GME AISR120 AIS Receiver Instruction Manual

GME AISR120 AIS Receiver

Specifications

• Model: AISR120
• Type: AIS Receiver
• Warranty: Standard warranty as defined in the Warranty statement supplied with the product
• Antenna Impedance: 50 ohms

Product Usage Instructions

About Your AIS Receiver

• About AIS: Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a system used for tracking and identifying vessels. The AIS receiver helps in receiving and decoding AIS signals transmitted by nearby vessels.
• What’s in the Box?: The box should contain the AIS receiver unit, necessary cables, antenna, and the instruction manual.

Installation

• Preparing for Installation: Before installation, ensure you have all the components mentioned in the manual. Choose a suitable location for mounting the AIS receiver with a clear view of the sky for better signal reception.
• Installation Procedures: Follow the step-by-step instructions provided in the manual to connect the AIS receiver to power, antenna, and any other necessary equipment. Ensure proper grounding as per the instructions to avoid interference.

Operation

• Using the AIS Receiver: Power on the AIS receiver and monitor the indicator functions to ensure it is receiving signals properly. Connect the output of the receiver to a compatible display unit for viewing vessel information.
• Indicator Functions: Familiarize yourself with the indicator lights on the AIS receiver to understand its status and signal reception.

Troubleshooting
If you encounter any issues with the AIS receiver, refer to the troubleshooting section in the manual for possible solutions. Contact customer support if needed.

FAQ

• Q: What should I do if I cannot see any vessel information on my display unit after installing the AIS receiver?
  A: Check the connections between the AIS receiver, antenna, and display unit. Ensure all connections are secure and that the AIS receiver is powered on. Verify that the antenna has a clear line of sight for better signal reception.

• Q: Can I install the AIS receiver in a location with limited sky view?
  A: It is recommended to install the AIS receiver in a location with a clear view of the sky to ensure optimal signal reception. Limited sky view may result in reduced performance.

NOTICES
When reading this manual please pay particular attention to warnings marked with the warning triangle shown on the left. These are important messages for safety, ! installation and usage of the product.

SAFETY WARNINGS

• This equipment must be installed in accordance with the instructions provided in this manual.
• This equipment is intended as an aid to navigation and is not a replacement for proper navigational judgement.
• This AIS receiver is an aid to navigation and must not be relied upon to provide accurate navigation information. AIS is not a replacement for vigilant human lookouts and other navigation aids such as RADAR. The performance of the AIS receiver may be seriously impaired if not installed as instructed in the user manual, or due to other factors such as weather and or nearby transmitting devices. Compatibility with other systems may vary and is reliant on the third party systems recognising the standard outputs from the AIS receiver. The manufacturer reserves the right to update and change these specifications at any time and without notice.
• Do not install this equipment in a flammable atmosphere such as in an engine room or near to fuel tanks.

GENERAL NOTICES

Compass Safe Distance
The compass safe distance of this unit is 0.5m or greater for 0.3° deviation.
RF Emissions Notice
Caution: The AIS receiver generates and radiates radio frequency electromagnetic energy. This equipment must be installed and operated according to the instructions contained in this manual. Failure to do so can result in personal injury and / or AIS receiver malfunction.
Caution : The antenna should not be co-located or operated in conjunction with any other transmitting antenna. The required antenna impedance is 50Ω.antenna.

Warranty

The product is supplied with standard warranty as defined in the Warranty statement supplied with the product.
Any attempt to tamper with or damage the product will invalidate the warranty.

Disposal of this Product and Packaging
Please dispose of this AIS antenna splitter in accordance with the European WEEE Directive or with the applicable local regulations for disposal of electrical equipment.
Every effort has been made to ensure the packaging for this product is recyclable. Please dispose of the packaging in an environmentally friendly manner.

Accuracy of this Manual
The AIS antenna splitter may be upgraded from time to time and future versions of the AIS antenna splitter may therefore not correspond exactly with this manual. The manufacturer of this product disclaims any liability for consequences arising from omissions or inaccuracies in this manual and any other documentation provided with this product.

ABOUT YOUR AIS RECEIVER

ABOUT AIS
The marine Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a location and vessel information reporting system. It allows vessels equipped with AIS to automatically and dynamically share and regularly update their position, speed, course and other information
such as vessel identity with similarly equipped vessels. Position is derived from the Global Positioning System (GPS) and communication between vessels is by Very High Frequency (VHF) digital transmissions.

There are a number of types of AIS device as follows:

• Class A Transceivers. These are similar to class B transceivers but are designed to be fitted to large vessels such as cargo ships and large passenger vessels. Class A transceivers transmit at a higher VHF signal power than class B transceivers and therefore can be received by more distant vessels, and also transmit more frequently. Class A transceivers are mandatory on all vessels over 300 gross tonnes on international voyages and certain types of passenger vessels under the SOLAS mandate.
• Class B Transceivers. Similar to class A transceivers in many ways, but are normally lower cost due to the less stringent performance requirements. Class B transceivers transmit at a lower power and at a lower reporting rate than class A transceivers.
• AIS Base Stations. AIS base stations are used by Vessel Traffic Systems to monitor and control the transmissions of AIS transceivers.
• Aids to Navigation (AtoN) Transceivers. AtoNs are transceivers mounted on buoys or other hazards to shipping which transmit details of their location to the surrounding vessels.
• AIS Receivers. AIS receivers will generally receive transmissions from class A transceivers, class B transceivers, AtoNs and AIS base stations but do not transmit any information about the vessel on which they are installed.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

Figure 1 shows the items included with your AIS antenna splitter purchase. The following sections give a brief overview of each item. Please ensure all items are present and if any of the items are not present contact your dealer.

Figure 1 Items included with the product.

• Quick Start Guide: The quick start guide gives a handy one page reference for the installation process.

• Product Manual : This document is the product manual and should be read thoroughly prior to any attempt to install or use the AIS receiver.

• Fixing Screws : Four fixing screws are provided with the product for mounting of the AIS receiver. Please refer to section 3.2 for details of how to mount the AIS receiver.

• AIS Receiver Unit:
  Figure 2 shows an overview of the AIS receiver unit.
  The AIS receiver has an indicator which provides information to the user about the status of the AIS receiver. Please refer to section 4.2 for more details of the indicator functions.

• Power and Data cable LE123 : The accessory cable provides connections to the AIS receiver for power supply, NMEA0183 and USB.

Note: The instruction manual and USB Drivers v2.00 are available from the product page on our GME website gme.net.au

Figure 2 AIS receiver overview

Electrical Connections
The AIS receiver has the following electrical connections:

• Power supply
• NMEA0183 data port for connection to chart plotters
• USB for connection to a PC or Mac
• NMEA2000 port for connection to NMEA2000 compatible equipment

INSTALLATION

PREPARING FOR INSTALLATION
Figure 4 shows a typical installation configuration for the AIS receiver. Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the system elements and their connections prior to attempting installation.

Figure 4 Typical installation

In addition to the items provided with your AIS antenna splitter the following items will be required for installation:

VHF Antenna
A VHF antenna used for voice communications will be sufficient. Please take note of the warnings in section 1 regarding the use of antennas. Alternatively, if you wish to use an existing VHF antenna, antenna splitter products are available which allow the existing antenna to be used with two radio devices, such as a VHF voice radio and the AIS receiver.

• Antenna Cables
  Please check that the VHF antenna you intend to use has sufficient cable to reach between the VHF antenna and the AIS receiver unit. If it is not sufficient you will need an extension cable. Please contact your dealer for details of suitable products. For reference the VHF antenna connector type on the AIS receiver unit is SO239, and is intended to mate with a PL259 connector.

• Power and Data Cables
  The AIS receiver unit is supplied with a two metre long power and data cable the AIS receiver unit is supplied with a two meter long power and data cable. If you require longer cables to reach your power supply, please ensure the cables are capable of carrying an average current of up to 200mA. Means of connecting the cables together will also be required. The use of ScotchlokTM connectors is recommended for this purpose.

• Chart Plotter
  To display received AIS position reports as other vessels on your chart plotter, you will need to connect your AIS receiver to your chart plotter. Please refer to the user manual supplied with your chart plotter for details of how to connect and configure your chart plotter for use with AIS devices. For general guidance your chart plotter should be configured to accept NMEA data at 38400 baud (sometimes referred to as ‘NMEA HS’ in the plotter configuration menu). You may also need to enable the display of AIS targets in the chart options.

• Connection to a PC or Mac
  If you choose to use a PC or Mac with suitable charting software to display received AIS messages as other vessels, this can be accomplished by connecting the USB connector directly to the PC or Mac.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURES

Before beginning installation of your AIS receiver, please ensure you have the necessary additional items as detailed in section 3.1. It is strongly recommended that you read all of the instructions in this manual prior to installation.
If after reading this manual you are unsure about any element of the installation process please contact your dealer for advice.

Step 1 – Installing the AIS Receiver
Please note the following guidelines when selecting a location for your AIS receiver:

• The AIS receiver must be fitted in a location where it is at least 0.5m from a compass.
• There should be adequate space around the AIS receiver for routing of cables. See Figure 5 for details of the AIS receiver dimensions.
• The ambient temperature around the AIS receiver should be maintained between – 10°C and +55°C.
• The AIS receiver should not be located in a flammable or hazardous atmosphere such as in an engine room or near to fuel tanks.
• The AIS receiver is fully waterproof to ingress protection rating IPx7, however it is recommended that the AIS transceiver is not subjected to extended periods of exposure to spray or submersion.
• It is recommended that the AIS receiver is installed in a ‘below decks’ environment.
• It is acceptable to mount the AIS receiver either vertically or horizontally.
• The product is supplied with four self tapping screws for attachment of the AIS receiver to a suitable surface. Please refer to Figure 6 for guidance.
• The AIS receiver should be mounted in a location where the indicator is readily visible as this provides important information on the status of the AIS receiver.

Step 2 – Connecting the VHF Antenna
Route the cable from the VHF antenna to the AIS antenna splitter and connect to the VHF antenna connector on the AIS antenna splitter as shown in Figure 7.
A standard marine band VHF antenna or AIS antenna should be used with the AIS antenna splitter. The connector type on the AIS antenna splitter is SO239. Your chosen VHF antenna requires a PL259 connector to mate with this. If your VHF antenna does not use this type of connector please contact your dealer for details of available adaptors.

Step 3 – Connecting the Accessory Cable
An accessory cable is supplied with the product to provide connections to power, the NMEA0183 data ports and USB. The cable has a premoulded connector at one end which should be connected to the connector on the unit marked ‘PWR/DATA’. The other end of the cable has eight colour coded bare wires ready for connection and a USB connector for use with a PC. The table below in Figure 8 lists the function of each colour coded wire for reference.

for connection to chart plotters
Blue| NMEA0183 port 1 TX-
Purple| NMEA0183 port 2 RX+| Low speed NMEA port (4,800baud) intended for connection to other NMEA0183 compatible sensors for multiplexing of data to the chart plotter
Yellow| NMEA0183 port 2 RX-

Figure 8 Colour coding of wires in the accessory cable

Please check your wiring very carefully before applying power to the product. Failure to wire the product correctly could result in permanent damage.

Step 4 – Connecting to NMEA0183 Compatible Equipment
The two independent NMEA0183 data ports provide connection to your chart plotter and other NMEA0183 compatible equipment. Each port consists of two wires colour coded as shown in the table in Figure 8 and in the diagram in Figure 9. Connect the wires to the appropriate connections on your NMEA0183 compatible equipment. Please refer to your equipment manual for more information.
The AIS receiver has a high speed output port which operates at 38400baud and a low speed input port which operates at 4800baud. The high speed port is intended primarily to connect to a chart plotter, while the low speed port is intended to connect to other NMEA0183 devices. A multiplexing feature is provided, which means any messages which are received via the low speed port are automatically transmitted via the high speed port. This is particularly useful when using a chart plotter having only a single NMEA0183 port as any other sensor (such as a gyro-compass) can be connected to the AIS receiver via the low speed port and the AIS receiver can be connected via the high speed port to the chart plotter resulting in the chart plotter receiving both AIS information and heading information simultaneously. Please ensure your equipment is configured to use the correct baud rate for the port it is connected to.

Step 5 – Connection to an NMEA2000 Network (Optional)
The AIS receiver can be connected to an NMEA2000 network by a suitable NMEA2000 network cable available from your local dealer.
If your vessel has an NMEA2000 network please refer to the relevant documentation for your NMEA2000 equipment. Once connected, and with your chart plotter also connected to your NMEA2000 network you will be able to receive AIS targets on your chart plotter.

Step 6 – USB Connection (Optional)
The AIS receiver is supplied with a USB port for connection to a PC or Mac. The USB connector can be connected directly to the USB port on the PC or Mac via the supplied USB cable. To enable connection of the AIS receiver to a PC, you must first install the software available from the GME website. Driver installation is typically not required for use with a Mac.
To install the drivers please follows the steps below:

1. Download the installation software from the GME website located on the product page.
2. Double click on the setup.exe file to launch the installer.
3. Follow the on screen installation instructions to complete installation.
4. Once installed the AIS unit can be connected to the PC. The USB drivers will be installed automatically and the AIS will appear as a new COM port device.
5. Select the AIS COM port and a baud rate of 38,400 in PC based navigation software to make use of the AIS data.

If the USB connection is removed from the PC or Mac during use you must reset the connection before further use. to reset the connection, disconnect then reapply power to the AIS before closing and relaunching any PC or Mac applications using the USB connection. Finally, reconnect the USB cable between the PC or Mac and the AIS receiver.

Step 9 – Connecting to a Power Supply
The AIS receiver requires either a 12V or 24V power supply typically provided by the vessel’s battery, or it can be powered via USB.
It is recommended that crimped and soldered lugs are used to connect the AIS receiver to the power source. It is recommended that the power supply is connected via a suitable circuit breaker and/or 3A fuse block.

1. Connect the red wire to a 12V or 24V power supply positive terminal.
2. Connect the black wire to the supply negative terminal.

OPERATION

USING THE AIS RECEIVER
Once the unit has been installed it is ready for use. Providing other vessels with AIS transceivers installed are within radio range of your vessel you should see their details appear on your chart plotter or PC.
Specific details of how to configure your chart plotter to make use of the AIS receiver features will be given in your chart plotter manual. If you are using charting software running on a PC, please refer to the instructions provided with your chart plotting software for details of how to configure it to display AIS information.

INDICATOR FUNCTIONS
The AIS receiver includes a green power indicator light and an amber AIS reception indicator light as shown in Figure 11. The green indicator will illuminate when power is applied and the amber indicator will flash on receipt of AIS messages.

TROUBLESHOOTING

• Check that the power supply is connected correctly.
• Check that the connections to the chart plotter are correct.
• Check that the VHF antenna is correctly connected in accordance with the instructions in the manual

The power indicator is not illuminated is not illuminated| Check that the power supply is connected correctly.
The reception indicator is flashing but AIS targets are not displayed on the chart plotter is flashing but AIS

targets are not displayed on the chart plotter

|

• Check the chart plotter NMEA port configuration is set to receive AIS data
• Check the chart plotter display settings are configured to show AIS targets
• Consult the chart plotter manufacturers documentation

The power indicator is illuminated but the reception indicator is not flashing to indicate receipt of AIS messages|

• Check there are vessels equipped with AIS transceivers in your area
• Check the VHF antenna is correctly installed and connected

If the guidance given in the table above does not rectify the problem you are experiencing please contact your dealer for further assistance.

SPECIFICATIONS

GME WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS

This warranty against defects is given by GME Pty Ltd ACN 000 346 814 (We, us, our or GME). Our contact details are set out in clause 2.7.

1. Consumer guarantees
2. Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and for compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.
3. To the extent we are able, we exclude all other conditions, warranties and obligations which would otherwise be implied.
4. Warranty against defects
5. This warranty is in addition to and does not limit, exclude or restrict your rights under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Australia) or any other mandatory protection laws that may apply.
6. We warrant our goods to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the warranty period (see warranty table) from the date of original sale (or another period we agree to in writing). Subject to our obligations under clause 1.2, we will at our option, either repair or replace goods which we are satisfied are defective. We warrant any replacement parts for the remainder of the period of warranty for the goods into which they are incorporated.
7. To the extent permitted by law, our sole liability for breach of a condition, warranty or other obligation implied by law is limited

  * in the case of goods we supply, to any one of the following as we decide –
    1. the replacement of the goods or the supply of equivalent goods;
    2. the repair of the goods;
    3. the cost of repairing the goods or of acquiring equivalent goods;
  * in the case of services we supply, to any one of the following as we decide –
    1. the supplying of the services again;
    2. the cost of having the services supplied again.
4. For repairs outside the warranty period, we warrant our repairs to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for three months from the date of the original repair. We agree to re-repair or replace (at our option) any materials or workmanship which we are satisfied are defective.
5. We warrant that we will perform services with reasonable care and skill and agree to investigate any complaint regarding our services made in good faith. If we are satisfied that the complaint is justified, and as our sole liability to you under this warranty (to the extent permitted at law), we agree to supply those services again at no extra charge to you.
6. To make a warranty claim you must before the end of the applicable warranty period (see warranty table), at your own cost, return the goods you allege are defective, provide written details of the defect, and give us an original or copy of the sales invoice or some other evidence showing details of the transaction.
7. Send your claim to:  

GME Pty Ltd.
PO Box 96 Winston Hills,
NSW 2153, Australia.
Tel: (02) 8867 6000 Fax: (02) 8867 6199 Email: servadmin@gme.net.au

8. If we determine that your goods are defective, we will pay for the cost of returning the repaired or replaced goods to you, and reimburse you for your reasonable expenses  

of sending your warranty claim to us.

3. What this warranty does not cover
4. This warranty will not apply in relation to:

  * goods modified or altered in any way;
  * defects and damage caused by use with non GME products;
  * repairs performed other than by our authorised representative;
  * defects or damage resulting from misuse, accident, impact or neglect;(e)) goods improperly installed or used in a manner contrary to the relevant instruction manual; or
  * goods where the serial number has been removed or made illegal.

4. Warranty period
5. We provide the following warranty on GME and Kingray products. No repair or replacement during the warranty period will renew or extend the warranty period past the period from original date of purchase.

gme.net.au
GME Pty Ltd

17 Gibbon Road, Winston Hills NSW 2153, Australia Part Number: 310549 Drawing Number: 45908-3

References

• GME Australia | EPIRBS - Handheld Radios - Antennas - Power Products

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