WideLink B600 AIS Class B Transponder ( SOTDMA ) USER MANUAL
COPYRIGHT The entire contents of this instruction manual, including any future updates, revisions, and modifications, shall remain the property of AMEC at all times. Unauthorized copies or reproduction of this manual, either in part or whole, in any form of print and electronic media, is prohibited. The contents herein can only be used for the intended purpose of this manual. DISCLAIMER AMEC is devoted to publish and maintain this product manual.
WARNING! WARNING: The device must be installed and configured in conformity with the provided instructions in the manual by qualified installer in order to ensure the device performance. WARNING: It is the responsibility of the operator to handle the AIS device with care. The device cannot replace human vigilance. Therefore it is important to keep a diligent outlook at all times.
TABLE OF CONTENT 1 2 SYSTEM OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 7 1.1 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION .........................................................................................................7 1.2 CLASS A VS. SOTDMA CLASS B VS. CSTDMA CLASS B ............................................................. 10 1.3 EQUIPMENT IN THE BOX ...............................................................................
INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE ................................................................................................................. 43 AMEC WORLDWIDE WARRANTY ........................................................................................................ 44 APPENDIX: HOW TO DETERMINE SERIAL PORT ..........................................................................
1 System Overview 1.1 Product Description WideLink B600 is an SOTDMA AIS class B, the next evolution of AIS technology. Its 5W transmit power, higher reporting rate and professional grade time division management make B600 an overall more advanced product compared to AIS class B based on CSTDMA scheme. Its enhanced housing with IPx7 waterproof and shock and temperature robustness is ideal to survive harsh marine environments.
WideLink B600/B600W Front Back WideLink B600S Front Back B600 exchanges the following navigational data with other AIS equipped vessels within VHF range to increase the safety of your journey at sea: Static data: Ship´s name Call sign MMSI Ship type Location of GPS antenna on the ship Dynamic data: Position of the vessel Course over ground (COG) 8
Speed over ground (SOG) True heading The transponder receives also safety related messages (SRM) from other vessels or persons who are in distress. SOTDMA Class B AIS broadcasts ship´s static data every 6 minutes.
1.2 Class A vs. SOTDMA Class B vs. CSTDMA Class B A brief comparison between class A and class B AIS is illustrated in the following table. WideLink B600 is an SOTDMA class B AIS transponder. Type of AIS Class A AIS Class B SOTDMA Class B CSTDMA Primary Access Scheme SOTDMA (Selforganizing) SOTDMA (Selforganizing) CSTDMA (CarrierSense) Standard IEC 61993-2 IEC 62287-2 IEC 62287-1 5W 2W No mandate No mandate Transmit Power 12.
1.3 Equipment in the Box Upon receiving the product please verify items in the box. If any is missing, please contact your local AMEC representative immediately.
2 Installation 2.1 Installation Procedures Please familiarize the manual content before installation. Depending on your hardware configuration, use the following recommended steps to install the device.
2.2 Mounting Device Main Unit The following guidelines should be noticed when selecting the environment to install your AMEC WideLink B600: Do not install the device in a flammable or hazardous atmosphere such as in an engine or generator room or close to fuel tanks. Installation of the device should be undertaken in a safe environment without being exposed to any splashing water or rain. There should be adequate space around the device for routing of cables.
2.3 VHF Antenna Installation The quality and positioning of the antenna are the most important factors dictating AIS performance. It is recommended that a VHF antenna with omnidirectional vertical polarization be specifically tuned for marine band. Since the range of VHF signals is largely decided by line of sight distance, the VHF antenna should be placed as high as possible and at least 5 meters away from any constructions made of conductive materials.
2.4 Connecting to VHF Radio (B600S only) Figure 5 VHF Antenna Connector It is important for users to make sure that the VHF radio is always connected to the VHF radio input port (left SO-239 connector) – and never connected to antenna input port. When VHF radio is connected to antenna input port, the AIS receiver of WideLink B600S might be severely damaged. The internal path for VHF radio stays transparent also when WideLink B600S is switched off or has power failure.
2.5 GPS Antenna Installation Install the GPS antenna where it has a clear view to the sky, so that it may access the horizon freely with 360° degrees. 5˚ Ensure a free 360˚ horizon with a vertical observation of 5˚. Figure 7 3m The recommended horizontal distance between GPS antennas and other antennas is 3m. GPS Antenna Locations It is recommended to keep the GPS antenna out of the transmitting beam of highpower transmitters such as Inmarsat devices and radar.
2.6 Connecting with NMEA 0183 Devices WideLink B600 supports two NMEA 0183 ports and external silent mode switch with its 12-pin data cable. The default NMEA 0183 baud rates are 38400-bps (high speed) and 4800-bps (low speed). The baud rates can be changed with the provided configuration tool. Typically the high-speed setting is primarily for chart plotter connection, while the low-speed setting can be used for NMEA 0183 compatible instruments. WideLink B600 NMEA 0183 supports multiplexer function.
2.7 AIS Silent Mode Connection When Silent Mode is required, it is possible to connect an external toggle switch to WideLink B600. Connect the toggle switch between the purple and brown wires to enable Silent Mode function, as depicted in Figure below. An optional Tx Switch Box (part number SB-181) is available from AMEC for Silent Mode activation.
2.8 Connection to NMEA 2000 Network The WideLink B600 is equipped with NMEA 2000 interface with LEN=1. The device is able to send AIS data and forward received GPS data (from NMEA 0183) via NMEA 2000 network to other NMEA 2000 devices. For further applications e.g. heading sensor connection, please refer to supported PGN in 5.3. An updated PGN list is available at AMEC website under Support/FAQ.
2.9 Connecting Power Cable Connect the WideLink B600 to vessel´s power source as illustrated below. The device requires a 12V or 24V DC power supply (9.6 to 31.2V) capable of supplying 2A peak current @12V DC. Always use a minimum 3A fuse panel before connecting directly to battery or power supply. Power on the power source will turn on the device unit automatically. B600´s power cables are marked with bullet connectors.
3 Configuring Your WideLink B600 Your WideLink B600 is delivered with a power “AIS Configuration Tool” allowing users to set up the transponder and make a real-time diagnosis. A more detailed user guide of configuration tool can be found in the “Help” of the software. 3.1 Connecting to your AIS Transponder 3.1.
3.1.3 Three steps to connect AIS transponder Step 1: Connect your Class B AIS transponder to your PC or Mac using a USB cable. In most cases the USB driver will be installed automatically by Windows system. When USB driver installation is not done automatically, it can be found on the attached CD and installed manually. Follow the on-screen instructions and assign the correct file path of the USB driver to complete the installation.
3.1.4 Home page of the application The application is now communicating with your AIS transponder and will display any pre-configured vessel data on the ‘Home’ page depicted as follows. Wi-Fi setting is only available when Wi-Fi module on the AIS device is detected.
3.2 Programming your vessel data After the device is successfully connected with the Configuration Tool, click on the “Configuration” tab.
4 GET STARTED The device starts up whenever the connected power source is ON. It will operate automatically when the device has been properly configured and GPS/VHF antennas are properly installed. The device transmits its own ship positions depending on vessel´s moving speed and should receive information of other vessels in the vicinity. The operation status of the device can be observed with the LED lights on the unit. Description of the LED indications is provided in the following section. 4.
4.2 Micro SD Card 4.2.1 Data Logging The WideLink B600 records voyage data onto a micro SD card in the .txt format. The compatible micro SD card types are listed as follows: Standard “SD” with maximum 2GB size Standard “SDHC” with maximum 32GB size Supported data format: FAT12/16 by SD, FAT32 by SDHC Insert the Micro SD card into the slot as shown below and data logging will start immediately. When the device begins recording, the green SD LED indicator blinks.
Please notice that firmware upgrade will only take place when the Micro SD card is inserted into the B600 while it is powered off. 4.3 Wi-Fi Configuration (WideLink B600W only) WideLink B600W is featured with high-performance Wi-Fi module and built-in Wi-Fi antenna. It can work in Access Point Mode or Client Mode. The information below details the information required for connecting the WideLink B600W to mobile devices using Wi-Fi. 4.3.
Figure 15 Connect to Mobile Devices SSID (Service Set Identifier): The SSID for the WideLink B600W is AIS-WiFi. When another SSID is preferred, just input it in the SSID field and then press “Program Wi-Fi Module”. Password: By default the Wi-Fi network has no password. Users are allowed to create their own key with an alpha-numeric password between 8 and 63 characters long. The password can include symbols (!?*&_) and spaces.
4.3.2 Client Mode WideLink B600W is able to join an existing Wi-Fi network. When clicking on „Client”, it can take about 45 seconds until the device scans all available Wi-Fi networks. Pick the network you want to join and enter the password and click on “Connect”.
4.4 Built-in Integrity Test (BIIT) With BIIT (Built in Integrity Test) function, the WideLink B600 is constantly monitoring and testing the integrity of the AIS device.
4.6 Introducing AMEC AIS App The AMEC AIS App is a complimentary App with the purchase of an AMEC AIS WideLink B600W. The App enables users to monitor the surrounding AIS traffics on your smartphone or tablet PC wirelessly. The AIS targets are displayed clearly in radar view or in an alphanumeric vessel list format. Data of own vessel can be traced in real time. The App also offers various safety features to help users be alerted during their voyage.
5 SPECIFICATIONS 5.1 Product Specifications APPLICABLE STANDARDS ISO MSC. 74(69) Annex IEC 60945 Ed. 4.0:2002 ITU-R M. 825-3:1998 IEC 61108-1 Ed. 2.0:2003 ITU-R M. 1084-5:2012 IEC61162-1 Ed. 5.0:2016 ITU-R M. 1371-5:2014 IEC61162-2 Ed. 1.0:1998 EN 300 440 V2.1.1 (Final Draft) IEC 62287-2 Ed. 2.0:2017 EN 301 489-1 V2.1.0(Draft) / EN 301 489-3 V2.1.0(Draft) EN 300 328 V2.1.1 EN 301 489-1 V2.1.0(Draft) / EN 301 489-17 V3.1.
CONNECTION INTERFACE GPS Antenna Connector TNC (Female) VHF Antenna Connector SO-239 (Female) VHF Radio Connector (B600S only) SO-239 (Female) FM Radio (B600S only) SMA (Female) & dedicated cable with Motorola jack NMEA 2000 Standard connector Support two NMEA 0183 interfaces NMEA 0183 (RS-422) Default baud rate 38,400 & 4,800bps Configurable and separate Tx/Rx baud rate Silent Mode Setting Internal Alarm Relay Setting USB Standard IEC 61162-1 / IEC 61162-2 sentences Set by dedicated pins in the 12-pin cab
5.
(PA-02 GPS antenna is an optional item) 35
5.
129793 AIS UTC and Date Report AIS Class A Static and Voyage Related 129794 Data 129795 AIS Addressed Binary Message v 129796 AIS Acknowledge v 129797 AIS Binary Broadcast Message v 129798 AIS SAR Aircraft Position Report v 129800 AIS UTC/Date Inquiry AIS Addressed Safety Related 129801 Message AIS Saftety Related Broadcast 129802 Message 129803 AIS Interrogation v 129804 AIS Assignment Mode Command v 129805 AIS Data Link Management Message v 129806 AIS Channel Management v 129807 AIS Group
5.
6 TROUBLESHOOTING The transmitting LED (Green color) is not illuminated, why? The Class B device requires GPS information from GPS antenna before making AIS transmission. Please check if your GPS antenna is connected correctly. The Tx LED will flash orange every 5 seconds meaning that the device is still acquiring a GPS fix and therefore not ready yet to make transmission. For each transmission, the Tx LED indicator will flash once quickly.
Please make sure that both VHF and GPS antennas and their cables are working properly and not damaged. Return the unit to your dealer/service partner for technical check. Why is the Wi-Fi signal weak and how can I improve it? The router is too far from the client devices. To improve the Wi-Fi signal strength reallocated the device to a more central location. There might be intervening barriers (e.g. a large expanse of metal) that are blocking the Wi-Fi signals.
7 ABBREVIATIONS AIS COG CPA CSTDMA SOTDMA DSC ECS ETA GPS IMO MMSI SOG TCPA TDMA UTC VHF VTS Automatic Identification System Course Over Ground Distance to Closest Point of Approach Carrier-Sense Time Division Multiple Access Self-Organized Time Division Multiple Access Digital Selective Calling Electronic Chart System Estimated Time of Arrival Global Positioning System International Maritime Organization Maritime Mobile Service Identity Speed Over Ground Time to Closest Point of Approach Time Division Mul
8 FCC INTERFERENCE STATEMENT NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
9 RF Exposure Warning WARNING: This device generates and radiates RF electromagnetic energy and must be installed and operated according to the instructions contained in this manual. Failure to do so may result in product malfunction and/or exposure to potentially harmful levels of radio frequency radiation. WARNING: Never operate this device unless it is properly connected to a VHF antenna.
AMEC WORLDWIDE WARRANTY Limited warranty Subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set forth in this Worldwide Limited Warranty (hereinafter the “Warranty”), AMEC warrants that its products, when properly installed and used, will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of twelve (12) months, from the date of first purchase (the ‘Warranty Period’) For the purposes of this warranty, ‘date of first purchase’ means the date that the product was purchased by the first retail customer
Appendix: How to Determine Serial Port If you PC/laptop does not have available serial port, you may use a RS232-to-USB adapter. To find out the proper serial port for connection use the following instructions. Windows 7 or VISTA version: Click on “Start” Select “Control Panel” Select “Device Manager” Click Port (COM&LPT) Windows 8 and 8.
Alltek Marine Electronics Corporation 14F-2, No. 237, Sec. 1, Datong Rd., Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City, 22161, Taiwan Tel: +886 2 8691 8568 Fax: +886 2 8691 9569 Email: service@alltekmarine.com Website: www.alltekmarine.
