Automatic Identification System, A.I.S. for short, is a signal broadcasted by Commercial (over 299GT) and some leisure crafts on a radio frequency of 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz – old VHF channels 87 & 88. Conveying information such as GPS coordinates and with a larger range than most lightweight radars, A.I.S. could well be the next generation device all yachtmen will want to have on board if not installed yet.

In June Fix-I.T. A.I.S. Station Alpha went live with support from ShipAIS in Liverpool (who supplied a receiver and some advice), Kestrel Communication in Cork, supplying an antenna and Marine Traffic in Greece (Aegean University).  The project is currently hosted by the Department of Product and Systems Design Enginnering, University of Aegean, Greece where our correspondant is Dr Dimitris Lekkas. The information collected by Station ALPHA can be viewed on the Fix-I.T. Website, on a Google map, it is also displayed by Marine Traffic (www.marinetraffic.com) hosted and maintained by the Aegean University in Greece.

Since July the data supplied by Station ALPHA can also be viewed on iPhone using Ship Tracking, an app developped by Giannis Giorgoulakis, Giorgios Pothitos and Giorgos Arnaoutoglou. It can be downloaded from the Apple Store. The coverage of Station Alpha ranges from 15 to 20 NM (approx 37 km). On a normal day, it reports over 100 boat positions per hour, this could be cargo in and out of the harbour, as well as Cork Harbour Pilot boats, or leisure crafts visiting. ALPHA Station monitors 800 square kilometers in average, however with clear weather, it can cover 1000 square kilometers. This means any boat passing by Youghal for exemple, would be in the range of Station ALPHA. Like light waves, radio waves are affected by the phenomena of reflection, refraction, diffraction, absorption, polarization and scattering.

The initial data collection is based on the Automatic Identification System (AIS). As of December 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requires all vessels over 299GT to carry an AIS transponder on board, which transmits their position, speed and course, among some other static information, such as vessel’s name, dimensions and voyage details.

Normally, vessels with an AIS receiver connected to an external antenna placed on 15 meters above sea level, will receive AIS information within a range of 15-20 nautical miles. Base stations at a higher elevation, may extend the range up to 40-60 nm, which is why we are currently looking for partners to setup an antena near Cork Airport or Kinsale head. AIS was initially intended to help ships avoid collisions, as well as assisting port authorities to better control sea traffic. AIS transponders on board vessels include a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, which collects position and movement details. It also includes 

a VHF transmitter, which transmits periodically this information on two VHF channels (161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz) and make this data available to the public domain. Other vessels or base stations are able to receive this information, process it using special software and display vessels' locations on a chart plotter or on a computer.

Station Alpha is purely designed as an experimental station with a budget of €250. To demonstrate how hardware can be reconditionned, AIS isn't expensive, and it's easy to maintain. ALPHA is composed of a reconditionned laptop (IBM Thinkpad donation of a former Xerox employee) the AIS receiver is an SR161 (loan by AIS Liverpool Station). Generously hosted in Currabinny, it is conveniently overlooking Fort Carlisle and Camden in a way that no ship entering the harbour would be missed as they are passing by.

The next step is to speak with Cork Harbour authorities and also the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) to explore together possible development for this project.