•NotallvesselsarettedwithAIS
•Althoughitismandatoryforlargercommercialvesselstocarry
AIS,itisnotmandatorytouseit.
AISshouldbeusedonlytoaugmentradarinformation,notsubstitute
it.
Warning:AISlimitation
NeverassumethatyourAISisdetectingallvessels
inthearea.Alwaysexercisedueprudenceanddo
notuseAISasasubstituteforsoundnavigational
judgement.
ClassesofAIS
TheAIS350isareceiverthatreceivesmessagesfromvessels,
landbasestations,oraidstonavigation(AToNs)carryingClassA
orClassBtransceivers.
TheAIS650isaClassBtransceiverthatreceivesmessagesfrom
andtransmitsmessagestovessels,landbasestations,oraidsto
navigation(AToNs)carryingClassAorClassBtransceivers.
ClassAtransceivers
ClassAAIStransceiverstransmitandreceiveAISsignals.AIS
transceiversarecurrentlymandatoryonallcommercialvessels
exceeding300tonsthattravelinternationally(SOLASvessels).
ThefollowinginformationcanbetransmittedbyaClassAAIS
system:
•Staticdata.Includesinformationsuchasvesselname,vessel
type,MMSInumber,callsign,IMOnumber,length,beamand
GPSantennalocation.
•Voyagerelateddata.Includesinformationsuchasdraft,cargo,
destination,ETAandotherrelevantinformation.
•Dynamicdata.Includesinformationsuchastime(UTC),ship’s
position,COG,SOG,heading,rateofturnandnavigationalstatus.
•Dynamicreports.Ship’sspeedandstatus.
•Messages.Alarmsandsafetymessages.
Rememberthatnotallvesselswilltransmitalloftheinformation.
ClassBtransceivers
ClassBAIStransceiverstransmitandreceiveAISsignals,butuse
areducedsetofdatacomparedtoClassA(seeDataSummary).A
ClassBAIStransceivercanbettedonanyvesselnotttedwitha
ClassAtransceiver,butisnotmandatoryaboardanyvessel.
DataSummary
Data
Receiver
(receive)
Transceiver
(transmit)
Transceiver
(receive)
Ship’sname
YesYesYes
TypeYesYesYes
Callsign
YesYesYes
IMOnumber
YesNoYes
LengthandbeamYesYesYes
AntennalocationYesYesYes
Draft
YesNoYes
Cargo
Information
YesYesYes
DestinationYesNoYes
ETAYesNoYes
10AIS350/AIS650Installationinstructions