Adding AIS to a Furuno 1834C

[kcrane]

Has anyone added AIS to a Furuno VX2 (in my case an 1834C model)?

There seem to be two choices. Get the Furuno FA-30 AIS receiver and connect it directly to the 1834 via an ethernet cable or buy a 3rd party AIS and connect it via NMEA (using the spare connection on the Raymarine course computer).

Access to the back of the 1834C looks tricky never mind mounting the AIS. I can't believe the little hinged access panel at the helm is the only way in, so I'll ask Princess on Monday how you get at the back of the instruments.

The NMEA option might be easier (though I haven't seen how good access is to the course computer via the aft cabin).

I was thinking of using the £260 COMAR AIS-Multi (aerial splitter and dual channel AIS receiver combined). Link is: http://www.comarsystems.com/ais_multi.html

The black box for the VHF is in the same place as the course computer, so I should find power, VHF aerial and NMEA connections close together.

BUT there is an ominous sentence in the 1834 manual which says:
"The AIS OPTION soft key is shown in grey unless the AIS Interface Unit or FURUNO FA-150 is connected."

There is no other mention of an AIS Interface Unit anywhere else in the manual. I am hoping they really meant that there is no AIS option available unless the plotter detects AIS signals on NMEA, rather than Furuno sell some specific box called an AIS Interface Unit.

Advice welcome!

 

[Channel Ribs]

I was thinking of using the £260 COMAR AIS-Multi

I am hoping they really meant that there is no AIS option available unless the plotter detects AIS signals on NMEA

You will want to shop around a bit for a better price in that AIS.

I would read that as meaning the unit will detect the high speed rate of AIS data too.

 

[kcrane]

You will want to shop around a bit for a better price in that AIS.

I wonder who I could get one from for a better price?

 

[Channel Ribs]

I wonder who I could get one from for a better price?

I shall send you one of those fangled PM things.

 

[PaulGooch]

The installation manual doesn't help much :

http://www.furunousa.com/ProductDocuments/IME35430E vx2.pdf

Note that the course computer baud rate is 4800 and AIS is 38400. If you connect the AIS to the autopilot you'd have to change the AIS baud rate to 4800, which isn't the best solution. I believe the Comar Multi AIS has a NMEA input, so it would be better to connect the course computer output to the AIS input, then send both data streams to the plotter at 38400.

 

[kcrane]

I believe the Comar Multi AIS has a NMEA input, so it would be better to connect the course computer output to the AIS input, then send both data streams to the plotter at 38400.

Thanks PaulGooch. I'll have a look onboard tomorrow. I guess there must be a link from the course computer to the plotter. So it should be do'able to switch those wires across to the AIS 'out' instead.

 

[jfm]

The installation manual doesn't help much :

http://www.furunousa.com/ProductDocuments/IME35430E vx2.pdf

Note that the course computer baud rate is 4800 and AIS is 38400. If you connect the AIS to the autopilot you'd have to change the AIS baud rate to 4800, which isn't the best solution. I believe the Comar Multi AIS has a NMEA input, so it would be better to connect the course computer output to the AIS input, then send both data streams to the plotter at 38400.

I agree all that. Otherwise you'll be sending AIS data that was meant for the 38400 fast lane along a 4800 B road

KCrane, if you want to bite the bullet and ditch the Fruno I now have my 3x mint E120s avaialble, cos I have now fitted the E140 wides. I'm typing this in Nice Airport lounge and have an E120 here in my wheelie bag. As mentioned before, selling at half the best internet price from a mainstream supplier, eg www.mesltd.co.uk, so (I think) that makes it £1300 ish, delivered to UK. You know it makes sense . If anyone else wants an E120, or two or three, please shout. One season use, boxed, complete w manuals and cables etc

If you decide to wire it thru a multiplexer then I'll send you one for free. I don't need the one I have because the new E series have multiple NMEA in

To use the multiplexer you connect the heading sensor and AIS nmea out wires to the inputs of the multipler, and the multiplexer out (38400 bad) connects to the Fruno or Raym nmea in. You then need to configure the Raym or Fruno NMEA in to accept 38400 speed data, via the menus. The multiplexer needs a power supply. Sizewise, the multiplexer is the size of packet 20 cigarettes, but perhaps 1.5 times as long

Sorry for thread drift but here are the E140Ws installed, taken today (sunday). I love these touchscreens. Ref an earlier discussion, they do work on capacitance not pressure cos they wont work with gloved hand (tho you can use the buttons; the t/screen function is merely optional). They do work when very wet though - I tried

 

[volvopaul]

Hi John that looks stunning!, looks like the weather has been nice in Antibes today, better than a couple of weeks ago.

Im servicing Kevins boat tomorrow so ill have a look for him re the space etc, a friends of mine maybe able to source the scanner too.

On the AIS side of this post, a friend had bought a standard ais reciever, it didnt work particularly well so he bought a garmin vhf with it built in, its married up to a garmin radar/plotter and from our upperhamble mooring it picks out the redjets and other traffic in southampton water area around town quay and the docks, where as the old reciever was virtually useless with its own aerial and also when connected the a standard vhf aerial.

Maybe the baud rates were all wrong and the garmin works a lot better with its own matched appliances.

 

[kcrane]

If you decide to wire it thru a multiplexer then I'll send you one for free. I don't need the one I have because the new E series have multiple NMEA in

To use the multiplexer you connect the heading sensor and AIS nmea out wires to the inputs of the multipler, and the multiplexer out (38400 bad) connects to the Fruno or Raym nmea in.

Paul's right, that does look a very comprehensive dash jfm!

I'll meet Paul at the boat tomorrow and take a look with him - fitting an E120 is beyond my skills even if there is room and I'm leaning towards trying the Furuno for a while to see if I get used to it, but the offer of the multiplexer is appreciated.

 

[PaulGooch]

Just to add, i have the Comar NMEA AIS. Not the multi, just the standard one. I have it connected to a second VHF antenna, which then doubles as an emergency VHF antenna. It has performed extremely well with both my old Standard Horizon plotter and my new Raymarine.

 

[jfm]

Paul's right, that does look a very comprehensive dash jfm!

I'll meet Paul at the boat tomorrow and take a look with him - fitting an E120 is beyond my skills even if there is room and I'm leaning towards trying the Furuno for a while to see if I get used to it, but the offer of the multiplexer is appreciated.

Ok just post on here if you decide the multiplexer route after paul has examined it all and it'll be in a jiffy bag to you the e120 would make loadsa sense on your fab boat. Buy a platinum plus chip and you'll have 3D view, google earth style phots of ports, the whole shebang. And if you get a vga lead you can see all that stuff on the saloon tv

 

[MapisM]

here are the E140Ws installed

Wow, what a beautiful helm station!
Easily one of the best I've ever seen on a f/b, even on much bigger boats!
Haven't you thought to go the extra mile and get rid of the steering wheel?
One of those thingies below would be the ultimate touch, on such a sleek and modern dashboard.
And it would allow an easier passage and better/tighter canvas cover, as a side benefit.