12.1 AIS overviewThe AIS feature enables you to receive informationbroadcast by other vessels, and to add these vesselsas targets in the chart and radar applications.With an optional AIS unit connected to your systemyou can:• Display targets for any other AIS-equippedvessels.• Display voyage information being broadcast bythese targets, such as their position, course,speed and rate-of-turn.• Display basic or detailed information for eachtarget vessel, including safety-critical target data.• Set up a safe zone around your vessel.• View AIS alarm and safety-related messages.• Add AIS-equipped friends and regular contacts toa “Buddy List”AIS information is displayed in the form of an overlayin the chart and radar applications. Additional data isdisplayed in a dialog box, for example:097°T11.6kt1.237n m00h 04m 33s1 32 4 6 75D12220-1Item Description1 Dangerous target (flashes).2 Safe zone (defined bydistance and / or time).3 AIS target vessel.4 Heading.5 Direction of turn.6 COG/SOG vector.7 Safety critical data.AIS-equipped vessels in the surrounding areaare displayed in the chart or radar application astriangular targets. Up to 100 targets are displayed.As the vessel’s status changes, the symbol for thetarget changes accordingly.Vectors can be displayed for each target. Thesevectors indicate the vessels direction of travel andthe distance it will travel over a specified period oftime (COG / SOG vector). Targets displayed withtheir vectors are referred to as ‘active targets’ andare scaled according to the size of the vessel. Thelarger the vessel, the larger the target. You caneither display all targets or just dangerous targets.How AIS WorksAIS uses digital radio signals to broadcast ‘real-time’information between vessels and shore-basedstations via dedicated VHF radio frequencies. Thisinformation is used to identify and track vessels inthe surrounding area and to provide fast, automaticand accurate collision avoidance data. The AISfeatures complement the radar application, as AIScan operate in radar blind spots and can detectsmaller vessels equipped with AIS.Note: It may not be mandatory for vessels to befitted with operational AIS equipment. Therefore,you should not assume that your multifunctiondisplay will show ALL vessels in your area. Dueprudence and judgement should be exercised.AIS should be used to complement radar, NOTsubstitute it.AIS Simulator ModeRaymarine recommends that you use the simulatorfunction to familiarize yourself with the AISfeatures. When the simulator function is enabled(homescreen > Set-up > System Settings >Simulator), it displays 20 AIS targets within a 25nm range. These targets are displayed using theappropriate AIS target's status symbol, and movearound the screen as if they were real targets.Note: Incoming safety messages are NOTdisplayed while the simulator is enabled.130 LightHouse multifunction display operation instructions
