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communication and navigation equipment

Jim:
You are confused because it is quite complex (at least I found it so).

The vesper is a lovely unit because it has its own gps antenna and AIS antenna (unless you combine via a splitter your VHF...has its own pros/cons). It then puts out its own little wireless signal with GPS and AIS data. Simple to connect an IPAD (an INAVX) then you have a mobile MFD with AIS input, and GPS data (COG, SOG etc). My experience with VESPER has been highly positive..give it 12 volts and it works. Also, again, very responsive to email and helped teach me a lot about interconnecting devices.

Now as soon as you start talking about other instruments they have wired NMEA feeds (at least two different Baud rates and protocols exist). And interfacing multiple brands into a wireless hub can be a fun project or not depending on your interests.

This is a major reason why I went all NKE including their wireless hub (so I actually have two wireless hubs....the weight and electric demand is trivial). I was going to use just the VESPER wireless and that should/could work....but I didn't want to have different companies saying the problem was with the other. I connect to the wireless NKE feed via a tablet computer. Gives me some redundancy.

Oh, and keep in mind most instruments all have some sort of protocol for data transfer that is there own. This is really a thread of its own. I decided after some research to side step the issue and just go with one brand. But again, your interests should dictate your choice...but one can spend lots and lots and lots of time on electronics with no increase in boat speed. A lot of amazing young guys have gone with minimal instruments on Moore 24s and the like very fast to Hawaii.
 
Chris, did you get the XB-8000 we talked about or did you drop the big bucks for the Watchmate Vision? I'm thinking about a transponder, although I'll take so much grief from the SSS folks if I get one that it might not be worth it!
 
I went with the very economical XB-8000 ;-)
This unit does also have a wired output that one can patch into your AIS enabled VHF, or to a chart-plotter as well.
Chris
 
Jim, I got up to five boats at one point but four of them were dinghies. You have that beat - don't you have a J/35 laying about as well?

We'd love to see Ryan in the race again but I think the big nut to crack is the return cost. I think that's why we've never been able to get the Minis involved. (If Hebert is lurking, he just ducked.)
 
Chris,
I have been feeling totally overwhelmed by the wi-fi issues in marine electronic gear. As best I can tell, the main difference between the XB000 and the Watchmate vision is the vision has its own display, has a combination ais/vhf antenna, which I aassume means you dont have to use either/or, and the vision transmits out, as well as receives, for basically another thousand bucks.?
Jim
 
Bob,
I still have the J35, which Tillotson-Pearson and Bob Johnstone modified for me for the 84 OSTAR. I also have the 73 (or so) NA champion 3/4 tonner,, a Mull 34 named Swampfire, which O. J. Young had built and sailed. It may have been the world champion 3/4 tonner too.
There are a few more non-race specific boats too. I'm probablly the poster child for OCD, and will never qualify as anyone's financial advisor in planning for retirement.
Jim
 
Fortunately old sailboats are good investments :rolleyes:

I think the Vision just adds its own display (so it's a stand-alone unit). Both are transponders and can be wireless hubs for your other gadgets. If I get one it will be the XB-8000.
 
Bob:
New sailboats are good investments too!

Jim:
More than once I have been overwhelmed. Accept that you will make mistakes, stuff won't work as planned and better stuff will come along as soon as you buy stuff. At some point bite the bullet pick some and enjoy. Until you have some miles and hours on it you won't know what works best for you. Regarding antenna the Vesper Unit is big and heavy and "tuned" to both the AIS and VHF frequencies which are slightly different (some say that is not the case). I use a smaller antenna for my AIS and VHF through Vespers powered splitter. It works well (in initial testing) had some issues offshore but communications were great with ships VHF, and AIS out to 30 miles I am not sure what the issue is/was. I have a second emergency antenna, and could always take the splitter out and use two antennas. One on rear pulpit one on masthead. An approach is to put AIS on masthead/VHF on stern rail for offshore.....priority be seen by ship. Reverse when close to shore..

Chris
 
I totally agree about not obsessing over electronics. You need a solid autopilot w/spares (and electrical system to support it), an AIS receiver w/alarm, a means of long-distance communication (SSB or satphone) and a VHF. Weather downloads have hurt me more than helped me (a simple barometer tells you a lot). I sailed for most of my life without instruments. I did better (and had more fun) in the 2006 race with basic gear than in those since.
 
CRC1965 said:
IF i had a bigger boat I would go B&G and interface with one of their beautiful chartplotters at a NAV station...overlay radar etc.......
Click to expand...

This is what I did. Well...plan to do soon. I have been collecting all the parts and pieces, now I am slowly getting the nerve up to put it all together. I'll post the learning process though I hope that does not include too many pleadings for help. I'll have to look into the Vesper Watchmate, too, but my VHF has AIS receive capability and spending any more big bucks is not high on the list right now.
 
Gamayun said:
This is what I did. Well...plan to do soon. I have been collecting all the parts and pieces, now I am slowly getting the nerve up to put it all together. I'll post the learning process
Click to expand...

photos or video please. this oughta be good. If only you had video footage of Iron Mike "Oh that? That'll kill you" Jefferson while he helped you with your electronics.
 
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Philpott said:
photos or video please. this oughta be good. If only you had video footage of Iron Mike "Oh that? That'll kill you" Jefferson while he helped you with your electronics.
Click to expand...

Mike thinks I live a charmed life on the tippy edge of potential disaster. I tell him it's more fun that way ;)

He's also taught me the right way to splice wire like nobody's business....
 
Well there's no ONE right way:

1) Twist them together and stick a piece of tape over the joint - matching colors doesn't matter

2) Get a really long piece of wire (so you don't HAVE to splice it) and coil up the extra next to the panel (on really fancy yachts you could put a wire tie around the coil)

3) Move the thing you're wiring so the wire will reach

4) Get the brand that comes with the longest wires in the box

I got this boat wiring thing nailed!
 
Here's a question. I have a Brookhouse multiplexor to merge AIS and NEMA navigation data. The setup has never worked properly to get AIS data to my charplotter, which is a Lowrance, and not very good.

Now I have an iPad, and I just bought the iNavX navigation app and downloaded all my charts, and I'd like to get all this data onto WiFi. Also, I think even using the laptop might be easier, it would cut down on the number of cables.

Does anyone have experience with any of the Wifi-capable muxes? I'm thinking Shipmodule, Vesper, etc.
 
BobJ said:
Well there's no ONE right way:

1) Twist them together and stick a piece of tape over the joint - matching colors doesn't matter!
Click to expand...

No shit. This is how I learned to do it, albeit from my mom, the circus performer, who actually was a pro fixing her trailer and making sure her rigging stayed connected when she was 50 feet off the ground ;)
 
Coming soon to the SSS Resources page: "The Scottish CPA's Guide to Cheap Boat Wiring." A few more tips from various chapters:

- Use extension cords as a source for wire. You already have a bunch of them and they come in the two most popular colors for boat interiors (white and brown). When the wire inside turns black it loses weight, and we all know light is fast.

- For wire colors, mix and match the colors from your favorite sports teams. When the Giants won last year I started using orange and black for everything. Then Chicken Shack closed so I had to substitute red for orange, but it works fine. On the port side red is positive; on the starboard side it's negative - I like symmetry (except in my spinnakers).

- Special tip for singlehanders: Don't waste valuable time labeling anything. You ran the wire - you know where it goes!

- Charge your batteries and turn everything on before starting your wiring project. It saves all those trips to the panel from the bowels of the boat, and when you get it right all the lights come on.

You're welcome.

______________

Pro tip from Phil: Do not, under any circumstances, do ANYTHING Bob suggests above.
 
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Chris,
I had a preliminary discussion with Bob Congdon this morning, and in two hours I am going to have a more in depth discussion and start ordering parts. I've also decided to take your suggestion and get the Vesper AIS system if it is Both send and receive, or more specifically, Is the XB 8000 both send and receive? (A & B?)
Jim
 
BobJ said:
Coming soon to the SSS Resources page: "The Scottish CPA's Guide to Cheap Boat Wiring." A few more tips from various chapters:

- Use extension cords as a source for wire. You already have a bunch of them and they come in the two most popular colors for boat interiors (white and brown). When the wire inside turns black it loses weight, and we all know light is fast.

- For wire colors, mix and match the colors from your favorite sports teams. When the Giants won last year I started using orange and black for everything. Then Chicken Shack closed so I had to substitute red for orange, but it works fine. On the port side red is positive; on the starboard side it's negative - I like symmetry (except in my spinnakers).

- Special tip for singlehanders: Don't waste valuable time labeling anything. You ran the wire - you know where it goes!

- Charge your batteries and turn everything on before starting your wiring project. It saves all those trips to the panel from the bowels of the boat, and when you get it right all the lights come on.

You're welcome.




Pro tip from Phil: Do not, under any circumstances, do ANYTHING Bob suggests above.
Click to expand...


I knew there was someone aboard my boat the other day rummaging around my most recent AP install and stealing my proprietary wiring scheme. I am calling my attorney!!
______________
 
jimb522 said:
Is the XB 8000 both send and receive? (A & B?)
Jim
Click to expand...

Hi Guys ,

For AIS, Class A refers to high power systems used on commercial vessels. Class B is for lower transmission power systems typically installed in pleasure craft and maybe smaller fishing boats. Both A and B refer to transponders, which means send + receive. There are also various devices that are receive-only, but these are neither Class A or Class B. Class B devices also transmit less data, fewer times per minute, while from Class A vessels you can learn all sorts of things like their destination port, how long they are, etc etc.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Identification_System
 
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