Vesper Marine AIS system

[Westfield 11]

I am considering addding their XB-8000 AIS transponder and using it as our boat router as well as for AIS. Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge of these systems?

https://www2.vespermarine.com/xb8000...onder#features

[Boatsb]

I've never used it as s router. A wifi router is $50. Why use an expensive device to be a router?

[Westfield 11]

Why not? It supports up to 5 wi-fi devices at a time. It looks like it is designed to do so as well. I want an AIS transponder onboard and if I can leave a wi-fi router ashore in the process what the issue? Are there any reliability or other issues known?

[Boatsb]

A wifi router is about $50. Why run an expensive device all the time when you can use a $50 router.

Buy a router to use as a router.

Buy navionics to use as navionics.

[Westfield 11]

A wifi router is about $50. Why run an expensive device all the time when you can use a $50 router.

Buy a router to use as a router.

Buy navionics to use as navionics.

Good point. I leave my navionics up when at anchor and when away from the slip, but hadn’t considered marina time..... Any opinion of it as a dedicated AIS xmitter? How much is Furuno’s version?

[Pascal]

A $50 router is going to get you $50 service.... if you want good bandwith and good coverage thruout the boat, it s going to cost you more than that. after years of going cheap, i got a better tri band router and what a difference it made

[Boatsb]

Maybe it's because I buy them wholesale but I used a nice dual band trendnet on a wave wifi package and it blew everyone's mind when I logged in from the salon of another boat 2 slips down. But then again you know better. I can't be doing that right?

[MVCaprice]

A $50 router is going to get you $50 service....

This. Ideally you want MIMO antennas + B/G/N and perhaps even A support. Cheap routers have cheap antennas, low power and are not well suited.

I would suggest looking at unify's access points. They are rebranded by Garmin and other companies and work well in the marine environment in my experience.

[MVCaprice]

If you are looking for transponders I would take a close look at the latest SOTDMA transponders. Its the latest AIS tech and I think the performance is better in high traffic areas.

Here is an example of one:
https://www.milltechmarine.com/AMEC-...der_p_392.html

[Briankinley2004]

I just put the Vesper with wifi on my boat. I dont use it as a router but am very happy so far with it. Works well with my Garmin displays and I can also monitor other AIS vessels from my iPad in the salon or from my iPhone. We have alot of blind corners where various slips intersect with heavy crew boat traffic in narrow channels. The AIS is really helpful seeing other boats coming around the bend