STANDARD HORIZON MATRIX AIS GX2100B

[Fishinspot]

I have seen alot of talk about this new AIS vhf but has anyone heard good/bad talk about this unit from people that are currently using it. Seems like a very good price for an even better capability. Does everyone really think it is useful in their areas. I have a Garmin 4212 that I will be hooking it to.

Thanks,

Doug

[Sandy]

I was under the impression it just was made available so there may not be many using it as yet. I looked at it at the NE Boatshow and neither I nor the electronics tech could figure out any way to pick out any individual AIS transponding vessel icon on that little screen and access it's relevant data. The manual had nothing about that in it.

It appeared to the tech & me that the benefit of the Matrix AIS radio is the fact that VHF & (receive-only) AIS system would only require total 1 VHF antenna, whereas apparently most add-on AIS systems require their own separate VHF antenna .It's possible that only applies to 2way transponding systems though, not sure.

Since most brand new better-quality chartplotters can display AIS (when interfaced with proper AIS equipment, presumably the input from the Matrix AIS radio would allow full access to the data to be displayed on the chartplotter. Older chartplotters would not work if they can't accept the necessary AIS NMEA sentence(s).

That radio does have fog horn and PA/intercom output features also, I believe.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Little Katuna

[Fishinspot]

I was under the impression it just was made available so there may not be many iusing it as yet. I looked at it at the NE Boatshow and neither I nor the electronics tech could figure out any way to pick out any individual AIS transponding vessel icon on that little screen and access it's relevant data. The manual had nothing about that in it.

It appeared to the tech & me that the benefit of the Matrix AIS radio is the fact that VHF & (receive-only) AIS system would only require total 1 VHF antenna, whereas apparently most add-on AIS systems require their own separate VHF antenna .It's possible that only applies to 2way transponding systems though, not sure.

Since most brand new better-quality chartplotters can display AIS (when interfaced with proper AIS equipment, presumably the input from the Matrix AIS radio would allow full access to the data to be displayed on the chartplotter. Older chartplotters would not work if they can't accept the necessary AIS NMEA sentence(s).

That radio does have fog horn and PA/intercom output features also, I believe.

It will interface to my chartplotter. Apparently it will recieve only but that is a big bonus to at least have that and it should be easily readable on the 4212. I guess so new not many people have it yet.