AIS Class B question

B

Billylll

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I installed a Navionics NEMA2000 Class B AIS. I have Garmin 4200 series chart plotters. I keep getting a collision alert on the Garmin network On the RS232 interface to my laptop everything is fine. My Garmin network was just upgraded with the latest 5.0 software. I installed 5 new NEMA devices other than the AIS unit including the GMI-10 display. The Navionics shows up on the NEMA2000 list on the chart plotters and my VHF radio has the same MMSI in it's DSC in/out circuit but is wired through the NEMA0183 portion of the chart plotters. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong? AIS targets show up on the displays but my AIS unit and the chart plotters on my boat evidently think my own boat is a collision target.
Bill
 
"Does anyone know what I am doing wrong?" BillyIII

Ahem, you are mixing boats, salt water and electronics together... ;)

Other than that, I haven't a clue. Are you sure that you aren't really a target? :)

--

<< polite way to bump the thread... >>
 
Thanks Bill, I have Navionics working on a solution and Garmin niether is sure what is happening. I can use the AIS Class B transponder (not just a receiver) on my laptop but then I get the annoying alarm on the plotters that I have to clear every 5 minutes. Thanks for the bump here is another bump!
Bill
 
A wild guess... the AIS data is being feed back via the NMEA 0183. Try to limit the sentences received via 0183 or just for testing, disconnect the 0183 receive wire on the plotter.
 
I have a feeling once I recieve my Garmin NEMA2000 VHF200 radio this will clear up the problem. I'm not sure about the NEMA0183 because I have an ACR unit that I didn't like and had the same alarms running it on the high speed NEMA ports. I was not impressed with the reciever on the ACR unit. I have 3 units I am currently testing. So far the NAIS-300L NEMA2000 seems to be great other than the darn "self" alarm issue. The problem is common to all 3 which leads me to believe it is in the Garmin plotters or network. I can run it in recieve mode only but I feel that is not wise and if I wanted an AIS reciever I could have tried one of many. I do have the latest Garmin download that was just released less than 2 weeks ago version 5.0.
Bill
 
Butch, I checked the link you posted, but can find no references that address the problem being had by BIllyIII. Am I missing something? Tell us what you saw that helps resolve the issue of "self-targeting" in a network...
 
I am an avid reader and contributor on Panbo. There isn't anything on my problem. The software update I did took care of the original AIS Class A only problems. The NEMA ports are not the problem. I also went to another unnamed site that had an entire section about Garmins and Class B AIS however no one had my problem or had hooked up a NEMA2000 AIS Class B because these have just been released. So I search for an answer. When I get it I will return and post what the resolution is.
Bill
 
You might try the Electronics forum on the dreaded THT. A lot of professionals hang out there and a lot of Garminites.
 
George I already went there. The information there is dated. They were discussing whether AIS A was all that could be seen on a Garmin plotter and which one's. That was true until the latest system software release 5.0 which I have installed and re-installed again yesterday. I am working with Ben at Panbo on the problem. There is a new thread there where another guy using an ACR Transponder has similar problems only he is using the NEMA0183. I am using the Navionics NEMA2000 (L) model. All works well except the collision alarm. It does not happen on my laptop when I am connected through the RS232 port with a USB to 232 adapter. It is definately in the Garmin plotters. I just tried something I will know soon enough if it works and report back here. Thanks for responding good to hear from you I hope all is well with you and your wife. Bill
 
Hmmm, I didn't see a thread on there with your issue. Did you try initiating one? I suppose we'll add AIS someday, but I just haven't felt compelled to do so yet, in that there has been one time in our many travels when it might have been handy, though not essential. Got a lot of other doo dads in front of AIS on the "nice to have" list.

Anyway, we're fine. Got up to New Bern on Memorial Day, where we'll be for awhile. Don't know if or when we may go further north this year.
We're hangin' out with friends on Fripp Island, SC this week, cool place.

George
 
Bill,

Go to the forums section at Panbo and post your query. There are some very smart folks there.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Butch Davis

Bill,

Go to the forums section at Panbo and post your query. There are some very smart folks there.

Click to expand...

Butch and George I am listed under the new COMAR receiver thread there is another guy with a similar problem. George this thread looks like it started about a day ago on Ben's site.
Bill
 
I was referring to THT as the place I didn't see a thread; there are some very knowledgeable Garmin in particular, and electronics in general, guys in their Marine Electronics forum. I'll whip on over to Ben's (Panbo) site and take a look. Garmin has pretty good tech support, what sayeth them?
 
George I am working with Garmin on it now. So far no easy answer. Navionics insisted I install their GPS puck instead of the ACR GPS antenna so I did that and no change. Here is an important change that really made the AIS receiver come alive I installed a Digital Antenna 4.5dbi cut for the AIS channels only (a narrowband antenna) instead of the broadband Marine band VHF antenna and I am now picking up more targets and consistantly have better range on the AIS receive portion. Now if I could just get the darn alarming of my own boat to go away I would be very happy.
Bill
 
Bill - For those of us who may yet install an A.I.S. , that is a great pointer about the narrowband antenna. Can you give us an idea of the range increase you have notice and the height of your antenna?

Is there any chance at all the MMSI number entered in the A.I.S. (or VHF) has one erroneous digit so the 2 units do not match/agree as they should, & the A.I.S. is confusing the identity of your own vessel? I can't picture how that would work , but just wondering.
 
I haven't had it in long enough to account for changing conditions yet. For instance Friday night I was seeing ships up to 60 miles away, however this was due to something called temperature inversion or tropo so a coat hanger would work under those conditions. However last weekend I only saw boats show up at night and early morning typically again tropo or ducting. During the day nothing. After changing the antenna I was consistently seeing boats from 20 to 25 miles during the day. I need to use the ideal AIS antenna a few more weekends for a fair evaluation. Both antennas were new Digital Antennas and 4' tall. Last weekend I hadn't the time to run the new AIS only antenna. The 4' VHF Digital antenna was put in for me to use with my 2 meter FM ham radio which will be less than ideal for that as well but its also a good spare for my primary Marine VHF radio should the 16' antenna break or fail. The 4' antennas are on my hard top so about 13 feet at the base of the antenna off the water.
Bill
 
Sandy no chance the AIS numbers are not programmed properly. That is my point I don't think the Garmin knows my MMSI even though the VHF radio I have the Uniden 625 has a talker and a listener hooked up to the chart plotter through the NEMA0183 network. I tried disconnecting all NEMA0183 devices and rebooting all still had the same self target/alarm issue.
Bill
 
Thanks for the further info, Bill. That's amazing you were receiving data from 60 mi even if due to inversion.

That own-boat alarm has to be frustrating . Besides annoying, must feel a little eerie , like someone has you on missile-lock..... (duck & cover?)
Hope you get it squared away soon and will look forward to hearing the cause & fix.
 
I just got off the phone with Garmin tech support. They are not sure what is going on however they have had 2 new system software releases they are up to 5.2 now. I was asked to download it but they need the PN's the Navionics unit outputs over the NEMA2000 network. I offered to send them the spare unit I have but they could not accept it. They will call me after they talk to Navionics. I will let everyone know when this works out.
Bill
 
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