RM AIS500 - Outdated? or still a good unit?

[Cdn_bacon]

I've been slowly upgrading the electronics on the boat over the last year and ended up with RM. So far I've changed out the speed, depth, wind instruments and have an EV-100 autopilot on board. I recently picked up a quantum 2 radar and have plans to grab an axiom+ this winter in the off season. Recently a local has listed his gear to changer over to Garmin and he has a few bits of older gear I"m interested in but I don't know if its worth grabbing.

He has an AIS500 for next to nothing but is it worth grabbing as far as AIS goes? Not really educated enough about the AIS units to know if it's severely lacking but for over $1000 cheaper than the newer AIS700 it's hard to pass up. He also has a RS150 GPS antenna again for next to nothing. How would this gear interface with my current SeatalkNG? Is it hard to get the MMSI. reprogrammed?

[svmobert]

Nothing inherently wrong with the AIS500, it's a standard Class B transceiver with a built-in antenna splitter. Some (not all) newer AIS transceivers use a new SOTDMA Class B+ technology which has higher power and transmits more often, but the older Class B still works the same as it always has..

AIS500 has SeatalkNG connectivity.
RS150 also has SeatalkNG.

Things to consider:

1.) you will need to ensure you get the GPS antenna that comes with the AIS500, as the AIS unit has it's own GPS receiver.

2.) The AIS500 will have had the previous boat's MMSI programmed into it. You will likely need dealer/manufacturer help to reprogram the MMSI to your boat's MMSI number.

Originally Posted by Cdn_bacon

I've been slowly upgrading the electronics on the boat over the last year and ended up with RM. So far I've changed out the speed, depth, wind instruments and have an EV-100 autopilot on board. I recently picked up a quantum 2 radar and have plans to grab an axiom+ this winter in the off season. Recently a local has listed his gear to changer over to Garmin and he has a few bits of older gear I"m interested in but I don't know if its worth grabbing.

He has an AIS500 for next to nothing but is it worth grabbing as far as AIS goes? Not really educated enough about the AIS units to know if it's severely lacking but for over $1000 cheaper than the newer AIS700 it's hard to pass up. He also has a RS150 GPS antenna again for next to nothing. How would this gear interface with my current SeatalkNG? Is it hard to get the MMSI. reprogrammed?