[It’s another MadMariner feature from a few weeks back. Since this went live while I was at the Seattle Boat Show, I was able to get some feedback on it right away from the folks at Standard Horizon.

Their position is that the inconvenient NMEA networking requirement I identified is NOT a problem for consumers, and that they hadn’t received feedback from other users about difficulties completing the NMEA networking part of the installation. My situation is unique because I’m continuing, for the moment, to rely an older chartplotter with just one NMEA 0183 port.

If so, I’m thrilled! I would love to learn that I’m the only one who finds this inconvenient. That would be awesome, because this appears to be a tremendous product otherwise. —Tim]

I wrote about Standard Horizon’s new products in the Matrix line of fixed-mount VHF radios when they were first announced back in November. The thing that caught my eye was the AIS integration these models included. The GX2000 accepts the datastream from an external AIS receiver or transceiver, while the GX2100 includes an integrated two-channel AIS receiver, the data from which can be connected to a chartplotter or laptop.

[The GX2000 accepts the datastream from an external AIS receiver or transceiver, while the GX2100 includes an integrated two-channel AIS receiver, the data from which can be connected to a chartplotter or laptop.]

AIS/DSC/VHF integration will be extremely beneficial for most boat owners, in my opinion. It’s easy for propeller-headed geeks like me to forget that the vast majority of recreational boats do not carry AIS receivers of any kind. As one of my cruising buddies put it, "If an AIS receiver is basically just a VHF radio and some kind of a modem, then I’ll buy it when it’s built into the regular VHF radio."

That time has come, my friend. I think these Standard Horizon radios could make AIS a lot more attractive to a significant and largely untapped market: Owners of smaller boats with older, perfectly serviceable navigation electronics.

What makes these AIS-integrated VHF radios so wonderful? Two things spring to mind: usability and ease of installation.

ENHANCED USEABILITY

AIS/DSC/VHF integration makes both AIS and DSC more powerful, and more user-friendly.

The Matrix display acts as a low-resolution AIS and DSC plotter, if it has both AIS and vessel-position GPS data. For small boats and tenders that might not have radar or a chartplotter at all, the display on the Matrix units could prove useful, whether your priority is locating and identifying large vessels (AIS) or locating and making contact with vessels in distress (DSC).

But even more important in terms of shear usability, these two units permit one-button DSC hailing to vessels broadcasting AIS. As I’ve written before (here and here), DSC is a potentially powerful but terribly underutilized communication protocol. It’s really a shame, but users can hardly be blamed if they never use DSC at all.

Have you ever tried to input a MMSI number into your DSC radio while underway? Particularly while you are navigating in fog or other difficult conditions when AIS, radar, etc. are intended to help? I have, and it’s nearly impossible. I’m squinting into a tiny screen that is bouncing around like crazy, and my fingers are fumbling the knob trying to dial in each digit. God help you if you make a mistake. Except in emergencies, when the one-button "Distress" feature comes in mighty handy, DSC just isn’t usable for most of us.

[Instead of keying in a long MMSI number one digit at a time, you just select the AIS target you want to hail, and press the soft-key labeled “Call.” The radio already has the MMSI, so there’s no need for you to enter it manually.]

AIS/DSC/VHF integration like that included in these Standard Horizon units may begin to change that. Instead of keying in a long MMSI number one digit at a time, you just select the AIS target you want to hail, and press the soft-key labeled "Call." The radio already has the MMSI, so there’s no need for you to enter it manually. Nice.

EASY INSTALLATION

Second, and just as important for owners of smaller boats with limited space and smaller chartplotters, AIS/VHF integration makes it much easier to install AIS.

To begin with, it’s easier to install one component rather than two, and it’s easier to install one antenna rather than two. The GX2100 model, which includes an onboard dual-channel AIS receiver, requires only one antenna, eliminating the bother and expense of installing a second antenna for AIS. Antenna manufacturers tell us that AIS units should really have dedicated antennae tuned to the AIS frequencies, but my own unscientific testing indicates that regular VHF antennae work just fine for AIS.

But beyond these basics, the new Standard Horizon Matrix AIS radios really shine when it comes to NMEA networking. Or they ought to, anyway.

DISAPPOINTMENT

Longtime readers will remember all the trouble I had trying to network my AIS receiver, my DSC VHF radio, and my chartplotter.

[I'm really impressed with the thought that went into the design of these new AIS-integrated VHF radios from Standard Horizon. They are definitely on the right track.]

The trouble was that my Raymarine C-series chartplotter only sports a single NMEA connection, which can be configured for either low-speed 4800-baud or high-speed 34,800 NMEA 0183 data traffic. AIS requires the high-speed connection, while virtually every VHF radio on the market requires the slower connection.

These new Standard Horizon models, equipped to handle high-speed AIS data traffic, seemed to offer the ideal solution to the sort of problem I experienced: Just one high-speed, two-way NMEA 0183 connection between my plotter and the VHF/AIS would allow all the data to move where it needs to: GPS data from the chartplotter would get to the VHF, supporting location-tagged DSC calls, including distress calls; AIS data from the VHF’s integrated AIS receiver would get to the chartplotter, so it could be displayed there; DSC data – such as the location of a vessel placing a DSC "Distress" call – would get from the VHF to the chartplotter, allowing it to be displayed there as well.

This is great. No $300 NMEA multiplexer needed. No kooky NMEA traffic runarounds to get the data where it’s needed. And at long last, my chartplotter’s single NMEA 0183 port won’t prevent me from enjoying the full benefits of all my marine electronics.

Imagine my disappointment, then, when I dug deeper into the Matrix GX2000/GX2100 manual and read the following: "The GPS must have the NMEA Output […] set to 4800 baud." Wait, what? Why? To make matters even worse, the DSC message are, apparently, fed back through this same tiny NMEA pipe. They aren’t aggregated into the high-bandwidth NMEA pipe that carries the AIS datastream.

I figured I must have misunderstood, so I made contact with Standard Horizon directly, where I reached Product Manager Scott Iverson. Scott was very helpful, and he understood the situation I described perfectly, but it was his unfortunate duty to inform me that I had not misunderstood the manual after all.

Besides finding this frustrating for my individual situation, I find it perplexing, as well. If the Matrix AIS units are capable of handling high-speed AIS traffic, why require a second, low-bandwidth NMEA port as well?

I doubt that my situation is all that unique. Lots of boaters have older chartplotters that work fine, but have a limited number of NMEA ports. I write Navagear, and I have no plans to upgrade my 2004 chartplotter at this point. And although most newer chartplotters include more than a single NMEA port, that’s no reason to use up two of them when one could handle all the traffic. It just doesn’t make sense to me.

I appreciate that the Matrix AIS units need to receive GPS coordinates, and aboard many boats, that NMEA data will come in at 4800 baud. So the possibility of an incoming 4800-baud datastream must be supported. But there’s no reason the VHF’s outgoing DSC data needs to move at 4800 baud; certainly not if the chartplotter on the receiving end is capable of receiving the high-bandwidth AIS datastream.

It’s impossible to design a product that is optimal for every customer scenario. I understand this. And obviously I tend to imagine that the problems I experience are more or less typical for a lot of potential customers who are interested in new technology, but don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on electronics upgrades every year; I could be mistaken about that. Still, I just can’t get over the feeling that requiring two NMEA connections operating at two incompatible speeds represents a small miscalculation in an otherwise amazing product design.

BULL’S-EYE? NOT QUITE

I’m really impressed with the thought that went into the design of these new AIS-integrated VHF radios from Standard Horizon. They are definitely on the right track. In five years, all manufacturers will support AIS/DSC/VHF integration, and we’ll all be a little shocked when we recall that this wasn’t completely obvious way, way back in the early 21st century.

And as a veteran of the high-tech industry myself (software, not hardware), I can appreciate how difficult it can be when designing a product to place yourself in the position of a customer who is not a "propeller-headed geek" embracing all the latest and greatest technology the moment it becomes available.

Meanwhile, though, out there in the real world, the vast majority of potential customers pick and choose what new technology they’re willing to bother with. If the benefits are clear, the hassle is minimal, and the price is right, they’ll embrace it. I fear that Standard Horizon has unintentionally neglected a portion of the potential market for these innovative radios, and I think that’s a shame.

Nonetheless, I plan to upgrade my VHF radio to one of these new models. I’m looking forward to the benefits of AIS/DSC/VHF integration, once I work out the tricky NMEA data routing!

I generally purchase antenna mounting hardware that allows me to fold antennas, but they can be bulky and expensive. This might be a great solution aboard some boats. The press release:

Whether an owner is trailering the boat, fishing or navigating under a low bridge, getting the antenna down and out of the way should be effortless. The 5247-A Lift-n-Lay VHF whip antenna from Shakespeare Electronic Products Group answers the call. The whip itself simply folds over when needed, especially convenient when covering or storing a boat.

Featuring a low-profile, single-section design, the versatile 3′ Lift-n-Lay is an end-fed, 3dB, base-load VHF antenna with a sealed, copper wire coil. The whip’s stainless steel construction provides extra stability when a boat moves at high speeds.

Making installation easy, the Lift-n-Lay antenna’s SO-239 connector is simply passed through a horizontal surface up to 1/2" thick. A handy L-bracket for mast or side mounting is included.

The convenient 5247-A Lift-n-Lay VHF antenna from Shakespeare has a suggested retail price of $100.95. Coax cable and the PL-259 connector are sold separately.

I’m reasonably certain Ben won’t mind me republishing his post today. Navagear readers ought to complete the survey too!

Almost 400 marine electronics users have already taken the survey announced here earlier this month, and Marine Technology Analysts (MTA) has done a little preliminary data crunching.  Users were asked to name up to three of their favorite sources and, while 152 outlets were named, the top 11 seen above appeared in 60% of the surveys.  MTA also tells me that some strong patterns are developing in terms of what users most desire from those sources, not to mention what they want in terms of products.  But more data would be great.  Please take a 10-15 minute break to fill out the survey today; chances are good that the effort will help the marine electronics industry, Panbo, and ultimately you.

This must-read roundup of electrical instruments by Dan Corcoran appears over at Panbo:

In the fall there were a lot of magazine articles on tools everyone should have on their boat including favorite tools, tools distance cruises should have, unusual tools, multi purpose tools, and so forth. In this article I bring some focus to tools of the battery operated kind I use on my boat.

Read more

Navagear has made no secret of the fact that we’re fans of the Torqeedo line. So announcements like this aren’t really much of a surprise to us! Still, it’s nice to see Torqeedo getting the recognition. Here’s the release: Taking its commitment to the environment to the next level once again, Torqeedo was recently awarded an Innovation Award for its revolutionary Travel 503/1003 electric outboards at the Miami International Boat Show. The company’s continuous drive to improve its already technologically-advanced outboards won it the Environmental Award, a category in which only the judges can submit entries. The Innovation Awards are organized by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by Boating Writers International (BWI).

The new motor offers a GPS receiver and tiller-integrated display that provides information on the remaining range at current speed, power consumption and state of charge. Zuzana Prochazka, Miami Innovation Awards chair, member of BWI Board of Directors and technical editor for Latitudes and Attitudes magazine added, "Torqeedo continues to show its commitment to providing alternative propulsion solutions and we felt this was an admirable step in the right direction toward environmental causes."

Lightweight and small in size, Torqeedo’s new Travel motors offer tremendous power and range. The Travel 503 is equivalent to 1.5 hp, while the 1003 is comparable to 3 hp. Tougher than their predecessor, they’re completely waterproof to IP67 standards. Also, the 1003 has a battery with 30% more capacity and an even higher level of efficiency than before. A solar panel is available to help recharge the lithium-manganese battery.

[It’s a press release from the US Coast Guard, but it contains powerful reminders of the sort of thing I’m always harping on here at Navagear. Consider yourselves harped at! —Tim]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Coast Guard is still in the process of completing the tow of a 24-foot disabled vessel after late night and early morning searches resulted in the rescue of three people Sunday, approximately 40-miles northwest of Anclote Key.

At approximately 10:00 p.m. Saturday, Coast Guard watch standers at Station Sand Key received a call from a concerned friend of three men who had failed to return from a fishing trip Saturday afternoon, as expected.  Alberto Rodriguez, Raul Estrada, and Albert Valdez left for a fishing trip 60-miles northwest of Anclote Key, and were unable to return after experiencing mechanical problems with their 24-foot Proline boat.  The men were able to contact a friend to report their distress, but were not able to give their exact location.

At 10:20 p.m., watch standers at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg directed the launch of an HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., to search for the men.  Unable to locate the boat throughout the night, additional searches were continued from the air station this morning, with the launch of an HC-130 Hercules flight crew.  At approximately 8:45 a.m., a 47-foot motor life boat was launched from Station Sand Key, after search crews aboard the HC-130 airplane spotted a flare set off by the three men, approximately 40 miles northwest of Anclote Key.

The vessel is being towed to Coast Guard Station Sand Key, and the three men are reportedly in good condition.

"This is a good example of why all boaters should file float plans and have several signaling devices available to them,” said Capt. Timothy Close, commander, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg.  "Float plans work, and signaling devices work.  We were able to find them largely because they filed a float plan, and brought means of communication and signaling devices with them."

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to follow these 10 simple steps to be safe and responsible on the water:
1.   Always wear your life jacket.
2.   Avoid mixing alcohol and boating.
3.   Check your flares, fire extinguisher and other safety equipment to be certain it is in good condition and up-to-date.  The Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons offer free vessel safety checks that can help identify these or any other potential programs.  Know your boat and its passengers.
4.  Familiarize yourself with an online weather service so it becomes a routine part of your pre-departure planning. Knowing potential conditions before you go makes float planning easier.  The National Weather Service broadcasts marine weather forecasts regularly.  Tune your VHF marine radio to 162.4 MHz or log onto the National Weather Service website at:www.nws.noaa.gov.
5.  Tell a friend, family member or marina harbormaster where you are going and file a float plan.  If you change plans, let them know.
6.  Purchase an emergency positioning indicating radio beacon, or EPIRB.  Register it with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  Registration is mandatory, improves response and reduces false alarms.  It can also be completed online at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov.
7.  Keep updated navigational charts on your boat and use them.   
8.  Register your marine radio and obtain a free MMSI number that is assigned to a DSC radio.
9.  Shut off your engines when approaching swimmers or divers.
10.  Take at least one certified boating safety course.

[It’s another MadMariner feature from a few weeks back. —Tim]

The first major pleasure boat rescue operation of 2010 occurred on January 2. Dennis Clements, 55, was forced to abandon his Cal 39 sailboat Gloria A Dios when it was dismasted and holed in severe weather about 300 miles off the coast of North Carolina.

Gloria A Dios means "Glory to God," and Clements believes he owes his survival to divine intervention. Watching the Coast Guard interview with him, it’s difficult to disagree. His account is moving; very few of us will ever experience the many tiny miracles with which our own lives are blessed in such an unequivocal way as did Clements.

But even the sort of divine intervention Clements received would not have saved him had it not been for the professionalism and cooperation of two powerful organizations, along with a tremendous amount of technology.

[Clements on solid ground once more. USCG photo]

Navagear is a gear and gadgets blog, so I’d like to examine the technology side of this amazing rescue. I admit that this is the least glamorous aspect of the incident. It’s tough to compete with Navy and Coast Guard heroism, let alone divine intervention from the Almighty! So I won’t try. Instead, I’m going to recount the incident as I understand it, focusing on the tools and gear involved.

THE RESPONSE

At the risk of seeming glib, let me refer to the punchline of an old joke. In the joke, a recently deceased flood victim, about to enter heaven’s pearly gates, can’t understand why God didn’t intervene to save him, to which St. Peter responds, "We sent two boats and a helicopter!"

Clements is not like the fellow in the joke, which is probably why he’s alive today. When things became dangerous aboard Gloria A Dios, his ACR Satellite 2 Category II EPIRB was activated. This is an older model, not equipped with integral GPS like the newer units, so it took a bit longer for satellites associated with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) to zero in on the vessel’s position. EPIRBs are great, but for the record: GPS-equipped EPIRBS are even better.

Once the EPIRB was activated, the U.S. Coast Guard Fifth District went into action. Air Station Elizabeth City launched a HC-130J Hercules aircraft to search for the sailboat. An Urgent Marine Information Broadcast was transmitted, and satellite Enhanced Group Calls were used to identify other vessels in the area that might be able to assist. A commercial vessel participating in the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) was diverted toward the stricken sailboat.

The US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) was conducting air operations not far away, and immediately changed course and sailed at high speed toward the distressed mariner. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard’s Hercules crew was enroute to the source of the EPIRB signal.

The Coast Guard’s HC-130J variant of the familiar Lockheed C-130 aircraft is optimized as a long-range surveillance aircraft. It is equipped with a rich array of sophisticated electronics, including FLIR’s Star Safire III electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) imaging system, which generated the visuals you see in the Coast Guard video of the sailboat and the liferaft drop. Keep in mind this video was taken in the midst of severe weather conditions including mixed rain, sleet and snow, yet the sailboat shows up clearly.

(more…)

Time for another Navagear feature at MadMariner. This time, I talk about the Seattle Boat Show and what it might mean for the recreational boating business.

Take a look, if only to spot my daughter’s first nationally published photograph!

Mark and Diana Doyle contacted me recently about their newest release, and a limited-time, special offer that Navagear readers may be interested in:

Anyway, as celebration and as a way of thanking everyone, we’re running a one-month freebie from our site. We’re just cutting the 5th edition (2010) of our 2-DVD set, Managing the Waterway: Complete Electronic Chart and Nautical Reference Library. So the "thank you" part is … if people buy the DVDs, they get a free copy of Get Onboard With E-Charting ($34.95) to go with it … kind of the ultimate companion or "user’s guide."

Sounds like a good deal! It expires February 28, though, so as they say on the late-night TV infomercials, “Act Now!”

Here’s the official press release on the new release:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (January 26, 2010) — Managing the Waterway cruising guide authors Mark and Diana Doyle have released their fifth annual update of Managing the Waterway: Complete Electronic Chart and Nautical Reference Library (2-DVD Set).

“I’ll be honest,” states Doyle, “When we started downloading NOAA charts as a convenience for our cruising guide customers we never thought the product would evolve like this or that we’d be doing updates five years later.”

DVD 1 contains the entire NOAA raster chart library in standard BSB format. The charts are organized into nine popular cruising geographies and cataloged for easy loading and unloading into all of the popular e-charting applications including Coastal Explorer, Fugawi, The Capn, Nobeltec VNS and Admiral, MacENC, and others.

DVD 2 contains vector charts, nautical publications, and free & trial e-charting applications.

(more…)

In case you weren’t already 100% convinced by my own article that converting to Smartplug is a Do-It-Yourself project you can accomplish, check out the new videos from the SmartPlug folks. I’ve embedded just the first one…the overview. The rest are available on the SmartPlug site.

[As an aside, please notice how the video’s title page says “Introduction to the SmartPlug with TV’s Mike Miller.” Hold on! Could it be that somebody at SmartPlug is a fan of TV’s Frank?]

Oh, and of course there’s a press release to go with the new videos…

Seeing is believing and boaters can view just how simple it really is to switch to a new, safer shorepower system. SmartPlug Systems created two short installation videos, giving owners a better understanding of how to retrofit their current system with the revolutionary SmartPlug system.

The videos feature the 30 amp connector and inlet and can be found on www.smartplug.com on the Videos page, as well as on the site’s individual installation pages. One movie, www.smartplug.com/install_30a_plug.html, demonstrates how to retrofit the connector, while the other, www.smartplug.com/install_30a_inlet.html, shows how to adapt the inlet. Step-by-step written instructions with accompanying photos are also available on the installation section of the website.

Those who want to learn more about the SmartPlug system can watch www.smartplug.com/videos.html. A unique shorepower system, the SmartPlug is designed to replace the outdated standard in use today. It helps prevent loose connections and corrosion, the leading causes of marine fires and electrocution.