Standard Horizon VHF/AIS/GPS question

[Harry Brown]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I prefer separate & independent devices. Our Vesper Marine 850 uses only 10 watts, does anchor watch, has filters for traffic reduction, has a silent mode, is ridiculously simple to use. It can be networked if desired.

On the lightening issue - We have been hit three times. Last time was a whopper. We observed that ALL devices with software power switches such as the VHS and Stereo as well as many LED lights were wrecked. All electronics with local two-pole air gap snap action switches survived. I had installed several of these in order to be able to selectively enable only certain instruments. These break both + & - power wiring with an air gap. Did not lose the SSB, Simrad, Radar, fishing scanner. We are now aggressively adding 2-pole switches everywhere.

Could you please tell/show what type of switches you are referring to?
Many thanks.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Got the insurance money for the lightning strike, and am replacing electronics now. Next on the list is the VHF. I'm looking at the SH version with built in GPS and AIS receiver. I have question and didn't find the answer in their advertisement literature.
I'm looking at the SH models 2150 and 2200. As near as I can tell, the only difference is that the 2150 needs a GPS input to work and the 2200 includes a GPS receiver.

I picked up a couple of the hockey puck USB GPS receivers as spares after the lightning strike fried everything. Would just using one of my USB GPS pucks with the Model 2150 be the equivalent of the model 2200?

Also, with the 2200, is it possible to turn off the AIS/DSC stuff and just use it as a radio? I figure that with the 2150 if I wanted to turn off position reporting I could just unplug the GPS. Does the 2200 give you that option?

I love the 2200 built in GPS and AIS. It is simple to install, provides a back-up GPS on-board, and displays lat and lon, speed and course at the nav station, without need for a repeater display. The AIS function is great in Lake Ontario where there is a fair bit of shipping traffic. Sometimes, it can be really difficult at night, to tell which direction a laker is going, as they are lit up like a Christmas tree. With AIS receiver, no problem, we know exactly what direction they are going and what their name is. Very valuable.

For big water sailors, I recommend the SH Matrix 2200 with RAM mic to everyone who inquires about a VHF.

IMHO, they are so inexpensive and so versatile, it just doesn't make sense to go with less.

Ramblin Rod
About Sheen Marine

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Just ordered the GX2200. Next question is about antenna location. I am loathe to put another metal antenna at the top of the mast. Does anyone know of any problems if I mounted a GPS 4' metal whip antenna half way up the mast, on the same platform the radar antenna uses? I guess what I am asking is whether the transmission of a radar pulse would mess with a VHF/GPS antenna located immediately adjacent to that transmitter? I see them side by side on radar arches so am guessing they're far enough apart in their bandwidths not to interfere with each other.

I'm thinking that I'll keep the top of the mast as clean of electronics as I can get away with this time around. Don't plan to replace the wind instruments at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if you got some EMC interference mounting the VHF antenna that close to the radar. Additionally, by not putting the VHF antenna at the masthead, you will be reducing your VHF range. If the fecal matter hits the air circulation device, you may want all the range you can possibly have.

Ramblin Rod
About Sheen Marine

[Canibul]

Thanks, and I agree. The radar is no longer a concern, as it also got fried and I have decided not to replace it. But I'll put another metal whip up top, and this time keep a clamp-on spare antenna and a spare xcvr in case the lightning finds us again.

[Jon Hacking]

I'm interested in the GX2000, which has inputs for GPS & AIS, & is only $200. But I have some questions:

• Can it receive both AIS & GPS on the same NMEA stream? My AMEC class-B AIS puts out both on the same stream.
• Is the speaker (in the mic) loud enough? Is the quality OK? The radio lives just inside the entryway, & I was thinking of hanging the mic outside while we sail, so we can hear the VHF better.
• Are the AIS alarms programmable?
• Anything I should know about the GX2000? Quality issues? Gotchas?
• Are there any better alternatives? (Good quality VHF with speaker/mic & AIS display ability, which saves us from leaving OpenCPN up as much)

TIA!

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

I'm interested in the GX2000, which has inputs for GPS & AIS, & is only $200. But I have some questions:

• Can it receive both AIS & GPS on the same NMEA stream? My AMEC class-B AIS puts out both on the same stream.
• Is the speaker (in the mic) loud enough? Is the quality OK? The radio lives just inside the entryway, & I was thinking of hanging the mic outside while we sail, so we can hear the VHF better.
• Are the AIS alarms programmable?
• Anything I should know about the GX2000? Quality issues? Gotchas?
• Are there any better alternatives? (Good quality VHF with speaker/mic & AIS display ability, which saves us from leaving OpenCPN up as much)

TIA!

We have the 2100 (the one that takes the external GPS) and you know, I've seen street prices on it for $229 but it seems to be gone now replaced by the 2200 with built in GPS.

The 2000 takes input of AIS and I think that means you've got to have your separate antenna for your AIS which of course is one of the nicer things about the built in AIS radios -- that you only need a single antenna for both radio and AIS.

I'm not too impressed with the mic that comes with the radio--but I'm very impressed with the accessory you can buy -- the "remote mic" which has a little replica screen on it showing the AIS targets and lets you do everything you'd like right at the helm. We have the remote mic out in the cockpit by the helm and we have the radio inside the boat.

You CAN use your SH radio (2100 and later at least) as a navigation helper-- you can manually input waypoints and the radio will actually give you bearing and distance from each waypoint so you can just use the radio as you go along unless you're in tight confines and then you'd have the charts out anyway. We do that while watchstanding--we'll put in waypoints and steer to the waypoints as we coastal cruise. If we have good vis and no reason to use the radar (so no plotter on) this works well for us.

The internal AIS system has alarms that you can set up but they're not especially useful IMO if you're sailing in big seas--you'll find you're conflicting with an AIS target a mile away as your bow points off and back in the large seas. Drives me batty to use the AIS alarms for that reason.

I'm pretty sure someone here with the 2000 will come along and give advice. This is all I can provide from our experience with the 2100.

Best of luck!
Brenda

[colemj]

If the GX2000 has the same speaker mic as the GX2150, then it is a very good mic that could be used in the cockpit where you couldn't hear the radio's speaker. On our GX2150, we don't even notice that the radio itself has a speaker when we are holding the mic talking to someone - all of the sound seems to come from the mic, and it is loud and clear.

The external RAM mic, however, is a good deal for another $85. I would seriously consider this over just pulling the radio mic into the cockpit. The RAM mic has ALL of the functionality and controls of the radio itself, and is very intuitive to use.

It seems like the answer to the NMEA question could be found by reading the manual.

If the GX2000 is similar to the GX2150, then it is built to very high quality, the user interface is easy and intuitive, and the company support is outstanding.

I believe ICOM sells a similar radio. However, every ICOM I have ever used has a terrible user interface written in dyslexic Sanskrit. Go ahead - just TRY to make a DSC call on one… However, they could have changed this over the past year or two.

Mark

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by colemj

If the GX2000 has the same speaker mic as the GX2150, then it is a very good mic that could be used in the cockpit where you couldn't hear the radio's speaker...Mark

Thanks Mark! Just the sort of info I was looking for!

[Bor the Wolf]

Hope this is the right thread, if not excuse me, I am new to this forum.
Apparently there are some Standard Horizon users out here that may be able to answer my question about my brand new GX2200. (What A delightful apparatus!)

I am familiar with GPS-es and Waypoints. I know how to name my waypoints but what is a "Waypoint ID"? And what is it for?

Apparently, if I do not enter a value (numerical only) it is impossible to select the Waypoint in the Compass display. Or am I missing something?

Cheers, BtW

[Captain Bill]

Canibul, I mounted a 6db power boat antenna 4 feet from my radar and had no problems with interference. I mounted it on the back of my hardtop and it pulls signals in much better than my 3db mast top antenna. Since a cat doesn't heel you don't need to worry about your transmission energy going into the water because of the 6db antenna's more horizontal radiating pattern.

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by Bor the Wolf

...I am new to this forum...

Bor, welcome to CF! I'm sure someone will pipe up with info on your GX2200.

Before I leave my thread here, I found some info about the GX2000. Apparently the older versions (c.2014 or so) had to receive their GPS & AIS info on different NMEA lines, but about 1.5 years ago Standard Horizon made a mod to allow them both to come in on the same NMEA circuit. At that time, SH also stopped producing the radios in White, & now they only come in Black (which is a pain for me, as it mounts on a white headliner). So a white GX2000 has the older SW.

Capt Bill, I wouldn't expect a 10GHz radar to interfere much with a .16GHz VHF, but good to know that your experiment worked. And good to see cats using the higher-gain "powerboat" antennas!

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by CarCode

You may use any USB/Serial adapter however the best ones without driver problems as seen with the Prolific adapters are the Keyspan USA-19HS
Keyspan High Speed USB to Serial Adapter(USA-19HS) | Tripp Lite
A little bit more expensive but bullproofed for any operating system version.

Gerhard

Thanks for the info on this. After a quick look around, the price even on Amazon doesn't seem too bad:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...&condition=new

Thanks all for the insight into SH radios too. In the (distant) past I have used a lot of Cobra radio's (with no problems), and was looking at them first.

I think I'll take a very close look at those SH radios now.

PS Would anybody have noticed if the SH radios sold in America have the CE compliance visible on them anywhere?

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Canibul, I mounted a 6db power boat antenna 4 feet from my radar and had no problems with interference. I mounted it on the back of my hardtop and it pulls signals in much better than my 3db mast top antenna. Since a cat doesn't heel you don't need to worry about your transmission energy going into the water because of the 6db antenna's more horizontal radiating pattern.

Thanks for that feedback. I've been getting limited range, of course, with a short, metal whip VHF clamped to a handrail on the coachroof. If all the short metal antennas are 3 dB gain, that would help explain it. I've got a new metal whip for the mast head, and I also have a new Wilson marine antenna for their cell amp. I was planning to put them both on the mast head, but keep dragging my feet. I worry about another lightning strike. I also have an 8 ft. fiberglass VHF antenna, and thoughts of using that mounted to the corner of the hard top, and mounting the Wilson on a n aluminum pole 8 ft. above the deck, where I just removed a Air X wind generator. I believe the mast has been hit by lightning before the strike we went through. I'd much prefer to keep all the radios functional when it happens again.

[Canibul]

BTW, just added a 40 watt PA horn up at the spreaders, hooked into the PA/Fog wires on the SH. Pretty cool. In addition to blasting out pre-determined fog horn signals automatically, it allows you to speak quite loudly to everything forward of the mast, if you wish. You can also use it to listen for replies through the SH speaker. I particularly like the siren function. Ours is pointed directly at an outdoor bar in the marina at the moment....

[Gary H]

I have the GX2000. Good radio. It can receive AIS and GPS over a single NMEA input. It does have two inputs and I have mine wired to both the AIS and a GPS. It will get position data from either one.

No complaints on volume or signal quality with either the main unit or the RAM mic.