Yachting

All prices include VAT and a GPS (where

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

GEAR TEST

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

This neat little unit boasts

an integral 50-channel GPS

receiver with its own internal

Contact Seapilot

Tel +46 8622 2665

Web http://www.seapilot.com

Seapilot CTRX Graphene £831 with active splitter, £664 without

Seapilot AIS units are made

by True Heading, a Swedish

company with a reputation

for producing high-quality

navigation instruments. There

are two models – CTRX Graphene

and Graphene+, both available

with or without Wi-Fi – which are

identical except that Graphene +

has an integral antenna splitter.

An external GPS antenna is

supplied with both.

The box is not particularly

small, but it is slim and has

all its ports and sockets at

the bottom edge, keeping the

installation tidy.

Ports include NMEA-2000,

USB, power/NMEA-0183, external

GPS and VHF antenna. The

Graphene X simply has an extra

PL-259 socket for connecting the

VHF radio to. The transponder

can be silenced either by holding

the ‘S’ button on the panel down

for three seconds or by using a

remote switch.

All models use the proAIS2

Contact Comar Systems

Tel 01983 828900

Web http://www.comarsystems.com

Comar CSB200 £844 with active splitter, £622 without

The CSB200 has been around

for a few years and it’s shows.

It is the only transponder we

tried that is designed

to mount on a U-bracket, and the

only one with an RS232 9-pin D

socket for NMEA-0183 data. As a

receiver it is also single-channel

Contact Force 4 Chandlery

Tel 0345 130 0710

Web http://www.force4.co.uk

ACR AISLink CB1 £869 with active splitter, £649 without

antenna, but it still has a BNC

socket for an external GPS

antenna if preferred. ACR doesn’t

appear to supply its own brand

antenna splitter, but others are

available for around £200.

It’s simple to install by

attaching the combined USB/

power lead, VHF and GPS

antennae and the NMEA

connection to the MFD/plotter.

All the sockets are at the bottom

of the box and there are four

status LEDs on the front. The

indicators remain amber until you

have entered your MMSI via the

navigation instruments. There has an integral antenna splitter.

receiver with its own internal antenna if preferred. ACR doesn’t

appear to supply its own brand

confi guration and monitoring

software, which comes on a CD.

There’s currently no UK

dealer, but Seapilot gear can be

bought online from its website.

proAIS2 program, after which

the green light indicates that

all is well.

It has everything other than

fl ash card logging. It is simple

to confi gure and comes with a

comprehensive manual and the

proAIS2 software on a CD.

Class-B AIS transceivers

The Seapilot CTRX come with

an external GPS antenna

The BNC

antenna

socket will

require a

converter

Its small

size makes

mounting

this neat

unit easier

This unit has

an integral

GPS and socket

for an external

antenna

The Seapilot CTRX come with

(^8) /
10
The CTRX is
available with or
without Wi-Fi and
/or built-in splitter
only, time-sharing
between AIS-A
and AIS-B signals.
The BNC antenna
socket requires
a converter from
the more standard
PL259 plug often
found on VHF
antenna. Comar also produces
an active antenna splitter
(AST200) for an additional £222
that comes with all the correct
interlinking leads.
The device booted straight up
on the only laptop we had still
with a D-socket serial connector,
It is the only transponder we
tried that is designed
socket for NMEA-0183 data. As a
receiver it is also single-channel
The BNC
antenna
socket will
require a
converter
most laptops will need a USB/
RS232 converter lead.
The AIS uses proAIS
software, which is supplied on
a CD, along with the manual.
a converter from
socket requires
a converter from
the more standard
PL259 plug often
found on VHF
antenna. Comar also produces
an active antenna splitter
5 /
10
The CSB200 can be mounted on a U-bracket
8 /
10
PHOTOS: COLIN WORK