VHF radio with AIS opinion

Smashpjp

Active Member
Aug 3, 2021
325
Sandusky, Oh
Boat Info
2001 340 Sundancer w/ 8.1L 496
Engines
496 Merc 8.1L
Working on the winter shopping list and trying to decide on either the Standard Horizon GX2400 or the Garmin 215 VHF with AIS. Any opinions on either? also planning on adding PA speaker..

Back ground:

Just installed a 88610xsv with a GMR fantom 18. Also built up a full nmea2000 seatalk/seatalkng network so the legacy tridata and st5000, heading and rudder sensor integrate. Dont think there is any special integrations with the Chartplotter above and beyond direct Nmea2000 integration.

Currently have an older Icom but the speaker line output doesn't work. but its connected via 1893..
 
Both are nice units. IMO, at ~$160 less, the SH is a better value. I wouldn't recommend the Garmin to anyone who doesn't have a Garmin MFD, but since you do, there is SOME (but not much) integration.
 
the manuals on the Garmin are so vague...but adhere to the KISS factor. I assume the AIS information for either would be transmitted over nmea2000, displayed on the plotter, and corelated and tracked with what ever the Fantom picks up??? that would be my hope with either... Price and availability are coming into play...
 
the manuals on the Garmin are so vague...but adhere to the KISS factor. I assume the AIS information for either would be transmitted over nmea2000, displayed on the plotter, and corelated and tracked with what ever the Fantom picks up??? that would be my hope with either... Price and availability are coming into play...

I installed the GX2400 on my 340SDA earlier this year and have not yet configured the N2K communication but I am very happy so far with the unit. I replaced my old Ray215 with it and it is much nicer to operate. Even though the N2K was not tied in the GX2400 shows the AIS data on it's own display (very small of course).

When I replaced the unit I used one of the adapter panels that we sell for replacing the Ray215. My only comment is that since the GX2400 is a little large than their lower end units I needed to install the flush mount brackets from behind which was a little tight but worked well.

Here is a pic of the install:

GX2400-001.jpg

Let me know if you have any questions
-Kevin
 
I assume the AIS information for either would be transmitted over nmea2000, displayed on the plotter, and corelated and tracked with what ever the Fantom picks up??? that would be my hope with either...

Yep, that should be the case with either. With the Garmin, you can initiate a DSC call to an AIS target from the MFD. I doubt you'll find that very useful in the western basin though - there just isn't much AIS traffic (yet). It will be nice to see when the Jet Express is breathing down your neck, but it's unlikely that you'll find the need to call them...?

My beef with Garmin's "integration" is that their VHF's and MFD's have DSC address books, but they don't share them. When I obtain the MMSI info a local vessel, I program it into several devices.
 
@Smashpjp I'm glad you asked this, I'm looking at both those units and installed a Garmin MFD in the spring. This to replace the original Northstar VHF. I was leaning toward the Standard Horizon unit before, I think I'm definitely going that way. Last time I looked, Jim @ BOE marine had the best price on the unit.
 
I am going to do some more measuring.

If flush mount, the garmin has less of a protrusion and includes a cover and flush mount bracket. those are extra on the SH. Outside of that.. here is the special integration I found in the manual.

If you have a Garmin NMEA 2000 VHF radio connected to your chartplotter, these features are also enabled. • The chartplotter allows you to quickly set up and send individual routine call details to your Garmin VHF radio. • When you initiate a man-overboard distress call from your radio, the chartplotter shows the man-overboard screen and prompts you to navigate to the man-overboard point. • When you initiate a man-overboard distress call from your chartplotter, the radio shows the Distress Call page to initiate a man-overboard distress call.

The Standard horizon can be a backup complete nav system if needed, but so can my HX890 and my iphone and Ipad with navonics.

The SH still looks to be 150 cheaper adding in the flush mount bracket and cover... Outside of availability as well...
 
Very happy with my SH GX2200 I installed last year. $150 cheaper I'd do the SH.
 
A slightly different tack would be to install separate VHF and AIS units. Something like a Vesper XB-8000. It will provide more information and capability than one built into the radio. It communicates via N2K and is fully compatible with your Garmin gear. It also provides the ability to output data on Wifi, so if you are using something like Navionics on a iPad or iPhone you get the AIS data integrated to that app as well.

A couple aspects about the Garmin radios that are nice:
  • Updates. Firmware for the radio is easily update at the same time as your other Garmin gear. Downloads from Active Captain and installs at the same time as other updates.
  • Call from the MFD. I don't know it it works on other brand VHF, but when you have AIS data displayed on the Garmin MFD (from whatever source), you can select the vessel on the screen to initiate a DSC radio call via the Garmin radio. To me that's a neat trick when you actually want to call a vessel displayed on your screen.
Another option - although it's a rather gold-plated one - is the Vesper Cortex VHF / AIS system. This looks really slick, in that it integrates AIS and VHF into one system and provides a bunch of data on the touch screen VHF mic controller. It will of course integrate the data in the Garmin device as well. Cortex is actually kinda a whole boat system, allowing for systems and security monitoring as well (similar to the Siren Marine system). A member here installed it earlier this year and had good reviews. I've really only skimmed on what this thing does.

Here are a couple links about it:
https://panbo.com/vesper-unveils-cortex-combination-ais-vhf-radio-and-boat-monitor/
https://panbo.com/testing-vesper-cortex-m1-excellent-ais-monitoring-and-much-more-in-one-box/
https://www.vespermarine.com/cortex

If I had to do it over again I'd strongly consider the Vesper Cortex. But I already had a Garmin VHF 315 black box radio installed and I'm happy enough with it. On my wish list is a Vesper XB-8000 AIS unit.
 
Man oh Man that Vesper unit would be Super gold plated for Lake erie and the island crowd...
 
I have the Cortex integrated with my Garmin MFD. Messages between that unit and Garmin are standard NMEA sentences so no real advantage to getting a Garmin specific VHF/AIS as far as that goes. I will say, that my experience with SH has been that they are extremely capable units, but you need to be a rocket scientist to figure out their user interface. Garmin units are, to my eyes, a lot more intuitive. The Vesper Cortex is on another level, and practically reads your mind.
 
I have the VHF 210 AIS with the remote mic/speaker like the 315 and also the Vesper 8000. I used the AIS in the 210 for a season before I added the Vesper 8000. The draw back with an AIS receiver only is it only receives AIS signals and does not transmit them. So you will be able to see other vessels that have AIS but they won't see you through AIS. I added the Vesper 8000 this year that transmits and receives. Man that is a great unit for many reasons, but the best one is they have an app called Watchmate that acts as an anchor watch. That is worth it's weight in gold if you anchor a lot. Best night sleep on anchor I have ever had.

I see no benefit of having a Garmin VFH as the integration aspects makes no difference what brand VHF you have, only that it supports DSC calling. DSC calling operates through NMEA2000 so it makes no difference what brand you have. I have all Garmin electronics so I went with Garmin VHF to match the rest, but that was the only reason. If space is an issue, the 315 is a great radio for that, as you only need to mount a speaker and mic outlet somewhere.
 
I have the VHF 210 AIS with the remote mic/speaker like the 315 and also the Vesper 8000. I used the AIS in the 210 for a season before I added the Vesper 8000. The draw back with an AIS receiver only is it only receives AIS signals and does not transmit them. So you will be able to see other vessels that have AIS but they won't see you through AIS. I added the Vesper 8000 this year that transmits and receives. Man that is a great unit for many reasons, but the best one is they have an app called Watchmate that acts as an anchor watch. That is worth it's weight in gold if you anchor a lot. Best night sleep on anchor I have ever had.

I see no benefit of having a Garmin VFH as the integration aspects makes no difference what brand VHF you have, only that it supports DSC calling. DSC calling operates through NMEA2000 so it makes no difference what brand you have. I have all Garmin electronics so I went with Garmin VHF to match the rest, but that was the only reason. If space is an issue, the 315 is a great radio for that, as you only need to mount a speaker and mic outlet somewhere.

Wah :confused:

These VHF with AIS only receive they don't transmit my information? Dang it

I also see there is integrated remote boat monitoring as well... need to do more research and potential make more commissions..
 
Wah :confused:

These VHF with AIS only receive they don't transmit my information? Dang it

I also see there is integrated remote boat monitoring as well... need to do more research and potential make more commissions..

Yeah most Garmin VHF's only receive. They want to sell their AIS module as well. If I had to do it all over again I would totally spend the extra on the Vesper Cortex. But I had already purchased the 210 a year before the Cortex was even talked about.
 
I went with the simrad one. It's larger form factor fit right in the spot for the old raymarine vhf. Receives and transmits AIS. Pipes it directly to the mfd. A bit pricey but works like a charm.
 
I installed the Garmin 315 VHF with the AIS 800 and find them to be great performers. What I don't like is the small and dim display on the VHF handset; for me it is very difficult to read and that is the only display for the radio; it does not display on the chart plotters. The VHF is not on the Garmin network but is on the NMEA 2000 network. The AIS on the other hand fully integrates with the chart plotters and offers all of the features expected. Someone earlier stated that a DSC call could be initiated from the AIS data on the chart plotter.... I'd like to know how that is done if more detail could be provided.
 
I installed the Garmin 315 VHF with the AIS 800 and find them to be great performers. What I don't like is the small and dim display on the VHF handset; for me it is very difficult to read and that is the only display for the radio; it does not display on the chart plotters. The VHF is not on the Garmin network but is on the NMEA 2000 network. The AIS on the other hand fully integrates with the chart plotters and offers all of the features expected. Someone earlier stated that a DSC call could be initiated from the AIS data on the chart plotter.... I'd like to know how that is done if more detail could be provided.

This is from the Garmin 8616 manual.
Edit: I can't say how it works in practice since I don't have an AIS transponder integrated with the boat. I've been using the Marine Traffic OnCourse app.

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/web...UID-29FE4E9D-81AB-49E4-93B2-A9622AFED756.html
upload_2021-9-30_9-44-9.png
 
Last edited:
Someone earlier stated that a DSC call could be initiated from the AIS data on the chart plotter.... I'd like to know how that is done if more detail could be provided.

It's the same process as initiating a call from the DSC directory (list) on an MFD, with the exception of the first step of collecting the MMSI from the AIS target instead of the directory. I appreciate the feature of initiating calls on a large screen instead of the radio itself, which is why I keep harping on the fact that the directories don't sync.

Funny story: friends of mine bought a new-to-them 55 footer and were bringing it home through the Okeechobee waterway. They received a call DSC call from another vessel in a panic, "are you really a 180 footer?!?!" My friends assured them that they're in-fact a 55 and there's plenty of room to pass. When they stopped for the night, they took a look at their AIS profile. The previous owners registered it as 55 METERS instead of feet. :D

y4mBMrEMLg_wHpElYayRHz34J6YV7YoWJNs58WbToVBJbZHbqhhmf6lRZsayksSicpS3wITfZPQZFMyEpWYw-_jgnxDFXI_cEoho5eYBAJ1mSyImLjsmWauH_QC2AXMaMpk_PCATqs_IcfWw_LtA3YibktkUYTxBNwdA_4A4FIppzI
 
I connected the Standard Horizon to my Garmin Chartplotter, it was simple and worked right out of the box. I wouldn't see any need for matching brands just to receive AIS.
 

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