Portable Navigation Aid for Marine Monitoring and Rescue

Abstract

Large ships or vessels with a more powerful engine are often well-equipped with advanced communication devices such as satellite communications or high power two-way radio with central base stations located along the coastal line but small fishing boats are either ill-equipped or not equipped at all of any type of radio communication equipment. This paper addresses these problems by using a portable device which will give an audio visual indication to fishermen if they approach or cross international borders. An visual alert will be provided to fishermen if they about to cross international boundaries by using LCD display. Also an authority at coastal unit gives voice indication to fishermen in case of emergence purposes. Using GPS receiver, exact position can be located. The information is send to the microcontroller, which compares the current coordinates with preprogrammed boundary coordinates. If the fishermen is about to cross the border, an alarm will alert them. Hence all these features make a complete portable device for fishermen that can help not only to move in sea but also to gain access for information even in the middle of the vast waters.