Vesper Marine Debuts New AIS Transponder
Marine safety products manufacturer Vesper Marine has released a new Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS), the XB-6000. The black box transponder includes a built-in NMEA 2000 gateway and GPS antenna that integrates AIS, GPS and NMEA instrument data to display vital safety information on any AIS-compatible chartplotter, multifunction display (MFD) or personal computer.
The Vesper Marine XB-6000 offers convenient access to AIS safety information instantaneously while on the water. The transponder is equipped with a built-in internal GPS antenna eliminating the need to mount an external antenna in many installations. The compact XB-6000’s GPS capabilities can be used as a vessel’s primary GPS source for all chartplotters and MFDs. To enhance navigation on chartplotters and MFDs, the GPS features high speed navigation at 5Hz.
“AIS transponders are becoming the standard for recreational and commercial vessels of all sizes,” said Jeff Robbins, CEO, Vesper Marine. “Our XB-6000 is designed to make AIS easy to install for everyone. Although it is our most affordable transponder, it includes our unique GPS capabilities and NMEA 2000 gateway allowing onboard navigation instruments connected with either NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 to be viewed on virtually any marine navigation device or computer software.”
The XB-6000 is fully waterproof – rated IPx7 or submersible to 1 meter for 30 minutes. Configuration and troubleshooting is performed via free PC and MAC software. Galvanic isolated USB and NMEA ports protect the transponder and connected equipment against damage. The unit features self diagnosis status lights indicating the state of the AIS transponder, GPS and antenna quality. Vesper Marine’s AIS transponders also include support for international Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS), Wide Area Augmentation Systems (WAAS) and European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).