TiggerToo
Well-Known Member
Has anyone had any experience with NASA's small AIS receiver?
http://www.cactusnav.com/nasa-engine-receiver-p-784.html
http://www.cactusnav.com/nasa-engine-receiver-p-784.html
AIS Receiver
- Thread starter TiggerToo
- Start date
RichardS
N/A
I'm rather surprised to see that it's supplied with a serial port and cable rather than a USB interface. Trying to find a serial port these days is like looking for the proverbial needle. I'd be inclined to look for something with USB.
Richard
Richard
GHA
Well-Known Member
I've had one for years now, works fine. It's only single channel so it flips between the 2 ais channels - sometimes it can take a while for static class b data like boat name to show up but in the real world that's never been a problem. Serial/usb converters cost sod all on ebay to get the data into a laptop or raspberry pi.
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
At 30-odd quid more for the dual channel, USB version of the digital yacht AIS100 I wouldn't bother with the NASA. I've had the USB and non-USB versions of the DY box and both have been excellent with only a rail-mounted aerial.
GHA
Well-Known Member
Didn't have that option way back then, but that does seem like a better choice for not much more cash unless there's a nasa on ebay for next to nothing.
I'd be temped for the serial version in case you want to use a NMEA multiplexer at some point, get your own serial/usb adaptor.
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RichardS
N/A
What has the serial/USB option got to do with the NMEA output?
As I said, forget serial .... it's dead and buried.
Richard
GHA
Well-Known Member
What has the serial/USB option got to do with the NMEA output?
As I said, forget serial .... it's dead and buried.
Richard
If you want to use a NMEA multiplexer like Actisense NDC-4 then it will want serial NMEA 0183 data, decide later you want something like that and you're stuffed if you only have ais coming out on a USB feed and can't split off a NMEA 0183 serial feed. Serial on boats is very far from dead and buried, nmea 0183 still lives despite it's limitations. Tigger doesn't actually say what he wants to do with the data , he might want it to go straight into a plotter via nmea 0183, then your dead serial isn't so dead any more.
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PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
The important question here, "what are you going to view AIS on" ? Plotter, laptop, tablet ? More than one device ?
RichardS
N/A
I've no idea what you're on about GHA.
It sounds as if you're telling me that NMEA and USB are actually serial protocols. I always wondered what the S stood for.
So let's use the term "RS-232 / DE-9 interface" from now on .... and that is truly on life support if not already passed away. RIP. :ambivalence:
Richard
TiggerToo
Well-Known Member
yep, my fault. Sorry. I want it "simply" to connect to a chartplotter (Garmin 450). So, serial, NMEA0183 seems like the right way to go.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Then forget the NASA and get a decent dual channel, NMEA 0183 receiver. Digital Yacht, Comar, etc
Trundlebug
Well-Known Member
I had a NASA AIS receiver connected to my Garmin 451 chartplotter.
It worked faultlessly and showed up all the right information on the plotter screen.
Connection was easy. Not sure what all the fuss above reagrdling connections and brand snobbery is all about.
I only removed my NASA receiver when I upgraded to a transponder, which has a receiver integrated within it.
So my NASA receiver is now up for sale, make me a reasonable offer by PM and it's yours.
It worked faultlessly and showed up all the right information on the plotter screen.
Connection was easy. Not sure what all the fuss above reagrdling connections and brand snobbery is all about.
I only removed my NASA receiver when I upgraded to a transponder, which has a receiver integrated within it.
So my NASA receiver is now up for sale, make me a reasonable offer by PM and it's yours.
Cantata
Well-Known Member
+1
I had a Nasa AIS connected to a S-H Plotter. Simple, reasonably priced and very effective.
I had a Nasa AIS connected to a S-H Plotter. Simple, reasonably priced and very effective.
GHA
Well-Known Member
Obviously you're mistaken. Which is possibly why you suggested USB which would have been completely useless for the OP.
agurney
Well-Known Member
I'm not surprised at the lack of USB, it looks like really old stock - the product review was written 2006, and the supplied software supports Win98 to Vista so probably won't work on most modern PCs. (the AIS data will be fine, but the CD will be a coaster)
prv
Well-Known Member
USB is serial in the sense that the bits come one after the other, but it's not RS232 or one of the other related serial protocols.
NMEA0183, however, absolutely is serial in the traditional sense, and is alive and well at sea. The commercial world has yet to be convinced by NMEA2000 and is sticking with point-to-point serial links.
Pete
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
Absolutely.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Nothing to do with brand snobbery, the NASA unit is cheap for a reason, it's inferior.
It is a single channel receiver so it alternates between the two channels (a and b). In busy areas it's likely to miss data. For little more money a quality dual channel unit can be purchased that will likely also have USB or wifi connectivity.
Blue_mischief
Well-Known Member
Installed a QK-A026 Wireless AIS+GPS Receiver a few weeks ago. Sends via wifi to iPad. £100 delivered plus cost of ais aerial and external gps. Have used with iSailor charts, beta version of Memory map with ais and also works with Digital ais app which is free. Worked well on two week trip to Skye to Stornoway, but not happy with iSailor charts except for their ais function, and beta version of Memory Map needs improvement for its ais functions. Will be trying with Navionics and possibly opencpn in future.
If you have a tablet, the Quark stuff is well worth looking at.
http://quark-elec.com/home/aboutus
Only a customer etc.
If you have a tablet, the Quark stuff is well worth looking at.
http://quark-elec.com/home/aboutus
Only a customer etc.
RichardS
N/A
Obviously you're mistaken. Which is possibly why you suggested USB which would have been completely useless for the OP.
Obviously not .... which is why the OP is going to have to chop off the obsolescent RS232 / DE-9 interface and throw it in the bin.
Richard
