A.I.S. Devices

What is AIS? AIS stands for Automatic Ship Identification System. With AIS, vessels identify themselves and share important static, dynamic and voyage-related data with other participants in navigation, such as for example surrounding vessels, shore stations, port authorities or rescue facilities.

Overview of the data:

The static data provides information regarding:
- the vessel's name
- the international radio call sign
- the type of vessel and its dimensions

The travel-related data includes:

- current draught

- the port of destination

- the ETA (estimated time of arrival)

- as well as if necessary category of the cargo

The dynamic data includes:

- accurate information regarding the position of the vessel

- its speed and its course over ground

- the current rates of turn of the vessel

Why should I use AIS on board?

AIS is used to avoid collisions at sea, the automatic exchange of information between ships and with shore stations and traffic centers on the coast as a supplementary means of maritime traffic control. This significantly increases security on the water. The method of AIS data exchange is standardized worldwide and functions in all oceans, so that even ships of different nations can meet on the open sea and "see" each other.

Your view with AIS. Large navigational aids, buoys, beacons and lighthouses are to be equipped with AIS transmitters. As a result, when entering buoyed waterways, it provides you with a completely new view - each buoy will then signal with its name (hello, I'm buoy "73B" at pos. XY. Changes in the waterway that are not yet listed on charts can easily be identified with AIS.
A brand new development is the AIS SART emergency transmitter. The licensed easyRescue by WEATHERDOCK, which is used in life boats, displays the current position of a "man overboard" by means of AIS technology directly on your PC or chart plotter. The easyRescue sends, after an initialization, an AIS emergency telegram that can be received by all AIS devices (Class A and Class B). The easyRescue device is also equipped with an integrated, accurate and fast GPS of the latest generation. The "live" position of the person in distress is visible via AIS on a PC or on the plotter. Thus you can initiate an immediate rescue operation from any vessel that uses AIS (commercial shipping, government vessels, SAR, etc.). Given the significantly lower prices and the completely free use of the AIS system, it is definitely a MUST HAVE!

How does AIS work?
The AIS data is sent with special AIS transponders (transmitters) from the vessel via 2 reserved VHF frequencies. These transponders have a range of about 20-30 nautical miles, depending on the antenna height. The transmitted data can now be received at no cost by every appropriate AIS receiver and evaluated accordingly.

We recommend the SEATEC AIS-6 in particular, because it does not only receive AIS data, it simultaneously displays the data. In addition, data such as the depth, log, wind and / or autopilot can be displayed by the AIS-6 NMEA. With the internal NMEA multiplexer, it is possible to collect received AIS and NMEA data with a NMEA output (38,400 baud) and to transfer it to other devices. In conjunction with a plotter, you get a "radar" image that shows all activity within a radius of about 30 miles directly on your chart. You can set alarms with every AIS software that we offer - you can set up a "warning circle", which alarms you when a ship enters this specific circle. Another possibility is setting a time. A stationary bearing will now indicate that you will collide with the specific ship in for example 15 minutes with consistent speed.

Other advantages are: AIS provides a view across obstacles. Unlike radar, the reception of AIS is not impeded by headlands, buildings, islands, etc. The received messages are therefore represented as unique icons. Especially for inexperienced users they can easily be identified in contrast to targets in a radar image. In addition, real plain text messages are displayed in a separate window.

AIS-MOB (man overboard), the intelligent way to rescue.
The above depicted Automatic Identification System (AIS) also wins in other areas, such as with "man overboard" devices and security systems. The companies Kannad, Weatherdock and Seatec have introduced portable AIS transmitter, which are using AIS during MOB search. Any vessel that is equipped with an AIS receiver or AIS receiver/transmitter (transceiver) can receive the data in order to quickly locate missing crew members and to immediately determine the bearing and distance to the MOB. The body-worn devices have a range up to 5 miles and the transmitted data can be decoded correctly by many current chart plotters or AIS receivers.

AIS - SART in detail

The AIS-SART (MOB) sends an AIS emergency telegram after initialization, which can be received by all AIS devices (Class A and Class B). The units are also equipped with an integrated, accurate and fast GPS of the latest generation. The "live" position of the injured person is visible with AIS on a PC or on the plotter. Thus an immediate rescue operation can be achieved by any vessel (commercial shipping, government vehicles, SAR, etc.) with AIS on board - which will increase the chance of survival significantly. Simply wear the AIS emergency transmitter on your life jacket or life jacket belt in a holder. It is activated by pressing a button. To view the position of the person in distress on the PC or on the plotter, a connected AIS receiver is necessary.

A.I.S. Devices

A.I.S. Receiver

AIS Transceivers

A.I.S. S.A.R.T.

Accessories