Comar Systems SLR-200 User manual

Limited Warranty
Comar Systems Ltd warrants this product to be free from defects in
materials and manufacture for one year from the date of purchase.
Comar Systems Ltd will, at its sole option, repair or replace any
components that fail in normal use. Such repairs or replacement will
be made at no charge to the customer for parts and labour. The
customer is, however, responsible for any transportation costs
incurred in returning the unit to Comar Systems Ltd.
This warranty does not cover failures due to abuse, misuse, accident
or unauthorized alteration or repairs.
The above does not affect the statutory rights of the consumer.
Note: Every effort has been made to ensure that all information
contained in this manual is accurate at the time of going to press.
However AIS is a new technology and the legislation is subject to
change. We therefore cannot take any responsibility for the content
of this manual and advise that you take normal steps to ensure that
the information is at its most current when you are reading this
manual.
12
Installation
and
Quick Reference Guide
SLR-200/G
AIS Receiver
www.Busse-Yachtshop.de email: [email protected]

Contents 2
Introduction 3
Contents of this box 4
Installing the SLR-200 receiver 4-6
Installing the SLR-200G 7
Correct operation 8
Faultfinding 9
Technical Specification 10-11
Warranty 12
Disclaimer
This product is designed to aid navigation and should be used to
augment normal navigational procedures and practices. It is the
users responsibility to use this product prudently.
Neither Comar Systems Ltd, nor their distributors or dealers accept
responsibility or liability either to the product user or their estate for
any accident, loss, injury or damage whatsoever arising out of the
use or of liability to use this product.
2
Transmission Specification:
Static information
Every 6 min or, when data has been amended, or on request.
Dynamic information
This is dependent on speed and course alteration.Table 1
Class “A” shipborne mobile equipment reporting intervals
Ship's dynamic conditions Reporting interval
Ship at anchor or moored and not moving
faster than 3 knots 3 Minutes
Ship at anchor or moored and moving faster
than 3 knots
10 Seconds
Ship 0-14 knots 10 Seconds
Ship 0-14 knots and changing course 3 1/3 Seconds
Ship 14-23 knots 6 Seconds
Ship 14-23 knots and changing course 2 Seconds
Ship >23 knots 2 Seconds
Ship >23 knots and changing course 2 Seconds
Caution: Deadlines for mandatory fitment of AIS
Transponders
AIS is a recently introduced system that has been designed to
improve safety at sea and collision avoidance. The mandatory
requirement for vessels to fit Class A AIS transponders at the time of
print depends on the size of the vessel, where it trades and where it
is based, however, this could still be subject to change.
Currently, international legislation requires all such ships over 300
tons engaged in international voyages to fit AIS Class A transponders
no later than 31 December 2004.
The deadline for ships not engaged in international voyages remains
at 1 July 2008, but national authorities can move this date forward in
their own waters.
In the USA different regulations apply, more details can be found on
www.uais.org/CarriageRequirements.htm
11
www.Busse-Yachtshop.de email: [email protected]

Fault finding
No power light is displayed
●Check the power supply and that the unit is connected
correctly to a 12 or 24 volt DC supply
●Check the polarity of the supply is correct (red = +ve and
black is –ve).
Channel 1 and Channel 2 lights do not flash
●Check that a VHF antenna is fitted and correctly connected.
●Check that the antenna is correctly positioned – i.e. at a
suitable location to visibly ‘see’ vessels.
Hint: Until the deadlines for mandatory fitment are reached, ships may not
have fitted a Transponder, therefore if a ship is sailing past and no signal is
received there may be no fault with the SLR-200 receiver.
Channel 1 and Channel 2 lights flash but no data is received
If the red channel lights flash then data is being received from
nearby vessels.
●Check that the correct data cable is connected to the PC or
NMEA device.
●Check on the PC application or device that the correct port is
assigned and the correct baud rate is setup. The correct baud
rate is 38400.
I can receive ships on my display but no names are shown.
●Remember that the names of ships as well as other static
information is only sent every 6 minutes or when requested by
another station.
Product Support
Comar Systems Limited
Unit 7, Medina Court
Arctic Road
Cowes
Isle of Wight, PO31 7XD
United Kingdom
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Internet: www.comarsystems.com
9
Introduction
Background to AIS
AIS is an Automatic Identification System. For improved safety and
specifically for collision avoidance reasons, vessels need to know the
position, details and navigational intentions of other vessels within
VHF range.
IMO regulations covering most commercial vessels worldwide, have
now been passed requiring that AIS transponders are fitted by
December 2004. The transponders use VHF frequencies to
●Transmit details of their own vessel and
●Receive details from other vessels or navigation aids within
VHF range.
The SLR-200
The SLR-200 is a low cost AIS (Automatic Identification System)
receive only unit, designed specifically for the Small Commercial,
Leisure, Fishing Boat and Vessel Monitoring Markets where vessels
are currently not mandated to transmit AIS information.
Connected to an on board PC running compatible software, or
Plotter, AIS data transmitted from ships within range can be
displayed on the screen giving the skipper or navigator a visual
interpretation of the traffic within VHF range.
Information from AIS transponders carried by most vessels or
navigation aids are transmitted at different rates as specified in
Tables 1 (see Page 10)
(Information source ITU Recommendations Technical Document ITU-R M.1371-1)
Information transmitted from vessels fitted with AIS transponders
includes:
●Name of vessel ●Call Sign ●Type of vessel
●Speed (SOG) ●Course (COG) ●Heading
●Position ●Navigational status ●Vessel dimensions
●MMSI number ●IMO number ●Draft
●Rate of turn ●Size of vessel ●Status
●Destination ●ETA ●Cargo
Note: Not all the above information is necessarily transmitted by each vessel.
3
www.Busse-Yachtshop.de email: [email protected]

To keep up to date with information about AIS compliance and
the current status on different regulations surrounding the
fitting of AIS transponders we recommend you visit
www.uais.org/CarriageRequirements.htm
Contents of this Box
Before proceeding with the installation of the SLR-200, please check
the content of the box, which should include:
The SLR-200 AIS receiver with trunnion mounting bracket.
Interface cable for connection to PC
Interface cable for NMEA connection
Power cable (12/ 24 volts)
Installation and quick Reference Guide.
Installing the SLR-200 Receiver
Installing the antenna
The SLR-200 Receiver is not supplied with a VHF antenna as the
type of antenna and cable requirements differ from vessel to vessel.
An antenna can be acquired from a marine electronics outlet.
Hint: The antenna connector type is BNC, 50 ohms.
Antenna location
Hint: The AIS VHF antenna should be separated as far as possible from
the voice VHF to avoid unnecessary interference.
Hint: Best separation is achieved by installing the antennas over each
other or on separate sides of the mast.
Hint: The VHF antenna should be mounted at least 3 metres away from
and out of the transmitting beam of high-power transmitters or other VHF
antenna installations.
Hint: Mount the antenna with a relatively clear view of the horizon. Large
obstructions that might shade the antenna should be avoided.
Hint: The higher the antenna is located, the longer the range.
4
Technical specifications
SLR-200 is a compact dual channel synthesised VHF receiver
designed to receive and decode transmissions from vessels fitted
with Class A AIS transceivers.
Electrical
Power supply range: 9 - 30 Volts DC
Power consumption: 400mW
Output
Baud rate: 38400 Baud (38.4Kb) or 4800 (internal link)
Format: ITU/ NMEA 0183
Output message: VDM
Receiver
Frequency: AIS 161.975 MHz
AIS 162.025 MHz
Channel spacing: 25KHz
Sensitivity: -112dBm
Demodulation: GMSK
Data Rate: 9600
Antenna Impedance: 50 ohms
Physical
Dimensions: Length: 140mm,
Width: 120mm,
Height: 50mm
Weight: 600g
Mounting: Trunnion bracket
Connectors: Antenna BNC
Output port: 9 pin D socket
Power: 2-pole plug
Designed to meet:
IEC 61993-2
CE Approval to EN 60945: EN 6100-6-1/2
FCC part 15
10
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Installing the SLR-200G Receiver
The SLR-200G contains an integral GPS receiver allowing positional
data and AIS data to be output together from the receiver.
A standard 5 volts DC GPS antenna needs to be connected to the
TNC connector on the rear of the SLR-200G for the GPS receiver to
work.
By default the GPS receiver will output the following NMEA
messages: GLL,GGA,GSA,GSV,RMC, DTM ,VTG, ZDA.
The frequency and message types of the GPS output can be
controlled by a special PC program available from Comar.
Note: the NMEA input facility through the 9 pin D connector is
disabled on the SLR200G
GPS Receiver Technical Specification:
Channels: 12 Parallel Channels
Frequency: 1575.42 MHz
WAAS : Yes
Datum: default WGS84
Update rate: 1 sec
Hot start: 6 sec.
Warm start: 35 sec
Cold start: 45 sec.
7
Mounting the SLR-200 receiver
The SLR-200 receiver comes with a trunnion mount to secure to a
suitable bulkhead or shelf.
Hint: Select a location away from excessive heat sources, avoid high
levels of vibration and shock
Hint: Not designed to be mounted externally
Connections
Rear view of SLR-200
Power
Connect the power lead to a 12 or 24-volt DC supply.
Hint: This should be connected to a breaker/ switch panel preferably with
a fuse rated at 1 Amp. Pin connections are shown below.
Pin 1 RED Positive +9 to +30 volts
Pin 2 BLACK Negative
Data
The data connector enables one of the two cables supplied to
connect either to a PC serial port (or USB port by using a suitable
USB – serial adaptor cable) or a NMEA device e.g. plotter or GPS.
Physical connections detail of both cables is provided overleaf.
5
Power
Connector
Data
Connecto
r
Antenna
Connector
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9 Pin D – 9 Pin D
Use this cable to connect the SLR-200 receiver to a PC serial port.
Hint: If you do not have a free serial port then you can use a USB port to
receive the data. To facilitate this you need to purchase a USB to serial port
adaptor. Make sure the adaptor has a driver for your operating system.
The following physical connections are given;
NMEA Output to Plotter 4= Signal (+) 1= Ground
RS232 Output to PC 2= Signal (+) 5= Ground
NMEA Input from GPS 8= Signal (+) 9= Return
9 Pin D – bare ends
1 BROWN NMEA Output -
4 YELLOW NMEA Output +
8 GREY NMEA Input +
9 BLACK NMEA Input -
Other connections (for advanced use)
2 RED + RS232 Output
3 ORANGE + RS232 Input
5 GREEN - RS232 Ground Return
6 BLUE Engineering Input
7 VIOLET Engineering Output
The output data is a VDM string at 38.4k baud rate.
The NMEA input is capable of accepting any sentences at 4800Bd
and multiplexing them with the VDM sentence to the NMEA/RS232
output.
6
Correct operation
Operation of the SLR-200 unit is fully automatic and only requires
power, VHF and data cable connection.
On powering up the unit
●The green light marked ON should illuminate.
●The channel 1 and 2 lights should flash momentarily when
information from nearby transceivers is received.
Data is then output for visual or textual viewing on compatible
electronic charting systems or other systems or devices.
Range of AIS
The AIS reception range is similar to that normally associated with
Marine VHF Radiotelephone. Range is dependent on height of
antenna and also type of antenna, the higher and better antenna
installed the greater the reception range.
Typically an antenna mounted on the rail of a yacht will achieve 15
miles, mounted on the masthead will increase this to 20 miles. Shore
based reception is governed by local terrain, however an open view
to the sea with an antenna mounted in the clear at a height of
approximately 20 metres will achieve 25 miles plus, higher gain
antenna can be used on shore to further increase the range.
8
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