Boat Beacon - AIS Navigation
Boat Beacon is the only Marine AIS ship tracking app to provide Collision Detection, use real-time data and share your own boat’s position with other internet AIS users.
Specifically designed for use on the water, as well as showing all the Ships around you on a chart, Boat Beacon uniquely provides Bearing, Range and Closest Point of Approach (CPA) calculations in addition to AIS ship information. Transmits as well as receives internet AIS and is the only app that continuously monitors CPA, notifying if potential collisions are detected even when the app is in the background.
Key Features------------Receives and sends AIS ship data in real-time via the internet. No VHF AIS receiver, transponder or aerial required.
Over the horizon Collision and SART detection (30 miles radius) using continuous Closest Point of Approach (CPA) calculations
- highlights boats that are on a potential collision course and alarms even when the app is in the background.
Provides Bearing and Distance information to other boats in addition to AIS information like speed, course, location, name, length etc. Shows you a track of the boats most recent voyage.
Share your live position, speed course and destination. People can follow you using Boat Beacon or our free Boat Watch app and on leading internet AIS systems like MarineTraffic and Ship Finder. Transmit also works continuously in the background when enabled.
Live Map view with compass overlay which rotates with you so you can look in the direction of the ships on the map to locate them. You can also tilt the map to get a 3D perspective by dragging upwards with two fingers.
NOAA US and UKHO Marine Charts (IAP required)
Extensive details on other ships including Photos.
Search for boats or places by name or MMSI.
Share your track and position with friends and family instantly and in real time via email, Twitter and Facebook etc.
Arm all the crews in a race with Boat Beacon and have real time updates on the race positions. Watch the action back in the Club-house too on a large screen with Boat Beacon's TV/Video Out support
VHF AIS with RTL-SDR and AIS Share app.
Local NMEA AIS via Wifi and USB.
Boat Beacon requires internet access to work. Most popular coastal areas around the world including the US and UK have mobile data access (2G or better) extending 12 or more miles out to sea.
Requirements:Android Smartphone or Tablet with GPS.Internet connection.
You do not need an MMSI to use Boat Beacon and you can be seen on Boat Beacon by other Boat Beacon users without having one. However if you want to be seen on Global AIS systems like Marine Traffic, Ship Finder and AIS Hub, etc. then you will need to have and use an MMSI number. If you don't have an MMSI for your boat you can obtain a free one in the US by visiting http://www.boatus.com/mmsi (the USCG approved agent) and using their online form. Alternatively email us for a free internet MMSI number.
Please note that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
AIS Ship data is provided by a network of voluntary AIS shore based stations. Some areas may not have AIS coverage.
N.B. This is not an AIS transponder. You will not be visible to other ships on their AIS systems unless they also use data from the same land based AIS networks.
NOT FOR NAVIGATIONThis program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful. Boat Beacon should only be used for basic navigation reference and should not be solely relied upon to determine precise locations, proximity, distance, or direction.
Category : Maps & Navigation
Reviews (29)
I purchased this app over a year ago. Since then I upgraded to a new phone. Using the same account, when I install the app on the new phone, I can't get live view. When I click on Add Live View and Upgrade Now, it gives me an error and says I already own the app. Uninstalling and reinstalling doesn't help. This problem has persisted for months and the developer hasn't been able to resolve it.
Works fine with Visit My Harbour's Marine Navigator. The developer has been so responsive and helpful in getting set up. Aftersales support would be the envy of many businesses! The live AIS feature seams effortlessly with Marine Navigator and the whole system seems a far cheaper solution to AIS. I have yet to test on board in a real-life situation, but I have every confidence. For the cost involved you have nothing to lose. Can't wait to try it out in earnest. Thanks to Steve.
It didn't work on my Lenovo tablet. Keeps saying that GPS is not enabled (it's enabled and all other apps like Google Maps have no issues). "Use GPS satellites" is turned on in Android settings and tablet has GPS built in. Tried to contact support number of times, sent screenshots and descriptions - no response. Wasted $20.
Both the team and the application are great, I have been using it for a year as my ais device on my boat changed mobile device and stopped working as expected, the development team assisted in a very professional manner and helped me find the problem and provided a solution... Free of charge... I can't ask for a better service thank you, all the team, Justin from Gibraltar
The app worked fine until it didn't. One day it just stopped working. There was no explanation as to why or what to do to get it to start working again! Tried uninstall/install but still not working! I'm using a galaxy 10se. Still working on old Android tablet.
This app is fantastic! I recently used it coming from Freeport,Tx to Kemah via the ICW , Causeway bridge, Galveston Bay and the Houston ship Channel. Most of this was at night. It was great to be able to hail the commercial traffic by name. And most of them had an internet interface and could see me.
Ais sharing work, but not as expected. It loss signal few second after AIS connected on navionics. Please advise. Update--Apps can connected but it seems unstable. I can see other boat, but after few second it mark with cross. Any advise to make it stable would be appreciated.
I come from a long maritime history on the River Clyde. I found boatbeacon after trying a wealth of apps without success. None of these apps come close to boatbeacon and its ability to display NMEA data via network and serial I'm honoured to be sharing signals from my area which I hope in the long run may assist in the companies success. Boatbeacon is a must for sailors and hobbyists alike and the developer has created a gem here. Thanks for a great app electric pocket. Much appreciated
Next to the initial price of the app, you have to pay an additional 5 euro every month to share AIS to other devices. This feature did not work, by the way. Complete ripoff.
Just installed this and used it and it has me Saling down a high street.. Sometimes it's accurate and others times it's not.. I also paid to pair with the navionics app and it won't pair. It's a shame its not working 100% because it's a good app.
This app is rip off worse than play to win games. 20 bucks to buy it. Now another 5 bucks to get live traffic again. After it was already part of my orginal purchase. But was clearly rolled back during an update. To now be an extra paid option. I shall be reporting this Google Play..
Excellent app, especially if you want to connect an external AIS receiver. Fast and accurate. Love it !
Has been really good for what I needed. But just updated to Android 10 on a Samsung S10 and the app has failed. Disappointed, hope Boat Beacon can be sorted to work with Android 10?
It was a useful app till it stopped working with no reason. Any suggestion to solve the issue? By OnePlus 6 android 10 user. UPDATE: Thanks for prompt reply
Way too expensive compared to similar apps, very disappointed that the AIS sharing was both an app purchase plus subscription. Not impressed
Can not get the right gps position and can not search for other vessels
So far working good, I wish it had mile markers to an showed MPH (without having to open the info tab) to gauge better distance an time to locks an tow work
I've had this app for a few years now and has always worked well. It does use some battery
Needs an update, lost mile markers and never sees any other ships
a great tool for the small boat owner who hasnt got the recources for all the bells and whistles
not working in India, kindly refund...
Doesn't quite work as I'd hoped. Doesn't use nmea for GPS position. If I could get a refund I would appreciate it.
Boat Beacon show me There is a no ship in Port louis,Mauritius!!!! Bu marine traffic show me numerous around me. Any one give me solution please!!!
Would like a refund this app closes alot
If you own a boat, you need this app!
I SEE NO SHIPS !! HELP WHATS WRONG??
Easy to use ais app. Does not display old ship data like some other ais apps. Bear in mind that every ship may not be displayed (as with all ais apps). This is not the fault of the app and probably due to the availability of ais data at the time.
Really good app. UK Charts are not great though. Have you thought about using the Navionics SDK and use their charts instead? 25/01/19 Any update on the Navionics integration?
Would not recommend this app at all. Boat position is all over the place, sometimes on land. It then comes back to the water, but not where my boat is. Alert goes off when I am anchored and no nearby boats are moving. Also sends battery alert when my tablet is 87% charged. They tell me it is the gps settings but gps works fine with navionics , Google maps and live ships. Then its extra money to use it with navionics, a yearly fee of A$40. Very unsatisfied customer, a waste of money.