AMEC WideLink B600S User manual

AIS Class B Transponder
WideLink B600
SOTDMA
( )
USER MANUAL

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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. As we continue to
improve our AIS products to satisfy all customers’ needs, information in this document
is subject to change without notice. AMEC does not make any representations or
warranties (implied or otherwise) regarding the accuracy and completeness of this
document and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any commercial
damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other
damage.
Manual Revision: Version 2.1
User’s Manual

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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.
WARNING: Please bear in mind that not all vessels are equipped with AIS
transponders and therefore may not be visible to this device. Likewise, certain
conditions, such as device malfunction, the environment, improper use, and
overcrowded port traffic, may exist whereby the vessel equipped with this AIS
device is not visible to other AIS transponders.
WARNING: DO NOT DISASSEMBLE OR MODIFY THE EQUIPMENT. Improper
disassembly or modification could impair its performance and will invalidate the
guarantee.
FOR USERS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ONLY
WARNING: It is a violation of the rules of the Federal Communications
Commission to input an MMSI that has not been properly assigned to the
end user, or to otherwise input any inaccurate data in this device.
★ The entry of static data into this device shall be performed by the vendor of
the device or by an appropriately qualified person in the business of installing
marine communications equipment on board vessels.
★ Instructions on how to accurately enter and confirm static data in the device
can be found in this user manual.
FOREWORD
We thank you for the purchase of your new WideLink B600, AIS SOTDMA class B
transponder. Wherever you sail now, you can have a better overview of your
surroundings at sea and voyage with more safety.
WideLink B600 is strictly tested to meet the rigorous demands of the marine
environment. With proper installation and use, the equipment will serve loyally and
reliably at its optimum.
For sales, services, and technical supports, please contact your local AMEC
representatives or Alltek Marine Electronics Corp at [email protected] or
[email protected]. You are always welcome to visit our website at
www.alltekmarine.com for new product status and company update.
Thank you again. Be safe.

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TABLE OF CONTENT
1SYSTEM OVERVIEW ...........................................................................................................................7
1.1 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION .........................................................................................................7
1.2 CLASS AVS.SOTDMA CLASS BVS.CSTDMA CLASS B.............................................................10
1.3 EQUIPMENT IN THE BOX.......................................................................................................11
2INSTALLATION.................................................................................................................................. 12
2.1 INSTALLATION PROCEDURES ..................................................................................................12
2.2 MOUNTING DEVICE MAIN UNIT ............................................................................................13
2.3 VHF ANTENNA INSTALLATION ...............................................................................................14
2.4 CONNECTING TO VHF RADIO (B600S ONLY)............................................................................15
2.4.1 FM radio connection (B600S only)..................................................................................15
2.5 GPS ANTENNA INSTALLATION................................................................................................16
2.6 CONNECTING WITH NMEA 0183 DEVICES ..............................................................................17
2.7 AIS SILENT MODE CONNECTION............................................................................................18
2.8 CONNECTION TO NMEA 2000 NETWORK...............................................................................19
2.9 CONNECTING TO A CHARTING PROGRAM VIA USB ......................................................................20
2.10 CONNECTING POWER CABLE .................................................................................................21
3CONFIGURING YOUR WIDELINK B600 .................................................................................... 22
3.1 CONNECTING TO YOUR AIS TRANSPONDER ...............................................................................22
3.1.1 Required Items ...............................................................................................................22
3.1.2 Installing “AIS Configuration Tool” ..................................................................................22
3.1.3 Three steps to connect AIS transponder.........................................................................23
3.1.4 Home page of the application ........................................................................................24
3.2 PROGRAMMING YOUR VESSEL DATA.........................................................................................25
4GET STARTED.................................................................................................................................... 26
4.1 LED INDICATORS ................................................................................................................26
4.2 MICRO SD CARD................................................................................................................27
4.2.1 Data Logging...................................................................................................................27
4.2.2 Firmware Upgrade via Micro SD Card.............................................................................27
4.3 WI-FI CONFIGURATION (WIDELINK B600W ONLY) ...................................................................28
4.3.1 Access Point Mode .........................................................................................................28
4.3.2 Client Mode ....................................................................................................................30
4.4 BUILT-IN INTEGRITY TEST (BIIT).............................................................................................31
4.5 AIS VIEWER DESCRIPTION....................................................................................................31
4.6 INTRODUCING AMEC AIS APP .............................................................................................32
5SPECIFICATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 33
5.1 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS ....................................................................................................33
5.2 DIMENSIONS .....................................................................................................................35
5.3 SUPPORTED NMEA 2000 PGN AND TRANSLATION LIST ............................................................37
5.4 SUPPORTED NMEA 0183 SENTENCES....................................................................................39
6TROUBLESHOOTING ...................................................................................................................... 40
7ABBREVIATIONS.............................................................................................................................. 42
8FCC INTERFERENCE STATEMENT .............................................................................................. 43
9RF EXPOSURE WARNING .............................................................................................................. 44

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DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY........................................................................................................ 44
INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE................................................................................................................. 44
AMEC WORLDWIDE WARRANTY........................................................................................................ 45
APPENDIX: HOW TO DETERMINE SERIAL PORT .......................................................................... 46

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1System 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. Chart plotter and PC can be easily
integrated over its NMEA 2000, NMEA 0183 and waterproof USB port. Its integrated
micro SD card can record AIS data and make firmware upgrade in the most intuitive
way.
The WideLink B600 converts NMEA 2000 instrument data into NMEA 0183 sentences,
such as heading, speed, depth, temperature, wind, pressure and so on. With the
multiplexing function, sensor data along with AIS and GPS information can be displayed
on chart plotters and PC programs. Its internal GNSS receiver with 72 channels supports
GPS and GLONASS by default and optional BeiDou and Galileo.
The integrated high-performance Wi-Fi (WideLink B600W only) together with AMEC AIS
App makes your favorite smartphone or tablet a real-time AIS position plotter.
The built-in splitter (WideLink B600S only) featuring zero insertion loss on reception
path and low insertion loss on transmission path ensures optimized range of your VHF
radio and AIS transponder. Its self-test function gives a simple diagnosis in the event of
antenna problem and system failure. It supports transparent mode to ensure priority to
VHF radio operation even if the splitter has power failure.

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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)

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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. Ship dynamic data
will be transmitted per following reporting interval:
Ship Speed
Nominal Reporting Interval
Increased reporting interval
>23 knots
Every 5 seconds
Every 15 seconds
between 14-23 knots
Every 15 seconds
Every 30 seconds
between 2-14 knots
Every 30 seconds
Every 30 seconds
≤ 2 knots or at anchored
or moored
Every 3 minutes
Every 3 minutes
The Class B “SO” AIS follows the rules set by ITU-R M.1371-5, and increases the
reporting interval to “Increased Reporting Interval” in accordance with Table above
when less than 50 % of the slots of each of the last four consecutive frames are free.
When more than 65 % of the slots of each of the last four consecutive frames are free,
the Class B “SO” AIS reports at the “Nominal Reporting Interval”.

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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 (Self-
organizing)
SOTDMA (Self-
organizing)
CSTDMA (Carrier-
Sense)
Standard
IEC 61993-2
IEC 62287-2
IEC 62287-1
Transmit Power
and range
12.5W
5W
2W
IMO Mandate
Mandatory for all
SOLAS vessels
No mandate
No mandate
Reporting rate
dynamic data
Highest (transmission
up to every 2 sec)
Higher
(transmission up to
every 5 sec)
Low (transmission up
to every 30 sec)
AIS data
presented
Static, Dynamic,
Voyage
Static and Dynamic
data
Static and Dynamic
data
Applications
Commercial vessels,
fishing boats,
working boats,
passenger boats with
more than 12
passengers
Smaller commercial,
fishing and work
boats, recreational
vessels
Recreational vessels
and small fishing
boats

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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.

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2Installation
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.
1) Mount the device unit to an appropriate location
2) Install VHF antenna
3) Connect to VHF radio (B600S only)
4) Connect to FM radio (B600S only)
5) Install GPS antenna
6) Connect to a chart plotter and/or other instruments via NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000
or USB
7) Connect to a Tx switch box and/or external alarm system (optional)
8) Connect to an appropriate power source (12V / 24V DC, 2A)
Figure 1 External Connections

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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. See figure
below for details of the device dimensions.
The safe distance of the device to any magnetic compass is at least 0.3m.
The operating temperature is between -15°C and +55°C.
The device can be installed and mounted on a flat surface, or it can be mounted on
the wall with the four self-tapping screws supplied.
The device should be mounted in a location where the indicators can readily be
observed as these indicators deliver relevant information on the status of the device.
For safety reasons, it’s recommended to mount the device not higher than 2m
(78.74”) above floor-level.
Figure 2 Mounting the Device

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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.
Figure 3 VHF Antenna Locations
The VHF antenna connector type on WideLink B600 is SO239 which is designed to work
with a PL259 connector.
Figure 4 VHF Antenna Connector
The recommended
horizontal distance
between antennas is 10m.
Other transmitting
antenna
VHF Antenna
2m
10m
Other VHF Antenna
The recommended
vertical distance between
antennas is 2m.

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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. WideLink B600S is designed to give priority to VHF radio in the
event of simultaneous transmission of VHF radio and AIS.
In case VHF radio is not connected to WideLink B600S, the VHF radio connector should
stay floating or be connected with a 50ohm dummy load.
2.4.1 FM radio connection (B600S only)
Use the Motorola jack of the attached FM radio cable to connect to radio´s female
receptacle. For best FM radio reception, make sure the VHF antenna is extended to the
highest achievable position.
Figure 6 FM Radio Connector

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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.
Figure 7 GPS Antenna Locations
It is recommended to keep the GPS antenna out of the transmitting beam of high-
power transmitters such as Inmarsat devices and radar.
When connecting the cables, take note of the following precautions.
Bending cables may cause damages to the inner wires and impair overall the
performances.
Each coaxial cable should be set up separately and can only be set up in a
single cable tube.
Insulation on connector port of the coaxial cable should be considered.
WideLink B600 is tested and certified with the GPS antenna GA-22. It’s recommended
to use GA-22 with B600 series to ensure optimal reliability of your AIS system.
Ensure a free 360˚
horizon with a vertical
observation of 5˚.
The recommended
horizontal distance between
GPS antennas and other
antennas is 3m.
5˚
3m

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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. Received NMEA 0183 data
from both ports will be multiplexed and forwarded to all output ports as well as USB
and Wi-Fi (B600W only).
Figure 8 NMEA 0183 Connection
Warning: During installation, you may have to peel off some wires to
make the appropriate connections. After completing the installation,
please cover all exposed wires with a rubber-vulcanized tape to prevent
the devices from malfunctioning or short-circuited.

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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.
Figure 9 Silent Switch Connection

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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.
A compatible T-connector and drop cable/spur available by your local service partner
are needed to connect the device to your chart plotter with NMEA 2000 interface:
Figure 10 NMEA 2000 Network
B600 converts several practical NMEA 2000 PGN into NMEA 0183 sentences and
outputs them on NMEA 0183, USB and Wi-Fi (B600W only). Please refer to the
Supported NMEA 2000 PGN and Translation List in 5.3 or on AMEC website at
www.alltekmarine.com/support under B600.
The conversion function is off by default. To enable the function, users must check the
box in AMEC AIS Configuration Tool under the tab Configuration/Advanced
Configuration.

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2.9 Connecting to a charting program via USB
Your transponder can be used as a source of AIS for electronic charting and navigation
program (PC/Mac) such as NaviPro, TimeZero, Coastal Explorer or OpenCPN etc. Follow
the steps below to connect the transponder to the software:
Connect the transponder to your PC or Mac using the USB cable that comes with
the package. In most cases, the USB driver will be installed automatically. When
it’s not the case, you can find the driver on the attached CD and install it
manually.
Make sure the baud rate is set at 115200. The data port can be confirmed by
running the Device Manager on your computer or be detected automatically
depending on the software.