Raymarine E80 + AIS 650 + McMurdo AIS PLB MOB

[rgleason]

Equipment: (2) E 80 + AIS 650 + McMurdo AIS PLB

Questions:

Will the McMurdo PLB AIS Mob signal register properly with the AIS 650 and cause a loud alarm sound and Mob Alert on the E 80 multifunctions? -NO Mob Alert

Also what user adjustments and settings for the mob Alert can be set? Can the alert sound be silenced during retrival?
- If the Dangerous target alarm is set, it will trigger.

Do you know if anyone has tested this equipment with Ais 650 and E 80? Unknown. -Do not know.

If the Plb Ais alarm does not work will there be a software update? -NO

Answers from Raymarine UK: (Thank you)

The standard AIS target will show and if the Dangerous target alarm is set then this will be triggered, otherwise the PLB should show as a standard AIS target.

As I said, the E80 is too old to be able to differentiate between a PLB AIS and a vessel AIS, so the only identifier will be the MMSI number.

If you have set the dangerous target alarm then this will trigger an alarm, otherwise the PLB will just show as another AIS target.

The PLB will NOT show as an MOB – only the actual MOB alarm triggered by the MOB button on the E80 will show an MOB.

In Summary – No the PLB will not trigger an MOB alarm on the E80.

The E80 code is simply too old to be modified to be able to identify a PLB AIS.

All our current product with current software will on the other hand recognize a PLB AIS as a unique AIS target.

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Raymarine Earlier response:
The McMurdo AIS PLB will activate the AIS alarm, however it will not display on the E80 as the unit was developed long before the PLB messages became active. The current Raymarine multifunction displays will however react to the PLB and will display the AIS alarm correctly on screen.

[Lifesadream]

I have the Kannad AIS PLB which I understand is the same as the mcmurdo but different branding for US. I also have a brand new Raymarine c125 plotter with current software upgrades as of Feb this year when I bought it and upgraded everything. My AIS is provided by EM-trek.

We did a full live test of the device in the middle of the Caribbean away from any other shipping. The C125 alarmed quickly with the same generic sound as all the other general alarms. I had to actively acknowledge to clear the alarm. The target then unfortunately looked just like any other ship - the usual triangle shape.

It seems a shame that they can program a more unique icon to this particular alert given its importance. Would also be nice to have a slightly different audible alert to distinguish it from other alerts. When we use the auto pilot to sail to wind we can often be in situations where the wind shift alert goes off far too regularly. This numbs the person off duty to the alarm.