Standard Horizon GX-6500 AIS Class B, Etc Radio

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Standard Horizon

Standard Horizon GX6500 Quantum



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Usually ships within 1 to 2 months.







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  • Commercial grade fixed mount VHF with nmea 2000 and integrated class b ais transponder
  • 66 channel waas GPS antenna included
  • Ais / ais sart target display
  • Dual zone 25W pa / loud hailer
  • Integrated voice Recorder to play back up to two minutes of rx receive audio
Click to expand...
Well, that's not the only place you can buy it so you don't have to be an amazon prime member to buy one. Note that it says "Usually ships within 1 to 2 months.". I don't think it's on the market just yet. Also note that the copy calls it a "transponder". It is not. The VHF radio part is a "transceiver". The AIS part is also a transceiver. It transmits and receives.

The main advantage to this unit is that it is a full featured VHF transceiver along with AIS transmit and receive features in a single unit. I presume but do not know that both functions share a single VHF antenna so you don't have to install an additional antenna on your boat or purchase a splitter.

This is a product I am strongly considering if and when I add AIS to my boat. SH already has a similar unit that only receives AIS signals.

These units can be connected to your chart plotter and will show the position of AIS equipped vessels and warn you if you are on a collision course. That's a pretty good safety item.
 
Also good to network the data to your plotter or PC, including the gps signal as primary or backup.
 
I am wondering what this helps to eliminate and INTEGRATE:

If outfitting a boat from scratch with electronics and looking for simplicity with:

1) Standard Horizon GX-6500 AIS Class B, Etc Radio
2) Furuno 1st Watch Wireless Radar w/iPad
3) iPad for Chart Plotter
4) what autopilot to use?
5) are there wireless depth finders?
 
I've got the little brother to this unit, it doesn't have the ais transmitter just the receiver. My only complaint is that programming it or accessing the various menus and functions is pretty clunky... Other then that the unit works as advertised.
 
dw8928 said:
I am wondering what this helps to eliminate and INTEGRATE:
Click to expand...

To put it in simple terms, it integrates the VHF radio and the AIS. It also have some nice features like a loudhailer (PA system and automatic electronic fog horn).

You will still want to see the AIS targets on your chart plotter and I'm not sure you can do that with an Ipad.
 
I've looked closely at this and I already have the radio with the AIS receiver, which I really like but agree that it is cumbersome and I regularly have to go to the manual to get guidance on how to use the thing.

I have decided that it is too expensive. I am also questioning the reasons to have AIS on a recreational boat. I rarely am out in fog or very poor visibility and I have a healthy radar signature so for now, I am going to pass. However, if anyone is contemplating AIS, this seems to be a fine solution, considering that most quality devices are about $800 so with this you also get a commercial quality radio (whatever that means?) and an opportunity to upgrade that old morse code key you've been using.

Binnacle in New Brunswick apparently has them, I don't know if they will sell offshore but I can't see them turning down customers. Our Loony sucks.
 
We have had Standard Horizon Matrix AIS receiver/VHF radios on two previous boats. They worked very nicely, and we found them easy to operate.

This new unit has not been released in the USA to my knowledge. A Standard Horizon rep at the Seattle Boat Show told me to expect March availability. He said the FCC approval was pending (PANBO forcasted availability last year). I recently ordered the GX6500 from West Marine, and was informed to expect shipping in April. I have two new Morad antennas for this unit, and we are looking forward to getting it (and other upgrades) installed aboard IRENE ASAP.

I think the advantage will be simply the integration...one unit that does what previously required two units. Since we did not have any AIS capability on IRENE, and we really liked the SH AIS radios on the other boats, it was an easy decision for us. Our boat is small, and I want to keep our relatively clean-uncluttered helm area the way it is. Additionally, my current radio "locked up" on us during a very low (no) visibility run home from the San Juans last fall. The radio has an integrated fog horn function, which worked while the radio did not. My confidence it that unit is gone. We usually have to be home for work on Monday, and we run in zero vis if we have no disabling casualties. The AIS will be useful in these conditions. Importantly, my wife wants it...happy wife, happy...
 
Ka_sea_ta said:
I've got the little brother to this unit, it doesn't have the ais transmitter just the receiver. My only complaint is that programming it or accessing the various menus and functions is pretty clunky... Other then that the unit works as advertised.
Click to expand...

Assuming that you have the 2200, does your GPS read out your heading as True or Magnetic? On mine the display can be changed to T or M but the number alway stays with a True course value.:facepalm:
 
High Wire said:
Assuming that you have the 2200, does your GPS read out your heading as True or Magnetic? On mine the display can be changed to T or M but the number alway stays with a True course value.:facepalm:
Click to expand...

The short answer is I don't know, I just use the AIS receiver interfaced to my chart plotter.
 
I believe the AIS unit is actually a separate transceiver within the unit, which will be doing its job (and using its dedicated antenna) without user input. This will often be occurring simultaneously with the user transmitting/receiving on the other transceivers (VHF and DSC), hence the need for a dedicated antenna.

The other benefit of this is that you can use an AIS antenna tuned for the AIS frequencies, just like with a traditional AIS transceiver, theoretically avoiding the degraded performance of a shared antenna.
 
I've ordered this GX6500 from West Marine so:

1) We'll so how it goes in real life
2) We'll see if it actually ships in 2-3 weeks (I'm suspicious)

IRENE said:
I believe the AIS unit is actually a separate transceiver within the unit, which will be doing its job (and using its dedicated antenna) without user input. This will often be occurring simultaneously with the user transmitting/receiving on the other transceivers (VHF and DSC), hence the need for a dedicated antenna.

The other benefit of this is that you can use an AIS antenna tuned for the AIS frequencies, just like with a traditional AIS transceiver, theoretically avoiding the degraded performance of a shared antenna.
Click to expand...
 
Xsbank said:
...........I am also questioning the reasons to have AIS on a recreational boat. I rarely am out in fog or very poor visibility and I have a healthy radar signature so for now, I am going to pass. .
Click to expand...

In a way, I agree with you but it depends on your location and how you boat. On the AICW and Florida's St Johns River I have seldom felt the need for AIS. Crossing some of the big harbors or commercial rivers, one would have been nice to know if any commercial ships were coming and to know their names if I want to call them on the VHF. I've thought about the SH VHF with AIS receive partly because my existing radio is old and the newer model has some nice features besides the AIS.

There was a thread on a different forum claiming that not only buying an AIS receive only system was a waste of money, but buying a class B transmitting system was also a waste of money. The poster claimed that everyone should be buying class A systems.

For me, and I suspect most folks, when I see the QE II heading my way, I'm not going to challenge it, even if I'm the stand on boat. I'll stay out of it's way.

The only advantage I see for a 28' boat transmitting an AIS signal is so the folks back home can follow my progress.

On the other hand, if transmitting capability is only a couple hundred dollars more, I would be tempted to buy it.
 
Where I am cruising now I don't need any AIS as most of the boat are recreational cruisers that have nothing aboard, neither AIS nor Radar (and in some cases not even a VHF). But the day I will start cruising on St-Lawrence waterway I think I will get an AIS. Consideting that big shipping vessel are going back and forth between great lake and Altlantic on this waterway I would feel more comfortable knowing that they can see me on AIS.
 
A trawler or similar style boat recently ran into, bounced off of, and then kept going after hitting a huge passenger ferry in the Puget Sound. In the busy shipping lanes here, especially in the inky dark of early morning and other times, I think AIS is important.

Course that guy hitting the ferry was in broad daylight with the ferry laid into their horn - I have a feeling he was commanding the boat from the head.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...m_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_title_1.1

I also did a trip up from Norfolk in the East Coast to Kent Island and that was in shipping lanes...I'd rather they know I am around.
 
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dw8928 said:
............ I also did a trip up from Norfolk in the East Coast to Kent Island and that was in shipping lanes...I'd rather they know I am around.
Click to expand...

That's fine but I believe they can turn off the class B (recreational) signals. I'm not certain of that, though.

My thought is, if I know commercial ships are around and where they are, I will stay out of their way and not expect them to change speed or course to avoid my boat. For the most part, I can stay out of the commercial shipping lanes or if I have to cross them, do it as quickly and directly as possible.

I've done that same trip four times (twice each way). I didn't feel the need for AIS, even receive. The ships are going north or south and you can see them for miles. Night time or dense fog would be a different story, but as a recreational boater, I just stay in port under those conditions.

New York harbor, with high speed ferries going every which way would be a different story. That's when the collision warnings on a chart plotter interfaced with AIS would be a safety system. I doubt those boats are going to change course for recreational boaters. They have a schedule to keep and in my experience, a sense of entitlement. I think that's what happened in the Puget Sound case.
 
Puget has those high speed ferries too. Here is a list of specs on this radio:

Key features:

Integrated Class B AIS Transponder
AIS/AIS SART Target display
AIS Call Sign, Ship's name, MMSI, BRG, COG, SOG, DST
66 Channel GPS antenna included
NMEA2000 and NMEA 0183 compatible
Programmable closest point of approach (CPA) alarm
Dual zone 25W PA/loud hailer and programmable fog signals
GPS compass, waypoint and GPS status pages
Oversized rotary channel knob with push to enter
Supports two RAM4 or four RAM4W repeaters
Integrated voice recorder for 2 minutes of received calls
Advanced receiver attenuator for local/distance RX
Integrated 32 code voice scrambler
Front panel waterproofed to IPX8
Specsclick to expand contents
 
dw8928 said:
Puget has those high speed ferries too. Here is a list of specs on this radio:

Key features:

Integrated Class B AIS Transponder
AIS/AIS SART Target display
AIS Call Sign, Ship's name, MMSI, BRG, COG, SOG, DST
66 Channel GPS antenna included
NMEA2000 and NMEA 0183 compatible
Programmable closest point of approach (CPA) alarm
Dual zone 25W PA/loud hailer and programmable fog signals
GPS compass, waypoint and GPS status pages
Oversized rotary channel knob with push to enter
Supports two RAM4 or four RAM4W repeaters
Integrated voice recorder for 2 minutes of received calls
Advanced receiver attenuator for local/distance RX
Integrated 32 code voice scrambler
Front panel waterproofed to IPX8
Specsclick to expand contents
Click to expand...

One thing: It's not a "transponder" unless somebody changed the definition of the word while I was not paying attention. A "transponder" does something in response to an external signal (another boat, another airplane, a signal from a land based station, etc.)

It's a "transceiver". It transmits and it receives on its own without any outside instructions.
 
dw8928 said:
Puget has those high speed ferries too. Here is a list of specs on this radio:

Key features:

Integrated Class B AIS Transponder
AIS/AIS SART Target display
AIS Call Sign, Ship's name, MMSI, BRG, COG, SOG, DST
66 Channel GPS antenna included
NMEA2000 and NMEA 0183 compatible
Programmable closest point of approach (CPA) alarm
Dual zone 25W PA/loud hailer and programmable fog signals
GPS compass, waypoint and GPS status pages
Oversized rotary channel knob with push to enter
Supports two RAM4 or four RAM4W repeaters
Integrated voice recorder for 2 minutes of received calls
Advanced receiver attenuator for local/distance RX
Integrated 32 code voice scrambler
Front panel waterproofed to IPX8
Specsclick to expand contents
Click to expand...

It looks like a very promising device, and I look forward to hearing how you like it.
 
The real trick with large and/or fast commercial traffic and shipping lanes is like being a pedestrian near a busy highway.

Stay off of it, cross at right angles, look both ways, know what might be behind you...etc..etc.


For a lot less money, just receive is worth it...but still not NE essary.

What IS necessary is to be a prudent skipoer and a decent navigator at all times and a dang good radar operator when in low visibility.

The vast majority of targets you will cross paths with any place, any time are not transmitting AIS.

The one place I might buy a class B for is if I ever do river systems.
 
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As someone who boats in Puget Sound and has an AIS receiver, I really want a transceiver. Lots of boats have receivers out there. I know that traffic with a transponder is a lot easier to notice and keep track of even in ideal conditions, than those without. After crossing the Stait of Juan de Fuca last summer in fog I knew I wanted a transceiver.

My question has been, and still is, how I want to add it. Part of me would like to simply replace my RM receiver with a RM transceiver. However, this product makes me think that swapping this for my RM VHF may be a better option.
 
5) are there wireless depth finders?

Yes. Google "sonarphone" It has a depthsounder unit that can be transom mounted on a small boat or mounted internally on most boats (shoots through wood or fiberglass hull) which connects to a small wifi box which you can then view on any device. Apparently it also works with Navionics to display a depth box or fishfinder box on your Navionics chart display.

I have bought one and am installing it right now. Hopefully it will work with my Ipad/Navionics system, thus essentially eliminating the need to replace my obsolete chartplotter!

Best,
Oldersalt
 
I'm really looking forward to your review of this! Wonder how durable this is...

Oldersalt said:
5) are there wireless depth finders?

Yes. Google "sonarphone" It has a depthsounder unit that can be transom mounted on a small boat or mounted internally on most boats (shoots through wood or fiberglass hull) which connects to a small wifi box which you can then view on any device. Apparently it also works with Navionics to display a depth box or fishfinder box on your Navionics chart display.

I have bought one and am installing it right now. Hopefully it will work with my Ipad/Navionics system, thus essentially eliminating the need to replace my obsolete chartplotter!

Best,
Oldersalt
Click to expand...
 
I'm really looking forward to your review of this! Wonder how durable this is...

I got it wired up and working, but not completely installed. everything seems to work as advertised. Ipad Navionics screens shows either a 1/3 screen with fishfinder scan, or just a little box with the depth readout.

the depth number seems to wander a bit, within a few feet, but that may be because the unit is "sealed" to the inside of the boat hull with just toilet sealing wax rather than real good sealer/bedding compound.

Next step, try it under way...

I'll keep the TF informed.

Oldersalt
 
Pending West Marine Order

dw8928 said:
I've ordered this GX6500 from West Marine so:

1) We'll so how it goes in real life
2) We'll see if it actually ships in 2-3 weeks (I'm suspicious)
Click to expand...

I received an email from a West Marine representative today. He directed me to a website, where I entered the data he needs to program my GX6500 radio. Quick and easy.

In his email he said shipping in April...

Jeff
 
I received the same email today and also called WM! Told me April also but I was not sure just how secure he was with that assessment.

David

IRENE said:
I received an email from a West Marine representative today. He directed me to a website, where I entered the data he needs to program my GX6500 radio. Quick and easy.

In his email he said shipping in April...

Jeff
Click to expand...
 
This doesn't sound like ABYC standards

"sealed" to the inside of the boat hull with just toilet sealing wax rather than ...
Click to expand...
 
With a class B AIS transceiver, personally I'd prefer to have a separate VHF it's not a big deal to some people but with a single antenna there is a time-sharing issue... So anytime you're talking on the radio keying the Mike, AIS will pause. It will stop sending your boats data and you also might drop AIS targets for a moment. You could probably stand the short interruptions but it's just a cleaner installation to have two antennas and I think AIS deserves its own antenna.
We plan to do the loop and one place e transceiver is really useful is the Mississippi River so that you and tugs/barges can see each other around bends in the river...
 
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