Em-Trak AIS opininions

[CAVOK]

I’m considering options for an AIS B Sotma unit.
There are obviously a few units on the market,
but I’ve brought it down to
AIS ( sotma). 5 watt
An integrated VHF splitter
Wireless/ Bluetooth capability
The Vesper Cortex does the above I just can’t spend that amount of money..
New to me is the Em-trak B954 which also ticks these boxes.
Does anyone have any experience or opinions on Em- trak units. I would imagine all of the 900 series share the same basic attributes.

[tkeithlu]

Are you integrating this unit into an existing monitor?

Over $1,000 for a Class B AIS? West Marine sells a Class A free standing unit for $500

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/em-tr...0aAu65EALw_wcB

And I get along quite well with this unit, which had a different name when I bought it - typical Chinese manufacture with a variety of brand names:

https://www.alibaba.com/pla/Ais-tran...waAnrgEALw_wcB

[krid2000]

Originally Posted by CAVOK

New to me is the Em-trak B954 which also ticks these boxes.
Does anyone have any experience or opinions on Em- trak units. I would imagine all of the 900 series share the same basic attributes.

I have installed the B954 and it has been working flawlessly for two months 24h/day.

What specific question do you have?

Dirk

[CAVOK]

I am just trying to get some user experience & feedback on the Em-Trak units. I have B&G Zeus MFDs & I have a B&G V60 vhf with AIS receive but I’d like to get a good quality AIS transponder too.
Thank you for any info you can give me

[krid2000]

"It works" :-)

[CAVOK]

That’s always a good starting point!
.Did you install it yourself or get a tech to do it.
Electrons & I sometimes disagree, but I’d like to try fitting it all.

[krid2000]

It's a very easy install. Check out their website for the fine manual.

There's a mounting template, mounting bracket, you need power (please fuse it close to the breaker), and connect VHF and antenna. Configuration is over USB with an app on your laptop. NMEA is available if you need it. I have it configured to provide AIS and GPS info to my iPad. Will connect to the NMEA2000 network later.

Dirk

[CAVOK]

Thanks Dirk,
I will try to track down a dealer herd in Europe

[ThereAndBack]

I have a B954. No complaints. It just works.

[KompetentKrew]

Originally Posted by CAVOK

I am just trying to get some user experience & feedback on the Em-Trak units. I have B&G Zeus MFDs & I have a B&G V60 vhf with AIS receive but I’d like to get a good quality AIS transponder too.
Thank you for any info you can give me

In the same position as you I just bought an em-track B953, which arrived today.

You don't need the wifi / bluetooth of the B954 because you can just connect Navionics / OpenCPN to the Zeus's wifi as described here.

em-trak are quite popular in the UK. A few weeks ago they announced an upgrade that any data received as NMEA 0183 will be multiplexed to NMEA 2000:

Currently any NMEA 0183 data received by the B900 Series will be multiplexed over Wi-Fi (as well as the other NMEA 0183 port). We are looking to extend that functionality so that a set of NMEA 2000 PGNs (including wind, speed, depth, etc) will be converted and multiplexed over NMEA 0183 and Wi-Fi. This feature will be added in a future software update, due for release in the coming weeks.

[krid2000]

Originally Posted by KompetentKrew

A few weeks ago they announced an upgrade that any data received as NMEA 0183 will be multiplexed to NMEA 2000:

Sounds great! I've searched on their website but can't find a news list or similar... where did you get that info from? Their last tweet is from 2020...

Dirk

[KompetentKrew]

Originally Posted by krid2000

Sounds great! I've searched on their website but can't find a news list or similar... where did you get that info from? Their last tweet is from 2020...

A member of the YBW forums was informed of it by email 8 weeks ago.

I realise now that that comment, which I quoted before, talks about multiplexing NMEA 2000 to 0183 and wifi, and that I actually contacted them myself regarding NMEA 0183 to 2000:

[smac999]

the em track built in gps is not great when mounted inside the boat. pick a spot carefully to mount or buy the external gps antenna.

I have installed a lot of the non wireless ones. they work fine.


I would not buy the cortex

[carstenb]

I have a 7 year old Em-trak (can't remember the model number) I installed it myself.

It has worked perfectly for 7 years without any maintenance or anything.

I mounted the GPS antenna inside the same cupboard that the EM-trak is mounted in (under deck) and we use an antenna splitter.

I can only recommend this since it has functioned flawlessly.

I normally don't recommend many things

[Nauticatarcher]

Em-Trak supply the internals for most black box AIS units