I have a Furuno Fa-50 transponder connected to a AIS splitter. This works great. The only problem is that the FA-60 only transmits on LAN to the NN3D or NMEA 0183.
The rest of the boat is NMEA 2000. I want AIS data NMEA 2000 to a dedicated display.
I see two options:
1. Install a NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 interface.
2. Updating the VHF to a model that have a AIS receiver and a NMEA 2000 output.
My concern with alternative 2 is the AIS splitter??? But perhaps that is not an issue? Will both the FA-50 AIS and the VHF AIS be able to listen at the same time when a splitter is installed??
That should not be a problem. I am doing something very similar -- a Vesper XB8000 Class B AIS and a Simrad HS45 VHF/AIS RX radio share one antenna via a Vesper splitter -- and it all works fine.
In regards to option 2. Generally all AIS RX VHF radios have an incorporated splitter inside the actual VHF radio. This allows the use of the VHF antenna to function as a VHF antenna and the antenna for the internal AIS..so if you go that route aka a new GX6000/65000, M506, RS35, Link-8 VHF300AIS RAY260AIS or RAY70 I would suggest not using an external splitter for use with your FA50 AIS antenna. Keeping that spate and isolated.
Thanks for posting, Matt, but I've never heard the term "splitter" used with an AIS RX VHF. Consider this somewhat roundabout way to understand the situation.
Every VHF now sold has two independent receivers using the same antenna. That's why you won't miss a DSC call coming in on channel 70. So AIS RX VHF only means adding another receiver.
Meanwhile, not only am I doing exactly what you advise against right now -- see my first comment -- but I've done with several combinations of AIS transceiver, active splitter, and AIS RX VHF. Never detected any problem at all. Big difference between passive RX only "splitter" and active splitter.
Thank you Ben. The new B&G V50 VHF is installed. It is working just fine as you said.
When installing the connection to the NMEA 2000 I decided to review the NMEA network on my boat.
Basically it is a Furuno FA-5002 "hub" in the center of the boat, with a backbone running fore and aft.
I did notice that on two drop cables there was second drop. ( 2 devices) I talked to one professional who said it is O.K. as long as each drop is not longer than 6 m.
I thoght only one device on a drop?
It has been working great for many years. Still curious what is the "right way"
You received good advice. A NMEA 2000 drop is not necessarily a single cable and single device. Multiports designed to be dropped off the backbone with several devices dropped off them are fairly common, for instance. The key is understanding that the 6m drop limit means the TOTAL of both cables in the drop. Cable from backbone to multiport plus cable from multiport to device equals drop drop distance; calculate separate devices on multiport separately.
https://www.panbo.com/archives/2012/02/actisense_qpd_a2k_more_good_choices_in_nmea_2000_cabling.html
https://www.panbo.com/archives/2014/05/quality_nmea_2000_cabling_the_ebay_way.html