Thorne has just noted that Missy Bear is now transmitting her position! So SAS must have set up the VHF/AIS transceiver and switched it on as they are on-board.
You can now track our position, if you so wish, by going to https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home and searching for 'Missy Bear'.
For the technology nerds, AIS (Automatic Identification System) is an automatic tracking system often used by the authorities to monitor ship movements. Missy Bear has both a receiver and a transponder (optional extra), so not only can we 'see' other boats (on our chartplotter) who are transmitting, they can see us too. AIS helps with the watchkeeping duties, provided you always remember that not all boats have transponders, and not all boats that have transponders are necessarily transmitting (for all sorts of valid and nefarios reasons; a trawler fishing where it shouldn’t be, for example).
AIS integrates our standard VHF transceiver with our GPS.
Missy Bear will be transmitting data such as her unique identification, position, course, and speed, and this will be displayed on the electronic chart displays of the other boats, an even on your computer/phone screens as you sit in your armchairs at home.
The International Maritime Organisation's International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, requires AIS to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with 300 or more gross tonnage, and all passenger ships regardless of size.