VHF with built in AIS

BogMonster · 18 April 2015, 09:42

I've currently got a Garmin 556s, an Icom ICM-411 VHF into a Pacific antenna, and a Digital Yacht ANT200 AIS receiver.

The AIS receiver is crap, and has a range of about 3 miles even receiving large vessels, I have no idea where they get their claims of 10-15nm from! It's probably because of the little 6 inch antenna on top of the unit, but that has an odd threaded fitting and in any case even if I found a bigger one I think it would just break the unit.

I've been thinking about a change and wondered what feedback folks on here had, plus I had a few questions. Specifically:

1) If I get one of the VHFs with a built in AIS receiver, am I correct in thinking that both VHF and AIS uses the main VHF aerial, i.e. you do not need to fit a second aerial for the AIS side? It isn't clear from anything I've looked at so far.

2) What do I need to look for in order for it to talk to the Garmin? NMEA2000? What I want is to display the AIS targets on the plotter, I don't care about the display on the VHF.

3) What's needed in order to migrate to an AIS transceiver that transmits a position, and can any of the VHF options do that?

4) Any recommendations for either a receive only or a transceiver setup? Ideally something that would fit in the hole left by the old Icom.... and ideally one that will get a position from the plotter for the distress function (the Icom doesn't)

I suspect the option 3 is a big jump in price so I probably won't bother with that, but I'd quite like a better receiver if it can be achieved without spending silly money. It may be an idea that goes back in the bottom drawer.

Ta

Pikey Dave · 18 April 2015, 10:05

Icom 506 will get you AIS receive & nmea2000. Uses 1 antenna. I'm surprised your current icom & Garmin don't talk,have they got nmea0183?
I've got the Digital Yacht AIT2000 transponder to go in the new boat along with a 506. They will both have separate "proper" antennas. The class B transponders are around the £400 mark now.
PS I didn't see you on "An Island Parish" the other week, camera shy?

biffer · 18 April 2015, 12:21

Both icon and standard horizon have units that will do the job, I have the standard on my sunseeker and it talks to the Raymarine plotter via an actisense signal changer that allows the two units to be compatible with each other, the standard has built in GPS and it will work from one ariel

Sent by mobile thingy

BogMonster · 18 April 2015, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Icom 506 will get you AIS receive & nmea2000. Uses 1 antenna. I'm surprised your current icom & Garmin don't talk,have they got nmea0183?
I've got the Digital Yacht AIT2000 transponder to go in the new boat along with a 506. They will both have separate "proper" antennas. The class B transponders are around the £400 mark now.
PS I didn't see you on "An Island Parish" the other week, camera shy?

Mmm that is what I was looking at, quite expensive though £500 or so.

I have no idea how it was set up (well the answer is that it wasn't when the boat arrived, nothing talked to anything, but I eventually managed to get the plotter listening to the AIS receiver by randomly messing around with settings). The wiring is a jumble of stuff all cabled tied together, and I've no idea how it is all connected. I looked at it before and I think I eventually decided that the radio could only communicate in one direction from what it said in the book, so it wasn't probably going to work even if I did figure out the logic in the wiring (if indeed there was any!)

I managed to avoid all of the filming for both series of Island Parish as far as I am aware! Must say they got some nice footage though

Thanks!

Phil M · 18 April 2015, 19:38

I have a lowrance link 8 and garmin echomap 50dv that talk faultlessly over nmea0183. The info that comes up on the garmin is extensive top say the least. The link 8 only has one antenna and also has a nmea 2000 output. I'm really pleased with the combination.

Ais transmission requires a stand alone unit i belive which had to have its own gps amd transmitter. I don't think you can just add a module to a vhf. Of you can, i want one☺

Phil M

willk · 18 April 2015, 20:03

Ireland calling Falklands: Evening Stephen.

You have a few things all happening there that make it look messier than it is. As ever, it's about Resource and Priority. Sounds to me like you want AIS receive badly, AIS transpond a wee bit and budget is somewhere in the middle.

Random thoughts:

Fix your existing VHF to Plotter link - we'll assist and it WILL work - free
If you really only want AIS feed to your plotter - order a basic NMEA 0183 COMAR or similar (£110 ex VAT)
If you do the above, a cable Splitter will work the AIS from the same VHF antenna
That said, a second decent VHF antenna HAS to be a bonus
You can buy a standalone NMEA0183 AIS Transponder with integrated GPS antenna for around £350 ex VAT (UK)

BruceB · 20 April 2015, 16:55

I have the same digital yacht AIS receiver fitted to my RIB and found it very good at picking up marine traffic. In fact I have to turn the settings down as when originally instally it showed vessels a lot more than 3 miles away that were on a collision course!
I found it could see vessels far further than I could see them and only when looking in the direction it was warning you about was something visible on the horizon. It also picked up vessels inside harbours that were well out of the line of sight.

Maybe I just got a wednesday unit but I was, and still am, quite impressed with mine. Not to say that for the same money that there is now something better out there, my unit is 4-5 years old now I think.

BogMonster · 20 April 2015, 23:10

Odd - mine nowhere near lives up to the advertised range and is strictly line of sight and then with quite poor range of 3-4 miles - put any sort of land mass in the way and there is nothing at more than about 1 mile if that.

I'll ponder the way forwards....... thanks Willk

boristhebold · 21 April 2015, 07:22

Sounds like you got a few jobs to do with your wiring, I reckon tackle one job at a time, do some research on internet about Nmea 0183 and nmea2000 wiring, easy to connect your vhf to plotter. If money an issue what about trying to raise the digital yacht antanee higher using an extension tube to the fitting.

As it sounds like your worried generally about your messy wiring it might be well worth spending time in sorting it all out, take some pics then disconnect all and re do it, you will learn a massive amount and can then be comfortable with knowing what goes where and why.

As to AIS set ups I have a Ray marine AIS 650 transceiver and a Ray Marine Splitter AIS 100, the splitter splits the AIS signal, VHF and also FM from one Aerial to the VHF, AIS Unit and my fusion sterio (FM radio), I did at the time of fitting changed from a whip type VHF Aerial to a pricey but worth it shakespeare 1.2M Aerial, I also used the gold plated VHF connectors, I get great VHF and also great AIS coverage, have seen boats on AIS stated as being 30 miles away (seems to vary depending on atmospherics and line of sight)

Top tip, take pics of wiring and also draw out a logical wiring chart for all your stuff, you can also use that to plan for changes or new stuff.

If doing NMEA 0183 I made my own connection box out of a weatherproof junction type box from B&Q and some spade type connector blocks from a marine store, all conenctions have worked as they should. Or there are purpose built ones you can buy.