I have had this app called marine traffic on my phone for a while....pretty cool...shows the position on barges and tugs here on the river and today they released another app that uses my smartphone gps as an iais sender.....can't wait to give it a try in the spring
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Be careful with the Marine Traffic web site. My understanding is that the data is on a delay for security purposes. This may be different from your phone I do not know.
From the Marine Traffic site
Notices: Vessel positions may be up to one hour old or incomplete. Data is provided for informational reasons only and is not related by any means to the safety of navigation.
I have no idea how a AIS system is going to pick up a position from a cell phone.
Jim McNeely
New Hope a 2004 Bayliner 305 Sunbridge Express Cruiser
Twin 5.7s with Bravo2 drives
Brighton, Michigan USA
MMSI # 367393410 -
To either send or receive, it has to go through an internet-connected AIS proxy. This means you are required to have a usable cell signal to either get or send AIS data, and their system has to be operational and not lagging in data conversion. I would call this "better than nothing" but far from the same as real AIS equipment. But even the most basic AIS is $800, and this certainly beats having nothing.
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If the signal is "up to an hour" late, I would think this is very misleading and could get you confused. I certainly wouldn't rely on it. This data come over the internet, not directly from other vessels.
Check this out, second blog entry. http://bitterendblog.com/
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