Conecting AIS vhf to chart plotter ?

[graham]

I know almost nothing about connecting electronics together.

Currently we have an icom dsc vhf which gets its gps positon from a stand alone Lowrance chart plotter mounted out in the cockpit.

I am thinking of buying a VHF with GPS and AIS built in.

Can any AIS VHF be used or would it be better to buy a Lowrance vhf to ensure compatibility. I am looking at the Lowrance 9 vhf. The Standard Horizon AIS VHF seems to have similar features for less money .

 

[PaulRainbow]

Get the SH, it will work fine.

 

[Sandy]

Is your chartplotter capable of displaying AIS targets? Do you want to display AIS targets on your chartplotter? Do you want to transmit your position on AIS?

I've crewed on a boat with a SH AIS VHF, it is not the easiest display in the world to use, a polite way of saying it is as useful as a chocolate teapot.

While I am a huge fan of the Mark I eyeball if using AIS as an aid to navigation I want the data to be presented clearly and quickly, otherwise I spent far to long working out what information it is giving me. An example of that I mean. Passing between southbound Great Yarmouth and the South Scroby Bank at 0500 one morning I was setting up to overtake a 'supply vessel' doing about 2 knots, cleary waiting for enough water to enter Great Yarmouth, in the time it took me to do a 360° scan, then a 15° course alteration to starboard and trim the sails the stern light was expecting to see a mile ahead had changed to red and green! My closing speed had changed from four knots to eight knots. After having a 'WTF' moment, a quick glance at the chartplotter confirmed his 180° course change. I am quite sure the wee screen of the SH VHF would not have given me the additional information as quickly and might have caused me to pass closer than I actually did as I got distracted with trying to work out what it was telling me.

I do love the Garmin chartplotters function to mark a vessel and a breadcrumb display of the track to be displayed.

 

[Refueler]

"graham" .... what is it you want to show or transfer ?

If you want to show AIS targets on the Plotter - then it will need to be able to do that ... many older plotters are unable to display AIS . My Lowrance cannot ... Globalmap 3500.
I ask because you say that previously you sent GPS position to your old VHF. That indicates to me an older Lowrance set ??

What Lowrance Plotter is it ?

I am a little confused as to what you are trying to do ...

As to connectability ...... Lowrance for a long time has had both NMEA0183 and NMEA2000 connectivity. The brand of gear if its going to use either of those standards makes no real difference as the standards requires compatibility.

 

[chriss999]

I put one of these on my old boat.
Standard Horizon GX2400GPS/E VHF with AIS & GPS

As Sandy says, the screen is too small to really use the AIS except for alarms /cpa data.
But I linked to a chart plotter it worked fine. If you have the manual you should be able to work out the colour/coded wiring connections.
Your supplier will tell you whether it is or isn’t compatible. If it is, then it should be reasonably straightforward. (Hopefully)
(I’m not tech-savvy but maybe I was lucky)

 

[graham]

What I want to do is connect the AIS enabled VHF to the chartplotter in order to show AIS targets on the plotter .I cant remember the model number of the Lowrance Chart Plotter . Will have a look tomorrow.

Our boat seems to have gained some magical fog attraction abilities in the last few seasons.

 

[dukeofted]

I had a SH radio with AIS connected to a Garmin chart plotter successfully so the brands don’t have to match.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I had a SH radio with AIS connected to a Garmin chart plotter successfully so the brands don’t have to match.

Yeah, any modern AIS should be able to transmit target data to the plotter over NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 - the NMEA sentences of AIS data are standardised, so different brands of equipment will be compatible.

I have a B&G plotter (which is same company as Lowrance) and Raymarine i70 instruments both receiving AIS data from an em-trak AIS. I'd happily add Garmin to the mix and expect that to work too.

But @Refueler is right to point out that older plotters may not support AIS - I'd guess that any chartplotter made in the last 10 years will be fine, but 15 years old (?) may be pushing it.

 

[ChromeDome]

My Lowrance HDS-10 Gen1 (launced 2008?) shows AIS & details via NMEA2000.

AIS data received by ICOM M506 VHF.

Plug 'n Play installation.

 

[PaulRainbow]

My Lowrance HDS-10 Gen1 (launced 2008?) shows AIS & details via NMEA2000.

AIS data received by ICOM M506 VHF.

Plug 'n Play installation.

N2K wasn't launched until 2001, NMEA 0183 was 1983

Think you got a date or two wrong there,

 

[Refueler]

N2K wasn't launched until 2021, NMEA 0183 was 1983

Think you got a date or two wrong there,

Just asking ...

My Lowrance 3500C has NMEA2000 .... in fact the GPS antenna is N2K with it ... and that is a very old set as you already pointed out in another thread .....

What was launched in 2021 ?

According my search ..... N2K was released in 2001 .....

NMEA 2000 Explained - A Simple Intro [2023]

 

[jwilson]

N2K wasn't launched until 2021, NMEA 0183 was 1983

Think you got a date or two wrong there,

Don't think MNEA2000 (N2K) was introduced nearly as late as 2021

 

[PaulRainbow]

Just asking ...

My Lowrance 3500C has NMEA2000 .... in fact the GPS antenna is N2K with it ... and that is a very old set as you already pointed out in another thread .....

What was launched in 2021 ?

According my search ..... N2K was released in 2001 .....

NMEA 2000 Explained - A Simple Intro [2023]

What year was your 3500C made ?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Don't think MNEA2000 (N2K) was introduced nearly as late as 2021

You're right John, was a typo, should be 2001

 

[Refueler]

You're right John, was a typo, should be 2001

I love it .... I pick up an error ... and you pass on by ..... but have to 'have a poke' .....

 

[Refueler]

What year was your 3500C made ?

No idea but many years before 2021 .....

If you are implying that N2K is not part of that series of Lowrance gear ... suggest you read the manual.

As I recall ... the GM 3500C I have was manufactured 2005 - 2006.

What difference does that make ??

 

[graham]

The plotter is a Lowrance HDS 5m .Googling has told me it has NMEA 0183 /2000 Expandability compatible.

What I cant specifically find is wether or not it can deal with AIS input.

 

[ChromeDome]

I bought it in 2013 on special offer because Gen2 had been relased. I'm quite sure the Gen1 was 5 years at that time.

A quick search reveals:

The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) completed and released the NMEA 2000® Standard for Serial-Data Networking of Marine Electronic Devices during October 2001. The development of this standard began in 1994.

 

[ChromeDome]

The plotter is a Lowrance HDS 5m .Googling has told me it has NMEA 0183 /2000 Expandability compatible.

What I cant specifically find is wether or not it can deal with AIS input.

I'm certain it will - plug-and-play

Make sure it is updated to latest firmware version

 

[LadyInBed]

What I cant specifically find is wether or not it can deal with AIS input.

My SH plotter was fitted in 2000, it takes AIS via NMEA0183 input without any issues.
I assume you still have the manual for your plotter, it should say how to connect AIS if it can.