AIS available on Navionics Boating app?

[LunaBuna]

Did ya'll see that AIS is available through the Navionics app now?! https://navionics.com/usa/features/ais
This is a feature that was historically only available to pretty high end equipment. I could definitely see this being a huge help in low vis areas. Has anyone tried this yet?

 

[TuckerIdaho]

Its basically "virtual" AIS. go to www.marinetraffic.com and you're looking at the same data they're pulling. A true AIS receiver as installed on a boat receives AIS signals directly and is more accurate. In a pinch it'll work, in reality, its not a replacement.

 

[mmerriman]

you can get a marine VHF that is also an AIS receiver through the same antenna. when connected to a chartplotter it doesn't some great stuff.

 

[TuckerIdaho]

Class B transponders are coming down in price slowly and are plug and play (n2k) with (almost) any current plotter.