AIS Engines

[eclipsemullet]

What AIS engines are there out there? I have heard of the NASA one. Are there others?

 

[chuzzlewit]

NASA is fine: just fitted one. Look no further.

 

[StarSkream]

Maptech are selling Receivers and Tranceivers. Give Mike a call at Maptech as he knows all the models

 

[tome]

Raymarine are about to release their AIS250 receiver. There are some issues with the NASA AIS output (doesn't meet NMEA specification for voltage levels) which is causing some interface problems with certain plotters and multiplexers

 

[crossbones]

I use the nasa engine with a pc. It works well and gives a good range. I have seen the nasa engine used with both raymarine C and E series without problems.

 

[eclipsemullet]

[ QUOTE ]
I use the nasa engine with a pc. It works well and gives a good range. I have seen the nasa engine used with both raymarine C and E series without problems.

[/ QUOTE ]
What range do you get?

 

[aluijten]

As usual there are many choices you can make here;

If your choice is for a receiver only there are still choices to be made.
Do you want a dual channel one or a switching channel one. Basically the difference is the update speed. The dual channel one updates twice as fast (and is almost twice as expensive)

Alternatives to the NASA device:

Smart Radio SR 161, SR162 and SR162G(PS) sold in Europe via
www.stentec.com (see under GPS hardware in menu on the left)

Euronav AI3000
http://www.euronav.co.uk/Products/Hardware/AIS_transponder/AI3000AIS_RX.htm


There are a few more.

Cheers,

Arno

 

[crossbones]

What range do you get?
------------------------------

I have a quarter wave antenna on the pushpit and get vessels at 15 to 20 miles.

 

[pvb]

JG Technologies offer AIS engines by Milltech, Comar, Easy and Nasa.

 

[aluijten]

Be aware that the JG Tech offer on the Miltech/Smart Radio is much more expensive then Stentec. (349 pounds versus 425 Euro)

Ciao,

Arno

 

[pvb]

You're right, the SR162 is more expensive, although JG's price for the SR161 is similar to Stentec. There aren't many UK suppliers of the Milltech products, which could explain the strange pricing (JG are generally very competitive).

 

[eebygum]

[ QUOTE ]
Raymarine are about to release their AIS250 receiver. There are some issues with the NASA AIS output (doesn't meet NMEA specification for voltage levels) which is causing some interface problems with certain plotters and multiplexers

[/ QUOTE ]

Does anybody know if there is a problem with the NASA engine and a Garmin 292 which is the combination I'm looking for ?

Thanks

 

[Graham_Wright]

Why doesn't the NASA AIS display also output the data for use by a plotter? It must obviously contain an engine and would make it an irresistible combination.

 

[crisjones]

Raymarines AIS is a combined AIS engine, NMEA multiplexer and aerial splitter (VHF/AIS/AM-FM), retail price will be £650 + VAT.

Personally I think you are better with a seperate VHF aerial for the AIS on the pushpit, most people reckon they get well over 10 miles range from this so more than adequate for collision avoidance. Also you have the advantage of a backup emergency VHF aerial if your mast falls down or some other problem with main VHF aerial.

I do not have much faith in splitters after recently finding the splitter in our VHF for AM radio was causing a huge reduction in VHF recieving range. With a new aerial and co-ax we can now hear Dublin, Liverpool and Holyhead Coastguards from Holyhead marina without the splitter in line. With the splitter in line we could only hear Holyhead and that was crackly!!!

You will need a NMEA multiplexer if you need fast compass data on the NMEA bus and in some other circumstances. Generally if you want to display AIS data as an overlay on a chartplotter you will probably need the multiplexer (very general statement!!).

Even so buying a multiplexer (£150) and AIS Engine (£110-160) and seperate aerial (£40) is much cheaper than Raymarines combined unit, although there is a bit more installation work.

 

[tome]

Fully agree with you about antenna splitters and wouldn't have one for the same reasons, our AIS antenna is on the pushpit and available as a spare for VHF

I'd like to see further details of the Raymarine product (eg, is it dual frequency? does the mux handle higher baud rates for heading sensors? etc) before deciding whether to ditch our NASA AIS which I don't think is well engineered at all

 

[tome]

[ QUOTE ]
I have seen the nasa engine used with both raymarine C and E series without problems.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lucky you!