Chinese ONWA AIS transceiver - compatible with OpenCPN?

[volksbar]

Hello,
curious about compatibility of the ONWA blackbox AIS transceiver (KS-200A
Class B+ AIS Transponder Black Box). It is not listed as AIS device for OpenCPN.

Has anybody dared, even managed and has experiences on if or how to make them work together?

Connection/Outputs of KS 200: AIS and GPS data on RS232 NMEA ports to other navigational equipment on board - https://onwamarine.com/ks-200a/

Connect the AIS data to the PC:
KS-200A/B 9-pin serial port of the computer

The default baud rate of the data link is 38.4kBaud with 8 data bits, one stop bit and no parity.
The data interface conforms to IEC 61162-1.

The sent messages VDM, VDO, RMC, GSV, GGA and GSA are conformed to NMEA 0183.

thxs upfront for sharing your experience

[PippaB]

Have not used that box.

The specs are pretty much standard; baud, sentences, etc. if truly NMEA 0183 compatible should be directly useable in OpenCPN.

One caution, the section of the manual you quoted says 'IEC 61162-1', which is NMEA 0183 and by definition uses an RS-422 serial link. Other parts of the manual say the Onwa has an RS-232 serial port. The specs do overlap, sometimes you can successfully use one with the other. This would only really affect what type of serial port you have for receiving the data from the AIS. If you are buying an external serial adapter then either get a configurable one, or accept that there's a chance you'll be buying two.

[volksbar]

Thanks a lot for sharing this insight, Pippa!

This means a general "yes" regarding the data-structure and compatibility.

Now regarding your concern of OWNA's mixed info regarding using RS-232 and RS-422 - thanks a lot for pointing this out!

The manual of the KS200A states the specs "RS232" :

"Connectors
-VHF Antenna connector PL259 female
-GPS Antenna connector BNC female
-RS232 data connector Female 9 Way D-type"

So hopefully the cabling could be handled by USB-RS232 adapters off the shelf.

If the off the shelf adapter is not working, OWNA details their cable code (below).

Is there further knowledge or experience whether it is thereby reasonable to assume it is sufficient to connect Pin 1,2, 7,8 of OWNA o a USB 2 data cable?

[PIN 1 RX+ (Yellow)
PIN 2 TX+ (White)
PIN 3 RX-/TX- (Blue)
PIN 4 AIS SART (Orange)
PIN 5 Silent Mode (Green)
PIN 6 Ground (Shielding)
PIN 7 Power+ (Red)
PIN 8 Power- (Black)]

thxs again

[Simi 60]

It looks identical to the matsutec ha102 which we have
Easy setup
Works a treat.
About 3 years with it now

[bcn]

Originally Posted by volksbar

Is there further knowledge or experience whether it is thereby reasonable to assume it is sufficient to connect Pin 1,2, 7,8 of OWNA o a USB 2 data cable?

[PIN 1 RX+ (Yellow)
PIN 2 TX+ (White)
PIN 3 RX-/TX- (Blue)
PIN 4 AIS SART (Orange)
PIN 5 Silent Mode (Green)
PIN 6 Ground (Shielding)
PIN 7 Power+ (Red)
PIN 8 Power- (Black)]

thxs again

Why do you want to connect Power 7 & 8?



You will need at least 2 & 3, and 1 in case there is something to be send to the device.
The description looks like RS-422 with differential TX/RX pairs (plus Ground and Power- and not just GND for all purposes...)

[bcn]

As this device is a transceiver, hence a radio station, make sure that it has the required regulatory approvals for your flag state.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by bcn

As this device is a transceiver, hence a radio station, make sure that it has the required regulatory approvals for your flag state.

Yeah nah.
Think it's only America that has such issues

[bcn]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Yeah nah.
Think it's only America that has such issues

Wrong, in Europe you will need to register the AIS transponder. Aprovals are country depended.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by bcn

Wrong, in Europe you will need to register the AIS transponder. Aprovals are country depended.

Wrong ETSI approval is EU wide

However once you have got your MMSI there’s no compliance to ensure your ais is etsi approved

[bcn]

We are talking about the same, I think.
As homologation and enforcement is a member state task, they rule and have established the mutual recognition of certificates issued on base of standards.
For example the German BSH states:

Approval of recreational craft equipment

Information on equipment and minimum equipment for recreational craft can be found in the brochure "Sicherheit auf dem Wasser" (Safety on the Water, in German only). In principle, depending on the item of equipment, at least one national approval is required for recreational craft on all waters flying the German flag. The BSH is only responsible for the approval of the equipment listed below.
Recognition of an approval from another EU country

The BSH may recognise the national approval of another EU country for a device if this device meets the required standards with regard to safety, health and suitability for use (Regulation (EU) 2019/515 on the mutual recognition of approvals). The certificate of a classification society cannot be recognized as a national approval of an EU country!
You should always have the approval documents of such a device on board for presentation during inspections. Despite an approval, the device will be objected to if it does not objectively meet the standards required in COLREGs - International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
The manufacturer or distributor can submit an informal application to the BSH for recognition of his approval from another EU country. With the application, the distributor must submit the approval documents as well as any existing test reports. With a recognition the BSH certifies that the device meets the required standards and is accepted as equivalent.
All products approved by the BSH can be found in the lists of marine equipment approved and recognised by the BSH.

Here the detailed list of the Spanish administration:

https://apps.fomento.gob.es/RadioCom...57&Busqueda=10
Which by the way shows the following regarding ONWA:

[goboatingnow]

It’s not a country specific task. A radio approved to etsi standards in say Germany is automatically approved in say Ireland. There’s no further regulatory requirement.

[volksbar]

Thanks for all above input , and below some more infos directly from ONWA (especially of value to those interested to integrate ONWA KS200A into their system)

- needed Hardware adapter: RS232 to USB converter, model LX-08A - see below image
It allows to to integrate the AIS via USB into a boat system, on a computer, to run OPENCPN or other



-SART functionality interestingly exists also in KS-200A, even ONWA didn't add a specific SART button to the A version. If wanting to add a SART function, use Pin4, connect it via a switch to Ground, and it will trigger the SART message - see image below



Furthermore, a German dealer who trades both, the ONWA AIS KS 200 and Matsutec ha102, which very much look alike and are in a similar price range, recommended for such purpose to go with Matsutec. It would be easier to integrate into a computer/CPN system, while ONWA is easier to integrate into a chart plotter (without giving further details)

This dealer further tested ONWA and Matsutec side by side, and sait that the transmission range is similar (even Matsutec transmits with 2W, Onwa with 5W).

[PiAn]

Thanks for info.
Received mine and trying to put it at work, but this is not easy.


1/ The proposed software does not work with the interface I have, a Prolific RS232. With the same interface, I have operationnal interface with YAT or OpenCPN.
As so, it works fine as an AIS receiver, but I can not program emission.
The software also fails to connect to other interfaces, RS422 FTDI232 and RS422 CH340.


Maybe I could program the AIS with YAT but I have no information about the frames to send.


2/ The device is a pure RS232 transmitter. There is no RS422 interface. All my trials to interface to RS422 inputs fail. Has anyone been able to interface to a RS422 input, e.g. on a MFD ????

[markcouz]

I managed to get mine programmed using the supplied software on a Win10 PC, using an NMEA 0183>USB adaptor from Yacht Devices. All other adaptors that I tried did not do the job.

[PiAn]

Solution found : use the MATSUTEC software. It works fine and accepts the Prolific (PL2303).
Now the point 2/ remains : how to feed this RS232 to a NMEA RS422 input ?