Vesper Watchmate Vision Reviews?

[Sandero]

That is good news because I just bought the GX2200 and will install it this spring... I am trying to sort out the coax cable and antenna now as the stick will be down for the upgrade.

Thanks!

[Kenomac]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be ordering a Vesper Watchmate Vision sometime next month from Milltech Marine, after I get the government radio registration stuff taken care of. Looks like I'll also need to order an antenna splitter.

Does anyone know, is the Vision the only model from Vesper that has the basic world chart feature to show a basic relationship to land? Rather than the bullseye.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be ordering a Vesper Watchmate Vision sometime next month from Milltech Marine, after I get the government radio registration stuff taken care of. Looks like I'll also need to order an antenna splitter.

Does anyone know, is the Vision the only model from Vesper that has the basic world chart feature to show a basic relationship to land? Rather than the bullseye.

Yes, the Vision is AFAIK the only one with the chart feature... and I like it!

Jim

[Kenomac]

I installed my Vesper WatchMate Vision today. It was easy, basically plug and play. What an awesome system, I now have all the AIS information on all three iPads and the iPhone using the INavx app. I kept the old Standard Horizon system which operated on the VHF radio and displayed the AIS list on a Garmin chart plotter and the radio remote helm handset. Now the Garmin sits side by side at the Navigation table with the Vesper Vision showing targets, chart plotter and AIS list simultaneously at a glance. Each IPad and the iPhone work independently to display chart plotting via INavx with the AIS information over-layed.

I'll do a complete write up including pictures just as soon as I launch the boat. Maybe even a video. My wife's going to love this.

[s/v Jedi]

I just got the Vesper XB-8000 in... with no mmsi programmed in Hope to have it up and running soon.

[OceansFive]

All great reviews and comments, thanks.

I've just installed the Vespermarine 750 receiver and while it seems to work fine, it creates terrible RFI on the VHF radio - even when connected directly to its own VHF antenna and not through a splitter.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to suppress this interference.
Botyh radio and AIS work perfectly alone but the AIS "kills" the radio.

The 750 is directly wired to its own circuit breaker.
The VHF is crystall clear when switched on alone. RFI comes only with AIS on.

The 750 seems to work perfectly whether VHF is on or off.

Grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.

[Sailshabby]

I'd suggest getting the splitter. I've got the 8000 (from Milltech - wouldn't shop anywhere else, considering the 'above and beyond' support). Give him a call or shoot an email and I'm sure he'll school you up!

[OceansFive]

Thanks for the quick response.

The RFI is present any time the Vespermarine 750 is switched on - makes no difference whether the VHF is connected to a splitter or has no antenna connected, the RFI is there any time the 750 is on. So I'm not convinced any splitter is the problem or the solution.

[Jim Cate]

Send a PM to Jeff Robbins here on CF. He is a principal at Vesper, and has been very helpful. I'm sure that he can sort this for you.

Jim

[Kenomac]

We haven't experienced a problem with the VHF, but we do use the $225 splitter purchased through Vesper.

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by Kuan Yin

All great reviews and comments, thanks.

I've just installed the Vespermarine 750 receiver and while it seems to work fine, it creates terrible RFI on the VHF radio - even when connected directly to its own VHF antenna and not through a splitter.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to suppress this interference.
Botyh radio and AIS work perfectly alone but the AIS "kills" the radio.

The 750 is directly wired to its own circuit breaker.
The VHF is crystall clear when switched on alone. RFI comes only with AIS on.

The 750 seems to work perfectly whether VHF is on or off.

Grateful for any suggestions. Thanks.

I think that those suggesting splitter issues are chasing red herrings. You already seem to have tested with and without splitter.

Do you have a USB cable plugged in?

Is everything grounded? And fed from the same 12v source? Try powering it via the USB cable with the 12v off/disconnected.

Do you have NMEA interfaced to the radio? Is the interference there with NMEA disconnected?


SY Morgane
http://tweedsworld.com

[jeffrobbins]

Originally Posted by Littlechay

I think that those suggesting splitter issues are chasing red herrings. You already seem to have tested with and without splitter.

Do you have a USB cable plugged in?

Is everything grounded? And fed from the same 12v source? Try powering it via the USB cable with the 12v off/disconnected.

Do you have NMEA interfaced to the radio? Is the interference there with NMEA disconnected?


SY Morgane
Tweed's World | A high latitude sailor sweating in the tropics

These are good suggestions. And I agree the problem doesn't sound like a splitter or antenna issue. Some thoughts... what is the GPS source for the 750? Is it the same source for the VHF? Does the VHF have isolated NMEA inputs (eg. a separate +/- on the NMEA input) or a common ground? What else is wired to the 750? If you disconnect all devices from the 750 and leave just the red/black power is the problem still there?

Hope this info is helpful in further isolating the problem.

[Kenomac]

Got a chance to put our new Vesper Watchmate Vision to test over the past couple of days while passage making from Sardinia to Ponza. What a fantastic system, the way it integrates seamlessly with INavx on our Ipads and iphone.

Amazing! I highly recommend Vesper to anyone adding an AIS transponder.

[Kenomac]

Here's what things look like on the ipad using INavx.

[Kenomac]

And here at the Nav station.