New combination VHF radio, AIS reciever/Hailer

localboy · Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 12:22 pm Post subject:

I'm considering getting a Standard Horizon GX2150 VHF, so I've been looking at cost. Defender.com currently has them for $360.99 and SH is offering a $50 rebate on units purchases from 8-1-13 through 12-31-13.

Best deal I could find on the web. FYI.

thataway · Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 12:27 pm Post subject:

Great unit, you will enjoy it.

My IRA · Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:20 pm Post subject:

Great radio! I purchased one in January at the SBS. Check J&G Marine in Tacoma (253-572-4217) as for the Ken (the owner). I paid $329 ($279) after rebate. Maybe he will still honor that price.

hardee · Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject:

Hi Mark,

I have been very happy with the SH GTX 2150 since I got it. It is an excellent preforming radio, with good accessory function (hailer and fog capability) and comes in either of your 2 favorite marine electronics colors (black or white).

It will require GPS input for the AIS receive function but you will be able to do that I'm sure.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

potomac_brat · Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:11 pm Post subject:

Here on the east coast I always check with BOE marine and have made many purchases with them. no affiliation.

here is the link to the site with. the radio being mentioned add to cart to get the MAP price

http://www.boemarine.com/standard-horizon-gx2150b-class-d-25w-matrix-ais-map-399-99/
[/url]

Walldog · Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 11:19 pm Post subject:

Lets see I am crossing Wasp Passage. I think I will go below and make a sandwich. Maybe I should turn my AIS on to transmit. Maybe the Hyak will see me and change course to avoid hitting me.

Clutter is not a problem. I wish everyone transmitted AIS. Especially the motoring sailboat that I have on radar in the fog. Is he coming or going? AIS tells me instantly. Radar with Marpa takes a couple of steps to find out.

Any commercial vessels I have talked to tell me that they appreciate being able to see me on AIS. I have used AIS for over 2 years now. We installed it in Houston after traveling 350 miles up the ICW from Brownsville in less than ideal conditions. A tug Captain advised me to get it and use it. Radar on the ICW does not give you much indication as the channel curves. AIS lets you see targets around corners. Tow operators like the heads up that AIS gives over radar. They do not care that I am only a 30 foot boat, it would still ruin their day to run over me. Ask the captain of the Hyak.

As long as it is legal to use, I will transmit AIS on any vessel I own.

localboy · Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 12:02 pm Post subject:

I pulled the pin and ordered one. Luckily, I waited; the price @ Defender went down to $342! Cool

hardee · Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 4:10 pm Post subject:

I have had the Standard Horizon 2150 for nearly 2 years and love it. It provides AIS to my C-120 RayMarine plotter and I have been using it almost every time the boat is out on the water. After the last trip, with as much fog as there was, it called for frequent and careful technical navigation and the AIS was a major portion of that.

With the AIS, I get the name and MMSI number, and more important, the direction of travel, closest point of approach and time to that event. Anything within half a mile and 5 minutes, I call and confirm they have me on their radar. On a couple of occasions, I have been told that they cannot see me .... on their AIS. "No Skipper, check your radar, I'm 1/2 mile at your 2 o'clock. Should be on your radar." "Oh, yes, we have you now." because they are looking first to AIS and then radar.

After several of these conversations, and one 65 foot vessel I could not raise on the radio, but watched them as they approached, I was able to do a 90 turn and avoid, but still without any response to both the radio call on 16, 13 and 11 and on the MMSI call with no response, I watched it pass with a big open array radar running, and could not see anybody on the bridge I really wonder about who runs what out there.

Radar is a huge adjunct there, but it only gives you spots. AIS gives you names and numbers, instantly. Radar can do MARPA but it takes several steps. AIS takes a slide of the cursor and a button click. So, the AIS receive is good, but Active AIS is better and I think it is where I am looking to go. It may be a while, but I think it will be worth it.

Active AIS for recreational vessels is AIS B. It outputs the signal less often, but other than that it is the same signal but at a lower output wattage - 2 vs 12 or 25. Sounds like it is time to start some new research.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

hardee · Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 4:10 pm Post subject:

I have had the Standard Horizon 2150 for nearly 2 years and love it. It provides AIS to my C-120 RayMarine plotter and I have been using it almost every time the boat is out on the water. After the last trip, with as much fog as there was, it called for frequent and careful technical navigation and the AIS was a major portion of that.

With the AIS, I get the name and MMSI number, and more important, the direction of travel, closest point of approach and time to that event. Anything within half a mile and 5 minutes, I call and confirm they have me on their radar. On a couple of occasions, I have been told that they cannot see me .... on their AIS. "No Skipper, check your radar, I'm 1/2 mile at your 2 o'clock. Should be on your radar." "Oh, yes, we have you now." because they are looking first to AIS and then radar.

After several of these conversations, and one 65 foot vessel I could not raise on the radio, but watched them as they approached, I was able to do a 90 turn and avoid, but still without any response to both the radio call on 16, 13 and 11 and on the MMSI call with no response, I watched it pass with a big open array radar running, and could not see anybody on the bridge I really wonder about who runs what out there.

Radar is a huge adjunct there, but it only gives you spots. AIS gives you names and numbers, instantly. Radar can do MARPA but it takes several steps. AIS takes a slide of the cursor and a button click. So, the AIS receive is good, but Active AIS is better and I think it is where I am looking to go. It may be a while, but I think it will be worth it.

Active AIS for recreational vessels is AIS B. It outputs the signal less often, but other than that it is the same signal but at a lower output wattage - 2 vs 12 or 25. Sounds like it is time to start some new research.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

hardee · Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 3:13 am Post subject:

After 2 full seasons with the Standard Horizon 2150, I am still loving it. I am currently looking at adding an active AIS (Watchmate Vision by Vespar Marine)

There has been some discussion about AIS and the 2150 on another thread. This is one of the comments:

"Thanks Bob, you have been very thorough. I do appreciate your help here. Without, I would have not had as effective system. I have been trying to avoid putting another antenna up. As it looks now, I am going to pull the splitter out from between the Ray218 VHF and AM/FM and put the 218 directly to the 8ft Commrod. Then put in the Vespar splitter between the Standard Horizon 2150 and the WatchMate AIS. That side will go to the Shakespeare 4ft that is mounted on a 24" riser, so I will continue to use a marine vhf tuned antenna there. The AM/FM will plug into the Vespar splitter on it's own dedicated bnc port and gets a receiver gain as well.

I have considered Putting the SH 2150 onto the Commrod to separate it totally from the AIS (I am using the AIS receive on it to go to the RayMarine Classic 120 - providing AIS contact points onto the plotter display.) It is also the radio I usually use for contacts other than on 16. This arrangement would eliminate the plotter AIS display pausing when the vhf is used or when the Watchmate AIS bursts are transmitted.

Another consideration: the Standard Horizon will see the active AIS transmitting from it's own position and on the same MMSI and will put that on the plotter as an AIS contact, and that will generate a "Dangerous Target" warning ..... constantly. NOT GOOD. So, the fix is in. Standard Horizon's newer 2150's have a setting to filter that signal from it's own MMSI out. [b]The Good Part is that my (And currently any 2150 under 3 years old,) can be sent back to Standard Horizon, and they will put that filter in and activate it.

That little tidbit came from MartyK at Rodger's Marine in Portland.

So the radio has to come out and go for a trip, but it will be better for it."[/b]

Here is the link to the other thread:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=20861&highlight=

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Sunbeam · Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:58 pm Post subject:

I noticed on Panbo a couple of weeks ago that there is a new Standard Horizon radio out (GX2200) that, if I skimmed correctly, is like the 2150 but also has GPS. Apparently it is now at the 2150's previous recommended price point and the 2150's price has been reduced.

Here is more about it:

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2013/12/standard_horizon_matrix_aisgps_and_raymarine_ray260_aisn2k_vhf_radios_.html

hardee · Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:11 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:54 am Post subject:

Bummer, maybe I should have waited a few months before ordering... Would have been nice to have a gps backup in my VHF radio. Oh well I still think I got a pretty good deal for the GX2150, $289 minus a $50 rebate.

Captains Cat · Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 12:03 pm Post subject:

Maybe I missed it in this long thread somewhere but is there any VHF radio that has GPS and AIS along with the hailer/fog option? I see either GPS OR AIS but not both...

Charlie

thataway · Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 12:15 pm Post subject:

The Standard Horizon AIS GPS, Matrix GX2200, may not be available in the store yet…but soon. It is listed in the Defender Catalog, for $399. I believe it is available in January. Even if you get the radio with GPS, it is best to connect it to the chart potter to show the boat locations. The small screen on the radio is difficult for me to read.

There are a couple of NMEA 2000 or sea talk radios- From Garmin, Icom and RayMarine, which are plug and play to their compatible chart plotter or display. Garmin VHF 300 AIS, Icom IC-M506, Raymarine Ray260 Black Box
These do not have GPS, but plug and play to the chart plotter, makes it easy.