AIS Virtual Navaids
Government Virtual Navaids-- (VHF Originated)
The use of official AIS shore based stations provides the capability of official units such as the US Coast Guard to broadcast (via more powerful VHF signals) the locations of hazards to navigation. This capability could be almost immediate and then picked up on those chart plotters which support AIS. Certainly all commercial craft would have this capability.
Instead of a ship showing on the chart plotter, a symbol for the hazard could appear. This process would certainly beat the revision of the paper chart process. It also would most likely beat any updates made to electronic charts and the dispersal of that chart information.
The use of official AIS shore based stations provides the capability of official units such as the US Coast Guard to broadcast (via more powerful VHF signals) the locations of hazards to navigation. This capability could be almost immediate and then picked up on those chart plotters which support AIS. Certainly all commercial craft would have this capability.
Instead of a ship showing on the chart plotter, a symbol for the hazard could appear. This process would certainly beat the revision of the paper chart process. It also would most likely beat any updates made to electronic charts and the dispersal of that chart information.
Local Virtual Navaids-- (INTERNET Originated)
Obviously since ad-hoc ship plotting via the INTERNET is out there (see Marine Traffic or Ship Finder web sites) then it would be easy to create a "local" Aid to Navigation by submitting the appropriate LAT / LON and associated reference data to the web site as an AIS transaction.
For Example: The fairway entrance point to the Yacht Club.
Since these "private" web pages are generally not for navigation, the question of what to do with such an entry is probably yet to be determined.
Obviously since ad-hoc ship plotting via the INTERNET is out there (see Marine Traffic or Ship Finder web sites) then it would be easy to create a "local" Aid to Navigation by submitting the appropriate LAT / LON and associated reference data to the web site as an AIS transaction.
For Example: The fairway entrance point to the Yacht Club.
Since these "private" web pages are generally not for navigation, the question of what to do with such an entry is probably yet to be determined.
