Matsutec ais

[robertj]

Has anyone any experience of the matsutec transponder ais?
They look quite a good unit but I’m not too conversant with that sort of kit.
Views please if you would.
Rob

 

[toucancatketch]

I have installed the hp-33a installed and it has worked flawlessly from day one. The plotter display is more a novelty than useful without overlay charts so I depend on my Garmin to display targets. Having the display to change settings is great.

I'm also working with a friend's ha-102 black box transponder. This has been extremely frustrating. The unit must be connected to a PC to make any of the very limited adjustments. It will provide both GPS and ais data to a plotter but it will not transmit ais. When you look at the dump it says "ais silent set" but the configuration software has no way to change that. Interesting is that when you press the safety switch the unit sends the mob device signal by ais and shows up on other boat's target lists, so the unit can transmit.

Bottom line is I recommend the hp-33a and save the frustration.

 

[pvb]

The HP-33A seems to have gained a reputation as a cheap and cheerful AIS transceiver, but there are lots of other transceivers now to choose from. If I were going to buy a transceiver today, I'd go for an em-trak B100 for £350 inc shipping. Why? It's got both NMEA0183 and NMEA2000 connectivity to start with (the HP-33A only has NMEA0183), and this gives an element of future-proofing, as newer plotters are tending only to have NMEA2000. It's designed in England and made in Europe. It has a sensible user manual. It has an SD card slot for data logging. And it has a 3 year warranty. OK, it doesn't have the little screen which is, as toucancatketch said, basically a novelty, and most people want their AIS info to be overlaid on a decent-size plotter screen.

 

[duncan99210]

I bought one second hand, fitted it this spring and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Whilst the display isn’t great, it’s at least as useful as the radar for identifying targets and putting names to them. If I’d been buying new, I’d probably have gone for the Matsutec up-628a which is a plotter and AIS combo.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have an HP-33A. Well, I have two, because #1 is up the creek and Matsutec do technical support like the Syria Army does shiatsu massage.

That said, it works well and, as a non-plotter-user, I find the screen far more than a novelty. It's a really excellent stand-alone GPS.

 

[pvb]

I have an HP-33A. Well, I have two, because #1 is up the creek and Matsutec do technical support like the Syria Army does shiatsu massage.

Perhaps not the best recommendation!

 

[superheat6k]

I started with the HP-628A, which is also a full plotter, but the 6" screen was a bit small, so I then last year upgraded to the HP-1228A which with a full 12" screen and decent daylight view is just excellent. I have also found Matsutec / Huanyang support to be quite good, and indeed better than certain EU based firms that shall remain nameless (and I far as I am concerned purchase-less) here.

I understand the Onwa range is the same make re-badged.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Perhaps not the best recommendation!

Well, I did buy another. Rubbish support is just the chance you take buying direct from China.

 

[robertj]

Thanks chaps always great help.

 

[robertj]

I’m trying to find out if this will connect up to a Raymarine c80 thus giving overlay option?

 

[ShinyShoe]

I’m trying to find out if this will connect up to a Raymarine c80 thus giving overlay option?

yip

 

[superheat6k]

I’m trying to find out if this will connect up to a Raymarine c80 thus giving overlay option?

As advised not only will the C80 display the AIS targets, but the GPS positional data is also sent over the same high speed port setting on NMEA0183, so a separate GPS data source is not required (my HP-1228A is connected to a C120). The only minor issue is for some reason the Raymarine icon for AIS sometimes shows no AIS data even when the screen is clearly displaying the AIS targets, including the associated data if you interrogate a particular target.

 

[Glenlivet]

I’ve got the HP33a which I use as a stand alone unit as my vhf receives AIS and is networked to my plotters. It works, I check on Marine Traffic to make sure I’m transmitting, and the screen makes it a useful stand alone gps if both my plotters decided to die in unison.
Edited to say; with the external gps antenna it is incredibly quick to obtain satellite fix :encouragement:

 

[JohnGC]

I have installed the hp-33a installed and it has worked flawlessly from day one. The plotter display is more a novelty than useful without overlay charts so I depend on my Garmin to display targets. Having the display to change settings is great.

I'm also working with a friend's ha-102 black box transponder. This has been extremely frustrating. The unit must be connected to a PC to make any of the very limited adjustments. It will provide both GPS and ais data to a plotter but it will not transmit ais. When you look at the dump it says "ais silent set" but the configuration software has no way to change that. Interesting is that when you press the safety switch the unit sends the mob device signal by ais and shows up on other boat's target lists, so the unit can transmit.

Bottom line is I recommend the hp-33a and save the frustration.

I have the HA-102. I use it with OpenCPN on Windows at the helm. It has worked as advertised; I haven't had any problems.

John

 

[JumbleDuck]

Edited to say; with the external gps antenna it is incredibly quick to obtain satellite fix :encouragement:

When I installed my first one, presumably un-switched-on since the factory in China, it had a GPS fix faster than I could get to a screen showing it. Very impressive.

 

[ithet]

The only minor issue is for some reason the Raymarine icon for AIS sometimes shows no AIS data even when the screen is clearly displaying the AIS targets, including the associated data if you interrogate a particular target.

Have you got AIS alarms switched off? The C series AIS icon will show AIS crossed out in this case:

 

[langstonelayabout]

I bought one second hand, fitted it this spring and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Whilst the display isn’t great, it’s at least as useful as the radar for identifying targets and putting names to them. If I’d been buying new, I’d probably have gone for the Matsutec up-628a which is a plotter and AIS combo.

Out of interest, is putting your (new) MMSI as easy as entering the MMSI the first time?

I'm just checking that I don't have to send the HP33A back to the manufacturer as I'm probably buying one second hand and don't want to send it back to China for a reset.

Anyone else know for sure?.

 

[webcraft]

I use a 33a as a standalone unit flush mounted in the cockpit. Excennent GPS and the AIS target display is simple and uncluttered. Best value boat purchase I ever made!

- W

 

[Bobc]

I have an HA-102 hooked up to a Raymarine a95. Easy to setup and works beautifully.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Out of interest, is putting your (new) MMSI as easy as entering the MMSI the first time?

The MMSI is a one-off deal. It's not user-resettable, unless you have a very early version of the firmware which contained a bug resulting in the MMSI being cleared every time the firmware was flashed. I have recently flashed a spare HP-33A in the hope that the MMSI woul dgo and I could sell it, but no such luck.