VHF Radio

Westie · Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:42 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the advice. I decided to go with the Standard Horizon GX2200B. You cant have enough safety features!

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:24 am Post subject:

Good choice. You'll like it. I have an older 2150 and a new 2200 both mounted on my boat and wired to separate Lowrance chartplotters. I boat/fish a lot in the fog in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. While AIS is not a "necessity", like radar, it's something that once you have it, you won't want to be without it. I like it so much and use it so often that this past winter I installed the backup unit. Seeing the AIS target with the radar overlay on top of it is priceless IMHO.

Da Nag · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:00 pm Post subject:

I picked up a Lowrance Link-8 when deciding on an AIS VHF for the Nordic. Haven't used it a bunch yet, but it seems every bit as capable as the older AIS Standard Horizon Matrix it replaced. I had to replace my older SH Matrix (GX2100), as it could not handle AIS and DSC over the same NMEA connection - they required different baud rates. The VHF itself had two NMEA ports, but many newer MFD's (including my Simrad) only have a single NMEA port. The newer SH Matrix models (GX2150+) can send/receive AIS/DSC over a single NMEA port using a single baud rate.

Anyway, the other option if you have a more modern system is using N2K - which the Simrad RS35 and Link-8 have. It literally was, plug and play. No messing with baud rates, insufficient NMEA ports, etc. Also, the Link-8 was cheaper than any of the SH AIS Matrix units.

Here's Panbo's review on the two - plenty of positive reviews on the Link-8 over at THT as well, where I first read about it.

localboy · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:49 pm Post subject:

letitride · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:29 pm Post subject:

I have the new Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS/DSC (GX2200) cost me about $349, it's connected to my Raymarine chart plotter and I can see all the AIS ships / targets on my chart plotter screen - Amazingly simple and easy to use we just spend 8 Day in Catalina Avalon and it was great using this system to keep an eye out for the high speed ferries that are constantly about.

http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&DivisionID=3&ProdCatID=83&ProdID=1769

hardee · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:20 pm Post subject:

So to not go back over everything that has been stated so far, and yet accentuate the advantages of AIS I would add that I have had AIS receive via a Standard Horizon 2150 hooked to both a GPS and my RayMarine C-120 Classic chart plotter for about 3 years now, and I Love

it.

Is it necessary, well no, probably not as necessary as trim tabs, but more necessary than a porta pottie Laughing

but Sunbeam is right, if you are not in an area where there will be any commercial traffic period maybe its OK to be without. There are getting to be more recreational vessels with AIS B transponders and they do show up plenty often.

The advantages of AIS that has not been mentioned so far are exceedingly important in using it for safety sake.

1. It takes less than 10 seconds to determine collision/crossing status. And this can be done long before (like 5 - 10 miles) anyone's blood pressure needs to spike.

2. It can see through an island, or breakwater, or a big ship, and see a vessel on the other side of that object that your radar can not see through.

And the 3rd, which has been alluded to, is contacting the other vessel. Yes, you can call them by name, and you can give them your position and distance relative to them BUT, you can also, (with the Standard Horizon 2150 or 2200, use the features of that vhf set and do a one button DIRECT call on DSC, without having to look up their MMSI and putting it into your radio.

The display on the chart plotter shows a (on mine) purple triangle, pointing in the direction of the vessels heading. I can run the cursor over onto that triangle, it lights up with an AIS info flag, I push one button to get (Hey, THIS IS THE IMPORTANT STUFF HERE) a chart table that has:
CPA (= Closest Point of Approach)
TCPA (= Time to Closest Point of Approach)
Both really great things to know if I and that vessel have a crossing or meeting situation pending.

Those to points of interest are the things I check on every vessel where there is any likelihood of either situation., and on some, that is checked several times over a period of minutes.

AIS also reports the vessels name, speed, direction, size (length, beam and draft), destination, and MMSI, along with some other stuff like cargo on board and more I never look at.

If you are on the water, other than small lakes, or rivers, I would highly recommend at least an AIS receiver VHF. There are several companies that make them now. They must be hooked up to a GPS to be functional, and to your chart plotter to be practically useful.

Radar in the fog is good. Radar overlay with AIS is great, because you now have a very quick way of contacting that yellow spot that is coming towards you at 18 knots, and confirming that they see you, and they you both are on the same page in the meeting situation.

Now back to original programming. I believe the question was for a VHF recommendation. Well now, Some of the features have already been listed so I won't go into all that but there is one company that has recently come out with a very practical feature only found on their radio, and they have all that other cool stuff too. Some of that stuff is:

Hailer/fog capability. In my area that is a must. I use the fog horn (auto program) most often; The hailer gets used on coming into a marina as an amplified listening device, in case someone is yelling at me for some screw-up I am doing. Then I know to straighten up my act.

The AIS, I have already addressed. I would not be on the water without it. (Note that there is a difference between an AIS - (which is either an A or B series= transmitting and receiving) and an AIS receiver as an option in a VHF marine radio.

The Plus Feature is the 2 minute recording of the last call. For me, and my memory, this feature is worth the $$. It has a record feature that allows almost instantaneous replay of the last 2 minutes. This radio has become my channel 16 monitoring radio.

If money was no object, I would have 2 of them exactly the same, but since it is, I only have one. If/when the other VHF goes to pot, it will be replaced with a new ICOM M-506.

Right now, anyone looking towards a VHF purchase should at least look at the ICOM, and this is my belief that any radio that goes into a boat, fishing or cruising is worthy of having the increased safety level of AIS (receive at least) on board.

The 2 minute recording is obviously a matter of preference but again, I think it is a matter of safety for myself and maybe for others.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Sunbeam · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:58 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you like the M506. Thanks for the mini-review as that's the radio at the top of my list. I can see where the record/playback could be REALLY handy.

hardee · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:12 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 10:23 am Post subject:

Harvey, that was definitely useable information. THANKS. I did not know about that DSC select calling of an AIS target. I'm sure our electronics can do much more than many of us are aware of. I'll have to tuck than one away in memory! (Now, if I just had a decent memory.... maybe I can find it in the manual and just highlight it... Smile

I myself would still not have needed that in my short time in the San Juans, but I could see where that could definitely come in handy if needed! (I could see using that on the Mississippi River on an extended voyage, in coordinating with the tows in some of the narrower channels.) Colby

beermanPDX · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 12:08 pm Post subject:

Westie · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:35 pm Post subject:

Beerman - how is the external speaker? Where did you mount it?

I bought the ram3 for my cockpit but I don't think I need it. I may return it and go with the speaker.

beermanPDX · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:06 am Post subject:

hardee · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:31 pm Post subject:

BeermanPDX, Thanks, I do really like it and I had that same "What was that? thing going on too.

I am even thinking of replacing my RayMarine 218 with a second ICOM 506, trying to standardize some things.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

hardee · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 2:58 am Post subject:

Posted on the site in another thread:

I just received an email from Rodger's Marine regarding my ICOM M506 VHF radio. Here it is:

Quote:
"Good news. ICOM has just released new version of firmware for ICOM M506 VHF radios that solves the AIS alarm problem. (Triggering on your own boat). If you could send your radio to us, we can load the new firmware for you."

There was an issue where it could/would alarm when my AIS was turned on because it recognized the proximity of the receiver to the location of the transmitter as being TOO CLOSE to each other.

FYI if you have an ICOM M506 on board and have or are considering adding an active AIS (transceiver) of some brand.

From my experience with VHF radios, (and I have had several), my favorite is the ICOM M506. It has the easiest menu to use, the quickest access to function and function change, and I think the "2 minute last call record" is invaluable.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon