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I was at the London Boat Show last week, and wanted to catch up with the guys at the Nasa Marine Electronics stand
As well as buying one of their AIS engines for use with GPSNavX, I also had a chat with them about MacSailing.net. Apparently they're Mac users, but weren't aware that their AIS engine was compatible with GPSNavX.
However, hopefully they'll be visiting MacSailing.net once the Boat Show is over.
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Did you get a mark two model - the one that switches channels every 36 seconds?
The NASA AIS engine is a great companion to both GPSNavX and MacENC.
Scott Dillon
Sydney Australia
North Shore 38
CYCA
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It's labelled just as the AIS engine. However, I did ask if it was the autoswitching firmware version and they confirmed that it was. I'll validate this once I actually get it installed.
Maybe Nasa could bundle the demo version of GPSNavX with their products?..
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just a heads up:
In the U.S. the Nasa receiver is being sold through Si-tex (Koden) for $350.00 list.
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Nobeltec is also rebranding it as their own, but I have had good luck ordering it from AllGadgets (and saving a bunch)
http://www.allgadgets.co.uk:80/ag/produc..._id=AG3933
Scott Dillon
Sydney Australia
North Shore 38
CYCA
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$350 for the AIS engine? I paid £129 for mine ($230) and that was from Nasa's stand.
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Yep US companies like Nobeltec gouge the customer...
http://www.nobeltec.com/products/prod_ac...ais100.asp
Of couse they want over a grand for their AIS compatible nav software.
Scott Dillon
Sydney Australia
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To determine if NASA AIS receiver is a switching model:
Start GPSNavX or MacENC
Connect to the AIS receiver where traffic is present
Open the AIS monitor panel
Push "Start" button
Now look at the !AIVDM messages.
If the letter following the message is an "A" then it's receiving on channel "A". if it's a "B" then it's receiving on channel "B".
If your NASA receiver switches channels every 36 seconds it will alternate channels "A" and "B" in the NMEA monitor.
I believe the Mark II did not ship until last October.
Scott Dillon
Sydney Australia
North Shore 38
CYCA
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Thanks for the info. I think mine must then be the older model, since I got it last May. But I'll check it anyway, but won't be able to do this til around this comming May since I just hauled the boat for the Chesapeake Bay Winter and I've removed the antenna. Wonder if NASA would have an upgrade policy to trade mine in for the Mark II ??? I'll try to email them & see.
Jack
