SL-C510-AIS
Compact 5-9NM Solar Marine Lantern
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AIS AtoN Type 1
AIS AtoN Type 3
The SL-C510 with AIS AtoN is a self contained device supporting both Type 1 (transmit only) and Type
3 (transmit and receive) operations. It is designed for installation in exposed locations on physical AtoN
structures.
The AIS AtoN module has an exceptionally low power consumption making it suitable for installation
on floating Aids to Navigation with solar charged power systems. The lowest power consumption is
achieved when operating as a Type 1 AIS AtoN, transmitting only position information.
Further description of Type 1 and Type 3 operations are provided below.
A Type 1 AIS AtoN is a transmit only device using the FATDMA (Fixed Access Time Division Multiple
Access) access scheme. This requires that the AIS AtoN is configured with fixed AIS time slots in
which it will transmit AIS messages. Mobile AIS stations operating in the area where a Type 1 AIS AtoN
is installed need to be aware of the time slots allocated to the AIS AtoN. The slots allocated to the
AIS AtoN are ‘reserved’ by AIS Base Station transmissions covering the area in which the AIS AtoN is
installed.
This mode of operation therefore requires that an AIS base station is operating in the same area as the
AIS AtoN and is configured to make the necessary slot reservations.
Type 3 AIS AtoN has transmit and receive capability and can therefore use either the FATDMA or
RATDMA (Random Access Time Division Multiple Access) access schemes. The RATDMA scheme
allows the AIS AtoN to internally allocate slots for transmission of AIS messages without reservation
from an AIS Base Station.
AIS receiving capability also allows a Type 3 AIS AtoN to be configured and queried for it’s status
via AIS messages sent from a shore station (known as VDL configuration). An extension of VDL
configuration is ‘Chaining’ where configuration and query commands are passed along a ‘chain’ of AIS
AtoN stations to a distant station beyond the range of direct communication with a shore station.
Automatic Identification System Programming