AIS for Raymarine

codprawn · 13 January 2008, 20:27

I am considering fitting AIS to my Raymarine C80. The Raymarine unit is £600 - the NASA unit is £110. Bit of a difference really!!!

How difficult will it be to use the NASA unit? Will the Raymarine software see the info ok?

From what I can gather I will need an extra aerial or splitter and possibly a mulitplexer for the NMEA.

Any info most welcome - I can justify £110!!!

Poly · 13 January 2008, 20:50

Cod,

Have you seen this? http://www.altendorff.co.uk/archives/date/2006/09

or this http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.p...76/an/0/page/2
which links to this: http://raymarine.custhelp.com/cgi-bi...p?p_faqid=1233

Neil

The Garfish · 13 January 2008, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

I am considering fitting AIS to my Raymarine C80.

i wudunt bovver mi sun

yorr orlreddy bein wochid

codprawn · 13 January 2008, 21:11

Thanks for that - only just had the idea so only just started looking into it. I don't really NEED AIS where we are - just not enough shipping to justify it but for £120 well worth a go.

If I had a conventional boat with a cabin I would have everything running off a PC or laptop - much cheaper than chartplotters and much more versatile but on an open RIB it's a different story!!!

codprawn · 13 January 2008, 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Garfish

i wudunt bovver mi sun

yorr orlreddy bein wochid

Shit Garf you've had me again!!! Hope you didn't see what I was up to earlier when you were playing with your periscope..............

jwalker · 13 January 2008, 21:32

Codders, I've connected the NASA engine to my Garmin and it works without a problem. Be aware that AIS data is transmitted at 38,400 baud so your Raymarine unit will need to be able to receive at that speed. However, the port you set to that speed will then not be able to receive normal NMEA data. The NASA AIS engine gives a partial fix for this in that it will accept incoming normal NMEA data on a separate cable and it will pass this on along with the AIS output at high speed.

The AIS engine is not, in anyway, water resistant so you'll need to mount it somewhere safe or put it into a box using gland nuts for the cables.

I've used a separate antenna, just a cheap short one. My boat is at home and the antenna is layed flat. Today I was receiving AIS info from vessels over 14 miles away, so the input sensitivity appears to be very good.

Hope that helps.

The Garfish · 13 January 2008, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Hope you didn't see what I was up to earlier when you were playing with your periscope..............

codprawn · 13 January 2008, 21:53

I didn't want to see the relection in the eyepiece!!!

codprawn · 13 January 2008, 22:16

Thanks Jay walker!!!

jwalker · 13 January 2008, 22:51

You're welcome.

I fekked up the wee pic so here is the correct one. It's worth noting that it can be used by anyone wanting to monitor an NMEA output. The led will light sharply when it receives a sentence and then decay to off.

MikeCC · 14 January 2008, 19:35

The Raymarine link pretty well says it all in terms of hooking it up.

Note that you cannot link NMEA and Navtex at the same time, even with a multiplexer as Navtex is not NMEA data.

As for the antenna, it's a cost and installation balance. A separate antenna may be cheaper if you have the space (and don't cost your time to install it!). As JW says, something like the Pacific heliflex antenna will do the job. A decent splitter is going to be around £100 (eg the EasySplit). They work on the basis that the VHF transmit power increases over a few milliseconds and the unit switches out the AIS receive circuit in that time.

Don't forget you'll need a PL-259 - BNC converter for an AIS unit. Do it that way then if you need a spare for the VHF it's easy to just unscrew the adapter.

I'm not sure I'd use the NASA pass-through and I'd have to check if it supports all NMEA or just GPS sentences (as it's original purpose was for connecting GPS and AIS to one port on a PC).

The NASA unit is a bit over £100; as an alternative the Comar dual receiver is just over £300. Either way, go for JW's suggestion of the box. The units don't generate any real heat but leave some space.

Let me know if we can help you out!

2012Marine · 14 January 2008, 20:48

Codders,

I have a Raymarine AIS integrated into an E80 on Vampire. The comments regarding waterproofing and armouring the AIS are correct this will need to be done. The expert in this is Dorian Martin at RIBCRAFT who did the whole installation including NEMA 2000 linkage to the Suzuki OB. Please fire any q's my way and I will try and answer.

Greg

smartcom · 29 December 2009, 15:02

Have a look at the AIS gear test I did in tha last issue of Practical Boat Owner - you get what you pay for with the NASA kit, and its worth trying to stretch the budget a bit further.
Also, with Raymarine chart plotters, be aware that in general if you plug in AIS, you cannot plug in NAVTEX, and vice versa.
Tim

Cookee · 30 December 2009, 08:49

A separate antenna is a good idea as the AIS can hog the signal as it receives on either AIS or VHF, not both at once.

9D280 · 04 January 2010, 08:38

Alternatively, does the new Icom 50(3?) not recieve AIS as well as squirting out position request & Distress positions from the DSC?

Granted, if the set goes down you've lost the lot.......

JABS · 04 January 2010, 11:00

Seen this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brookhouse-AIS...item3358c5ce36