Icom MA-500TR Class B AIS - Anyone Used it Yet ?

[Mr.Feeney]

Hi,

I am currently in the process of installing my MA-500tr and got a bit concerned regarding your comments that only port2 works to transfer ais to opencpn.

I have connected port3 to my opencpn (awaiting a cabel so have not had chance to test it yet. When you say that only port 2 works, did you try port3 or was it only port1 (which manual expressly says only dcs function) you tried first?

First post in this forum. Yeeeyh

[donradcliffe]

Port 2 works.

[KRMS]

Originally Posted by aluijten

I've just returned my MA-500TR to the importer. Not because there is something wrong with it, it works fine. The thing that kept bugging me was that there was no Silent Mode available.

In my last struggle with some Icom sales rep. on some boat show, this guy told me that you can have the software "updated" in such way that you do have a silent mode available. This "update" can only be done at the importer.

So I'm curious to see how this is going to work after I get it back.

Arno

I gather that there is a key combination that does allow the MA-500TR to be put into silent mode. Does anyone know what this key combination is?

[donradcliffe]

See post #14.

[KRMS]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

See post #14.

Thanks Don that’s good to know. Not quite so enjoyable reading about the other issues you identified!

My set up has the MA-500TR hooked up to a M506 vhf which has a command mic in the cockpit. It also feeds my old E80 at the helm.

I haven’t spotted the lack of cpa issue (yet). On a positive note, I can make a DSC call direct to a vessel by scrolling down to its name on the command mic screen. Theoretically this is good but there still seems to be a lack of ability here so DSC calls are mainly unanswered and it’s necessary to use ch16.

Thanks again for the silent mode info.

[ScubaNinjaB]

I have installed my MA-500tr and get an antenna short error, however I am still able to receive information from other vessels. I do know that my info is not transmitting. No sure where the fault is.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by ScubaNinjaB

I have installed my MA-500tr and get an antenna short error, however I am still able to receive information from other vessels. I do know that my info is not transmitting. No sure where the fault is.

I recommend you measure the VSWR for the antenna you are using at the AIS frequencies, channels 87B (161.975-MHz) and 88B (162.025-MHz). Note that you probably will be unable to accomplish this using your standard VHF Marine Band radio as a signal source; most ship radios do not transmit on those frequencies.

Trying to transmit at channels 87B (161.975-MHz) and 88B (162.025-MHz) into a standard VHF Marine Band antenna generally results in a high VSWR on the transmission line. Your AIS unit may be detecting the high VSWR as an antenna fault, and to protect its transmitter, refuses to transmit into that load.

AIS transmitters generally have to be used with specially-tuned antennas that are adjusted for the AIS channels, or used with special wide-VSWR-bandwidth antennas that maintain a reasonably good VSWR at the AIS transmitter frequencies.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by ScubaNinjaB

I have installed my MA-500tr and get an antenna short error, however I am still able to receive information from other vessels. I do know that my info is not transmitting. No sure where the fault is.

Or, as in my case, there may be an actual short at the connector on the antenna cable. On a new powerboat I was receiving AIS but the range was very short, and could make VHF contacts, but again only over a short distance. I measured the VSWR and it was really bad. The connector (installed by the boat manufacturer) had a soldered center connector and a clamped shield, so I unsoldered it, trimmed the errant shield wire, and resoldered. Result: decent VSWR and great range. This was using a Garmin AIS-600 transponder with built-in splitter, and what looks like a medium-length VHF whip (probably tuned for channel 16).

[lipixx]

Hi!,


I know this post is a bit old, but I am struggle with this unit and is related to these posts. I have issues with NMEA GPS input.


I have one MA-500TR from the previous owner of my boat working perfectly and receiving the nmea sentences at 4800 baud from a garmin 158 (and before from a garmin 152), through pins 4 and 5 of the serial port.


Since it was working great for me during years, I recommended this to a friend. He bought a new unit, and with the same setup and settings, he is not getting the GPS and receives the GPS Malfunction error in his unit.



The truth is he is using a Furuno GP39 instead of the Garmin, but we also tried to connect the nmea0183 output of the NKE GPS HF. I monitored the cabling with a computer and the sentences are generated correctly at 38400b.


I cannot see the GBS sentence though that has been commented in this post, and honestly I don't think the Garmin generates it either. In fact, the previous owner of my boat sticked a label in the back of the AIS: "without RAIM"... is it possible that my unit is "upgraded" or "modified" to allow GPS without GBS (RAIM) sentences??


Do any of you managed to connect a GPS to the MA500-TR to avoid buying the "Internal GPS Receiver" antenna?


Besides that and less important but as a note, I see different screen in the Internal GPS screen, despite we both have version 1.0.11. I've even found two different manuals for the same unit which reflect this screen. In mine I can set SBAS FUNCTION, SBAS SEARCH and SBAS SATELLITE, while in my friend's one only SBAS FUNCTION.



I would appreciate any information.

Thanks you so much.