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sdpaine@cox.net
01-25-2014, 07:48 AM
I was going to keep it simple but I got to use iRegatta on a friend's iPad and ......................oh, well. Gotta have it.

My plan at this point is to use a MiniPlex 2wi as a mulitplexor and Wifi source. It will accept up to 4 NMEA inputs including the AIS at the higher baud rate.

Question 1: My other inputs (mast head wind sensor, GPS, AIS) to the MiniPlex will send only one sentence of its own type, but I have an older SImrad CP-31 chart plotter that I want to send depth, speed through the water, and back up GPS data on its NMEA output. Will the MiniPlex handle the multiple types of input coming through one of its input terminals and sequence them properly?

Question 2: I have a Standard Horizon 2500 VHF/AIS unit on the boat. I was cruising Ebay and saw an older Simrad AIS transponder, NAIS-300 (there are 3 available by the way), for $125 and the current draw is the same as the Standard VHF which is receive only. It does not come with an GPS antenna and the manual says it should only be used with the one originally provided. I was thinking of matching it up with a combination VHF antenna that is tuned for AIS and also has the GPS antenna built in. Thoughts on whether this AIS antenna will work on the NAIS-300? Will the AIS tuned VHF antenna on work in an emergency for the VHF and therefore count as a 2nd VHF antenna?

Question 3: Thoughts on getting an older AIS transponder? These are quite cheap, they were highly rated using the NMEA 083 network (not so much on the 2000 interface).

Thank you,
Doug
Capri 25 - Jack

I have spent hours researching these questions and not come up with solid answers so any help would be appreciated.