Snap Track
How Tracking Ship Movements With Ais Works
Automatic Identification Systems are in use around the world, though unless you're a sailor you'll probably never have heard of them.
Even so, tracking ship movements with AIS has made the seas and oceans a safer place for everyone. The technology has made it possible to save hundreds of lives in maritime disasters, helped to keep busy ship lanes accident free and revolutionised maritime insurance and accident investigation.
Basically, AIS is a short range system where vessels and coastal tracking services can identify and locate nearby ships using data transmitted by a VHF transceiver. Navigational data from GPS systems, gyro-compasses or other such tools is integrated with a unique ship ID, making it possible for ships to see who else is in their vicinity and what direction they're going.
Currently AIS transponders have a horizontal range of about 74 kilometres, though this can differ considerably depending on conditions. This means that generally, tracking is conducted by coastal systems or from fixed platforms at sea. Global tracking systems make the best of this by using the most up-to-date navigation information to estimate a ships heading and ETA, correcting the estimate as a vessel appears on other AIS receivers.
However, this could soon change; AIS transponders have a vertical reach that extends as far as the International Space Station's 400km orbit. In 2009, the space-shuttle Atlantis attached two experimental AIS antenna's to the ISS; starting in May 2010, the European Space Agency will be testing a satellite-based, real-time monitoring service for ship movements.
Thanks to an international convention (specifically, SOLAS: the International Convention for the Safety Of Life At Sea) an AIS system is required on board a lot of the ships that regularly undertake international voyages. Every passenger ship has to have one fitted, as is any cargo ship that has a gross tonnage of 300 or more.
However, AIS is so useful that many ships that are smaller than the requirements also choose to have it fitted.
Tracking ship movements with AIS is most often used in collision avoidance; AIS responders are often placed in navigational buoys or on-shore bases to transmit warnings around navigational hazards. Also larger ships - who must be much more careful when navigating - can clearly broadcast their planned movements and smaller vessels can navigate around them by integrating the data with a electronic map or display. Busy harbours and shipping lanes also use AIS to track the amount of traffic in the area and to co-ordinate it as best they can.
One of the most important applications of AIS technology has been in the field of Search & Rescue operations. As you might imagine, knowing the position of a vessel in distress is fairly useful.
Even if the ship in distress doesn't have its own AIS system, knowing the navigational status and location of any ships in the area can be hugely significant - literally a matter of life and death. Any captain worth his license will offer to help out a ship in distress and identifying whose in the best position to help means rescue services can move quickly and effectively.
Finally, a more prosaic use of the technology can be found in cargo haul logistics and maritime insurance. Firstly, multinational companies can track a cargo vessels progress via AIS systems, ensuring that they know the ETA of goods and make arrangements accordingly. Secondly, if a ship goes down, then AIS data can be invaluable in substantiating or debunking an insurance claim. It can provide a snap-shot of the GPS position, the compass heading, the speed and the rate of turn of any vessel involved in a collision.
Perhaps the only area where AIS hasn't been used to its full extent is in automated collision avoidance. Strangely, people worry about leaving such things to a complicated radio...
About the Author
Lewis Grundon is a freelance writer. He writes articles on various topic. He recommends you to visit http://www.lrfairplay.com/ for tracking ship movements.
Snap Track
 |
 Vintage 100 plus Atlas HO Snap Tracks Trains and Accessories  US $200.00
|
 Atlas Code 100 NS Snap Track 470 piece Mega Lot US $169.15
|
 ATL150 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 9 Straight Snap Track US $126.00
|
 ATL151 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 15 Radius Snap Track US $126.00
|
 ATL152 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 18 Radius Snap Track US $126.00
|
 ATL153 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 22 Radius Snap Track US $126.00
|
 ATL510 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver 9 Straight Snap Track US $126.00
|
 ATL512 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver 18 Radius Snap Track US $126.00
|
 Bachmann Trains Snap Fit E Z Track 6 Remote Crossover Turnout Left US $61.72
|
 Bachmann HO 44594 E Z TRACK EXPANDER SET SNAP FIT NICKEL SILVER TRACK WITH GRAY US $57.99
|
 Bachmann Trains HO 44594 Snap Fit E Z Track Nickel Silver Layout Expander Set US $57.32
|
 Lot of 26 Curved and Straight HO Atlas Snap Train Track US $49.95
|
 ATL588 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver Snap Track Starter Set US $49.46
|
 ATL837 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 24 Radius Snap Track US $45.90
|
 ATL520 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver 9 Straight Snap Track US $44.55
|
 ATL530 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver 15 Radius Snap Track US $44.55
|
 ATL532 6 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver 18 Radius Snap Track US $44.55
|
 ATL536 6 HO Code 83 Nickel Silver 24 Radius Snap Track US $44.55
|
 ATL821 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 9 Straight Snap Track US $44.55
|
 ATL831 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 15 Radius Snap Track US $44.55
|
 ATL833 HO Code 100 Nickel Silver 18 Radius Snap Track 6 Packs of 6 US $44.55
|
 Bachmann Trains Snap Fit E Z Track 5 Wye Turnout US $40.36
|
 Lionel 1961 Catalog Scale Model Railroading Westcott Atlas Snap Track Book HO US $40.00
|
 NEW Atlas Code 83 Snap Track Starter HO 588 NIB US $39.99
|
 ATLAS HO SCALE SNAP TRACK CODE 100 Starter Set 150 88 US $39.67
|
 Bachmann Trains Snap Fit E Z Track Crossing Gate US $37.97
|
How do you cope with being cyclothymic? How are your personal relationships w/ sign others, children, parents
I am cyclothymic. I am often depressed, to an extreme that only few understand. It's not something one can "snap" out of. It runs its course. When I am medicated I feel like a guinea pig...I know that this med is so necessary to keep me on track. I feel failure because I need help in this way. When depressed, I fail in my classes, my relationship with my loved ones' suffer. I cannot feel deeply (just pain), what is beautiful doesn't quite pierce me. I feel like I am going through the motions and life is monotonous and bland. Lonely. When I am feeling well, I feel great. Although I know it is fleeting. I envy people who just wake up and can cope and deal with everything without their mood, their mind telling them what is impossible. I have all these ideas....that I just cannot make come to fruition....
I have been diagnosed with numerous mental disorders, and was prescribed so many different medications...they never helped. The doctors told me I would never get better without the meds, and they were wrong. I started changing the way I thought about things and little by little it worked. It has taken many years and I can't say I am cured, but my life is so much better than it was...a lot of what has helped has been reading. One book I will recommend is the Feeling Good Handbook. I can't guarantee this will help, but I hope it does. I wish you the best of luck.