar thinks theirs, "USCG approved" whatever that means, is worth
$1000. It looks like it was made in someone's garage.

http://www.diytrade.com/directory/gl...ts/414991.html
The Communists have a full 12W Class A for $2000 with all the
capabilities of a ship AIS....overkill for a sailboat. It will do AIS
messaging, too.



Larry
--

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:04:25 -0400, Peter Hendra wrote:

Great idea. I have been in situations where the ships can visually see
me but I do not appear on their radar screen - sea state and waves
etc. - I have the old metal "forget what it's called" aluminium sphere
permanently swinging at my cross trees.

The best way to be seen on someone else's radar is to have your own radar
turned on.

Matt O.

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:32:27 -0400, Matt O'Toole
wrote:

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:04:25 -0400, Peter Hendra wrote:

Great idea. I have been in situations where the ships can visually see
me but I do not appear on their radar screen - sea state and waves
etc. - I have the old metal "forget what it's called" aluminium sphere
permanently swinging at my cross trees.

The best way to be seen on someone else's radar is to have your own radar
turned on.

Matt O.

Great idea Matt,
That's fine if you have radar which a lot of yachrts crossing the
oceans don 't. It's also fine so long as you don't mind turning the
engine on to charge the batteries. To have the radar on 24x7 means a
lot of battery charging even if you use the sleep/sweep function that
some have. There are other drains on power - eg navigation lights etc.

Technology is there but in practice it may not be practical.

regards
Peter Hendra