Yachting

All prices include VAT and a GPS (where

Products tested required), also the option of an active splitter

GEAR TEST

68 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com MAY 2016

Icom MA-500TR £599, active splitter built in

The only display unit tested,

albeit quite small (4in) and

experience tells us most

navigators prefer to have AIS

targets laid over a plotter chart

these days. Fortunately, the

output can also be connected

to a compatible chartplotter

Contact Icom UK

Tel 01227 741741

Web http://www.icomuk.co.uk

and although the NMEA-0183

port comes on a 15-pin mini-D

connector, a cable is provided, as

is the external GPS antenna.

You can toggle between three

primary pages – Plotter (with

selectable vessel detail), Target

List and Danger List. The Plotter

page looks similar to radar, with

North/Course-up and 0.125-

24nm ranges. The Target List

shows all detected AIS targets

and the Danger List shows

vessels with a CPA of 6nm or

TCPA of one hour.

Confi guration is via the display

(it lacks a USB port). The only

way to log AIS events on a PC is

to use an RS232/USB converter

on the NMEA-0183 output.

There are two models of

Vesper’s XB AIS transponder

• the 6000 and the Wi-Fi-
  enabled 8000. The compact,
  fully waterproof XBs have an

internal GPS receiver, although

in most installations the supplied

external GPS antenna will give

better performance. Ports include

NMEA-0183/2000, USB, GPS and

VHF antenna, all of which face

downwards for a neat installation.

An LED status indicator varies in

colour and fl ashes.

Both models share a high-

speed, 50-channel (5Hz) GPS,

for smoother tracking of AIS

targets on the chart. The units

also contain a data multiplexer

to convert between NMEA-2000

and NMEA-0183, allowing N2K

instrument data to be sent out to

NMEA-0183 plotters, or via USB

for PC navigation and continuous

logging of all data – not just AIS

and GPS. No software or drivers

are supplied, you need to go

online to download these.

Contact Cactus Navigation

Te l 020 7833 3435

Web http://www.cactusnav.com

Class-B AIS transceivers

If you own an Icom VHF

radio, you can connect it to

make individual DSC calls

directly from the MA-500TR.

(^7) /
10
The Icom
can be
wired to a
chartplotter
and output
AIS info
A 12-channel GPS receiver is
included with the MA-500TR
Best Value
Stand-Alone Unit
(^9) /
10
Vesper XB-6000 £644 with active splitter, £459 without
Vesper’s AIS units are
compact and waterproof
Internal and
external GPS
antennae
are both
supplied
PHOTOS: COLIN WORK
Contact Digital Yacht Te l 0117 955 4474 Web http://www.digitalyacht.co.uk
Digital Yacht’s range of AIS
transponders (AIT1500,
AIT2000 and AIT3000) all
available. It has NMEA-
0183 and USB data
ports, a BNC antenna
socket, four status LEDs
and internal GPS – you
can’t plug in an external one.
The transponder was quick
to install and used all the
facilities of the proAIS2 software,
including logging. The GPS signal
wasn’t strong below decks,
highlighting the benefi t of an
external antenna. From previous
encounters with the AIT2000
and AIT3000, which do have GPS
antenna ports, we’d recommend
5 /
10
these above the AIT1500. For
£100 more, the AIT2000 offers
NMEA-2000 multiplexing and
a 50-channel high-speed GPS
receiver with external antenna.
But if you’d prefer to use
your existing masthead VHF
antenna, and have Wi-Fi for
tablets and phones, then we
suggest the AIT3000 for £300
more, which includes a splitter.
Digital Yacht’s range of AIS available. It has NMEA-
Digital Yacht AIT1500 £665 with active splitter, £440 without
The 1500 is
let down by
its limited
internal
GPS
socket, four status LEDs
can’t plug in an external one.
The transponder was quick
these above the AIT1500. For
£100 more, the AIT2000 offers
share the same AIS circuitry. We
wanted to test the AIT2000, but
only the entry-level AIT1500 was
The AIT3000
has the same
circuitry as the
AIT1500 but
offers Wi-Fi
and splitter