Raymarine AIS 350

JohnShannon · Nov 25, 2015

Nope have a AIS650 seems to work well enough, nobody has run me over yet!. This unit is receive only kinda expensive for that. If receive only is your thing how about a Standard Horizon radio with AIS like GX2000 for $200 (needs GPS from the chart plotter) of GX2200 $300 with internal GPS so = ready to go

Mark Maulden · Nov 25, 2015

Also have the 650. I was contemplating a 350 and decided thats only half the equation. Glad I did it since I can be in the fog at times amongst some big ships. I met one of the local pilots and he stated its really nice seeing AIS targets. If nothing else, they know who to hail assuming you're not in the silent mode...I have absolutely no reason to be.

quadrille38 · Nov 26, 2015

Don't have that unit but do have AIS transponder for send and receive. Went with Digital Yachts device. Love being able to see and be seen. I'm sure you will find it useful with whatever device you get

JohnShannon · Nov 26, 2015

Oh the other issue with the 350 is that you will either need a splitter or a separate antenna. So more $$. The radio with integrated AIS just uses the main (masthead) antenna so also in principle better receive range

jsalley · Nov 27, 2015

I have a Raymarine C90W (same as yours, just smaller display) with a Si-Tex AIS and antenna splitter (using with Icom VHF), both purchased from Defender. Works perfectly, just need to configure the com setting on the plotter the first time you use it. Any other brand AIS should work equally well, since they all use the same motherboard and firmware (including Raymarine's version).

JohnShannon · Nov 27, 2015

Well on the sensitivity issue the AIS650 I have seems to be working well even with a stern rail antenna. The big ships broadcast at 12W so you should have plenty of signal by the time a ship is near you. As to install, install with my RM chart plotter went smoothly

mz4wheeler · Nov 27, 2015

Bob 04 H260 said:
We are thinking about adding AIS to our boat this year. We have a RM C120W MFD on board so thinking the AIS350 would be a simple plug and play solution. I'm interested if anyone else is using this unit and how you like it, good sensitivity ? any other issues etc.
thanks, Bob

I also have a RM C120 and elected to go with the Standard Horizon GX2200 (DSC+AIS+GPS built in). The reasons are good IMHO.

Since it already has GPS built in, I don't need a feed from the chart plotter for emergency DSC. It also has AIS built in and all I have to do is feed the NMEA output to the RM input and it displays quite well. It also has it's *OWN* AIS map display built in to it functions as a nice backup for both GPS and AIS. It displays SOG and other useful information.

You can also get the remote microphone for the GX2200 which also displays the AIS targets and GPS position.

If you need to contact a remote AIS vessel, you just press the call button.

There is no separate AIS "box" that requires a separate fuse/wiring/mounting solution and doesn't require yet ANOTHER "box" for splitting/sharing the VHF antenna. The VHF splitter box alone is $150+ bucks. Unless you are terribly attached to your old VHF radio, dump it for a GX2200.

Highly recommended. [grin]

Mark Maulden · Nov 27, 2015

Hmmm. All well and good until you have a radio issue. Then you lose both functions. Radios today are pretty reliable but a nuisance fuse blow could be bothersome...

Sumner · Nov 28, 2015

mz4wheeler said:
... Unless you are terribly attached to your old VHF radio, dump it for a GX2200. Highly recommended. [grin]

I agree and less money than the AIS 350. I have the model just before the 2200 and was able to pickup NOAA weather over 100 miles east of Florida in the Abacos. Great radios. Keep the other radio as a backup or sell it and use the bucks towards the 2200,

Sumner

====================================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

mz4wheeler · Nov 28, 2015

Mark Maulden said:
Hmmm. All well and good until you have a radio issue. Then you lose both functions. Radios today are pretty reliable but a nuisance fuse blow could be bothersome...

I agree with you. If you can budget for it, and active AIS system (transponder) is the best. The recommendation for the GX2200 is for getting AIS receive-only on a budget.

uncledom · Nov 29, 2015

Bob 04 H260 said:
We are thinking about adding AIS to our boat this year. We have a RM C120W MFD on board so thinking the AIS350 would be a simple plug and play solution. I'm interested if anyone else is using this unit and how you like it, good sensitivity ? any other issues etc.
thanks, Bob

Bob my boat came with a 350 hooked to two E type displays and using an antenna splitter. It is plug and play according to RM and I haven't had any problems with it. I like seeing all the things that are much larger than I am and seeing their Closest Point of Approach with a few button pushes from the helm. I especially like to know a vessels call sign or name so I can hail them in channel and harbor situations. I'm sure the antenna splitter isn't optimal but I also have not found a problem with the range on either the AIS or VHF. Hope this helps.

Charlie98117 · Nov 29, 2015

Great discussion, I really like the AIS integrated with the radio solution since I would like to upgrade the radio anyway to one that would accept a remote station. But as the OP said, I'm a bit nervous plugging anything else into the RM network. Also wondering what are the benefits of having send/receive over receive only, beyond the obvious.

JohnShannon · Nov 29, 2015

Before I got my RM650 I had the GX2000 working fine with my RM MFD (e something or other) comes in on the NMEA0183 not the Seattle NG

Sumner · Nov 29, 2015

Charlie98117 said:
.... Also wondering what are the benefits of having send/receive over receive only, beyond the obvious.

If I were to single hand again to the Bahamas or were singlehanding overnight about anywhere especially with a small boat like the Macgregor I'd move up to a unit that was also a transponder. I had a couple situations where I saw boats where either I or they had to change course because they didn't see me but I saw them and contacted them.

Going the 100+ miles from Bimini to the Berry's over 25 hours I was trying to limit sleeping to no more than 20 minutes at a time but a couple times it was more than that. So the point being if you are awake and watching the AIS info just having a receiver can work fine, but if you get in a situation where you are moving and can't give it all that attention then broadcasting your location can have obvious safety benefits. I think this is especially true the smaller the boat you are sailing as it is less likely to be picked up by a larger boat's radar.

Sumner

===========================================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

mz4wheeler · Nov 29, 2015

Sumner said:
I think this is especially true the smaller the boat you are sailing as it is less likely to be picked up by a larger boat's radar.

The radar systems on larger boats are very high quality and WILL see a 20ft boat. Only a complete inept captain would set up his radar to not see smaller targets, although I suppose it could happen.

Jumping from no AIS to receive-only AIS is a huge jump in safety... Obviously a transponder is the best. If you are single handing, the GX2200 is a good choice because it uses very little power, and will signal an alarm if an AIS target is close. If you use other models, you'll also need your chart plotter on, which uses WAY more power, especially if you are sailing and are trying to conserve power.

Monterey385 · Nov 29, 2015

I have the 650 and love it. Concur with all of the comments re: transponder. I also have the ICOM M506 that has a receiver and therefore redundancy. The more I'm using my unit the more I can't even think about how I cruised in questionable visibility without this capability.

Charlie98117 · Nov 29, 2015

JohnShannon said:
Before I got my RM650 I had the GX2000 working fine with my RM MFD (e something or other) comes in on the NMEA0183 not the Seattle NG

LOL, love how your autocorrect fixes SeaTalk ng

It looks like it can be plugged into SeaTalk ng with a special junction block that has a yellow NMEA cable. I think my MFD has an unused plug labeled "Network". Is there an easier way to directly via that plug?

Sumner said:
If I were to single hand again to the Bahamas or were singlehanding overnight about anywhere especially with a small boat like the Macgregor I'd move up to a unit that was also a transponder.

That makes sense but all my sailing is in Puget Sound so I don't see myself doing any overnight single handing. For now the AIS receive only option seems like a great step up from nothing at all.