GEAR ON TEST
HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED
NAVICOM RT-650 DSC AIS VHF and
RECOMMENDED
FIRST LOOK
BEST BUY
PREMIUM
Wireless Remote Handset £399.95
PRODUCT
BUDGET BUY
UPDATE
UPDATE
M
any boat owners are Incidentally, our CP300i, being
now carrying fixed DSC an early model, required a
VHF radios and AIS receivers, software update (supplied by
which display target data in Standard Horizon) to enable it
alphanumeric form on their to deal with the reception and
own screens or in graphical display of AIS data. This was
form on their own screen (e.g. delivered on a micro SD card
the NASA AIS Radar) or as an and quickly self-installed.
active overlay on either a chart The wireless remote
plotter screen or a computer controller couldn’t be easier
navigation screen. The boat to set up. All you do is get the
owner has to provide either a main set fired up and ready,
pair of VHF aerials, usually then press the power on button
up the mast and preferably and wait while the handset
separated by a little distance, logs on to the main radio. Its
to feed each of the VHF and own screen, which is the same
T
os Colin Jarman
AIS sets, or he must employ
Pho
size as that on the main radio,
an aerial splitter, which uses then displays identical data,
a single antenna to feed both including channel number,
receivers. Set beside a host Hi/Lo transmission power and
of other commonly installed either the message ‘No GPS
instruments – chart plotter, information’ or the Lat and
log, depth, wind, radar – space long of the vessel. This process
is becoming a problem, is gone through each time the
particularly for the owners of handset is switched on, but it’s
smaller boats. There’s also the quite quick.
matter of total cost. The remote controller,
With these problems and being wireless, relies on
costs in mind, the RT-650 from rechargeable internal batteries
Navicom makes immediate that are charged up while
sense, because it acts as both the handset stands in a cup
a fixed DSC VHF and an AIS connected to the ship’s 12V
receiver/display, using a single supply via a cigarette lighter
aerial and, at £299.95, costing socket (an accessory socket).
much the same as an ‘ordinary’ A battery level indicator sits
VHF set on its own. Add to all in the top left hand corner of
that the option of a wireless the handset’s display screen,
remote handheld controller
Top: The main rT-650
where you can easily check it.
for the RT-650, even at a receiver and fist microphone When a ship transmitting
somewhat higher total price
with their simple, but clear
her AIS data is within range,
(£399.95), and it all looks very
control panels. above:
the details can be listed on
interesting. Which is why we
What’s in the box, plus the
the display screens of both
were keen to put a unit on test
wireless remote. left: The
wireless controller in sync
the main radio and the remote
over this season.
with the main set.
handset, making them readily
The RT-650 proved no available at two locations,
harder to install than any other which should make it easy to
VHF set, requiring connection for the GPS data proved as although we couldn’t be call up a vessel if you need to.
to the ship’s 12V supply and aggravating as ever, but was certain at that point, because They should also be overlaid
an aerial in order to work at its finally successful and the small there were no ships nearby – on the chart plotter screen.
base level. We then connected screen on the RT-650 happily hardly surprising in the middle At first sight the display
it to a Standard Horizon noted our lat and long, while of a housing estate. Within the screens are not huge, but
CP300i chart plotter to obtain the boat appeared correctly CP300i, we had to make sure what’s on them seems to be
GPS data from the antenna positioned (well inland) on the that the baud rate was correctly easy to read. We’ll discover
built into the plotter and chart plotter’s screen. set on the relevant port to more at sea. Colin Jarman
raise the RT-650 to full DSC Connecting up to transfer handle the incoming 38,400
capability as well as providing AIS data from the receiver feed from the AIS receiver,
a chart display for the to the CP300i was a further but that was a simple matter of Contact Mantsbrite Tel 01621
incoming AIS data. Making skirmish, but eventually entering the right set-up menu 853003 Email sales@mantsbrite.
the NMEA connections appeared to be successful, and making the adjustment. com Website
www.mantsbrite.com
July 09 Sailing Today 45
ST147
Gear_RTG.indd 53 11/5/09 19:19:29
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