Question Regarding Standard Horizon VHF Matrix AIS GX2100

[PamlicoTraveler]

With the Standard Horizon Matrix AIS GX2100, can the AIS data be fed to laptop Charting software, ie: Coastal Explorer? Would there be something to send it in to NMEA or SeaTalk?

I would love a cheap AIS solution and that would seem possible... Anyone know?

[steve_hendry]

from the Standard Horizon product page:

The GX2100 MATRIX AIS has a dual channel AIS receiver built-in which allows you to see AIS targets simply by pressing the dedicated AIS key. The MATRIX AIS displays AIS MMSI, Call Sign, Ship Name, BRG, DST, SOG and COG and will allow you to contact an AIS Ship directly using DSC, show your vessels position in relation to AIS targets and alert you when an AIS ship may be approaching to close to your location via the Closest Point of Approach (CPA) Alarm. In addition the MATRIX AIS can be connected to any GPS chart plotter that can accept VDM sentence at 38400 baud.

[mikefp60]

Here is my experience with that unit. And a repeater for the helm.

Had a bear of a time getting it to integrate with my furuno chart-plotter. Spoke to tech support at both SH and furuno before I bought it. Both said no problem. Right. After I got the unit on the boat had 3 or 4 electronics guys tell me it couldn't be done. St Thomas, St Marteen, Newport, all over the place. Everywhere we stopped we looked up the local talent and got a lot of head scratching. Was getting ready to sell it off and change gears when we ran into an electronics genius in the Hinckely boat yard in Portsmouth. Cost a few boat $$$ but its on line now. Desirable as a VHF backup as well.

Also note that this is a receive only setup. It does not transmit AIS for you. AIS readouts on the actual unit and the repeater I have at the helm are really about useless. The integrated display on the chartpoltter is VERY useful. Love it. Really liked it on the Chesapeake with all the traffic there.

IMHO, stand alone its a little tough to use. Very tough to interpret the display info. Integrated its a very useful tool. I do not have it running to a laptop. But if I was going to do it again I would pay the piper and get the furuno black box. For my system anyway. Transmit and receive.

Good luck with it.

Mike
S/V Vivo

[PamlicoTraveler]

Good info Mike...Looking at the display in the ads it appears it would be very impractical to use that little screen for the AIS and you confirmed it.

[phantomracer]

The output of the ais is lower than it should be. When i installed it, I had to install a 'pull up' resistor. Once I did that, it worked great.

When I interface my laptop with my system, I do see the AIS in the NMEA stream in the laptop's terminal window. I can't imagine it wouldnt work with your software.

Raymarine has a seatalk/nmea interface box so you can integrate the systems. If you have several nmea technologies (nmea, nmea HS, etc) you may need a multiplexer. The GX2100 has both nmea and nmea HS outputs. I was able to get everything in my system to work with a brookhouse mux made for AIS (and nmea, nmea HS AND seatalk). Made life a lot easier having the mux. You may or may not need the mux

But yes, the 2100 may give you gas pains if you don't boost the signal on the ais output

Here is a shot of my unit.. no ais targets (on the hard)

[nv5l]

The Matrix AIS GX2100 is an AIS receiver only, so although you'll be able to see everyone else, they can't see you. That's why I got the GX2000, which has the same display capabilities of the GX2100, and a dedicated AIS class B transceiver, a CSB200 with built in GPS.

My transceiver outputs AIS info at 38.4K just like the GX2100, and also the regular NMEA GPS signal. I think you can hook up multiple devices in addition to the radio, but not sure how many. I got it all from Milltech, and they were very helpful getting it hooked up correctly.

[Jon Hacking]

One of the other AIS threads on CF was saying that the NMEA output of the GX2100 was a bit low, & that you usually needed a pull-up resistor to connect it to another device. But I don't think you can reliably connect it to more than 1 other device. Hopefully Standard Horizon will correct this.

Thanks for the info that the GX2100 screen is a bit small. I had wondered about that myself but never actually played with one. An AIS has a tremendous amount of info to convey to the user. I think that displaying all that info on less than a large, high-resolution screen is limiting AIS's usefulness. We use a laptop with OpenCPN.

I, too, have found Milltech Marine to be very helpful & knowlegable about all things AIS.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

One of the other AIS threads on CF was saying that the NMEA output of the GX2100 was a bit low, & that you usually needed a pull-up resistor to connect it to another device. But I don't think you can reliably connect it to more than 1 other device. Hopefully Standard Horizon will correct this.

Thanks for the info that the GX2100 screen is a bit small. I had wondered about that myself but never actually played with one. An AIS has a tremendous amount of info to convey to the user. I think that displaying all that info on less than a large, high-resolution screen is limiting AIS's usefulness. We use a laptop with OpenCPN.

I, too, have found Milltech Marine to be very helpful & knowlegable about all things AIS.

The screen is a bit small...well a lot small.. but it is more useful than you might think. After a season (about 600 miles), I found I rarely have more than 1 or 2 AIS targets within a danger zone around the boat. You can range the screen like radar. It is 1001% more useful seeing it on a chartplotter. But the SH screen is helpful too. That said I wouldn't want to use the SH screen exclusively.

I don't know why SH wouldn't have their output up to industry standard. I was pulling my hair out til Brookhouse tech support came across this issue when they were testing the 2100. Thats the only gotcha that I can see with the 2100

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by phantomracer

...After a season (about 600 miles), I found I rarely have more than 1 or 2 AIS targets within a danger zone around the boat. ...

I have considered this as a replacement for my ancient VHF. I am a bit perplexed by the requirement for 2 NEMA ports... my Garmin GPS 540s has two (but only 2). I do not use my autohelm (yes I know I am weird) but would rather it get a NEMA feed then the DSC.

Anyone know what the effect of only hooking up one or the other of the NEMA ports? Might the radio send AIS info to the chart plotter but not rx position info?

My thoughts are that it would be hard to establish relative position without some input as to where you are... so both ports would be required.

Anyone know?

[pas63]

It's a nice radio, but an absolute nightmare to integrate. From many hours of screwing with this thing, I found out that the boat world is in the stone ages concerning electronics. There is no standards, even among standards. NMEA is a 1 way transmission, hence the need for 2 NMEA channels, you can't send and receive on the same pair. Some manufactures use different colors, names etc. I bought the Raymarine MUX, and still can't get it to work bi-directional. Time for more calls to ray and standard which honestly is barely better than useless.




I've spent several hours today, and can not get any info from the radio to my e80 (even with the "send" pairs to the radio unhooked), though I can get it from the e80 to the radio.

[Enigma460]

I have a Garmin 720 Chartplotter connected to the Matrix 2100 and it was easy to hook up and worked first time. Can still connect Nmea2000 devices.

Also added the extension mic at the helm. It has the same screen that is on the main receiver.

Makes for a nice combination, and I'm gadget crazy

@ pas63
I realize you purchased the RAY Mux, but is it the same as the Brookhouse MUX as indicated on the Standard Marine Website??
http://www.standardhorizon.com/downl...pplication/pdf

Good luck

[Enigma460]

Just an update to my last message since I can't edit it.

I have just read the Raymarine Nmea manual from their website and it looks like it won't work. In the specs section of the manual it states that the speed in/out is only 4800 baud. The brooks mux works at 38000 baud and does the conversion internally. You may have to get the proper mux. The Brooksonline website also has some testimonials from people that have done what you are trying to do but not with the Ray mux.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by pas63

It's a nice radio, but an absolute nightmare to integrate. From many hours of screwing with this thing, I found out that the boat world is in the stone ages concerning electronics. There is no standards, even among standards. NMEA is a 1 way transmission, hence the need for 2 NMEA channels, you can't send and receive on the same pair. Some manufactures use different colors, names etc. I bought the Raymarine MUX, and still can't get it to work bi-directional. Time for more calls to ray and standard which honestly is barely better than useless.



I've spent several hours today, and can not get any info from the radio to my e80 (even with the "send" pairs to the radio unhooked), though I can get it from the e80 to the radio.

No problem here installing it.. used a brookhouse mux - outstanding piece, integrates nmea, nmea HS, seatalk..

The 2100 nmea HS output is below the standard and need to have a pull up resistor when using a mux, and possibly other installations too...probably why it didnt work with the ray mux.

After I knew what I was up against, the install went smooth as silk,

[Charlie]

Does anyone know how to get a brookhouse Imux their website says they can't sell them anymore?

[phantomracer]

wow... thats unfortunate.. I would get on their mailing list to get one..

They are custom made for you when you order them. I guess if someone is selling their own,.. you could get lucky.. As far as I know there are no resellers

Order & Pay USA