Where do I put the AIS antenna?

Typically this antenna is mounted at the top of a mast, radar arch, flybridge, or another high point onboard where it has the greatest range and is more likely to receive weak signals.

Do I need a separate antenna for AIS?

Receive only AIS units are being integrated into many of the newer VHF radios. It will have an internal splitter between the two and only one antenna input. For this scenario a VHF antenna is needed.

How do you display AIS?

From a Radar screen or the Radar overlay, select Menu > Other Vessels > AIS. Select an option: To indicate the distance from your location within which AIS vessels appear, select Display Range, and select a distance. To show details about AIS-activated vessels, select Details > Show.

Where do you mount a VHF antenna on a sailboat?

The higher the antenna is mounted, the higher the range. On sailboats, the VHF antenna should be positioned on the masthead for the longest possible range.

Where do you mount a marine VHF antenna?

Since VHF radios operate with a line of site principal – meaning the signal won't transmit through or around buildings or other natural obstructions – it's important to mount the antenna as high as possible on the boat. The higher you can put your antenna – the further your signal will carry.

AIS Antenna Setup

How high should my VHF antenna be?

A 3- to 4-foot antenna that's 3 dB is generally recommended for boats under 24 feet. Larger vessels can opt for 12- to 18-foot, 7 to 8 dB antennas. “As a general rule, antenna height should be less than half the length of the boat,” Catoe says.

What is the range for AIS receivers?

Normally, an AIS-Receiving station using an external antenna placed 15 metres above sea level, will receive AIS information from AIS-equipped vessels that sail within a range of 15-20 nautical miles around it.

Why is my AIS not working?

You may be in an area of poor coverage or challenging terrain which blocks easy reception of VHF signals. Your AIS transponder is not setup with the correct information (MMSI, call sign, ship's name etc) Your AIS transponder is not functioning correctly.

What is AIS on a VHF radio?

The Automatic Identification System is a digital VHF radio-based transponder system that can prevent collisions, and can protect your boat from being run down by a huge, fast moving ship. It's like digital radar with precise position information.

What is an AIS antenna?

AIS aerials/ antennas and AIS:

AIS (Automatic Identification System) is transmitted on two channels at the top of the Marine VHF band. Regular marine band VHF aerials are tuned to around the centre of the band at 156.8 MHz (channel 16) and AIS aerials at 162 MHz (the AIS frequency).

Why do boats have two antennas?

The advantages of the dual antenna

Not only does the installation of a second antenna give better readability to the AIS signal, but it can also serve as an emergency antenna for VHF. Just allow enough length behind the unit to disconnect the antenna from the AIS and connect it to the VHF.

How do you connect an AIS to a chartplotter?

What VHF antenna is required for AIS receiver and transponder?

Which VHF channels or frequencies are used with AIS? AIS transponders and receivers use two VHF radio frequencies: 161.975 MHz (AIS1, or channel 87B) and 162.025 MHz (AIS2, or channel 88B).

What is an AIS splitter?

In its most basic form, a VHF/AIS splitter is a device that splits an RF signal allowing it to be shared across multiple devices, in this case allowing a VHF and AIS to share a single antenna.

Does a VHF antenna need to be vertical?

No matter how tempting it might be to angle your boat's VHF antenna for aesthetic purposes (like matching the angle of fishing rods), don't do it. Sure, it looks sleeker to have them angled, but they're designed to be positioned upright for a reason.

How do I know if my AIS is transmitting?

If you get green across the board then the unit itself is transmitting. Note if you don't get a check for TX position reports then check to see you have a valid GPS signal. The unit will not transmit unless it has a valid GPS position.

Why is my boat not showing on AIS?

Possible reasons for a vessel's position not picked up and displayed on the Live Map are: The vessel is not equipped with an AIS transponder or the transponder is not operational or the transponder is not properly working.

Why do ships turn off transponders?

While international regulations ask cargo vessels and ships to keep their transponders on at all times, vessels sometimes shut the systems down to not attract pirates and during certain other conditions. "These vessels want to disappear from radar. From a compliance perspective, it's a red flag," Daniel said.

Can I connect my GPS to the AIS?

Our very popular AMEC CAMINO-101 Class B AIS transponder can now either use its internal GPS system coupled with the AMEC external antenna or it now supports using an external GPS device connected through the inbound NMEA port.

What are the 2 types of AIS?

Types and classes of AIS

There are two classes of shipborne AIS – Class A and Class B. In addition, there are different types of AIS used for shore stations (AIS Base Stations), AIS aids to navigation (AIS AtoN), AIS on search and rescue aircraft and the AIS search and rescue transmitter (AIS- SART).

What is difference between Class A and B AIS?

Class A AIS transponders are required to have a DSC (156.525 MHz) receiver, external GPS, heading, and rate of turn indicator, and can also transmit and receive safety-related text messages. Class B AIS transponders operate using Carrier-Sense TDMA (CSTDMA) broadcast mode and transmit at a power level of 2 watts.

How can I boost my VHF signal?

Increasing the antenna height can also increase distance, so mount your antenna as high as possible, such as on top of your boat's hardtop or radar arch. You can also get greater range with a longer antenna — it has a larger radiating element. Additionally, keep in mind that not all VHF radios are created equally.

How important is antenna height?

A height of 120 feet or even higher will provide even more advantages for long-distance communications. To a distant receiving station, a transmitting antenna at 120 feet will provide the effect of approximately 8 to 10 times more transmitting power than the same antenna at 35 feet.

Why is height of VHF antenna important?

Nothing affects the performance of your VHF radio more than antenna height. This because VHF waves travel in a straight line and become weaker over greater distances. For communications to be effective, the receiving antenna must be able to “see” the waves coming from the transmitting antenna.