AISWatchMate to debut at Sydney Boat Show
The AISWatchMate? uses AIS technology to provide collision avoidance and navigational data to safety-minded sailors. 
'AISWatchMate Target Screen'
Jeff Robbins
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The AISWatchMate is a stand-alone AIS display and collision warning system that's affordable, simple to use and can save lives. It uses the Universal Shipborne Automatic Identification System (AIS) to interpret and display data from AIS-equipped vessels in your vicinity.
AIS transponders transmit data on position, movement, ship and voyage details every few seconds over two digital marine VHF channels. The signal is sent continuously and autonomously regardless of whether the ship is sailing off-shore or coastal, navigating in busy harbours or in-land waterways, or at anchor.
The AISWatchMate integrates with your vessel's GPS and provides alarms based on the closest point of approach (CPA). The CPA is how close you'll come to the ship at some point in the future if you both continue on your current course. It will also tell you how much time will elapse before you get that close. CPA alarms provide advanced warning and are target specific.
Alarms sound when ships violate your alarm parameters. Four customisable alarm profiles, including harbour, coastal, offshore and anchored modes allow you to quickly and easily switch between profiles as sailing environments and conditions change. 
To avoid problems of false alarms and screen clutter, the AISWatchMate has a scheme for filtering targets and alarms. Another unique feature is the prioritisation of targets. This is especially effective in busy shipping areas.
The AISWatchMate also receives aids to navigation which can be transmitted using AIS technology. These can be physical aids like buoys or "virtual" ones to mark a new or transient danger such as a wreck. AIS can also identify navigational aids that are not in their charted position.
Additionally, safety messages can be issued from either a ship or shore-based stations. A ship that is adrift may issue a broadcast warning "adrift with no engine". Safety messages also may include meteorological broadcasts or search and rescue information.
The AISWatchMate accommodates all AIS receivers. Though class A AIS transponders are mandatory on nearly all commercial shipping vessels, class B transponders are also becoming available for recreational vessels. The AISWatchMate works seamlessly with both class A and class B devices.
The unit has extremely low power consumption and can be let running at all times to stay "on watch" for vessels without draining the battery bank. It can be optionally interfaced with computers and automatic plotting systems and also has a port for an additional external alarm.
The AISWatchMate will be on display at the Sydney Boat Show 31 July through 5 August 2008 at the Aquatronics Marine promenade stand 721/722. For more details please see:
www.sydneyboatshow.com.au
Australian Distributor:
www.aquatronics.com.au
+61 (0)2 9905 5655
Designed and manufactured by Vesper Marine Ltd.
www.vespermarine.com
www.aiswatchmate.com
+64 (0)27 420 6265
by Deirdre Schleigh
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Curl Curl, NSW
