Anyone Tried VHF/AIS Radio?

[charliehows]

im thinking about buying a vhf/AIS radio, anyone tried these yet - ive looked at the standard horizon gx2100 but cant figure out yet whether it incorporates any kind of AIS perimeter alarm which is the main feature i want.
i dont have any plotting electronics except a handheld gps and id like to get something stand alone like the gx2100 if possible - main thing i want is a perimeter alarm when anything comes within 20/30 miles of me.

[barnakiel]

There is a newer model, I think 2150 or something alike.

The perimeter alarm (CPA, TCPA) is there the problem is it is difficult to switch off easily.

b.

[goboatingnow]

main thing i want is a perimeter alarm when anything comes within 20/30 miles of me.

standby for a lot of alarms

dave

[colemj]

We have the GX2150 (the newer version of the 2100). It is a fantastic radio and has both CPA and TCPA alarms. It also stores waypoints and can navigate to waypoints, so doubles as a backup GPS. The GX2100 is similar - the main difference is the 2150 has multiple NMEA inputs/outputs to make integration easier.

20-30 miles is a bit unreasonable for a perimeter alarm. It will be alerting you constantly to a lot of ships that pose no danger to you. Even the ones that are on direct course to you will be 1-3 hrs away at that distance, and if you are on a non-crossing parallel course, the radio will be beeping non-stop for hours.

Mark

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by charliehows

main thing i want is a perimeter alarm when anything comes within 20/30 miles of me.

Remove the zero's from those numbers and you've got a better case!! Otherwise you'll have the cpa alarm sounding constantly

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by colemj

snip ....... It also stores waypoints and can navigate to waypoints, so doubles as a backup GPS. ......snip

A backup chartplotter??

I don't think the 2150 has a GPS built-in.

[Jbaffoh]

Originally Posted by DotDun

A backup chartplotter??

I don't think the 2150 has a GPS built-in.

I have the GX2150 and I'm very pleased with it.

It does NOT have built-in GPS, so it needs a GPS source via NMEA 0183. Most handheld gps units can supply that, but a dedicated GPS hockey puck receiver would be better, inexpensive and easy.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Jbaffoh

I have the GX2150 and I'm very pleased with it.

It does NOT have built-in GPS, so it needs a GPS source via NMEA 0183. Most handheld gps units can supply that, but a dedicated GPS hockey puck receiver would be better, inexpensive and easy.

Yes but many pucks are usb, get the serial one!

2150 is better for integration if as said, otherwise the units are same.

The way one mutes the alarm is silly (I believe on both units) hope SH will patch the software one day.

A 20 Nm alarm is OK on a crossing but small boats (class B) will not pop up this far - 5-10 Nm more likely.

Inshore I would be guided by shipping density. Alarm probably at 1 Nm or less in most cases.

b.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by DotDun

A backup chartplotter??

I don't think the 2150 has a GPS built-in.

I never said chartplotter - it does not have any charting capability. But yes, good point about the built-in GPS. I assumed that anyone installing this radio would set it up with a GPS input.

BTW, if one did not set up a GPS input, this radio will beep warnings at you every 10-30 minutes complaining that it does not have a GPS input. One needs to press a button to stop the warning beeps for another short period of time.

If you do not plan to have a GPS input, I would avoid this radio.

Mark

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by colemj

I never said chartplotter -

Agreed, you stated it could be used as a backup GPS. I was trying to figure out what you meant by suggesting maybe 'chartplotter' as it clearly can't be a backup GPS.

I haven't played much with this unit, but assume it could be used to calculate BTW/DTW to an internally stored waypoint, hence it has value if your chartplotter dies and you still have a GPS feed to the radio.

[SurferShane]

With most make sure you read the fine print. I.E., for the AIS to work on combo VHF/AIS units like my SH GX2150 it needs to be conected to an external GPS. As such, you will need a GPS with suitible conectivity. Correspondingly, while AIS would be handy, mine is still operating as VHF only.

[colemj]

Yes, it has a navigation display that shows BTW, DTW, SOG, COG and a compass graphic with your boat in the center and the waypoint at the appropriate bearing on the circumference. When in navigation mode, it still has full VHF/AIS functionality.

As long as it has a GPS antenna input, it can be used as a navigational GPS - either primary or backup. Waypoints can be stored and recalled. It does not have any routing features.

This radio would be the bee's knees if SH provided a GPS output to another device. It already outputs DSC and AIS info to a chartplotter. If it output GPS info also, it would be a very easy switchover as a primary input to a chartplotter, if not an automatic one.

Mark

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by charliehows

im thinking about buying a vhf/AIS radio, anyone tried these yet - ive looked at the standard horizon gx2100 but cant figure out yet whether it incorporates any kind of AIS perimeter alarm which is the main feature i want.
i dont have any plotting electronics except a handheld gps and id like to get something stand alone like the gx2100 if possible - main thing i want is a perimeter alarm when anything comes within 20/30 miles of me.

I have the 2150 connected to the Lowrance HDS-5M chartplotter. So as well as getting AIS targets on the VHF (which does have a perimeter alarm), they appear on the chartplotter. This is very useful, as in SF Bay you can see the projected courses of ships.

The GPS input to the radio is necessary for both AIS and DSC to work.

There is a document explaining the difference between 2100 and 2150 here :

Welcome to StandardHorizon.com

If you buy the 2100 you need a chartplotter with two com ports.

The 2100 and 2150 both have rather good 80db VHF receivers, I'm getting much better reception than I did with my old radio.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by colemj

As long as it has a GPS antenna input, it can be used as a navigational GPS - either primary or backup. Waypoints can be stored and recalled. It does not have any routing features.

Mark

It does not have a GPS antenna input. It relies on position data from a GPS device, via the com port. It cannot be used as a backup GPS device. You could consider it a backup DISPLAY.

[sy_gilana]

That is one Kick-A radio. Speaking to SH, they are looking at the next model having a data multiplexer and USB connect with all received NMEA sentences neatly pumped down. Very happy with ours, and the price is unbeatable for the features...