Boat Transponders?

[troutfisher]

I wonder if anyone can throw any light on how these work.
The daughter of a friend of mine is rowing the Atlantic and we are able to track her location via a web site.
this shows her position every 10-20 mins ( ish) by a dot on the chart, periodically there is a largish gap ( 30 -60 mins) between the dots , where we think she is not rowing.
What we don't know is how the transponder( or whatever ) is activated. Is this by the motion of the boat or by the action of rowing or is it manually activated by the rower

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Box Brownie]

A good question...................

I did find this page that may answer your question

AIS B+ explained: How to see and be seen on the water - Motor Boat & Yachting

Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) may have originally been conceived as a collision avoidance system for commercial shipping but in recent years they have become a popular safety aid for leisure boats as well. Not only does AIS allow you to see and be seen, even when out of sight due to...

www.mby.com

 

[troutfisher]

Thanks that may be the answer,it is probably the smaller low powered transmitter she has

 

[troutfisher]

Solved, it transmits every 5 mins but sometimes the satellites don't pick up the signal

 

[Box Brownie]

I wish her (and her crew, or is she doing it solo?) a safe & successful journey

 

[troutfisher]

I wish her (and her crew, or is she doing it solo?) a safe & successful journey

Thanks for that, she is doing it solo but her dad is happy now he can track her progress, but naturally he is a bit concerned.

 

[Box Brownie]

Is she rowing in the Talisker Whisky challenge?

 

[troutfisher]

Is she rowing in the Talisker Whisky challenge?

No, she was going to do that but for some reason decided not to so she is doing it independently, quite why her dad doesn't understand, but she is grown up and its her decision

 

[Box Brownie]

No, she was going to do that but for some reason decided not to so she is doing it independently, quite why her dad doesn't understand, but she is grown up and its her decision

Ah! Clearly a brave & courageous lady.

When is she due to make landfall and are you able to say whereabouts?

 

[troutfisher]

She is heading for Barbados,she left Gran Canaria on Friday last week.
She has done about 180nm as at today but she should get the trade winds within the next couple of days so then we might have an idea of ETA.
I think she is hoping for around 42 days ,but I might be wrong on that