Upgrading VHF

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kennharriet

Member
I currently have an older Standard Horizon VHF with AIS. Since installing it I have added a new Garmin plotter and Garmin autopilot. I want to upgrade the VHF to one capable of NMEA 2000, AIS, DSC and possibly with GPS. My question is should I stick with a proprietary Garmin for compatibility at higher cost or consider another such as Standard Horizon? I do not currently have all Garmin NMEA 2000 connectors. Does that matter? Seems I read somewhere that using all Garmin network components and devices would reduce compatibility issues. Ready to go cruising already.😎 Thanks in advance. Ken
 
Ken, I have used Standard Horizon products, but Icom (which I have used in ham gear) is equally as good. I consider them a notch above the "Garmin" and "RayMarine". I am not really sure that thinking is valid. I have not seen the specs on the various radios. I believe that the Ranger "Tugs" use all Garmin units. I have known several who use the RayMarine.

If I was up grading, I would want transceiver class B +. AIS. and probably a separate screen. Using the AIS on your navigation screen can get extremely cluttered in any major harbor, where you may need it the most. B+ gives 5 watts or transmit power, it is the same protocol as Class A, and is guaranteed a slot in the time sequence--where as the B is 2 1/2 watts and uses a protocol where the B is just fitted in. Also more frequent updates, depending on speed.

It can be easier to use all Garmin components. The Garmin black box 800 ($900) I believe is class B+, but does require a separate GPS receiver and antenna. I personally feel that you are better served with the separate antenna. The 600 has an antenna splitter. Both are NMEA 2000 protocol.

Consider also the Vespar units which are also NMEA 2000. There are some advantages, such as WI Fi, connection to a tablet. I am not positive about being B+. I would research before buying. The 6000 and 8000 in the lower price range and good units.

Also be sure to check out off brands as found on Amazon which might not be FCC approved.

Keep the old radio as a second transceiver. I believe that all boats which are in either active harbors, straits, or ICW should have two VHF transceivers.
 
Thanks Bob. I’ll digest that and do some research. My other question is should I buy a VHF with GPS or rely on the GPS in the plotter as I presently do?
 
If you go with a transceiver for the AIS, then that will have a GPS unit or an external antenna. The Standard Horizon which I had on Thataway, had built in GPS. Even my hand held has a GPS, Some of my 2 meter radios have a built in GPS chip in the microphone module.

I would prefer a VHF with built in GPS over one which does not have one. However with NMEA 2000 it does not really make all that much difference.
 
thataway":1p00a53h said:
Consider also the Vespar units which are also NMEA 2000. There are some advantages, such as WI Fi, connection to a tablet. I am not positive about being B+. I would research before buying. The 6000 and 8000 in the lower price range and good units.
Click to expand...

I had the Vesper XB-8000 on C-Sharp and it was a great unit. It, and the XB-6000 are just Class B. Their new all-in-one Cortex unit is Class B+ and I installed one in Pan-A-C'ya in 2021 when I outfitted her. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND the CORTEX! it failed to transmit both VHF and AIS in it's first year. Subsequently Garmin has bought Vesper and despite it still being under a 2-year warranty, Garmin is not supporting it. Roger's Marine Electronics has sent it to Garmin and it has been unrepaired for months. I have other gripes about the Cortex unit's design.
 
Knipet, thanks for jogging my memory--I had forgotten that Garmin had purchased Vespar. Too bad. I hate to say this, but recently I have been disaponted with Garmin. Part was the destruction of Active Captain, and part was what I have been hearing about service. They used to be my #1 choice because of the ease of use. I had RayMarine on my last C Dory, more recently put RayMarine on my CC Caracal Cat. I felt RayMarine's technology offered more that what comparable Garmin did.
 
Ken, I went with the Standard Horizon GX2400 & I’m pleased with it & having the AIS from it showing up on my chart plotter. I don’t boat enough in heavy traffic to feel the need to transmit AIS. With already having a nmea 2000 system it should an easy set up as you said.

Jay
 
kennharriet":3sujk5o4 said:
... After reading this Wagoner article, I don’t think I want AIS transmit capability.😉

https://waggonerguide.com/big-brother-and-ais/
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But if you don't violate the rules/laws you shouldn't have problems.

These days you have to work really hard not to be tracked by anything. If you pay electronically for anything, use a toll road, and ATM, carry a cell phone, or even just drive around your city/town you are being tracked.
 
Thanks for posting this article. I am glad we have B+ transponder capability for when we are in remote areas of Canada for safety reasons. We continue to strive to be aware of current water restrictions while in travel and in the event that we should violate any of those laws, it serves us right to be notified by the those authorities mentioned.
 
Thanks for the validation Jay. I really like the SH I have now, just wanted the addition of gps and the plug and play NMEA 2000, as everything is now networked. The old one will go to a good home in SE AK where my older plotter went.
 
Ken,
I initially went with the Standard Horizon, that received AIS. I didn't find the very small screen on the radio useful, as I am usually in a high traffic area. Using the NEMA 0183, I sent the info to my Gamin chart plotter and was very pleased to see the information overplayed on my charts, as I had a much better reference to locations of the high traffic targets, relative to my location on a chart. I used this for several years. I purchased a transmit/receive AIS and disconnected the input from the VHF AIS and could not be happier. I now know who is coming and they know who I am. We communicate much more freely, between traffic with much more confidence. I found this as such a wonderful safety feature, that I installed one on my sailboat. Much less stress and verbal communications has improved in so many ways, that my stress level, as well as the tugs, ships and large yachts, know what I am and what is happening, well in advance.
In my photos, I posted a typical day of AIS contacts, in my normal boating area.[/img]
 
I started doing a little research on the 2400 in case I want to upgrade my radio again. I'm happy with what I have for now, so...

But in looking around I found this. I don't understand most of it, but I'm sure there are nerds amongst us that will. :mrgreen: I share this since it sounds like the driving thought behind getting the new radio here, is for the NMEA 2000 interface.

https://www.thehulltruth.com/marine...izon-gx2400-any-reports-early-adopters-3.html

The thread is several years old, but towards the end there are some June 2022 updates. Colby
 
My post is to show that AIS information layered on top of a chart on a chart plotter has the benefit of allowing the boat operator (me), to have real time information about AIS targets, relative positions, related to the real time position and orientation. Also the target vessels receive the same information on their layered plotter and have the same relative picture.
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _album.php
 
Hi Steve,
Oh,never mind. I was doing too many things at once, and had my last post on my mind, forgetting completely about the other posts in the thread... :? A busy Sunday, but got a lot accomplished! Probably should have stayed off the computer. lol. Colby
 
I have 3 mounted marine VHF radios, from left to right, ICOM, RayMarine, and Standard Horizon. By far my favorite for ease of operation (muddling through the menus) is the ICOM M-506. It is and easy straight forward menu, it has the largest screen (much easier viewing for the AIS screen) and it has the last call recording feature. I have had no problem with either the ICOM or the Standard Horizon which I like because it has a mic that does dual function as a speaker so it is quick to hold it close to an ear and get a good clear audio.

Both the SH and the ICOM have AIS receive, although I don't rely on them as much, (I have a stand alone Vesper Watchmate with it's own monitor) for AIS.

I would not buy an AIS that was not the "new" B+ because it is so much more functional.

As to AIS clutter on the screen, I have a separate page on my MFD that does not have the AIS targets, which worked great for in the marina area where there are dozens of moored and docked boats with their AIS running round the clock. But I don't believe in running with the AIS on stealth mode. It makes communication with the big commercial traffic so much easier when you have their ID and they can see you are not just playing radio games,

I also would tend to stay away from having too many systems in one unit, as was mentioned about the CORTEX type of system.

Harvey
SleepyC

1_Jan_From_Inside_the_Electronics.thumb.jpg
 
hardee":1t22zf5t said:
... By far my favorite for ease of operation (muddling through the menus) is the ICOM M-506. It is and easy straight forward menu, it has the largest screen (much easier viewing for the AIS screen) and it has the last call recording feature.
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You had me sold on the last call recording feature, and I went to the Seattle Boat Show determined to come back with a VHF radio. However, I came back empty-handed and needing to do more research because, as far as I can tell, that feature is not currently available on any brand of fixed VHF. The newer ICOM radios don't have it and the M506 has been discontinued and I can't find any for sale.
The new flagship ICOM510 has a gorgeous display (can be turned to red at night) and is half the depth of the M506, which is great. However, ICOM seems to have jumped on the iPhone-pairing bandwagon and added Wi-Fi to enable that - not a selling point for me. They've made NMEA 2000 compatibility dependent on Wi-Fi as well (it was available as a built-in option on the M506) which requires spending another $200 on a separate Wi-Fi module.
 
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