Visit our Popular Forums

Boatwright · 22-08-2020, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

Contact the folks at MillTech Marine. They have some sales going on now.

Agree with Jedi...forget wifi and other bells and whistles. KISS.

100% agree. We have an AMEC Cubo AIS w/ built in antenna splitter from MillTech. Less than $200. It's receive only and keeps us out of the way of ship traffic very nicely. AMEC also makes transponder units for under $500.

Good company, good reliable stuff, and good service.

barnakiel · 22-08-2020, 17:08

EmTrack makes newer models.

Look at SOTDMA class B with wifi. They are very nice and not too expensive.

There are brands with screen if you want one too.

b.

CarlF · 22-08-2020, 17:43

With new Class B transponders under $500 (and used ones even less), it really makes no sense today to get just a receiver.

This is especially true if you are in a small fiberglass sailboat with a really bad radar return.

I have a Vesper Vision with touch display, wifi, NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183. It also has a wonderful anchor watch.

But 90% of the time I just look at the AIS targets on the chartplotter. If I was trying to save $300, I'd just get a basic Class B and connect it to the chartplotter. If I had an extra $100, I'd make it SOTDMA.

I'm hoping that Vesper releases a SOTDMA version soon - maybe even as a trade in upgrade. Hopefully they read this group

barnakiel · 22-08-2020, 18:23

Vesper has a sotdma already and for a time now. VERY VERY SEXY ONE. In fact.

Why should they upgrade an older product while they are selling a new one?

Money no object, I would buy the new Vesper sight unseen.

b.

**s/v Jedi** · 22-08-2020, 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Vesper has a sotdma already and for a time now. VERY VERY SEXY ONE. In fact.

Why should they upgrade an older product while they are selling a new one?

Money no object, I would buy the new Vesper sight unseen.

b.

No that is not a black box sotdma ais. It is a multi-station VHF radio with AIS transponder that starts at $1,350 or so. I can not see any advantage at all in combining products like that. One failure and all is lost.

georgy.goshin · 22-08-2020, 21:02

Not sure I really need the display because AIS really useful for you to be seen, not for seeing others just because not all has is and you just can't trust it. It's really not a radar replacement. I just thought I could find the device where is possible to enter the voyage specific information but it seems to be available in class A only. HP-528A is just seems to be the cheapest quality option because I heard a lot of complaint about ONWA devices which are little bit cheaper

mako · 23-08-2020, 01:16

ONWA are very good, commercial grade electronics. They tend to be a generation older, missing the bells and whistles of newer-age fare.

What in particular have you heard negative?

georgy.goshin · 23-08-2020, 02:10

What is the cheapest transiver with SOTDMA ?

georgy.goshin · 23-08-2020, 05:50

Found in the description that all Class B+ devices are SOTDMA and 5W instead of 2W class B. Voyage specific data is available only in Class A, so display is not needed. Then my question will be about cheap Class B+ with both NMEA and optional wifi. Transponder or transceiver.

**s/v Jedi** · 23-08-2020, 05:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgy.goshin

What is the cheapest transiver with SOTDMA ?

Why are you focused on the cheapest? It’ll be bad but I guess you would start searching for it on the usual sites: AliExpress etc.

rslifkin · 23-08-2020, 06:10

Milltech Marine has a couple of good SOTMDA units listed for just over $500 at the moment. You might find cheaper, but it might be a gamble as to whether you find something good or not.

georgy.goshin · 23-08-2020, 06:10

Aliexpress will not share any experience ) And I'm dealing with the electronics last 25 years and know that expensive is not better and cheaper is not bad

barnakiel · 23-08-2020, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

No that is not a black box sotdma ais. It is a multi-station VHF radio with AIS transponder that starts at $1,350 or so. I can not see any advantage at all in combining products like that. One failure and all is lost.

No. Not a black box. True. However, with a black box the situation is just as bad - one failure and all is lost. You become a propeller meat ;-) NOT ALL IS LOST - we still have our ears and eyes and likely a handheld VHF onboard (we have one anyways).

My thoughts on combined units with screen (like the Vesper) are like this:

1) AIS is already a mix of GPS and VHF, is it or is it not?

So where is there any 'combining' taking place exactly?

AIS is virtually sending GPS data over VHF. Or am I wrong? I might be.

2) With AIS / VHF combo that has a screen (like the new Vesper, or our older SH) you see a ship incoming, you press one button and the radio is calling that ship over DSC link. Peeesy.

Maybe you prefer reading out the mmsi (9 digits?) and the typing these into your VHF, or maybe your plotter picks up AIS and you can request DSC call from the plotter (few plotters do this, but some do).

IMHO, it is an amazing piece of kit and will be picked up by idiots like me, who hate typing mmsi numbers into VHF radioes.

+HUG,

b.