I'm trying to figure out the best way to install an AIS system in our
cruising sailboat. It's largely used coastally off Mexico with
occasional longer passages of a few hundred miles. Night passages are
common.

Hardware questions:

There seem to be two price points..single channel, serial only for
about $190 from Milltech or dual channel USB capable from Safe Passage
for around $800. I'm thinking single channel is adequate but I my sole
serial port is occupied by the GPS and I've had problems in the past
with the serial/usb adapters. Anyone know of a single channel USB
output receiver?

I have an unused "emergency" VHF antenna on a pole about 12 feet above
the water. I could use that for the AIS or I could use a splitter on
the masthead antenna. I'm not inclined to do anything to reduce VHF
reception. Can someone tell me the formula for VHF "line of sight"
distance?

Software questions

I'm currently using MAptech Offshore Navigator which doesn't have AIS
support. I'd have to upgrade to their newer system or else buy
another. Fugawi seems attractive. I have a whole bunch of Maptech
formatted charts but Fugawi seems to be able to handle these OK.

In either case, I would lose my "tracks" of past passages. Those are
especially handy off the Mexican coast because the charts are hand
drawn in 1888 or so and the shore is a few miles further east than the
charts show...except when it isn't. Finding a way into an anchorage
or around a rock once during daylight gives me a track I can follow
next time. Maptech suggests converting tracks to routes, but I haven't
looked into that yet. Does anyone know how to get the track files out
of Maptech's program? If they have lat longs I might be able to bring
them into the new program.

I also think I could keep the old Maptech program and switch it on
when following a past track is essential. I wonder if I could run both
simultaneously and bring the old program on screen.when I need it.

Any comments or advice? I'm not at the boat now so can't experiment
very much.

Thanks
Dick Locke
S/V Tanoshii

Ahoy Dick,

I was having the same problem, decisions decisions, decisions. I
happened upon Rosepoint software. Strange, the Rosepoint Coastal
Explorer is almost identical to the Maptec Offshore Navigator Pro.
The real neat thing is it is about $200.00 cheaper. I went to this
site
http://store.milltechmarine.com/index.html and they have a package
that contains the Costal Navigator and an AIS reciever fot the price
of the Offshore Navigator.

I bought it and am happy with it.

Fair Winds
Cap'n Dave

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ahoy Dick,

I was having the same problem, decisions decisions, decisions. I
happened upon Rosepoint software. Strange, the Rosepoint Coastal
Explorer is almost identical to the Maptec Offshore Navigator Pro.
The real neat thing is it is about $200.00 cheaper. I went to this
site
http://store.milltechmarine.com/index.html and they have a package
that contains the Costal Navigator and an AIS reciever fot the price
of the Offshore Navigator.

I bought it and am happy with it.

Fair Winds
Cap'n Dave


I can second that - bought the Coastal Explorer software and an AIS receiver
from Milltech Marine here in Seattle and it has been working great for me.
The tricky part was to set up serial in/out connections to/from my Raymarine
GPS and chartplotters to the USB ports on my laptop.

So now, after planning a route on my laptop using the CE, I can transfer
the waypoints to my Raymarine equipment. And the laptop shows all AIS
transponders within a 10-12 mile radius of our boat - and issues audible
and/or visual warnings of any ships on a collision course. Since we have a
lot of commercial traffic on Puget Sound it serves as a good back up to our
visual lookout.

Claus

Strange, the Rosepoint Coastal
Explorer is almost identical to the Maptec Offshore Navigator Pro.

Uh, not quite. Rosepoint makes Coastal Explorer. MapTech 'private
labels' this and resells it as Chart Navigator Pro along with a BUNCH of
charts. Offshore Navigator was an entirely different piece of software
from Maptech. I've used all of them.

Maptech's version includes nearly their entire US waters charts,
including pictures, topo, raster, vector, 3D and more.

The real neat thing is it is about $200.00 cheaper.

Defender.com has it pretty cheap at $375. Hard to beat getting both the
software AND the charts for that price.

-Bill Kearney

On Sep 16, 5:35 pm, Bill Kearney wrote:
Strange, the Rosepoint Coastal

Explorer is almost identical to the Maptec Offshore Navigator Pro.

Uh, not quite. Rosepoint makes Coastal Explorer. MapTech 'private
labels' this and resells it as Chart Navigator Pro along with a BUNCH of
charts. Offshore Navigator was an entirely different piece of software
from Maptech. I've used all of them.

Maptech's version includes nearly their entire US waters charts,
including pictures, topo, raster, vector, 3D and more.

The real neat thing is it is about $200.00 cheaper.

Defender.com has it pretty cheap at $375. Hard to beat getting both the
software AND the charts for that price.

-Bill Kearney

Ahoy Bill,

If you would check The Rose Point Program, it includes all the U.S.
Charts not some of them and the URL I posted has a deal for an AIS
reciever to boot. Take that to Defender.

With the information you provided I doubt you have used them all. I
have played with a number of charting programs but I have not used
them all. Then again I leave the dock onec in awhile.

Fair Winds

Cap'n Dave

If you would check The Rose Point Program, it includes all the U.S.
Charts not some of them and the URL I posted has a deal for an AIS
reciever to boot. Take that to Defender.

Adding an AIS receiver (sp) is certainly a nice thing. But go
double-check and compare what constitutes charts on the two packages.
Doubtless you'll find a rather big difference. But then I haven't
checked their website lately.

Ah, they're now including some vector charts. That's a nice
improvement. But that's nothing compared to having the vector, raster,
3D, topo, gazetteer (place names), satellite overhead views AND aerial
pictures. It's clear you just don't know what you're talking about, but
this is nothing new.

Bottom line, the core program in the two of them is fantastic (it should
be, it's the SAME program). And if you don't need (or want) any of the
additional chart data provided in the Maptech version then it's
certainly worth considering Coastal Explorer.

As for AIS, I'm waiting for the Class B device approval for use in the
US. I'd rather wait, for two reasons. One being there's not really
much need for AIS in the Chesapeake. Someone boating elsewhere might
have different demands. Secondly, there's a decent chance prices on the
class A devices will drop as the class B units become available. I'm
not that concerned about the pricing but I'd prefer to avoid wasting
money on something I don't immediately need when there's a chance of
something better in the near future. Of course the approval process
seems rather glacial so who knows for sure.

With the information you provided I doubt you have used them all. I
have played with a number of charting programs but I have not used
them all. Then again I leave the dock onec in awhile.

Uh, find someone else to insult you pathetic slob, and get a spell
checker.

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
There seem to be two price points..single channel, serial only for
about $190 from Milltech or dual channel USB capable from Safe Passage
for around $800. I'm thinking single channel is adequate but I my sole
serial port is occupied by the GPS and I've had problems in the past
with the serial/usb adapters. Anyone know of a single channel USB
output receiver?

You could use a MiniPlex-Lite, a small NMEA multiplexer with a USB interface
and one high speed input for your AIS receiver next to two normal NMEA
inputs (GPS, etc). And it comes without the typical problems found with
serial/usb adapters. This box simply works.

Meindert
www.shipmodul.com

Meindert Sprang wrote:
"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
There seem to be two price points..single channel, serial only for
about $190 from Milltech or dual channel USB capable from Safe Passage
for around $800. I'm thinking single channel is adequate but I my sole
serial port is occupied by the GPS and I've had problems in the past
with the serial/usb adapters. Anyone know of a single channel USB
output receiver?

You could use a MiniPlex-Lite, a small NMEA multiplexer with a USB interface
and one high speed input for your AIS receiver next to two normal NMEA
inputs (GPS, etc). And it comes without the typical problems found with
serial/usb adapters. This box simply works.

Meindert
www.shipmodul.com

Meindert,

No flame intended, really! What are the typical problems with USB hubs?
Thanks!
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com

He didn't say "USB hub". He said "serial/usb adapters". I've had problems with them -- the
first one I got didn't support Break (which is not a character, but rather pulling the
computer's Data In line low (or was it high) for an extended period of time (and of course
the first thing the box I bought it to use with needed was ..... a break, to wake it up.

Some of them don't support some of the other obscure corners of the serial port protocol.



"Larry" wrote in message ...
Meindert Sprang wrote:
"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
There seem to be two price points..single channel, serial only for
about $190 from Milltech or dual channel USB capable from Safe Passage
for around $800. I'm thinking single channel is adequate but I my sole
serial port is occupied by the GPS and I've had problems in the past
with the serial/usb adapters. Anyone know of a single channel USB
output receiver?

You could use a MiniPlex-Lite, a small NMEA multiplexer with a USB interface
and one high speed input for your AIS receiver next to two normal NMEA
inputs (GPS, etc). And it comes without the typical problems found with
serial/usb adapters. This box simply works.

Meindert
www.shipmodul.com

Meindert,

No flame intended, really! What are the typical problems with USB hubs?
Thanks!
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Meindert,

No flame intended, really! What are the typical problems with USB hubs?
Thanks!

I suspect you mean serial/usb converters?

Many of them don't have an internal serial number so the created com port
changes when you plug it into a different USB port. All of them support the
M$ Plug & Play support for serial ports which means Windows thinks your GPS
is a mouse. Many of them don't work as supplied, wrong drivers and that sort
of stuff.

If you really meant USB hubs, then I don't know of any problems with them
apart from being able to be powered from 12V or 24V.

Meindert