Contact us
Sign in
en English
  • en English
  • fr Français
www.itabnav.com
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)

No products

Free shipping! Shipping
0,00 € Tax
0,00 € Total

Prices are tax included

Check out

Product successfully added to your shopping cart

Quantity
Total

There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.

Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Tax 0,00 €
Total (tax incl.)
Continue shopping Proceed to checkout
  • e-shop
    Protective cases
    • iPad mini
    • iPad 9.7"
    • iPad 10.2" & 10.5"
    • iPad 10.9" & 11"
    • iPad Pro 12.9"
    • Surface Go
    • Other tablets
    • iPhone
    • Sunshades and accessories

    What is my iPad model ?

    Mounts
    • Brackets
    • Arms
    • Suction cups
    • Tube mounts
    • Hand-, Shoulderstraps
    RECHARGE
    • Sockets
    • Cables
    • Mobile Power
    • Car Cradles
    GPS
    • GPS Receivers
    SATELLITE
    • Satcomms
    Marine Electronics
    • NMEA-WiFi
    • AIS
    • Wind sensors
    • Fishfinders

    HOW TO SELECT NMEA ROUTER?

    SERVICES
    • Spare parts
    • Services
    CASE + MOUNTS PACKS Value Packs
    • with suction cups
    • for tube mount
    REDUCED ! All reduced prices !
    NEW Check this !
  • Info
    GENERAL INFO
    • FAQ
    • Maps, GPS and 3G...
    • Tablets in Outdoor
    • Outdoor Settings
    • Apps or websites ?
    NAUTICAL TOPICS
    • iPad on Board
    • Onboard Mounting
    • Recharging the iPad outdoors
    • AIS on iPad
    • NMEA2000
    • Secondary Display
    • Tutorial: Windows PC screen repeater
    • Replicating screens on board !
    • Skippers' Words
    SPORT & OUTDOOR
    • Hiking with a digital tablet
    • Take your tablet on the greens!
    • Use a tablet for canoe navigation
    • Use your smartphone in mountain-biking
    • 4X4 driving with a digital tablet
    AIRPLANE & ULM
    • Paragliding with a tablet
    • The iPad as pilot companion
    SKI & MOUNTAIN
    • A smartphone as skier's companion
    • A tablet as snowmobile GPS
  • APPS
    NAUTICAL APPS
    • Marine Navigation Apps
    • Marine Weather Apps
    • Tide Apps
    • Security Apps
    • Maritime Regulation Apps
    • Regatta Apps
    • Marine Utility Apps
    OUTDOOR
    • Training / Running / Biking
    • Guidance / GPS Apps
    • General Weather Apps
    • Geocaching Apps
    • Golf Training Apps
    • Golf Caddies Apps
    • 4x4 Apps
    • Canoe Kayak Apps
    AIR PILOTING
    • Pilot Help Apps
    • Aviation Weather Apps
    • Ultralight Apps
    • Free Flight Apps
    SKI-SNOW
    • Skiing Apps
    • Snow Weather Apps
    • Ski Touring Apps
    • Snowmobile Apps
  • SUPPORT
    SUPPORT
    • FAQ
    • Spare parts
    • Services
    ALL ABOUT ITABNAV
    • Delivery
    • Legal Notice
    • Terms and conditions of use
    • Secure payment on iTabNav
    • About iTabNav
    TESTIMONIALS
    • Skippers' Words
    PRESS SPEAK
    • The iPad in the boating press
Menu
  • Home
  • +
    Protective cases
    • iPad mini
    • iPad 9.7"
    • iPad 10.2" & 10.5"
    • iPad 10.9" & 11"
    • iPad Pro 12.9"
    • Surface Go
    • Other tablets
    • iPhone
    • +
      Value packs
      • with suction cups
      • for tube mount
    • Sunshades and accessories
  • +
    Mounts
    • Brackets
    • Arms
    • Suction cups
    • Tube mounts
    • Hand-, Shoulderstraps
  • +
    Electronics
    • GPS Receivers
    • On-board Internet
    • Satcomms
    • NMEA-WiFi
    • AIS
    • Wind sensors
    • Fishfinders
    • +
      Charging solutions
      • Sockets
      • Cables
      • Mobile Power
      • Car Cradles
  • +
    Service and support
    • Spare parts
    • Services
  • Boating files
  • Sports files
  • apps files
  • iTabNav info

Our webstore uses cookies to offer a better user experience and we recommend you to accept their use to fully enjoy your navigation.

More information
close
> Boating files> AIS on iPad

Connecting an Automatic Identification System (AIS) to a tablet

(Last update : April, 30th 2020)

Connecting an AIS to a tablet like the iPad provides a very secure anti-collision function, especially since the portability of the tablet makes it easier to be on watch everywhere on the boat.

XB8000 AIS Transponder with WiFi

 

What is AIS ?

The Automatic Identification System is a means of communication between vessels using the VHF channel and allowing important information to be exchanged to avoid collisions. Mandatory on large commercial vessels, it is increasingly extending to yachting as a result of equipment cost reductions.

The AIS allows to receive from the surrounding ships:

  

- Their name and characteristics: MMSI code, dimensions, manoeuvrability, ship category, destination, etc.)

- Their course: course and speed over ground.

  

The information is presented graphically, with each ship appearing with a logo, a name tag, and its course - a bit like what we know in air traffic control!

iAIS

This information makes it possible to calculate the risk of collision and to program alarms based on two parameters:

- CPA : Closest Point of Approach = nearest crossing distance between the two vessels

- TCPA : Time to Closest Point of Approach = time remaining before reaching the position of the nearest crossing

CPA and TCPA in Weather4D Routing & Navigation with prediction of closest location

AIS / Radar comparison

Although it has an equivalent purpose, i.e. to identify surrounding obstacles, AIS should not be mistaken for a radar. Each of these equipments has its own advantages and disadvantages, the ideal being of course to combine both!

 AISRADAR
ProsLow power consumption
Reduced cost (about 200 to 300€ for a simple receiver)
Provides easily usable information about other boats and collision risks
Easy mounting
See all surrounding obstacles (boats, coast etc.)
ConsOnly detects boats equipped with AISPower consumption
High price
Does not provide information on the name and course of the boats
Complex assembly, rather reserved for large units

Pour les petites unités à la recherche d'une solution de détection à moindre coût, l'AIS offre une alternative très intéressante au radar, et rendra de grands services pour la navigation maritime dans des zones de fort trafic ou pour le passage de rails par exemple !
 

Receiver or transponder?

Installing an AIS receiver is already reassuring because it allows you to see the traffic around you. But be careful, you will not be detected by other ships. To do this, you must choose a transponder that transmits your position. Providing yourself with a transponder increases your own safety (more chance of being seen) and contributes to the overall "ecosystem" of AIS (which would be of no interest if there were only receivers and no transmitters!)

Historically prices have been quite high, but we are beginning to see affordable AIS transponders with wifi coming onto the market. Another solution is to connect a wired AIS transponder to a Wifi multiplexer such as the Miniplex-3wi (see below).

Connecting an AIS to a tablet

There are many AIS receivers or transponders on the market, which generally provide their data in NMEA 0183 or 2000 wired format.

To receive this data on the iPad or an Android tablet, you must first convert it to WiFi.

-> If you already have an AIS receiver in your boat (stand-alone or integrated into your VHF), you can use a NMEA->WiFi converter such as the Miniplex-3wi.

-> If you don't have an AIS yet, you can opt for a device that natively integrates wifi, such as Digital Yacht's iAIS (simple receiver) or Vesper Marine's XB-8000 (transponder), which is very easy to install, and integrates GPS and NMEA0183/2000 connectivity for the other instruments. You can also check the Nomad by Digital Yacht, a wifi transponder which is very easy to install and can be powered from USB!

 Nomad IAS

Doing the AIS watch

Once the AIS signal has been received on iPad, it still needs to be displayed! To do this, you will have the choice between a "radar-like" display or a representation on the marine chart.

Among the "radar" applications, iAIS (free) is quite complete and even allows to overlay AIS information on a Navionics map background. Be careful however, this does not make it a real navigation app and it doesn't manage anti-collision warnings.

For full integration on a nautical chart and alerts management, there are more and more navigation applications available, including Weather4D Routing and Navigation, Sailgrib WR, iNavX, SeaIQ and iSailor.

AIS targets viewed in iNavX

Learn more about it:

 

- Our selection of AIS devices

- A video on iAIS and the iPad with iAISTX transponder (Digital Yacht)


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram

Follow us

My account

  • My orders
  • My credit slips
  • My addresses
  • My personal info
  • My vouchers

How to contact us

  • Phone : +33 184 19 33 04 (French business hours - if you leave a message, please state your email for our response)
  • Email: info[at]itabnav.fr
cron module by samdha.net