Visit our Popular Forums

aseguin · 22-01-2010, 21:26

Cruisers,

The new Standard Horizon gx2100 has built in AIS, uses/shares one antenna, and will feed a NEMA 0183 output to a GPS plotter or laptop.

But, the description leaves me wanting more. Anybody see one? I would like to buy one...but....

It only notes that it has a screen, which is obviously tiny, and the example only shows one "hit" or ship on it. It states that you could contact that ship through the radio with a DSC connection. My understanding with DSC is that you can first make a "contact" that shows up as text....or maybe just your boat name and MMSI number requesting they take a DSC call on the VHF. Though I suspect that you can verbally call the ship on say 16 or 13. (this part is "standard" DSC for any radio).

The system also includes some kind of "warning" if one of those babies is going to run you down! While this could be crucial, it just sounds like you can only "see" ONE ship?? And, at what range? None of this is explained at all by Standard Horizon.

If anybody has one, or knows more about them, I'm very interested in learning more before I pay out about $350 (which is reasonable, considering you only need the one antenna, and can output to your chartplotter, plus this unit also has built in fog signaling, so lots of bells and whistles).

Thanks for your help.

Armand Seguin, Vallejo, CA
35' CHB trawler w/Volvo

Angel Louise · 24-01-2010, 19:30

Hi,
For those interested in the GX2100 from Standard Horizon with built in AIS, we bought it! It is a cool unit. We have a heavily networked old catamaran but got the NMEA0183 hook up for GPS installed today.

You are not limited to one target. I think it can show up to ten. I saw four from our anchorage here in Culebra tonight from the unit. The dot matrix is simple, but it has the ability to tab between the targets shown, making one active at a time. You can also call up the whole list and then toggle to the ship you want, but the graphic way is easier. (It will give an NMEA0183 feed out to a chartplotter and we will do that, but are going slow as we have 22 yrs of wiring we are weaving between, and do not have the Raymarine E-80 NMEA0183 plug on hand... suspect that will take some time. If anyone has one, please advise.)

If you highlight a target, you simply push the soft key & make a direct call to the DSC connected radio on his bridge. The GX2100 lets you select the channel for the contact and your making the call RINGS his VHF and then switches him to the channel you set when he keys his mike. I think from our experiences of 3 yrs cruising on East Coast US and from FL to ABCs and back, that this will be a lot easier. We used a simple one channel AIS earlier and though you made a general call, you never knew what channel the other guy was on for sure. Now there will be no mistake. This radio looks like its going to be a winner.

We have yet to get the NEWER RAM mike that will go in the cockpit and give access to the features. We will get it but they had not come in yet.

The first radio shipments to Defender US a week ago was for 35 and around 14 went just like that (including mine). Its a nice radio and uses the same antenna so your AIS is installed with no difficulty. We were happy to replace the older Standard Horizon VHF with their new GX 2100. I will be happy to answer any questions if you want to write us.
EdKelly@netins.net (address is spam protected)

patprice · 20-04-2010, 15:45

Gooday Ed and Sue
My first post - call me a newbie...
I am in Tasmania and have just bought a GX2100 and it looks the goods. Can get NMEA in from my Garmin hand held.
BUT..what I am trying to do is get NMEA in from a BU-353 button USB GPS. I have cut off the USB plug (???) and four wires. Applied 5V to the red and black and the GPS blinks red, seems to be working. However, when I connect the other two wires (NMEA out?) to the GX2100 NMEA in nothing happens.
Can you or anyone help please.

Pat
SV Pendulum

s/v 'Faith' · 20-04-2010, 18:02

I hope you can save the GPS (puck). It seems unlikely that the USB output can be handled by the NEMA input on the radio.

Both are a digital logic signal, other then that.. they are not the same. The Baud rate (transmission rate) is adjustable, but only for standard transmission rates.

Maybe someone else can chime in having 'hacked' a USB puck. I hope this works for you, but doubt that the data format will be compatible.

Good luck.

------

Maybe the good folks at Standard Horizon will come up with a GX 2200 that will have the GPS receiver onboard (internal antenna thank you, with option for external in case anyone is listening...).

Quote:

Originally Posted by patprice

Gooday Ed and Sue
My first post - call me a newbie...
I am in Tasmania and have just bought a GX2100 and it looks the goods. Can get NMEA in from my Garmin hand held.
BUT..what I am trying to do is get NMEA in from a BU-353 button USB GPS. I have cut off the USB plug (???) and four wires. Applied 5V to the red and black and the GPS blinks red, seems to be working. However, when I connect the other two wires (NMEA out?) to the GX2100 NMEA in nothing happens.
Can you or anyone help please.

Pat
SV Pendulum

patprice · 20-04-2010, 18:19

S/V Faith
Or maybe the GX2200 could have a USB input for a puck type GPS!
Thanks for your comment
Pat

Angel Louise · 20-04-2010, 18:23

Pat,
I think they may upgrade the Standard Horizon sometime, but I would not hold my breath. Its a new product and it will have some refinements eventually. I think getting a puck to work is a hard job. Good luck all the same. The 2100 has two wires going into it for the NMEA 0183 GPS sentences. The other wire is output on a fast speed for connection to load the AIS signals to another chartplotter. Goodluck. Ed

patprice · 20-04-2010, 18:34

Thanks Angel Louise
As you probably gathered, I am trying to get a "stand alone" NMEA input into the GX2100. So if need be I can switch off everything I want at sea and only have the GX2100 VHF/AIS operating to save power.
My other GPS is connected to lots of other things like wind instruments, radar, pilot.

Pat

Christian Van H · 20-04-2010, 19:36

My stupid question of the day: Although I read the instruction manual (I am dense), I need to ask anyway...Am I correct in assuming that the radio cannot give range and bearing to an AIS target without being interfaced to a GPS unit of some sort? What CAN it do without an add on GPS? Thanks, Christian

patprice · 20-04-2010, 19:52

Hi christian

I have only had my GX2100 a couple of days and still installing it properly. But re your question, I believe YES the unit must have a NMEA input to operate the AIS at all.

Pat

s/v 'Faith' · 20-04-2010, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

My stupid question of the day: Although I read the instruction manual (I am dense), I need to ask anyway...Am I correct in assuming that the radio cannot give range and bearing to an AIS target without being interfaced to a GPS unit of some sort? What CAN it do without an add on GPS? Thanks, Christian

Works as a DSC radio.....

If you want AIS, you would normally add a separate AIS Receiver and it's own antenna... or a splitter (less good arrangement). AND you would also have to have a display for the AIS data (or an AIS friendly chart plotter or radar display).

This radio grabs the AIS and places it onboard so you do not need yet another connected external box. It also gives a simple display... and easier comms with AIS targets who are in a CBDR....

Just the fact that this happens for $350 when the radio would be most of that, and the AIS would be more then that... and you would need a separate display.... hey SH is trying. Gives more options... in an easier to use package.

If they added a GPS chip set and a simple antenna maybe even a slightly larger screen hey good gear.

Christian Van H · 20-04-2010, 20:00

Thank you Faith! I thought so, but it isnt as clear as it could be in the manual. I'm gonna install a rail-mounted GPS like the TackTick: T908 GPS Antenna and hook up the nmea to the SH mounted just inside the companionway...

MarkJ · 20-04-2010, 23:39

i wanna be Gord today because I don't understand what the hell you lot are on about...

Info: http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=83&encPr odID=F858763BB81027701141A0167DE2A031&DivisionID=3 &isArchived=0

AIS Receiver only.
When are they going to do an integrated Class B transponder (for $300). That I would buy in a flash...

Christian Van H · 21-04-2010, 04:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkJ

i wanna be Gord today because I don't understand what the hell you lot are on about...

It's probably just language barrier thing Mark. Maybe you could try Babblefish...

mikeandrebecca · 21-04-2010, 05:28

I just (the other day) replaced our older Standard Horizon radio with the new Matrix 2100. I also successfully got it hooked up to our new Garmin 546. I can't give any real world results except that I was able to get the radio to show two AIS targets and the Garmin was able to display those as well (although on the Garmin, the two ships indicated by green triangles, showed up as "unknown targets" when I moused over them). Since the install I have yet to power them up and play with them any more.

Mike