VHF Radio and AIS

[TiggerToo]

I am considering purchasing a new VHF radio. I see that some units are capable of RECEIVING AIS signals.

Does anyone know if there are any units which incorporate AIS TRANSMISSION capacity, as well?

 

[Never Grumble]

yes but they are quite pricey

 

[TiggerToo]

yes but they are quite pricey

examples?

 

[ctva]

I think you will find that the transponders are separate items to the VHF radio. Ones like the Icom 506 will receive and display AIS but thats it, I think.

If you find one I'll be interested.

 

[RichardS]

I am considering purchasing a new VHF radio. I see that some units are capable of RECEIVING AIS signals.

Does anyone know if there are any units which incorporate AIS TRANSMISSION capacity, as well?

I think that the last time this was asked, there weren't any such models. However, it is a constantly developing market so it's certainly worth a Google search.

Richard

 

[Hoolie]

Vesper Marine Cortex V1 has these capabilities and now has FCC approval. Sounds pricey and may not yet be available in the UK

ps Apparently available from Milltech in the US for $1849

 

[pvb]

I am considering purchasing a new VHF radio. I see that some units are capable of RECEIVING AIS signals.

Does anyone know if there are any units which incorporate AIS TRANSMISSION capacity, as well?

Navico have one, offered as the B&G V60-B or the Simrad RS40-B, about £900.

 

[TiggerToo]

Navico have one, offered as the B&G V60-B or the Simrad RS40-B, about £900.

thanks...

Here the B&G V60-B is quoted at >£1200 with the GPS...

I'll think about it!

 

[ithet]

As above they are all pricey. Standard Horizon tried to introduce one a few years ago but could not get it to pass approval.

 

[pvb]

thanks...

Here the B&G V60-B is quoted at >£1200 with the GPS...

You don't say where "here" is, but in the UK it's £900.

B&G V60-B VHF Radio With Built is Class B AIS Transceiver (000-14474-001)

 

[Rappey]

Another option is an onwa ais chart plotter.
7" screen, free world maps and ais tranceiver around £500.

 

[pvb]

Another option is an onwa ais chart plotter.
7" screen, free world maps and ais tranceiver around £500.

How well does it handle working as a VHF transceiver?

 

[Jamie Dundee]

I’ve got the Simrad RS40B, cost me £950 a year ago. Also got the wireless remote to control the radio as my vhf is not visible from the helm. Nice radio, although the AIS always reports 0.7kn when the boat is stationary. The techies at Navico say this is ok but I think it’s a bit wierd The nice thing is that having Simrad MFDs I can call an AIS target directly from the radar or chart display by clicking on the icon, no need for inputting MMSI numbers etc.

Here is my boat, safely on its mooring, apparently doing 0.7kn

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Simrad RS40B VHF with Internal AIS Transponder | Force 4 Chandlery

 

[pvb]

Simrad RS40B VHF with Internal AIS Transponder | Force 4 Chandlery

Or only £900 at Cactus...

... with free delivery too.

 

[Norman_E]

I think that a separate transponder with NMEA2000 connection to a similarly equipped VHF, plus a chartplotter at the helm, is the way to go, mainly because the AIS screen on a radio is very small and in the wrong place, down below when you actually need a screen at the helm. If you don't already have a chartplotter then the Onwa plotter with a built in transponder looks a good bet even though it communicates with the radio via NMEA 0183.

 

[prv]

I think that a separate transponder with NMEA2000 connection to a similarly equipped VHF, plus a chartplotter at the helm, is the way to go, mainly because the AIS screen on a radio is very small and in the wrong place, down below when you actually need a screen at the helm.

Displaying the AIS targets on a chartplotter in the cockpit is obviously the only sensible setup, but that has nothing to do with whether the AIS transceiver is a separate box or built into the radio. The OP specifically asked about the built-in options.

Pete

 

[alexincornwall]

Our last boat featured a Standard Horizon VHF with a built in AIS receiver and display. Whilst it was probably the cheapest way of having basic AIS onboard and seeing (most) of what's out there, the screen was too small and fiddly to be of any real use beyond an emergency. Installing an NMEA WiFi transmitter helped, but it quickly became apparent that a dedicated transponder would have saved a fair bit of faffing about and unnecessary devices...

We should have stuck with a basic DSC VHF and installed a Vesper XB-8000 with WiFi to stream to a device with a more user friendly display. Granted, we would have needed a splitter too, which I guess are now built into the units discussed in the thread...

 

[KompetentKrew]

Vesper Marine Cortex V1 has these capabilities and now has FCC approval. Sounds pricey and may not yet be available in the UK

ps Apparently available from Milltech in the US for $1849

I learned about this from another thread only last night, but I can see myself buying one in the spring.

It's big money but Vesper seem to make good kit - I was impressed by the Versper AIS in a fellow yachtsman's boat last year; he was unfamiliar with the system and I assisted him in figuring out how to disable the collision alarm; it was quite loud and no other electronics was required to support it. The unit had wifi which I think we accessed with an app.

A combined VHF / AIS has been a holy grail of mine since before even the Standard Horizon GX6500 was announced (4 years ago!). IMO the Simrad / B&G one is ugly, and I was already looking for a black box unit. I hope to be able to put the charger for the Vesper's handsets in the alcove where the handset of ye old Raymarien Shipmate currently resides.

 

[pvb]

I learned about this from another thread only last night, but I can see myself buying one in the spring.

It's big money but Vesper seem to make good kit - I was impressed by the Versper AIS in a fellow yachtsman's boat last year; he was unfamiliar with the system and I assisted him in figuring out how to disable the collision alarm; it was quite loud and no other electronics was required to support it. The unit had wifi which I think we accessed with an app.

A combined VHF / AIS has been a holy grail of mine since before even the Standard Horizon GX6500 was announced (4 years ago!). IMO the Simrad / B&G one is ugly, and I was already looking for a black box unit. I hope to be able to put the charger for the Vesper's handsets in the alcove where the handset of ye old Raymarien Shipmate currently resides.

Raymarine also have a black box VHF and AIS transceiver, but its handset display doesn't look as appealing as the Vesper's.