Matsutec HP-628A - now out of the box

[superheat6k]

I received the new Matsutec HP-628A Plotter / AIS Transceiver a couple of days ago, so today I set it up in my workshop to see how it looked. OK its not Garmin, but for the price quite a nice unit, with very clear display with multi modes for night but also bright daylight, as well as 'Normal', and even NOAA standard.

I plugged in a VHF aerial and it was seeing AIS targets straight away, but I had to swiftly turn off the TX otherwise a strange Chinese vessel would have suddenly appeared ashore in Hamble village on Southampton VTS AIS screen !

The manual isn't too bad an English translation, but, and this is a fairly substantial 'but', there are no instructions on setting up the specific details for your own boat. The manual appears to be the standard for the HP-628F fish finder model, which incorporates AIS receive only, so I suspect I just need to work out what buttons to press to get to AIS own vessel set up mode.

I have emailed Huayang the makers for help, and have also downloaded the HP-33A manual to see if its set up instructions are similar for this unit. So far no other feedback at all for this unit, so this is possibly a first report.

I now need to obtain a C-Map card covering the South Coast to see decent detail on the plotter chart screen.

 

[pvb]

I'm intrigued. In another thread you said you have a C120 plotter which you wanted to connect AIS data to. Why didn't you just buy an AIS transceiver rather than the HP-628A?

 

[superheat6k]

I'm intrigued. In another thread you said you have a C120 plotter which you wanted to connect AIS data to. Why didn't you just buy an AIS transceiver rather than the HP-628A?

The C120 is in the cabin, I needed a plotter on the flybridge, so having a plotter that will provide AIS data as well as GPS positional data to the C120 means I solve two issues and can bin the elderly and otherwise unnecessary Garmin GPSMAP232 presently providing the GPS data.

 

[pvb]

The C120 is in the cabin, I needed a plotter on the flybridge, so having a plotter that will provide AIS data as well as GPS positional data to the C120 means I solve two issues and can bin the elderly and otherwise unnecessary Garmin GPSMAP232 presently providing the GPS data.

But you'll need to buy 2 chart cartridges, and won't easily be able to transfer waypoints or routes from one plotter to the other.

 

[superheat6k]

But you'll need to buy 2 chart cartridges, and won't easily be able to transfer waypoints or routes from one plotter to the other.

The C120 isn't particularly communicative and wouldn't even interface with another Raymarine unit. I already have the Navionics card in the C120, now just need to obtain a C Map for the Matsutec - hopefully EBay will come up trumps shortly for a reasonable price. I can live with having to operate the two devices separately, and I would have had this situation no matter what plotter I put up on the fly.

 

[RichardS]

Be careful not to try and enter your MMSI details, which you will need to do before you can transmit, by using trial and error based on a bad translation or similar.

If you get it wrong it can be very tricky to put it right ..... some models have to be returned to the manufacturer and you certainly don't want that!

Richard

 

[superheat6k]

I had an email waiting this morning explaining somewhat briefly the method of setting the Own Vessel data for the AIS function. Now all set up just got to install the unit on the boat and test it out in a real situation and with the VHF plugged in.

If anyone buys an HP 628A / 828A / 1228A unit I have the instructions available written out as a step by step guide. I have found the unit doesn't always remember all the settings and I have queried this with the makers.

A similar problem has been reported with the Matsutec HP 33A, so likely a software fault.

 

[Alpha22]

A similar problem has been reported with the Matsutec HP 33A, so likely a software fault.

A quick firmware update solved that instantly for me.

 

[superheat6k]

I connected up the Matustec HP 628A plotter / AIS Transceiver at the boat this morning and plugged the NMEA AIS Output set to 38400 Baud into the NMEA input of the Raymarine C120 Plotter, which I also set to 38400 Baud.

As soon as the Raymarine was disconnected from it's old Garmin NMEA 4800 signal it showed lost position, however, the moment I plugged in the lead from the Matsutec both Fix and AIS showed up straight away. I am very pleased about this because the manual is a bit vague as to whether or not it would transmit the positional data from its GPS over the AIS output (the C120 only has one input channel). This means I do not need a separate device to convert the low speed NMEA data for position or other complex nonsense to get the required data showing on the C120.

The Matsutec is picking up the AIS of all vessels in its vicinity, and in turn these are being displayed on the C120, but not sure yet if I have it set up right to transmit. Nothing appeared on Marine Traffic from my location.

I am assuming because the aerial is receiving it will also transmit, (using an old redundant VHF aerial already mounted) but I might buy a separate new aerial.

Is there a way of testing the output capability of an aerial ? I suppose I could plug it into my fixed VHF set and do a radio check.

Now just got to run in the cables and mount the thing on the flybridge dash. I will mount it on its trunnion for now. Once it has proven reliable I will then cut it into the dash properly.

 

[RichardS]

The Matsutec is picking up the AIS of all vessels in its vicinity, and in turn these are being displayed on the C120, but not sure yet if I have it set up right to transmit. Nothing appeared on Marine Traffic from my location.

Sounds like a job well done!

Are there any other vessels near you appearing on Marine Traffic? You could, like me, be in an shore-based AIS blackspot. In my case it extends for about 1/4 mile from my mooring and then, suddenly, there I am!

Richard

 

[superheat6k]

New aerial now fitted and tonight, following lots of settings adjustments, I saw my boat pop up (briefly) on Marine Traffic. I am possibly in a bit of a blind spot, because my nearby neighbour has also disappeared since it got dark.

2W is the standard output from a class B transceiver, so not a very powerful signal, and I assume an open sky can absorb most of this.

The only criticism I have now of the HP 628A is the poor quality of the instruction manual, plus the screen is actually a bit smaller than 6", and with a side data bar the screen is a bit small, but I have take this up with Huanyang who have seemingly listed to my concerns.

I might buy the HP 828a or even the 1228a.

 

[nigelmercier]

My boat disappears from the Marine Traffic view of my marina at low tide. I've just got a stubby antenna on the push-pit.

 

[superheat6k]

My boat disappears from the Marine Traffic view of my marina at low tide. I've just got a stubby antenna on the push-pit.

I see you have had your HP-33A for a while, now so I guess it has been fairly reliable. Now I have the HP-628A working properly it seems a decent enough unit. I am going to give it a few months before I consider cutting a full install hole in my fly dash panel.

I was relieved when the position popped up as well as AIS, via the AIS high speed baud setting into the Raymarine C120.

I think having the AIS Transceiver built into the chart plotter is the natural way to go forward. I wonder if the big boys here will follow suit.

If anyone else does buy one of these I am happy to explain what I had to do to set it up. Make sure you buy the SD card C Map Max format, and not C Map NT. Don't ask me how I learnt this !

Don't dismantle the unit trying to ram the wrong card in - it won't work, but it will likely unplug the small ribbon cable to the card reader, causing further frustrations later. Again don't ask me how I learnt this bit either !

 

[Otter]

Nice unit - I've had the 33A for a few years and it's faultless. I agree with you about AIS should be built into all plotters, I think Digital Yacht were the first but it was only a receiver.

 

[Mixer'n]

In the spec of the hp 628a is k-chart an alternative to c-map. K-chart can be downloaded from www.onwamarine.com. And its free. Have You thoght about using k-chart instead of c-map?

 

[superheat6k]

In the spec of the hp 628a is k-chart an alternative to c-map. K-chart can be downloaded from www.onwamarine.com. And its free. Have You thoght about using k-chart instead of c-map?

It came pre-loaded with K Chart, which is essentially a base map. No where near enough detail to even use as a large scale passage planning chart. The River Hamble doesn't even appear as a blue line !
I found an unused CMap Max on Ebay for £60 Dartmouth to Southampton, but this extends a lot further each way. Does the job well.

 

[Alpha22]

Dare I ask what sort of price the plotter was?? I know the HP33A was a bargain.....!!!

 

[superheat6k]

Dare I ask what sort of price the plotter was?? I know the HP33A was a bargain.....!!!

Here is the total bill installed and working ...

Plotter unit $398
Freight DHL $120 (this would be less per unit if several were bought together)
Forex fee $8
Import fees, VAT $120

$650 = ~ £450

Chart chip CMap Max Western south coast (Ebay) £60

Aerial £40

Other bits and bobs ~ £20

All up installed and working ~£570

If doing this again I would go for the HP 828A as the screen on the 628A is quite small. In bright sunlight the screen is difficult to read. The goto cursor function on the plotter doesn't work as expected, and a few other operations are a bit clunky.

 

[maltesesailor]

I had an email waiting this morning explaining somewhat briefly the method of setting the Own Vessel data for the AIS function. Now all set up just got to install the unit on the boat and test it out in a real situation and with the VHF plugged in.

If anyone buys an HP 628A / 828A / 1228A unit I have the instructions available written out as a step by step guide. I have found the unit doesn't always remember all the settings and I have queried this with the makers.

A similar problem has been reported with the Matsutec HP 33A, so likely a software fault.

Hi Is it possible that you email me the instructions you recieved to enter own vessel details in the matsutec hp-628a

 

[bratanek65]

Be careful not to try and enter your MMSI details, which you will need to do before you can transmit, by using trial and error based on a bad translation or similar.
If you get it wrong it can be very tricky to put it right ..... some models have to be returned to the manufacturer and you certainly don't want that!

Richard, don`t say nonsense if you do not know.
China is a free country and chinese transponders are free of western goverment`s care of our souls.
Having Matsutec or ONVA you may change MMSI anytime.