Buying an AIS transponder, which VHF radio to buy to effectively use it?

[Privilege]

As a slight thread drift, does anyone have any experience/input in relation to the Digital Yacht AIT3000? It has a built in wifi so it can broadcast straight to your iPad. This will give a much bigger screen than my Raymarine e7 or a VHF radio. It also has an antenna splitter so one aerial can be used for VHF and AIS. As an AIS novice, it seems that trying to read a signal on a VHF radio screen would make the system almost unusable if there are more than a couple of AIS boats around?

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by ronstory

One more option I found out when I talked with WM guy, but it may be vaporware for now. Evidently Standard Horizon has a new radio that they announced last year, the GX-6500. It has a build-in AIS class-B transponder which simplify install and both NMEA-0183 & 2000. Yea!

It's available in Canada:
Standard Horizon GX6500 VHF w AIS Transceiver - Marine Outfitters - Ontario Canada

A nice looking unit for sure, but unfortunately I have more important things to spend my boat bucks on.

[impax3]

I am recommissioning a 1983 Catalina 38. A two year project with Blue Water the goal. I down sized from a Formosa 51 which had many redundant systems for sailing to Tahiti twice.

I scraped all the original electrical instruments and totally updated with the latest Garmin NMEA 2000 stuff including auto pilot, radar, 7400 plotter, gWind, GMI, GNX, AIS and Garmin VHF wired and remote.

I could not be happier. I know it was a few bucks but my life is worth a whole more and I want to know where, who and what is around me and where I am going with confidence. I just go to the bar and out to eat less. The thing that I like the most is everything is compatible and I do not need to worry about lack of talking to each other as you get with trying to Jerry rig things together.

[ronstory]

OK, just read the SH GX-2200 manual and there is no way to disable the AIS receiver. This thread seems to agree with that conclusion.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...on-128239.html

I'm been reading about the threads where an external transponder is causing the radio's internal receiver to trigger an proximity alarm, since it's thinks there are two ships in the same location. Apparently some radios will filter out "same MMSI" positions, but I could not find that feature on the GX-2200.

[SecondBase]

Originally Posted by ronstory

One more option I found out when I talked with WM guy, but it may be vaporware for now.

Anything I'm missing?

I'm several steps behind you but have the same goal.

Suggestion: while the mast is down, bring all your gear, cables and a 12v actually TO West Marine and do a "dry fit / bench test" right there on their bench or in parking lot. Maybe I'm pessimistic...

[ronstory]

Sorry, missed the post that the GX-6500 was available in Canada. The exchange rate puts it at about $755 US, which maps well to the Panbo's article saying it was expected to have a MSRP (a.k.a. WM price ) of $800.

So if it can get through the FCC approvals, it will likely land at street price of $750-ish. That means the radio is only about $200 more than the Vesper XB-6000 (non wifi version). Not bad, assuming the initial FW & SW is good quality.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by ronstory

One more option I found out when I talked with WM guy, but it may be vaporware for now. Evidently Standard Horizon has a new radio that they announced last year, the GX-6500. It has a build-in AIS class-B transponder which simplify install and both NMEA-0183 & 2000. Yea!

However, if the radio fails, you lose both VHF and AIS transmit and receive. The story is that they are waiting on FCC cert, so who knows when we might see it. Here is review from Panbo.

Panbo: The Marine Electronics Hub: Standard Horizon GX6500: a loaded VHF radio also integrated with Class B AIS

The nice thing about the GX-6500 is it has support for both wired and wireless handsets... a bunch of them. And the display on the unit is big, for those of us with aging eyes.

So it seems like I have a few options.

The Raymarine Ray70 and ICOM are a bit too expensive.

1. Stick with the Vesper XB-8000 for wifi and get SH GX-2200 and then turn off the AIS receive on the SH. I will need to bridge the GX-2200 NMEA-0183 to Raymarine C97 to push the data between N2K and 0183 buses.

2. Stick with the Vesper XB-8000 for wifi and get Simrad RS-35 and just link everything with NMEA-2000. Easy, assuming the compatibility works with the Raymarine MFDs and Simrad doesn't a bunch of proprietary PGNs.

3. Wait for the vaporware of the GX-6500 to disperse, and then add some sort of wifi access device to the NMEA-2000 network. And hope the Standard Horizon's FW quality is good for 1.0 product... and their first NMEA-2000 device. Yikes.

Anything I'm missing?

Not from my point of view. I have the GX-2200 already (it's great and I have the PA/FOG horn, remote speaker and remote mic, the whole kit) and am thinking the Vesper unit would work well with my PC-based plotting.

I would share your concerns with "all-in-one" in one unit as I consider AIS and RADAR to be best kept standalone, feeding data to a PC. I have that luxury with a pilothouse; I can send any display to an outdoor helm tablet if I'm conning from there. Your situation may vary.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Bay Breeze

I'm looking at adding an ICOM AIS Class B or the Vesper Watchmate and wondered if a transponder unit would set off our Standard Horizon Matrix AIS receiver alarm or if they would need to be tied together. Our Matrix VHF is linked to our plotter to display the targets as well as the little graphic on the radio. From what I understand of your set up, it works to have two systems (one receive and one with transponder). Do you operate both at the same time?

The AIS sure has been helpful at night in addition to radar to have an idea of the course of other vessels. The radar takes a lot of guessing.

We run both at the same time without a problem. On the standard horizon GX 2200 handset screen, it just shows our own AIS signal coming from the Vesper unit in the center of the screen. We only use the Vesper in alarm mode. There's no reason to have both units in alarm mode at the same time.

[nautitrix]

I am sorry to bring this conversation down to a less esoteric level but I am looking for a basic system that will visually and audibly identify ais targets and give me the ability to turn off my transponder at will. I am not sure if people are saying this but if you don't bridge to DCS will ships not respond on vhf or ssb?
thank you

[Snore]

Originally Posted by twelve

Hello Ronstory. I have the same desire to have my VHF read AIS data so that the DSC feature can be used without having to enter a MMSI number (how's that for acronym proficiency?). Consider any Icom radio, and this Vesper link: https://support.vespermarine.com/hc/...-VHF-DSC-radio-


I am part way through an installation of the Vesper XB8000, and already have an Icom 424G. My intention is ordinarily display AIS/Chart data on OpenCPN, but then use Vesper Watchmate software to point/click an AIS target for DSC. In a few weeks it will all be installed and hopefully operating as desired.


It would be nice if OpenCPN or other non-proprietary charting software (such as INAVX) could send AIS data to a VHF for DSC, but I don't know of any that can now do that.


Also, I'm not worried about NMEA 183 vs. NMEA 2000. The XB8000 mixes and outputs both.

I am confused. Why not enter an MMSI? It is another layer of security.

As a child of the late 60's and 70's I understand "don't trust DA man". But since I do not engage in illicit ops- why not put data out there?

[SecondBase]

Nautitrix I'm with you on basic. Here you go ..

As esoteric as it gets is know what is going on around you nearshore for about $9.99 on the smartphone you already own.

"Everyone without AIS should have this app (boat beacon)." Joan wrote that In the App Store and I agree.

App Store - this has Apple Watch app as well. It is available in Google store also.

This is BETTER than a class b transponder when you have a data connection (cell or wifi or sat) because it transmits much more frequently (like about as fast as a class A).

This is BETTER than a class A (well has extra feature I like at least) because you can zoom around harbors and shipping channels days in advance as part of your planning and see what normal traffic looks like.

Your class B doesn't ping your smart watch when you step below for a moment.

I'll chose my words carefully here and hopefully vendor can get in the thread and confirm. I would call this an "internet connection dependent AIS transceiver".

Because it is ten bucks you just buy it now. And then the class b is either on your boat or on your wishlist depending on your needs.

If you already have a Class B you like a lot you should get this so you aren't BLIND when the class b breaks. My philosophy is N+1. Need plus 1 spare. If you didn't buy a spare unit for your class B then you should also have this app just for the BACKUP (let alone the faster updates and the planning view capability).

I have no affiliation but on the list of $10 boat things I have purchased this ranks right up there near the top.

Boat Beacon

http://pocketmariner.com/mobile-apps/boatbeacon/

Frankly even if I was flipping Harbor Pilot (some of the best boaters I've ever met) I'd still have this in my iPhone and Apple Watch and have those foreign crews stunned by my apparent telepathic powers. [emoji41]

[sailjumanji]

My philosophy was to buy the best equipment in each category. That was Vesper AIS and Icom VHF in my opinion. Install a N2K network. I also like the B&G Zeus 2 as it integrated very well with all instruments on the N2K network, as well as repeat and display all data on the network. I also installed 4G radar, which I think is currently best.

Finally look at reviews on some of the other ais systems. Some have horrible failure rates.

[ronstory]

SecondBase, Boat beacon looks pretty cool and the other apps as well. Shipwatch being very interesting augmented reality for Ship identification.

I did not catch a few statement in the their release notes:


- AIS Ship data is provided by a network of voluntary AIS shore based stations. Some areas may not have AIS coverage.
- 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.

I still would prefer a more traditional AIS system so everyone could see our boat and not just the tech savvy folks.

[ronstory]

Sailjumanji, yes not a bad philosophy and I prefer to be a 'late adopter' of technology so i don't spend my precious free time debugging configuration issue. So I'm still leaning toward the time proven Vesper unit.

As for the ICOM stuff, I had a bunch of that back in the day for my 2meter radios and found that Yaesu gear to be more reliable in the elements im my 4x4 with no top. Just put a bbq cover on the seats when expecting rain and let the rest of car just handle it. Maybe ICOMs marine stuff is better, I don't know. That said, brand preference is just that... preference.

I do have a ICOM IC-7100 HF radio... and it's a great rig.

[chuckr]

We have been running ACER AIS for a long time and wow does it work great. We run it on our Raymarine chartplotter and a separate antenna. We have never had a problem being seen by big guys or foreign coast guards if they want to talk with us.


[B][QUOTE=KRMS;2305369]I've just fitted a bunch of ICOM kit to give the functionality you describe. MA500TR AIS + M506 VHF with AIS receiver + cockpit mic. This enables a DSC call to be made to an AIS target simply by clicking on the target (no need to enter its MMSI). This can even be done from the cockpit mic.[/B

We have never had a problem identifying a boat we need to talk with and calling them by name except fishing boats who may or may not have names and they won't respond anyway at least not where we are as most probably don't know a lot of English or are not in the cockpit as they are dragging nets or doing what fishermen do out there