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sailjumanji · 17-06-2015, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by bstowers

A friend of mine has a Raymarine a98 chartplotter and just bought a B&G V50 which I now get to install for him when it gets here next week. Lucky me, right?

After looking at the V50 manual, it seems to read as if I will need to connect the old NMEA 0183 port in order to get the AIS data to show up on the chartplotter. Only the GPS position is coming from the NMEA2K network, is that correct? I was really hoping all I had to do was plug the radio into the STng network that I put in when I did his chartplotter and be done with it. Can anyone tell me if the AIS data works using only the NMEA2k connection?

Speaking of the NMEA2k connection, will I have any trouble connecting it to STng? Does it come with a compatible connector for Raymarine's version of NMEA2k or will I need to splice one onto the radio's cable?

Thanks for any info.

My experience is that everything that is networked into N2K will share data. My Vesper AIS is networked N2K, and both the chartplotter and the VHF display the data. The GPS is networked, and is displayed on both the VHF and the chartplotter. I am not familiar with the B&G VHF, but if it is N2K capable, I don't know why you would be messing with NMEA0183 wires.

Raymarine's STng connector is not the same as Garmin, Maretron, Lowrance and others standard N2K connector. You can buy a crossover spur cable though. One end will be the white Raymarine connector, and the other a standard N2K. West Marine carries them - just pay attention to whether it is a male or female end. Or you can splice two cables together, or use a field-installed standard N2K end. Just test it with a continuity tester before sealing it all up with heat shrink.

bstowers · 17-06-2015, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

I am not familiar with the B&G VHF, but if it is N2K capable, I don't know why you would be messing with NMEA0183 wires

I was looking at the V50 manual and saw this:

Quote:

6-3 AIS baud rate (BAUD RATE)
AIS data can be output to a compatible chart-plotter / MFD or PC via the NMEA port. The NMEA port baud rate can be set to 4800 or 38400. The default setting is 38400. If 4800 is selected, a warning that data may be lost is displayed.

The baud rate is a 0183 thing if I remember correctly, so it sounded a bit like this radio only sent the AIS data out on the 0183 port. It could be that info is for the 0183 port only and isn't important if using the N2K connection, I would just like to know which it is so I can have the extra wiring on hand if I need it (it's a tedious run from the chart plotter to where the radio will be going).

sailjumanji · 17-06-2015, 13:12

It is not straightforward, by reading the manual. But it says "NMEA ports" here (below). So maybe it goes through N2K as well as NMEA0183. I would call and ask them. I've had good luck reaching them and getting technical questions answered. That said though, I have also been told by them that the B&G Zeus2 could log a DSC call to the AIS thru the Icom VHF, and later found that not true. (And I asked specifically before buying the Icom, and have in writing from them that it would work. Now they say there were mistaken, and I should have purchased their radio - and that would work as advertised. Aaaargh. But that is another story!)

"
10-3 Using the AIS receiver
Providing that other vessels with AIS transceivers installed are within radio range of your vessel, you should see their details appear on the AIS plotter screen. These details are also repeated on the NMEA ports for display on a compatible chartplotter / MFD.

Davidasailor · 17-06-2015, 18:06

We have an RS35 on a Simnet (N2K) network. Our radio provides AIS data to our Simrad MFD without issue, so AIS output is definitely not limited to the 0183 port. As others have said, definitely check the firmware version as the N2K implementation of older versions was quite buggy.

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gspeak · 19-06-2015, 03:59

I have connected a GME AIS transceiver to my STng network. You just need a Raymarine Devicenet to STng cable.

Dave

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Just us · 24-06-2015, 07:09

I Finally finished all my installations. I have everything connected through the sea talk ng network. I have an external GPS as well as an internal GPS in my a98 chart plotter. The B&G V50 is connected via NMEA 2000 to the sea talk network. The chartplotter is receiving AIS data from the B&G. However the V 50 is still not holding onto the GPS signal. At times it will find both GPSs, receive data from the one activated and work fine. But after a few minutes it loses the GPS and cannot be found again. Sometimes if I turn off and on again it will find the GPS, but much more often than not it is not finding either GPS and is showing them as unknown in the menu options.
Also, on a 4 hour sail yesterday the v 50 lost AIS data 2 times. When I turned off and on again AIS immediately began working both times.
I have the latest software installed on the V 50. Any chance it is a buggy unit? Other ideas?

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Rusty007 · 17-08-2015, 01:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by bstowers

After looking at the V50 manual, it seems to read as if I will need to connect the old NMEA 0183 port in order to get the AIS data to show up on the chartplotter. Only the GPS position is coming from the NMEA2K network, is that correct?

Thanks for any info.

NMEA2000 will replace all the 0183 connections. GPS and AIS will work over the N2K network.

Just us · 20-08-2015, 08:29

In my scenario with a replaced V50 from B&G I have no problem sending AIS data over the seatalk ng network to my raymarine chart plotter. However the V50 was still losing GPS position from both of my GPS antennas. I connected the V50 via NMEA 0183 to my chartplotter (chartplotter send and VHF receive) and the v50 now gets and holds position data (but the chartplotter needs to be on for this). Not ideal, and it should have worked via the seatalk ng network, but it gets the job done.

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CaptTom · 22-08-2015, 05:41

I can't help but notice that there have been no software updates for the V50.

I'm finding that with today's more complex, software-driven devices, this is an important issue. There are a lot of "quirks" with this device, and a few things I'd consider outright bugs, like seeing your own vessel as a dangerous target that you're always about to collide with.

Like Garmin, it would appear that the B&G developers are all too busy working on the next release, and nobody is assigned to support the installed base.

I'd consider this a huge factor in my next purchase decision.

Even though the manufacturers would like us to invest $2K or more on new gear every year, not all of us can do that. It would be nice to find one that supports their products for at least a little while after the sale.

Tenedos · 09-07-2019, 17:44

Reviving an old thread but since there is a lot of information and combined know how here, I didn’t want to start a new one.

I am also looking at Simrad RS35/B&G V50 to upgrade my existing fixed VHF. I already have an AIS transceiver (Camino 108S) with an integrated splitter and a Raymarine MFD (Axiom). So I have two GPS and one AIS source on Seatalk NG/NMEA 2000 backbone.

With this setup can RS35/V50 receive AIS information from the AIS transceiver via SeatalkNG/NMEA 2000? If not, could it pick up the AIS targets using its own AIS receiver behind the splitter? I assume GPS will not be an issue based on previous comments.

Tillsbury · 09-07-2019, 17:50

I thought that a legal AIS transceiver required its own independent GPS source, not just any old one on the network?

Tenedos · 09-07-2019, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

I thought that a legal AIS transceiver required its own independent GPS source, not just any old one on the network?

Yes it does and that is what I meant as one of the two GPS sources. One source is the internal GPS of MFD and the other is the GPS of AIS. Both of them put the GPS information on SetalkNg/NMEA 2000 bus.

CaptTom · 10-07-2019, 04:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenedos

I am also looking at Simrad RS35/B&G V50 to upgrade my existing fixed VHF. I already have an AIS transceiver (Camino 108S) with an integrated splitter and a Raymarine MFD (Axiom). So I have two GPS and one AIS source on Seatalk NG/NMEA 2000 backbone.

With this setup can RS35/V50 receive AIS information from the AIS transceiver via SeatalkNG/NMEA 2000? If not, could it pick up the AIS targets using its own AIS receiver behind the splitter? I assume GPS will not be an issue based on previous comments.

I don't think the RS35/V50 will take AIS from the network. I could be wrong, but frankly I don't see the value. I've been using my B&G since my original post, above, and I'm not a fan.

First, the little PPI (radar-like) display showing AIS targets has not turned out to be anywhere near as useful as I anticipated. I simply never use it. And that was a big reason I chose this unit.

Second, as I said above, it's too stupid to know that I'm not about to collide with myself, so I have to turn off the AIS receiver anyway. Second big reason for buying it.

What's left is an ordinary VHF radio, which would be fine, except...

I use the scanning feature a lot. I find it outrageously difficult to use on the B&G. It's more like a get-out-the-manual, step-by-step configuration effort every time you want to change which channels to scan. And you can only scan 2-3 channels anyway.

Finally, there's a serious bug in mine that causes it to randomly switch to a weather channel every so often. There's a software upgrade to fix it, but you need a B&G display unit to run the update, or de-install the radio and bring it somewhere.

Overall, I can't recommend this radio. If you already had a B&G system, and you didn't use the radio much anyway, it would be fine. But there are so many better units out there, I don't see any value.

On the other hand, if you really want one, I'd be happy to sell you mine, and I'll go buy a "good" unit.

Tenedos · 10-07-2019, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Overall, I can't recommend this radio. If you already had a B&G system, and you didn't use the radio much anyway, it would be fine. But there are so many better units out there, I don't see any value.

Thank you for the insightful review!