If I understand the timing correctly, about when Raymarine starts shipping its new AIS 500 Class B transponder in May, it will also offer software updates for A, C, E, and G Series MFDs that provide some AIS plotting improvements. On top of the list is "buddy tracking", which I consider a valuable feature, though the term -- used by several manufacturers -- is a bit misleading. The idea is that when you see an AIS target that you might see again, and care about -- be it a friend, or a local fishing boat that sometimes seems like it's driven by zombies -- you can save its name and MMSI in a little database kept by your MFD or charting software. Then...
Thanks to an angelic Panbot, I've now read pertinent sections of IEC 62388, a.k.a. "Maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems -
Shipborne radar - Performance requirements, methods of testing and
required test results." It's a hundred pages (preview PDF here) laying out in great detail the minimum requirements for how all new radars going on SOLAS ships will perform and present data. Perhaps most important among many mandated enhancements is the treatment of AIS targets, Class B included, putting them on essentially the same level of safety value as radar targets. I think these standards are good news not only for the bridge teams on big ships, but also us little guys who sometimes travel amongst them (despite the consternation that came up yesterday)...
I spent some of this weekend installing and trying out Coastal Explorer 2009, and was thoroughly impressed. CE, also sold as Maptech Chart Navigator Pro, has always been an excellent charting program, in my opinion, and the 2009 edition is a worthy successor. The screen shot above, for instance, shows the slick new automated NOAA raster and vector chart updating routine (and the fact I was doing the updating while riding a train, via a Sprint EVDO WiFi server, suggests how possible online onboard is getting). CE 2009 also easily incorporated lots of Maptech data -- photo maps, topos, harbor photos, and marina databases -- that was already on my PCs. But CE's included Guide Book data, access to TerraServer photo maps and its new abilities to display Panoramio photos and CE user community POI info (photos included) make Maptech data somewhat less important. Which may be a good thing, in a way, as the relationship between CE's creator, Rosepoint Navigation, and the company that took over Maptech's digital chart business, Maptech Navigation, has gotten a little confusing...
So Global Satellite USA has announced an interesting Iridium PBX box, but it won't roll out until June and will cost $4,200 (with an outside antenna and 20 meters of cable). I got a demo of the new Iridium 9555 handset at the Miami show, and while it's certainly less clunky than the old 9505, a fixed installation of some sort still makes sense for most boats, I think. At sea, you want to make calls down below, a dedicated antenna works better anyway, and you'll very likely have a data cable connected between phone and PC. At least for e-mail, as Iridium only connects to the Internet at 2,400 bps, before compression (which Global Satellite doesn't mention)...
When I wrote about SafeLife in January, I didn't realize that this full-on through-satellite EPIRB and PLB testing service wasn't quite ready to go. In fact, it's not trivial to put together the system of ground stations, software, and Web site able to actually capture the test signals many EPIRBs and PLBs can send out, reference them to the owner registration details, and report it all back to you. But the good news is that SafeLife is now looking for 100 beta testers, and they want a lot more volunteers so they can select a good cross section of brands and locations around the continental USA. And if qualify but don't get chosen, you'll still get a 30% discount on the service once it actually opens for business, if you're still interested. What's to lose, besides a little time registering? One caveat: the hot new FastFind PLBs, now FCC approved, can not be used for through-satellite testing (because their coiled antennas have to be repacked at a service center, I think). Doug Ritter, per usual, has the whole story.
