Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I bought this Matrix GX2100 AIS primarily to get an AIS receiver on board my 34 ft sail boat.
My primary cruising ground is the Pacific North West (PNW), which includes Puget Sound, Admiralty Inlet, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Georgia Strait - with its many peninsulas, islands, inlets, channels, fjords and straits. Traffic includes ferries, cruise ships, cargo ships, tankers, fishing vessels and tug / tow combinations of all sorts.
While fog is an issue here, I never installed radar - since radar cannot look "around the bend" and over islands. AIS can.
The fact that one single VHF antenna in the top of my mast serves all purposes of AM / FM (splitter installed), VHF, dual channel AIS and the dedicated DSC Channel 70 is a clear benefit to sail boat owners. We just don't have the space for an antenna farm and the top of the mast is the highest point we have - with the best "line-of-sight" range.
The installation of the GX2100 was combined with the installation of a new Standard Horizon chart plotter - the CP300.
Interfacing the GX2100 with the CP300 was a breeze. I had some concerns and questions about the possible addition of a Si-Tex radar in the future and all of my questions (via email) were promptly, succinctly and accurately answered by Standard Horizon - within hours. Programming my boat's MMSI number was easy as well.
The GX2100 appears to be able to "pull in" more ships and coastal stations over longer distances and obstacles than the excellent 10-year old Icom M-502 it replaces. This may be the result of its higher sensitivity and updated signal processing.
- Signal quality is excellent and very little interference is heard.
- Radio checks confirm that the transmitted signal is very clear as well.
- "Pinging" the USCG station in Port Angeles from my location in Anacortes to test the DSC capabilities provided an immediate response. (Roughly 50 NM as the crow flies)
- The GX2100 receives selected (not all) AIS data and sends it to the plotter for display on charts and / or AIS target list. AIS data sent to the plotter includes name, call sign, MMSI and IMO number of the target vessel, as well as COG, SOG, CPA and TCPA.
Even though the GX2100 "knows" the position, bearing and distance to the target, this is not displayed on the CP300 AIS list but used to plot the target in the chart mode. This may be different for other plotters.
The GX2100 does display distance and bearing to the target on its own LCD display.
- Worth noting is that while the GX2100 can show only 10 targets on its own LCD display at a time, many more target ships' info is sent to the plotter for display in the AIS list, or on the chart.
- No information is provided by the GX2100 with respect to the type of target vessel, its length, beam, draught or tonnage.
When in port with some AIS transponders close by (transmitting), the AIS display of the GX2100 appears useless - because of clutter.
As soon as you leave the clutter of port, the "radar-like" display is very useful, since it gives a clear indication that a target vessel has entered the range you have set. Alarms can be set.
I am not using the GX2100 as a navigational tool - with its "waypoint" and "compass" displays. That is the role of the GPS units I have on board - including the new CP300 - along with paper charts, bearing compasses and binoculars.
My overall impression of the GX2100 is very positive. Built like a tank, easy to install and operate, flawless integration with the CP300 plotter, this unit offers tremendous capabilities for a price that is much less than a stand-alone AIS receiver.
In addition, excellent customer support, along with a three-year warranty and flat-rate repairs after that gave me a lot of confidence in this unit.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Standard STD-GX2100-B Matrix 25 Watt Fixed Mount AIS VHF Radio with Integral AIS Receiver and Loudhailer (Black)
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