Raymarine AIS advice

[emandvee44]

We have a Raymarine AIS 500, and a Raymarine E90W plotter, both installed at the same time by a Raymarine agent in Plymouth in 2010.

Historically, I have switched on the plotter/AIS at the switch panel , then more or less immediately switched on the plotter at the unit (which is outside at the helm). Next, I entered the menu, and selected “AIS layers” and usually select “Silent mode off” (the default is silent mode ON)
Recently, I switched on at the panel, and did not immediately switch on the plotter. Meanwhile, first mate was looking at Marine Traffic for local movements, and remarked that our yacht had “appeared”.
Mystified, I looked at the AIS unit indicator light (badly placed on the underside of the unit, so I have a mirror permanently installed to allow easy observation – after one of the saloon cushions has been removed). The LED confirmed the unit was in the transmit mode.

Next, I switched on the plotter and checked the AIS layers, which showed “silent mode ON”. So then switched to “silent mode off” - no change in the LED indicator.
Then “ silent mode ON” – the LED showed silent mode.
To summarize, when power is applied to the AIS unit, it goes to transmit mode as the default, even though the plotter shows silent mode (which it always does on start up)
Is the system correctly installed/set up and this is just an anomaly? Does anyone have a similar experience?

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[theoldsalt]

I too have a Raymarine AIS500 but my Raymarine plotter does not have the facility to control the silent mode (at least I have not found it) so the AIS transmits whenever powered and provides my position to Marine Traffic even without any GPS input (?? perhaps it remembers the last position received) so unable to comment specifically about your setup from experience.
However I believe that the AIS transmits until it receives a "silent mode on " command. It will get this if your plotter is powered on first but not if powered afterwards until you send the "silent mode on" command by switching mode to "off" then back to "on" which is what you did.

 

[emandvee44]

Thank you for that. My AIS unit & plotter are on the same switch on the panel, so I cannot power up the plotter first.
If your plotter has a similar menu system to mine then when you enter "menu" the "AIS layers line" is hidden and you have to scroll down to reveal it.

M.

 

[theoldsalt]

My plotter is a C70.

Remember that it takes several minutes for the AIS to "boot up". If you power on the plotter soon after the AIS then effectively the plotter is on first and the AIS will receive its "start-up" instructions from the plotter. However if the AIS has finished "booting up" when the plotter is switched on then maybe you have to refresh the silent instruction by switching modes.

P.S. I have just had a look at my plotter and I think the menu system is quite different to yours.

 

[Ric]

I have an AIS500 and wired in the optional transmit/silent switch. This is a much better solution than having to delve into the menu to toggle it on/off. I can see with a glance at the switch whether I am transmitting or not.

 

[theoldsalt]

Ric,

That is very interesting. Can you please give more information please even though I don't see a reason to not transmit it might come in handy someday.

 

[Ric]

It is all explained in the installation manual! All that is required is to connect a wire via a switch to 12v (or earth - can't remember offhand). Somewhere in the manual is also explained the logic behind the observations of the OP that the AIS defaults to tx - and it is suggested that the switch be installed to avoid the behaviour if required. Basically the AIS500 cannot send a signal to the plotter to tell it whether it is transmit/silent - so if the AIS500 is switched on first, the plotter does not know which mode it is in, so lt leaves the software toggle position the same. Fitting the hardware switch avoids all the uncertainty.

Personally I only switch my AIS to transmit when offshore or at night - does not seem worth cluttering everybody's plotters and triggering their alarms when sailing in coastal waters in broad daylight.

 

[emandvee44]

Helpful information - thanks.
In my case, as it is currently wired up, the AIS 500 will always be powered up first as it is wired to the same panel switch as the plotter, which has to be switched on at the unit.
Now that I am aware of this, and as I normally use transmit mode, I will not make any changes. Going to silent mode only requires a few touches on the plotter screen.
We 'see' many yachts in marinas with AIS transmitting, sometimes for months, probably because their wiring configuration is the same as ours and their panel switch is left on, even when they switch off their plotter.

M.

 

[theoldsalt]

It is all explained in the installation manual! All that is required is to connect a wire via a switch to 12v (or earth - can't remember offhand). Somewhere in the manual is also explained the logic behind the observations of the OP that the AIS defaults to tx - and it is suggested that the switch be installed to avoid the behaviour if required. Basically the AIS500 cannot send a signal to the plotter to tell it whether it is transmit/silent - so if the AIS500 is switched on first, the plotter does not know which mode it is in, so lt leaves the software toggle position the same. Fitting the hardware switch avoids all the uncertainty.

Personally I only switch my AIS to transmit when offshore or at night - does not seem worth cluttering everybody's plotters and triggering their alarms when sailing in coastal waters in broad daylight.

Sorry Ric, I've just been through the installation manual twice and still cannot see any reference to an optional swtch to change mode. Perhaps you could provide a pointer to the section, please. (maybe I'm going senile)

 

[Ric]

Well I just checked my manual and discovered that I actually have the AIS650 which may explain the anomaly!