NAIS-500 Class B AIS

A Class B AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponder is a safety device that transmits your vessel's identity, position, heading, and speed to other vessels equipped with an AIS receiver. Primarily designed for recreational boating, it has lower transmission power and information update frequency than Class A devices (mandatory on commercial vessels), while still providing essential visibility for collision avoidance.

The NAIS-500 offers comprehensive connectivity to integrate with most navigation systems:

NMEA 2000: For simple and fast connection to modern networks and multifunction displays.NMEA 0183: It has two independent ports. One high-speed port (38,400 baud) for chartplotters and one low-speed port (4,800 baud) for other instruments.USB: A mini-B port allows connection to a PC or Mac, primarily for initial device configuration (MMSI number programming).

The NAIS-500 transponder is designed to operate with a DC power supply ranging from 9.6 V to 31.2 V. It is therefore compatible with standard 12 V and 24 V onboard electrical systems.

Yes, the NAIS-500 is designed for the marine environment. It has an IP67 protection rating, meaning it is fully protected against dust and can withstand temporary immersion in water up to 1 meter deep.

The simplest and recommended method for connecting the NAIS-500 to a modern multifunction display (Simrad, Lowrance, B&G) is to use the NMEA 2000 network. The device has a standard NMEA 2000 connector for plug-and-play integration. For older equipment, connection can be made via the high-speed NMEA 0183 port (38,400 baud).

Yes, the NAIS-500 is equipped with an internal 50-channel GPS receiver, compliant with IEC 61108-1 standard. This allows it to obtain its own position autonomously to transmit it via AIS.

Although the NAIS-500 has an internal GPS receiver, it is also equipped with an SMA connector for an external GPS antenna. The use of an external antenna is recommended if the device is installed in a location where GPS signal reception is obstructed (e.g., inside a metal hull or without a clear view of the sky).

The power consumption of the NAIS-500 is optimized for onboard use. On average, it is 180 mA on a 12 V DC supply. During transmission, consumption can reach a peak of 2 A.

Silent mode allows you to stop transmitting your vessel's information while continuing to receive AIS data from other boats. To activate it, an external switch (not supplied) must be connected to the dedicated wires (Orange and Light Green) of the power and data cable. When the switch is closed, the 'Tx' indicator lights up orange and the device enters silent mode.

The NAIS-500 uses standard connectors:

For the VHF antenna, it has an SO-239 (UHF female) connector. For the optional external GPS antenna, it uses an SMA connector.

Yes, the NAIS-500 can be connected to a PC or Mac via its mini-B USB port. This connection is primarily used for the initial configuration of the device, particularly for programming your MMSI number and your boat's static information using the provided software.

As a Class B AIS transponder, the NAIS-500 has an output power of 33 dBm ± 1.5 dB, which corresponds to approximately 2 Watts.

The NAIS-500 has four LED indicators that show its operating status:

PWR (Green): Solid ON, indicates the unit is receiving proper power.ERR (Red): Solid ON, indicates an error, often an invalid or unprogrammed MMSI number. Flashing, it indicates a system error.Rx (Green): Flashing to indicate reception of AIS data from other vessels.Tx (Orange): Solid ON, indicates Silent Mode is active and the unit is not transmitting its position.

Yes, for optimal performance and regulatory compliance, AIS should use its own VHF antenna. Alternatively, you can use an AIS-certified antenna splitter, which allows sharing the main VHF antenna of your radio with the NAIS-500 transponder.

The NAIS-500 comes with an accessory cable that plugs into the 'PWR/0183' port. The other end of this cable has bare wires with color coding for easy connections: red and black for power, and other colored wire pairs for the two NMEA 0183 ports (input/output) and for the silent mode switch.

Yes, absolutely. The NAIS-500 is equipped with a low-speed NMEA 0183 port (4,800 baud) specifically designed to be compatible with older instruments using this standard, in addition to its high-speed port for modern chartplotters.

The NAIS-500 has a built-in multiplexing function. This means that NMEA 0183 data received on its low-speed input port (e.g., from a wind sensor or depth sounder) is automatically combined with AIS data and retransmitted via the high-speed output port to your chartplotter. This simplifies wiring by eliminating the need for an external multiplexer.

Programming the MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) number and your vessel's other information (name, type, dimensions) should be done during the initial installation. This is done by connecting the NAIS-500 to a PC or Mac via the USB port and using the appropriate configuration software. It is crucial that this information is correct because, for safety reasons, it can generally only be modified by an authorized technician after the initial programming.