Vesper VHF and AIS compatible?

[wkearney99]

I've got an Icom VHF radio that seems to have killed it's second remote station. Before I spend good money after bad, I'm debating replacing the whole thing.

Anyone used the new Vesper Cortex combined AIS and VHF unit?

I've read through their docs and it doesn't look like there's support for station-to-station intercom, nor support for a hailer. I've messaged their support department but have not heard back.

My Icom seems to have had a second remote commandmic fail. Just up-and-died. Base unit seems ok. But I'm not going to replace it without investigating other solutions.

I'd very much like to have handset-to-handset intercom support. The way Icom does it is more trouble than it's worth to use.

I'm also curious to know if their AIS would be compatible with my existing Furuno NavNet3D chart plotters. I already have Furuno's AIS module and it's working. I'm assuming I'd remove that unit if I added a this new setup.

I'd wonder if the Vesper unit could be picked up by the Furuno units? The Furuno AIS connects via Ethernet, and that's shared between the four plotters. The Vesper is NMEA2K and would, presumably, have to be 'echoed' from the one 2K-connected MFD12 to the other three.

That and can it also use the existing VHF antenna setup?

 

[twistedtree]

First, I would check to confirm that the Cortex is actually FCC and USCG approved. Standard Horizon created a combined VHF/AIS years ago and never managed to get it through US certifications. Perhaps Vesper knows magic in this respect?


Second, if you have a Furuno AIS already, why add another? Maybe what you have now is only a receiver?


I can't really recommend it because I haven't been able to use it yet, but I went with Standard Horizon GX6000 VHFs on my new build. They have support for remove command mics, and also a wireless version of the same command mic. That really appealed for use while docking from a wing station, or operating from the flybridge. It includes an AIS receiver/decoder, but I'm not hooking mine up to anything. That said, I should be able to see a list of boats on the VHF's display to make it easy to place a DSC call by name rather than by number. Now I just need to see if reality equals theory......


I have been really steering away from Icom over the past few years, simply because they have N2K issues and refuse to fix them. And there is no way to turn off or otherwise ignore the AIS. I do, however, still like their handhelds.

 

[twistedtree]

BTW, I had a defective iCOM command mic too. All the more reason to steer away.

 

[Roughnit]

I can answer a few of your questions.
Yes I have used it, that said it just got approvals and only started shipping a couple of weeks ago so very little use so far.
No connection for loud hailer on mine.
No mention of intercom but I only have one hand set.
AIS is transmitted either via NMEA 2000 or wirelessly. I had a vesper AIS only on my previous boat and it linked up fine via NMEA 2000 to my Furuno 3D. Currently using my iPad as chart plotter on current boat and it links up great.
Maybe someone else knows for sure but I don’t think you can have 2 AIS units broadcasting using the same MMSI that would mess up the system I’d think.
You can use any antenna but if it’s tuned for VHF AIS suffers if tuned for AIS VHF suffers. Vesper Cortex comes with the Vesper splitter built in so they would recommend an antenna tuned right in the middle, both suffer a little but works great (had their splitter on last boat and antenna tuned to center worked great).
If it was me since you already have AIS I wouldn’t move unless you are looking for the greater output of the class B+ AIS in the Vesper or you want the extras like their anchor watch app, ability to use cell service for vessel monitoring (takes an accessory I did not get), just tap screen to call target via MMSI etc.

 

[wkearney99]

I got a message back from Vesper when I inquired about intercom and hailer support:

Handset to Handset intercom feature is not yet implemented in the current software release, but this is definitely a feature which will be added later on (via Software update).

Volume of the external speaker is controlled by the handset.

Loud hailer and foghorn are both functions which will be released in a later stage. As we are currently working on the software implementation, we are really keen to learn what would be the most interesting functionality of the loud hailer (eg alarm / intercom speaker / ...)

I know some folks use a hailer as a mic, to listen to the deck. My interest was more to use it as a megaphone. That and automatic repeating foghorn.

I want *simple* to activate intercom functionality. As in, let me quickly buzz to/from the flybridge/salon while underway.

I've liked having a manually controlled external speaker, independent of the handsets. As in, quick, twist the volume knob on the speaker to catch that broadcast. Having to use a touchscreen to do this wouldn't be as simple.

So perhaps they'll get their "software updates" done by the time I get around to doing an upgrade.

 

[stevemitchell]

I have the Vesper Cortex V1 bundle which includes the hub and a wired handset.

I really like the fact that the handset is running Android and can be upgraded, and that there are a lot of really nice features already in the handset and product.

However, it is a version 1 product, with version 1 firmware/software, and there are a bunch of things missing that I think are pretty important in any VHF radio. I'm still working through the list and don't want to publish it here yet until I have responses from Vesper, but am happy to share in a PM.

There are some compromises you'll also be making by having a single VHF antenna doing both audio VHF and AIS. Roughnit mentioned this, and it is pretty significant.

In terms of using your existing Furuno AIS device - if it is a transponder sending out your MMSI, you'd need to deactivate it/remove power from it and the Vesper would replace it.

The one NN3D unit you have connected to N2K could potentially snag the AIS targets off of that network and rebroadcast to the other units, but I forget how you configure that. I had NN3D on a boat 3 years ago that I believe I got this working on, but can't remember if it was N2K or 0183.

I definitely think that the Cortex Class B+ SOTDMA transponder is better than the others I have been testing in terms of performance and features. I like the anchor watch (although the current WiFi restrictions are very limiting and I am hoping they will fix this) and other ways of interacting it with a phone. It's the usual feature-filled Vesper stuff, and finally with Class B+.

I am guessing I will want the higher quality rx/tx both on the VHF and AIS side, and since I already have dedicated AIS and VHF antennas, I'll end up not using the Cortex Handset and only use the hub, which means all of the integrated VHF+AIS+DSC stuff will not matter to me, and I will have an expensive Handset that is not being used

I'll then use a standard VHF for that side of things for now. I've really liked the Furuno FM-4800 I've been using the last year or so - loud speaker, easy to use controls via clicky wheels, reliable performance, etc. Their second station is wired, which I am OK with.

 

[wkearney99]

I assumed if I added another AIS transmitter I'd be disabling/removing my existing unit.

NN3D says it'll handle a 3rd party AIS, but how it "gets in there" N2K vs 0183 is certainly a good question. That and sharing among the other NN3D MFDs is over ethernet. The Furuno FA-50 AIS unit is Ethernet, so I'm under the impression that the MFDs each get their own data from it.

Otherwise anything else connected via N2K or 0183 has to come into just ONE of the MFD units and has to get re-transmitted out over Ethernet to the others. This means the NN3D software has to know what sentences to repeat, so anything new/different won't get passed. This was a limit of the NN3D architecture that's not present on the latest.

The new Furuno chart plotters can all participate on the same N2K bus, to avoid the repeat/translating problems.

I am steeling myself for a replacement of the chart plotters, as there's just enough little things annoying me about them to push me over the edge. The driving 'excuse' will by my wife's renewed interest in being able to "run the boat" and knowing the chart plotters are getting in the way of that.

This isn't to open a conversation about reliance on gadgets, or to talk of how to use x/y/x instead of a chart plotter... yes, those are all relevant topics.... just not for this discussion.

But back to VHF... I just want easier to use. Touching again on the wife's interest, the way most of them handle operating is an obtuse series of button pressed and buried menus. The Cortex touch screen looks to ease that (but brings along other potential issues like night vision and makes the handsets more expensive/fragile).

I've looked at the FM-4800 and the black-box 4850 equivalent. Two wired stations is what I have now. I wouldn't mind having a third, but could go without it.