Problems finding AIS compatable chartplotter

[cburger]

Would like to install chartplotter for GPS and AIS and ultimately radar. Have been looking at Garmin products as they are a brand name I recognize. I have to say that I have been overwhelmed by the numer of models offered by this brand alone.

I want to put the unit on ball and socket arm that will allow the capability to move the display around from the nav station to the campanionway for viewing in cockpit.

Been looking at the Garmin GPS MAP 7608 all though I dont lknow really why.

Would like to hear about members recommendations as to brand model and reasons why.

Thanks in advance

[AnsleyS]

I have gone with Garmin because they are the big guy on the block. They have the market share that enables them to keep updating their products.

We put in 3 MFD's, an 8616xsv, an 8612xsv and a 7408xsv. Also a 20 inch Fantom radar, an autopilot with compass control, hydraulic pump and rudder indicator. Also a AIS800, side scan and forward scan sonars. All of these are tied together with NMEA2000 and high speed network. The only NMEA0183 that I have left is sending the lat/long to the VHF radios.

I am impressed with the ability to keep the whole system, including the charts, updated with a wifi connected phone using their Active Captain app.

You have to experience the doppler radar returns overlayed on the chart. One can tell the difference between a stationary radar return like a bouy, a moving target going away from our vessel and a moving target approaching. Add in the AIS targets and the MARPA analysis and you have a very able system.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by cburger

Would like to install chartplotter for GPS and AIS and ultimately radar. Have been looking at Garmin products as they are a brand name I recognize.

Been looking at the Garmin GPS MAP 7608 all though I dont lknow really why.

I think that model translates to 76 series, 8" display? If it's the 76 series, it's obsolete, since replaced by their 86xx series. Which is also probably close to obsolete now, too... since Garmin seems to have a reputation for quick turnovers.

Their xsv models (e.g., 7612xsv, 8612xsv, etc.) will let you incorporate nifty fishfinder data on the network. OTOH, I think all of them will let you select and display DST info from a NMEA2000 transducer.

AIAIK, AIS on an NMEA2000 network can be displayed on plotters (MFDs) from Garmin, Furuno, Raymarine, Simrad, etc... without regard to brand. I believe it's just a menu selection. (For example, our Furuno AIS displays on both our Furuno and Gamin MFDs.) Probably works with NMEA0183 too, but that's more of a guess.

AFAIK, radars and plotters (MFDs) need to be compatible, so maybe focus your buying on what you eventually want to end up with... then work backwards from there.

-Chris

[hjohnson]

Originally Posted by cburger

Would like to install chartplotter for GPS and AIS and ultimately radar. Have been looking at Garmin products as they are a brand name I recognize. I have to say that I have been overwhelmed by the numer of models offered by this brand alone.

I want to put the unit on ball and socket arm that will allow the capability to move the display around from the nav station to the campanionway for viewing in cockpit.

Been looking at the Garmin GPS MAP 7608 all though I dont lknow really why.

Would like to hear about members recommendations as to brand model and reasons why.

Thanks in advance

Personally, I navigate with my iPad running iNavX (my co-owner runs aquamaps). It gets its sensor data via wifi (AIS, compass, position, wind/water/depth etc...). We're using a Vesper XB-8000 as our AIS Transponder and N2K->wifi gateway, but other such boxes also exist.

Works great, and we can use it anywhere we dang well like. If the weather gets too foul, we just stick the iPad in a large ziplock bag.

[pcmm]

Raymarine is an obvious choice as it (despite seatalkNG) has the largest presence in the market for marine chartplotters or MFD's its pretty simple to connect an AIS unit to it. NMEA2K just means that you need a backbone, a drop cable to the AIS and a Drop cable to the MFD. a few menu selections in the MFD and you are set.

Even older NMEA0183 chart plotters can often do this. ( without the NMEA2K backbone)

[cburger]

I am finding the number of choices a bit daunting, thanks to all who responded

[CaptainRivet]

Garmin has the big disadvantage that they rapidly discontinue their products and then also the support ends immediatelly.
B&G aka Bruch&Gammel well had on my previous boat and didn't like it. Lot find it superior to others, i don't... their usability is different to others and lately they seem to have quailty issues, lots of complaints can be found about plotters not working after a short time.
I would go with raymarine if it should be a plotter, the axiom+ are really good plotters and AIS compatible, their radars are good too and supported by open cpn plugin for radars. and raymarine remote app on tablets let you also steer the autopilot, blocked on B&G and Garmin.
As AIS transeiver i would chose Matsutec H102, cheap, works great with Raymarine and you can program it yourself, no sending around, no paying a fortune for programing it.Thats the combo i have now raymarine plotter and Matsutec AIS.

[sailingharry]

I have older (approx 2012) Furuno equipment on my boat. Displays radar, a third party AIS, and Raymarine instruments through a translator. It all just works, and brilliantly.

In the US, Furuno provides unlimited free access to NOAA chart updates. Outside the US, the only charts they provide are C-Map, which are useless in the extreme. If you intend to leave the US, pick any provider but Furuno.

As others have mentioned, AIS data is rather boring and highly standardized. Any AIS receiver will talk with any chartplotter, using whatever data bus you standardize on, N2K or 0183.

[thomm225]

In the mean time while you are deciding, you can make your own chartplotter with free OpenCPN charts and a $15 GPS Puck.

https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/downloadopencpn.html

If you have an old laptop with Windows 10, that can be your chartplotter

So then your chartplotter would only cost you $15.

I have AIS coming in to my homemade chartplotter also from my SH GX2200 VHF

In video, I'm using a $100 Raspberry Pi computer and $65 HTDV for display

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TOdSCDHb2s

[mgrouch]

Originally Posted by thomm225

In the mean time while you are deciding, you can make your own chartplotter with free OpenCPN charts and a $15 GPS Puck.



https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/downloadopencpn.html



If you have an old laptop with Windows 10, that can be your chartplotter



So then your chartplotter would only cost you $15.



I have AIS coming in to my homemade chartplotter also from my SH GX2200 VHF



In video, I'm using a $100 Raspberry Pi computer and $65 HTDV for display

Have you tried BBN Marine OS for pi4?

It should fit nicely into your set up.

https://bareboat-necessities.github.io

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by mgrouch

Have you tried BBN Marine OS for pi4?

It should fit nicely into your set up.

https://bareboat-necessities.github.io

I just spent a bit of time browsing their site. Lots of information, a lot of work put into it. Seriously.



One hurdle I have with all these kinds of solutions. I'm an engineer, and do about 100% of the work on my boat. I'm also moderately comfortable with computers. Also quite comfortable with marine electronics -- connections, translators, wiring, etc. My last boat, I put together a mostly-new electronics suite, with N2K instruments, 0183 chart plotter (Garmin), legacy Ray autopilot, and included data lines from and to my 0183 AIS receiver/VHF radio and a laptop station (which frankly I used about 1 hour total). On power up, everything worked with bi-directional data flow.



But, I read this, and my eyes glaze over. I don't even know where to start to dabble. What is the parts list (or a representative parts list for a "typical" setup)? Do I need to learn Linux (I don't know it) or can I muddle through with the sample lines in the users guide (I'm an old DOS guy, so command lines don't terribly scare me). I don't even know what waterproof monitor to buy to replace my chart plotter (the one listed in the users guide is not available from the mfgr, although AliBaba shows it, same make and part number, for around $150 if you can believe them). Does the Pi come in a box with a power supply, or do those have to be bought? How does one connect wires in a physically robust fashion with waterproof connections? How does one fish a HDMI cable to the binnacle pod (normal HDMI plugs are huge -- or do we use bare wires with terminal strips?).


It would be really great if someone did a soup-to-nuts photo documentary on how to do this. Something that looks like it was put together by MaineSail!


My first foray into this was thinking about a PYPilot as a backup to my venerable old Raymarine pilot. While the ram is hard to have a backup for (and even harder as a non-marine DIY solution), the idea of spending $100 or so to get a processor and a box and a heading sensor and having an output that drives the ram would be comforting. An installed spare. It doesn't have to talk to any other equipment, just drive a course. But I couldn't suss out all the details of what I need. Perhaps it's just me -- but, at the risk of tooting my own horn, if I can't get my mind around it, it's not for the faint of heart.


rant over.....sorry 'bout that.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

(I'm an old DOS guy, so command lines don't terribly scare me).

But I couldn't suss out all the details of what I need. Perhaps it's just me -- but, at the risk of tooting my own horn, if I can't get my mind around it, it's not for the faint of heart.

"Old" and "DOS" in the same sentence suggest you're really a young whipper-snapper.

But your rant was right on target for me, too. I just wanted to go cruising, don't need or want a new science project...

And it probably took me all of 2½ minutes to select our new MFD, once installed maybe 10 minutes to get the general idea of the GUI, done.

Doesn't mean other systems aren't viable for some folks, just not what I wanted to focus on.

-Chris

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by mgrouch

Have you tried BBN Marine OS for pi4?

It should fit nicely into your set up.

https://bareboat-necessities.github.io

All good that OpenCPN stuff as backup system (and i have all on board to get it set up but low down on priority list).
but you can't use that on the outside helm station eg driving through fog with radar on. And exactly for that you need a plotter, for the rest you can use your phone or tablet where OpenCPN is not working but eg Isailor in combination with the NMEA to Wifi dongle can do all a chartplotter can do except radar. You can actually use that GPS puck and the NMea to wifi bridge/dongle from OpenCPN to get an old Ipad with only wifi and Isailor to act as chartplotter for rhe helm and have OpenCPN as backup at the Navsation.
As i need and want radar at the helm there are 3 options out that I know:
1) chartplotter at helm with radar from same brand, rest of boat you can mirror it to an tablet and remote steer from there, exception B&G wjere they block the access to autopilot to be steered remotly. Like this you can eg get the smallest 7" scrren chartplotter from the top range which gives you all the features for 700-1000Euro and then use a used 11" or 12.9Ipad Pro for 200-400Euro as big screen and eg in case of raymarine you can 100% control it from the raycontrol app.
2) the new Orca core, will be released shortly, a blackbox with radar connection where you can connect tablet or phone to it to act as full chartplotter with radar. The avaliable orca core now as no ethernet port where the radar connection will be realised, so wait till its out...due to support very soon.
3)The Furono Wifi radar with its own app and I think was time Zero app that can integrate the radar. Furono wifi radar is tested not to be as good as other comparable radars avaliable.