The Ray49 is Raymarine’s new compact DSC-enabled VHF radio. I wanted one because I want position data received over DSC to appear on my chartplotter, and my current Ray54 can’t generate outgoing NMEA data.
So I’ve got a Ray49, and I’m thinking about how I’ll install it. If you’ve been keeping track at all, you might be aware that I’ve used just about every available route to move NMEA data between components on Two Lucky Fish. For this project, I’ll PROBABLY use the other pair of NMEA wires that go into my autopilot…those wires are just sitting there at the current time.
The big question: will the autopilot forward any and all incoming NMEA data, or only those it knows how to “transcribe” into SeaTalk? The documentation implies that the autopilot might be picky about what it forwards. We shall see.
In the meantime, I’ve been reading the manual in detail. This is a nice little radio, with several minor software and hardware enhancements that should make it easier to use.
But you know me…once I start to visualize the scenarios, I always have to jump ahead to the NEXT cool feature. The one they didn’t include. Which is this:
The manual provides no indication that the Ray49 can initiate a station-to-station DSC call when requested by an external device. You can only initiate a call using the buttons and knobs on the Ray49.
Why is this a problem? Because now I’ve got AIS! I can imagine all sorts of legitimate vessel safety scenarios in which it would be prudent for me to contact the bridge of a commercial vessel transmitting AIS telemetry. Perhaps I want to clarify its intentions or something. It probably wouldn’t happen very often, but…
Wouldn’t it be cool if I could move my chartplotter’s cursor over an AIS-broadcasting vessel and push a button to initiate a DSC call? Doesn’t that make sense? Isn’t that a heck of a lot safer than having me spend the next two minutes manually entering the MMSI number off the chartplotter into my VHF radio?
And if Class B AIS is ever approved, I can imagine scenarios where I might want to chat with another small vessel about navigational conditions or something, and shouldn’t I be able to just mouse-over and click to hail them over DSC?
Well, I think I should be able to do that. So there!
{ 3 trackbacks }