Matsutec HP-33A AIS Transponder

Hello everybody,

I bought my HP-33A last July, and have spent this summer installing it together with an as-new second hand ONWA KP-6299 chartplotter, replacement for my venerable Raymarine RC425, which gave its last position only a week after I bought the HP-33A.

VHF antenna is mounted aft at deck level, so that it can be used as an emergency antenna for the VHF radio in case of dismasting :eek: or failure of the main one. On a day with particularly good propagation I was able to get AIS signals from vessels 100 miles away, but this depends of course on the transmission power of the AIS signal.

I intend to have both devices working separately (both systems have their own GPS antenna, discreetly mounted below deck), and have managed to send the NMEA signal from the HP-33A to the autopilot. Now I am planning to install a switch so that the HP-33A can be easily used as a backup navigation system in case the chartplotter fails.

I can only say that I do not know what I am more delighted with, the HP-33A itself or its price!

Cheers,
 
Alpha22 said:
The HP-33A only has one data port. The is configurable in software for various tasks. I set mine up today to pass GPS data to the DSC VHF...
Click to expand...
From another thread Source of NMEA data?
nigelmercier said:
The NMEA data feed I have doesn't seem to register with the ST60 Graphic ...
Click to expand...

As some of you may have realised, the source of the NMEA data I was using to test my ST60 Graphic is the HP-33A. I have now bought a Lowrance iFinder GO2, and my ST60G is happy. I wonder if there is something weird about the HP-33A output. It works fine into my RS-232 USB converter, just not the ST60G.

Obviously I will not normally be using it, but it would be handy as a back-up.

Has anyone else had problems with the NMEA output from the HP-33A?

[Later] See my update on the plug type in Post #75
 
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nigelmercier said:
Has anyone else had problems with the NMEA output from the HP-33A?
Click to expand...

Not at all; as I said earlier, I have inserted a switch between the AIS and the chartplotter NMEA outputs, so that I can feed NMEA data to the autopilot from either the AIS or the chartplotter. In case one of them fails, I will always have the other as a backup. It works fine!

The only problem I had was that the info from Matsutec labels the blue wire as SD and the green wire as RD, and it is the other way round. That is, when one wants to get NMEA data from the HP-33, the green and brown wires must be connected, but if one wants to feed NMEA data into the HP-33, the blue and brown wires are to be used. The HP-33 input/output options must be configured accordingly, since the NMEA sentences sent are different for each option.

Regards,
 
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We're thinking of getting one of these. Still recommended by all?

I want to network it with a Garmin chartplotter and VHF radio.

Thanks
 
Dingbull said:
The only problem I had was that the info from Matsutec labels the blue wire as SD and the green wire as RD, and it is the other way round...
Click to expand...
I haven't seen anything from Matsutec that links the pins with the colours, only the first reply to this thread, from which I made this:

Matsutec-AIS-HP-33A-Data-Cable-Socket_zpscece97fe.png


The items in the RS232 part are what you connect them to, one person's send is another's receive.
 
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Have read about people saying how flexible the display is but I am confused about quite what information that the set can process.

For example, can you feed depth, speed (log) and wind info into the unit using NMEA0183 or 2k and if you can how flexible is the display when showing this info.

I think what I am trying to say is, would it be feasible to use the unit as a multifunction display with all the AIS functionality going on in the background with the AIS data going to a separate plotter ?
 
Mistroma said:
Thanks for the info. I was only joking about packing a suitcase full on return trip. Pretty much guaranteed to be full of clothes anyway if my wife gets her way.

It seems likely that a black box style transponder will be extremely cheap in HK, so worth a punt if I have time to track one down.
Click to expand...

That's a shame, cos I would've bought one from you if you did bring some back... ;)
 
Do not be too downhearted Ross because there is unlikely to be much price advantage other than VAT & duty (if there is any). The Chinese have a completely different attitude to discount, everything is pared down to the bone and they think a couple of % is generous !
 
Getting serious now....

Had a read of your manual link Nigel, but can't find the unit dimensions.. Very, very tempted to get one to replace my old NASA AIS pretend-radar - will it fit in the same gap?

I can extend downwards as the height is a almost certainly more on the Matsutec, but the width is fairly critical...
 
rosssavage said:
Getting serious now....

Had a read of your manual link Nigel, but can't find the unit dimensions.. Very, very tempted to get one to replace my old NASA AIS pretend-radar - will it fit in the same gap?

I can extend downwards as the height is a almost certainly more on the Matsutec, but the width is fairly critical...
Click to expand...

Units facia is 130 high by 150 wide but you may just need a little extra width internally depending upon your chosen means to panel mount it.
 
Ais installed & working

GPS/ Transponder now installed.
Thanks Nigel for the detailed flush mount drawing. My only problem was getting new cables run from pushpit mounted Antennas as the conduit was only big enough to take the GPS coax! I had to carefully desolder the pin connector on the end of the GPS coax and remake this connection after rethreading. I have managed to connect and get the instruments to repeat the Nav data. Connections were correct first time again thanks to the contributors of the colour cable and pin outs...

I have not had time to fit a waterproof socket to allow me to plug a PC in to download my waypoints. I intend to fit a Bulgin bulkhead socket to the RHS of the Facia and wire it up for either serial or USB connection to a PC

What Download/upload utility(FREE?) are people using?

I am used to creating a GPX file in open cpn on the PC and uploading that to direct to a Garmin Montana.
Can i do the same with the Matsutec?

Any tips or hints much appreciated.

Thanks to all the contributors that have made this install so easy.
View attachment 46032
 
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