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goboatingnow · 29-03-2011, 20:00

If the unit is a non US AIS you will be able to program the MMSI yourself. That stipulation is only USCG mandated.

Of the led on the AIS 500 isn't showing tx then the best thing is to fire up the laptop and check the details.

Dave

**Paul Elliott** · 29-03-2011, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

If the unit is a non US AIS you will be able to program the MMSI yourself. That stipulation is only USCG mandated.

Of the led on the AIS 500 isn't showing tx then the best thing is to fire up the laptop and check the details.

Dave

You are correct, only the U.S.A. has the restriction on user-programming of the MMSI. I had forgotten this. Of course the original poster is on Long Island Sound, which I assume is the one in New York.

goboatingnow · 30-03-2011, 04:56

The only way to verify Raymarines AIS 500 ( i installed one this summer ) is to power up a laptop and connect it to the AIS 500's serial port. ( using the usual USB to serial convertor). nothing can be verified via the chartplotter.

I suspect the reason it isnt tx-ing is one of the settings is wrong. After that it could be the internal active splitter has failed, but its a return to Ray anyway

Dave

r.furborough · 30-03-2011, 05:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by h20man

I would respectfully disagree. An installer dealer should be offering the support needed to put all this in working order. That is why they charge the markup..

I consider a professional to be not someone who just takes money, but provides a value added. I am paying for this persons experience and knowledge. Of course, if I were to know it all myself PRIOR to the install, then I would not need the professional.

There are many times that I have been paid to be the 'professional' and I had to insure that the client was aware of the finer points of the solution that I was tailoring for them.

Again @r.furborough, to emphasize, this is a (hopefully) respectful disagreement...

We are not really in disagreement, I asked the question "Was an MMSI number discussed", we do not know the answer to that at this time, if the dealer did not raise the question, then of course, that is where the problem lies.

fairbank56 · 30-03-2011, 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

If the unit is a non US AIS you will be able to program the MMSI yourself. That stipulation is only USCG mandated.

The Coast Guard has nothing to do with it. It is an FCC rule. End users are prohibited from programming ANY static data into a class B unit.

"The entry of static data into a Class B AIS device shall be performed by the vendor of the device or by an appropriately qualified person in the business of installing marine communications equipment on board vessels. In no event shall the entry of static data into a Class B AIS device be performed by the user of the device or the licensee of a ship station using the device. Knowingly programming a Class B AIS device with inaccurate static data, or causing a Class B AIS device to be programmed with inaccurate static data, is prohibited."

The irony is that most of the erroneous AIS static data out there is on commercial ships using class A equipment programmed by ship personnel.

Eric

RProulx · 14-04-2011, 05:39

That is correct. I had to apply for a MMSI number prior to the dealer programming the unit. In applying for the MMSI number I filled out all the information and shortly thereafter I received an MMSI number. I gave the information to the dealer who installed and programmed the unit. So the dealer could have put some incorrect information in when he programmed it. From what I heard this could cause the unit to receive AIS information but fail to transmit AIS information.

I have an appointment with the dealer next week. Hopefully he can correct the problem.

Roland

h20man · 14-04-2011, 08:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by RProulx

That is correct. I had to apply for a MMSI number prior to the dealer programming the unit. In applying for the MMSI number I filled out all the information and shortly thereafter I received an MMSI number. I gave the information to the dealer who installed and programmed the unit. So the dealer could have put some incorrect information in when he programmed it. From what I heard this could cause the unit to receive AIS information but fail to transmit AIS information.

I have an appointment with the dealer next week. Hopefully he can correct the problem.

Roland

I am looking forward to finding out what the issue was.....

And to see how well a group of strangers, connected via the internet managed to diagnose your situation...

Best.

blubaju · 24-04-2011, 00:07

I have one and as former longterm Raymarine electronics owner I am VERY disappointed.

Missed the GPS-Receiver topic: the AIS500 comes with its own GPS-Receiver, without, no transmition

Lokk for another version of PRO-AIS on the Internet, the software to control/program the AIS500, Raymarines version has many restrictions, the other versions allow you much more and there is even the programming code how to erase a MMSI if you need so.

With the free versio you can switch transmit on and off, with the Raymarine version you can only do so with an E80/E120 MFD.

I have an E120 and the Seatalk NG is the AIS500 is useless, you MUST use the fast NMEA connection, but I guess you know this.

The AIS500 transmits NMEA at 4800bd too, but my unit only RMC, contrary to the manual, hence useless again as my VHF want GAA.

The programmers at Raymarine obviously are not sailors any more, seems they even hate sailors, 20 years ago they had good systems nowadays it is a pain. To many buses and they do not really work together nicely, they only do somehow.

RProulx · 24-04-2011, 06:24

I believe that SailFast Tri may be correct when he stated that Class B AIS does not show up on Marinetraffic.com. We were on on patrol the other day and came along side a Coast Guard 41footer. I asked them if I was transmitting an AIS signal and he said that we were.

Apparently the unit is transmitting. Our main concern is approaching Coast Guard and other military vessels and not being identifiable. We're not too concerned about pleasure vessels not seeing us on AIS. In fact that may be a good thing!

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

Roland Proulx
Fall River Harbormaster.

**Paul Elliott** · 24-04-2011, 11:41

Marinetraffic.com is showing the Class-B signal from San Francisco Bay, and at least some from your area. For example, I see the Class-B "BUSTERS TOY 3" near Westbrook. Unfortunately, Marinetraffic.com doesn't clearly differentiate between Class-A and Class-B AIS targets, so it's hard to tell. I have access to a raw AIS feed so I was able to filter for Class-B signals. Unfortunately, I don't see any traffic at all from Fall River -- there might be a gap in the receiver coverage.

Auspicious · 24-04-2011, 11:55

Marine traffic sees all the Class B traffic I see near Annapolis and more. Must be a better site here than the back of my boat.

fairbank56 · 24-04-2011, 13:12

The class B data in Annapolis is coming from my AIS station at the Naval Academy. Most of the stations in the upper bay come from my station and the Kent Island Amateur Radio Society. Class B from Annapolis is a bit too far for them to pick up. MarineTraffic does indicate when a station is using class B.

Eric

**Paul Elliott** · 24-04-2011, 13:35

At least some of the San Francisco bay and offshore data comes from my hilltop home location near Bodega Bay. There are perhaps a half-dozen of us around San Francisco who provide feeds to marinetraffic.com.

I couldn't see how Class-A and Class-B stations are differentiated on the website. They do have a "pleasure craft" filter, but this is a Class-A designation. Where do they show this info?