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Along with the Garmin inReach Mini 2, came an em-trak B954: a 5W SOTDMA Class B AIS transponder with built-in active splitter, Wi-Fi and NMEA 0183/2000 support, for €1,050.
What it does:
– receives details of nearby vessels: name, MMSI for radio calls, course, speed, type, dimensions and flag state
– broadcasts the same information about you
– sends the information to a chartplotter over NMEA and to Navionics Boating over Wi-Fi
– AIS-capable devices can warn of collision risks when courses cross or vessels approach, using CPA and TCPA alarms
Unfortunately, only commercial vessels are required to carry it. Even so, together with radar reflectors, it makes you more visible and gives you earlier warning.
AIS connects to the radio and antenna. I hadn’t switched them on this year and couldn’t test them alone. Nobody answered my RADIO CHECK calls on channels 69 and 72. Thankfully, a neighbour had a handheld radio, and everything proved fine.
For now, I installed it without NMEA, as the whole network needs resoldering. At the hardware shop, I bought two switches: power and silent mode, which stops AIS transmitting our details.
Following the instructions, I fitted a 3A supply fuse. Power goes into a junction box feeding the battery monitor, radio and chartplotter. But the multimeter, battery monitor and plotter all showed different voltages on the same circuit. With all four devices running, they began to switch off. Later, I’ll run a separate supply cable to each.
In use, AIS was excellent. It showed almost every boat nearby and loudly warned of crossing courses, turning the targets red. I’d never imagined Germans fitted it even to little 24-footers. MarineTraffic also picked me up and now shows me on its maps.
#maintenance
What it does:
– receives details of nearby vessels: name, MMSI for radio calls, course, speed, type, dimensions and flag state
– broadcasts the same information about you
– sends the information to a chartplotter over NMEA and to Navionics Boating over Wi-Fi
– AIS-capable devices can warn of collision risks when courses cross or vessels approach, using CPA and TCPA alarms
Unfortunately, only commercial vessels are required to carry it. Even so, together with radar reflectors, it makes you more visible and gives you earlier warning.
AIS connects to the radio and antenna. I hadn’t switched them on this year and couldn’t test them alone. Nobody answered my RADIO CHECK calls on channels 69 and 72. Thankfully, a neighbour had a handheld radio, and everything proved fine.
For now, I installed it without NMEA, as the whole network needs resoldering. At the hardware shop, I bought two switches: power and silent mode, which stops AIS transmitting our details.
Following the instructions, I fitted a 3A supply fuse. Power goes into a junction box feeding the battery monitor, radio and chartplotter. But the multimeter, battery monitor and plotter all showed different voltages on the same circuit. With all four devices running, they began to switch off. Later, I’ll run a separate supply cable to each.
In use, AIS was excellent. It showed almost every boat nearby and loudly warned of crossing courses, turning the targets red. I’d never imagined Germans fitted it even to little 24-footers. MarineTraffic also picked me up and now shows me on its maps.
#maintenance
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