Em-Trak B100 Installation guide

B100
FAQ’S
Our products are designed to be easy to install and use. If however, you have a product question you can
find a list of our most frequently asked questions below:
Number of FAQ's: 46
WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD THE B100 CD CONTENTS?
It is possible to download the contents of the CD that comes with the B100 by clicking on the following link:
https://srt-marine.sharefile.com/d-sb1c5090eee7432a8
This download contains user manuals, programming software and also USB drivers for the B100. Please note
that USB drivers for this product are updated automatically via Windows update, so if you have access to the
internet, your PC/Laptop should always have the latest drivers installed.
WHAT TYPE OF AIS DEVICE IS A B100?
The marine Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a location and vessel information reporting system. It
allows vessels equipped with AIS to automatically and dynamically share and regularly update their position,
speed, course and other information such as vessel identity with similarly equipped vessels. Position is
derived from the Global Positioning System (GPS) and communication between vessels is by Very High
Frequency (VHF) digital transmissions.
The B100 is a Class AIS Transceiver. Class B transceivers are similar to class A transceivers in many ways,
but are normally lower cost due to the less stringent performance requirements. Class B transceivers like the
B100 transmit at a lower power and at a lower reporting rate than class A transceivers
CAN I CONNECT MY B100 TO A PC/LAPTOP?
Yes. The B100 has a USB connection on its front. Please be aware that we occasionally hear from customers
who have experienced unit failures when a unit has been powered by 12/24V whilst also being connected to a
PC/Laptop.
The reason for this is that the USB port built into this product is not isolated from the vessel power supply,
VHF antenna ground or GPS antenna ground. This being the case, we advise you to observe the following
procedures when connecting the USB port to avoid grounding problems:
–If the computer is permanently installed on the vessel and/ or electrically connected to any other vessel

equipment, including power supplies, it is recommended that connection is made using NMEA0183 or
NMEA2000 connections. These benefit from being specifically designed for use in the marine environment
and provide isolated and robust communication between your devices.
–If a battery powered laptop is being used then it is recommended to switch off the computer, connect the
USB cable, then switch on the laptop. This will help to ensure that all equipment grounds are correctly
referenced before use, minimising any risk of equipment damage.
CAN I CONNECT MY B100 BY NMEA2000?
Yes. The B100 has NMEA2000 connectivity as standard.
WHY AREN’T I SEEING TARGET NAMES WHEN USING NMEA2000 ON THE
B100?
We occasionally get messages from our customers to ask why, when they have their B100 connected to their
Chartplotter/MFD via NMEA200, they are not able to see remote targets vessel names (but they can see
vessel MMSI numbers and locations)
The reason this happens is that AIS name messages were added to the NMEA2000 specification relatively
recently (2010) as it took some time for the NMEA standards organization to define the message structure.
Prior to this, individual manufacturers (Simrad / Garmin / Raymarine etc) adopted their own proprietary
messages for Class B vessel names on an NMEA2000 network. This meant that their own AIS equipment
could communicate with their own displays, but created compatibility problems between manufacturers.
The B100 is fully certified by NMEA for NMEA2000 operation and uses all of the standardized message
structures, including those for Class B vessel data, so will connect to compatible systems via an NMEA2000
backbone.
To resolve the issue, there are a couple of things you can try..
1–You can try contacting the manufacturer of your Chartplotter/MFD to see if there is a software
update available to add support for the new AIS message
2–If no update is available, you should be able to connect the B100 to your chartplotter/MFD via NMEA0183
which is not affected by this issue and should give you full target information.

UTILISATION DE LA CONNECTION USB (FR)
La connection USB de ce produit n’est pas isolée du réseau électrique de votre vaisseau, ni de la masse de
l’antenne VHD, ni de la masse de l’antenne GPS.
Veuillez suivre les procedures suivantes, si vous connectez le port USB pour éviter les problèmes associes
avec la mise à terre.
Si votre PC/MAC est installé en permanence sur votre vaisseau et/ou il est connecté aux autres équipements
installés à bord (sources de courant inclus), il est recommandé que la connexion soit établie par les interfaces
NMEA0183 ou NMEA2000.
Ces connexions sont spécifiquement désignées pour une l’utilisation dans un environment marin et ells
assurent une communication isolé et robuste entre vos appareils.
Si vous utilisez un PC portable alimenté à sa propre pile, il est important d’assurer votre PC soit éteint
qu’avant de connecter / déconnecter le cable USB.
HOW DO I CONNECT A B100 TO PC/LAPTOP BASED CHARTING
SOFTWARE
There are a multitude of charting software applications now available on the market for Laptops, PCs and
Tablets, so we’re often asked about how to integrate our B100 to these setups to allow users to also see AIS
targets on their displays. With this in mind, we thought it might be useful to give you a few “points to note”
when seeking to connect em-trak devices to PCs/Laptops.
1 –USB connection: The USB connection supplied on the B100 is primarily intended for the user to use
during the configuration phase, however this USB connectivity lends itself to use with PCs and laptops as well.
2 –Open connections: With other chart software applications that are compatible with the B100, it is not
possible to connect the device to more than one application at a time. So if you have the unit connected to the
ProAIS2 configuration software, you must disconnect the unit from that application to be able to connect to
another.
3 –Compatibility: Check the specification of your charting software to ensure that it is able to decode AIS
messages (VDMs). Some systems do not incorporate this functionality, so if unsure, check the software user
manual or contact the charting company to confirm if the software is capable of displaying AIS targets. The
B100 conforms to all relevant standards regarding NMEA outputs, so it will be able to provide the raw data
your charting software will require if it is able to use AIS information.

4 –Baud rate: Always check to ensure that your software is configured to accept AIS data at 38400 baud (as
output from the B100s USB).
5 –Product setup: In order for your B100 to provide enough power to operate the GPS antenna, it must be
connected to a 12V power supply as there’s not enough juice in the USB power supply to allow the B100 to
act as anything more than a receiver. If the unit can receive information from other vessels (including their
position), then it will also need to be able to obtain its own GPS fix in order to know where it is in relation to
other vessels. Once it has all of this information, it should then be able to show the location of other vessels in
relation to its own.
The USB power option is only really intended to aid customers with the initial configuration of the unit as the
B100 will require 12V supply in order to be able to transmit and also power the GPS.
WHAT IS SILENT MODE?
Silent mode, also known by some users as pirate mode (when activated) allows your B100 to continue to
receive information from other AIS equipped vessel around you (so you can see where they are on your own
screen), but stops your own B100 from sending information (so nobody can see your position). When
activated, the Blue LED on the front of the B100 is illuminated.
WHY AM I EXPERIENCING USB CONNECTION PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE
B100 AND PC?
If you are experiencing any issues when connecting you Windows PC / Laptop to your PC such as:
–PC not automatically allocating a Comm Port to your device
–Not seeing your B100 on any of your connections on your AIS compatible NAV software
–Intermittent connection “hang-ups” and faults with your USB connection
There is a chance that you may need to apply a software update to both your B100 and also a USB driver
update to your PC. Please contact support for advice on how to resolve this matter.
If this doesn’t update fix the problem, then check the USB cable and connections to ensure the cable and
connectors are serviceable. (If the cable is damaged, then you can use a normal USB-Mini USB cable as a
replacement).
CAN I USE A B100 WITH AN ANTENNA SPLITTER FROM ANOTHER
MANUFACTURER?
We recommend that B100 is only used with the S100 and S300 antenna splitters.

CAN I POWER MY B100 FROM USB?
The B100 can be powered by USB for the purposes of configuration, however it will need to be connected to a
suitable 12/24V power supply in order for it to be able to transmit AIS information and also power the built in
GPS receiver. The B100 will not be able to draw enough power from a USB connection alone for it to operate
normally.
HOW DO I SEND A UNIT IN FOR REPAIR?
If you do wish to return your unit for warranty repair, then please contact your retailer / supplier who will be
able to assist.
WHY CAN’T I SEE OTHER VESSELS?
If you are happy that your B100 is installed and working correctly, but you are not receiving any targets, this
may not necessarily indicate a fault. There could simply be a lack of active/visible AIS targets within range, or
there may be an issue caused by your choice or location of antenna. If there is a fault with the B100, then the
built in self diagnostics will alert you to any problems with the system by changing the LED status on the front
of the unit.
MY B100 ISN’T TRANSMITTING.
The best way to confirm whether or not your B100 is transmitting information is to ask another AIS equipped
vessel (within the near vicinity) if they can see your AIS information on their own display.
Relying on AIS websites to confirm if your vessel is working or not will not always give a clear indication if this
is the case as most websites do not show real-time AIS information.
HOW OFTEN IS MY POSITION REPORTED?
The B100 will send its position once every 3 minutes when moving less than 2 knots and once every 30
seconds when moving any faster.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN SOMETHING ISN’T WORKING?
If you think something isn’t working and have already checked the manual for advice, we would recommend
that you contact the retailer who supplied you with your B100 as they may be able to advise you of a way to
resolve your problem without having to return the unit.
If you have any questions about a problem, you can also contact us by using the support contact form on this
website.
If you do wish to return your unit for warranty repair, then please contact your retailer / supplier.

WHY CAN’T I GET GPS RECEPTION?
Provided you have a suitable and serviceable GPS antenna connected to the B100, lack of GPS signal can be
caused by factors such as installation location or even environmental factors.
The best rule of thumb to remember is that the GPS antenna should be mounted as high as possible (do not
mount on the top of a high mast though as the motion of the vessel will cause the antenna to swing and
potentially reduce the accuracy of the GPS position), with a clear view of the sky above and out of the direct
path of RADAR or satellite communication antennas.
Please also remember that the B100 will only get a position fix when connected to its own GPS antenna. Due
to regulatory reasons, it is not possible to input a GPS signal from another GPS receiver (for instance a GPS
receiver already supplying GPS data on a vessels NMEA network)
HOW DO I PROGRAM MY B100?
The B100 is supplied with a CD that contains a piece of software called ProAIS2. You can use this software to
program vessel information into your B100. Alternatively, if you live in the US where end users are not
permitted to program their own Class B devices, you can either have it programmed by a qualified Marine
Electronics Installer or have your retailer set this up for you.
It is also possible to program the B100 via SD card. Please contact em-trak support for advice about this
service.
HOW DO I CHECK IF MY CHARTPLOTTER/DISPLAY IS AIS COMPATIBLE?
Most modern Chartplotters made in recent years will be AIS compatible.
Provided your Chartplotter/external display has NMEA0183/NMEA2000 connectivity and also the ability to
interpret AIS VDM messages (VDM messages are received from other vessels AIS devices), then it should be
able to display other vessels AIS information.
If in doubt about compatibility then please contact the em-trak support team for advice.
HOW DO I GET AN MMSI NUMBER?
MMSI numbers are issued by local radio regulatory authorities (like the FCC in the US or Ofcom in the UK).
Please contact your relevant local authority for advice on how to obtain an MMSI number in your country.

WHAT IS AN MMSI NUMBER?
An MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identifier) is a nine digit number used to identify vessels and coast radio
stations. The MMSI is similar to the phone number for the ships radio and can be used to place a radio call to
a particular vessel. AIS systems also use MMSI numbers to identify vessels. With the exception of an AIS
SART the same MMSI is used for all radio equipment on a vessel, so the AIS should be programmed with the
same MMSI as the VHF radio.
IS THE B100 WATERPROOF?
The B100 is water resistant to IPx2 which means it has some limited protection from water ingress
CAN I CONNECT MY B100 VIA NMEA0183?
Yes. The B100 has two NMEA0183 ports. One set at 38400 baud and the other at 4800 baud. These baud
rates can be changed though if requires
WHAT DO THE CABLES DO?
The B100 is supplied with two cables.
–A USB connection cable to allow you to connect the B100 to a PC.
–A power data cable which contains connections for the Power Supply, NMEA0183 and Silent Mode
switch (switch not supplied)
HOW DO I KNOW THE B100 IS WORKING PROPERLY?
There are a set of four LEDs on the front of the B100. When the unit is working normally (that is to say it has
been connected to a suitable power supply and VHF antenna, has a GPS position fix and has transmitted a
position report, then the Green LED will illuminate.
HOW DO I CHANGE MY MMSI NUMBER?
If you have an em-trak B100 and for some reason you need to change the MMSI number (typical reasons
might be that you’ve “upgraded” to an international MMSI number, perhaps you’ve noticed that your MMSI
number is wrong, or maybe you’ve just bought another boat and want to take your beloved em-trak AIS with
you!) we now have a solution for you that doesn’t involve you having to return your B100 back to the retailer to
be reset!
Simply use the contact form at the bottom of this page with the following information:
–Your contact details (name/email minimum)
–The serial number of your B100 (the long number underneath the barcode on the base of your B100 that
begins with 411)

–The MMSI number you want on the unit
–The reason why you need to change the number.
In return, we’ll email you a configuration file that you can save to an SD card and then apply to the B100
without you needing to connect it to a PC!
WHY IS THE VSWR ALARM SHOWING WHEN I’M CONNECTED TO MY VHF
ANTENNA?
The VSWR alarm usually appears when the connected VHF antenna is not performing well. This could be
caused by a faulty or loose connector and damaged or faulty cable.
It can also be caused when a VHF antenna is mounted parallel to a metal surface or in proximity to a metal
pole/too close to another antenna.
In some instances, the antenna itself may also be faulty. In all instances, we would advise that if you see a
VSWR alarm, you check all antenna cables and connections (starting from the back of the B100), all the way
to the connected antenna and then check the antenna itself to make sure it is installed as per advice in the
manual and is of a suitable type.
WHAT DO THE MESSAGES “TX ATTEMPT FAILED” AND “CP BUSY” MEAN IN
PROAIS2?
We’re often asked by concerned customers if their B100 is faulty as they’re seeing messages like “TX Attempt
failed (msg 18)” appear in the messages screen of ProAIS2. Any confusion is usually confounded by the fact
that the unit appears to be working normally, so what do these messages mean?
Class B AIS (The system on which the B100 operates) is a ‘carrier sense’ system. It has to find a free slot to
transmit in by listening just before transmission to check the slot is empty.
When a transmission is scheduled a block of 10 potential slots is selected. It will attempt to transmit in the first
of these slots. If the slot is busy the ‘CP busy’ (meaning ‘candidate position busy’) message will be output. It
will then try again in the next slot, and so on for the 10 slot block. It is quite normal to see ‘CP busy’ messages
in an area where other AIS vessels are operating. It simply means the first slot selected was busy. 99% of the
time the transmission will be successful in one of the other 9 slots.
So long as the indicator remains green transmissions are occurring on schedule. If transmissions can’t be
made because the AIS environment is simply too busy then the indicator will turn amber (this is incredibly
rare though and extremely unlikely to occur outside of lab conditions)
In summary these messages are normal and can be ignored if the indicator is green. Anything you might see
in the ‘messages’ box is just for info and not a fault or alarm. If there is an active alarm or fault, then the
ProAIS2 will list these in the “Alarms” window of ProAIS2.

WHY CAN’T OTHER SHIPS SEE MY VESSEL NAME?
Class B AIS is required to be fully compatible with Class A AIS to ensure information relevant to safety of
navigation is visible to all AIS users. Class B AIS vessels will always be received by a Class A station and vice
versa. Any filtering of vessels by AIS Class can only be achieved through charting or ECDIS software
configuration which must be made by the vessels crew. In practice this filtering is not regularly applied.
There is a known issue with visibility of Class B vessel names and call signs to older Class A equipment. This
situation arose because Class B AIS was developed 6 years after the introduction of Class A devices. A new
AIS message was introduced for communication of vessel name and call sign from Class B AIS (message
24A and 24B) which was not included in the original Class A specification. It is important to note that this is not
a limitation of em-trak Class B products, but an incompatibility introduced by the international specifications for
Class B and Class A AIS devices.
This results in some older Class A units not displaying vessel name, call sign and dimensions received from
Class B vessels, however critical identification and location information will always be received. This
includes MMSI, Latitude, Longitude, COG and SOG. This problem can only be resolved by software update to
the affected Class A equipment. Our own research has found that all Class A manufactures have an update
available to address this issue. Unfortunately there is no requirement for Class A users to update their
equipment so this situation is likely to persist for some time. Again it is important to note that this is not a
limitation of Class B AIS, or a fault with the operation of a Class B AIS unit.
USING THE USB PORT ON THE B100
We occasionally hear from customers who have experienced unit failures when a unit has been powered by
12/24V whilst also being connected to a PC/Laptop.
The reason for this is that the USB port built into this product is not isolated from the vessel power supply,
VHF antenna ground or GPS antenna ground. This being the case, we advise you to observe the following
procedures when connecting the USB port to avoid grounding problems;
–If the computer is permanently installed on the vessel and/ or electrically connected to any other vessel
equipment, including power supplies, it is recommended that connection is made using NMEA0183 or
NMEA2000 connections. These benefit from being specifically designed for use in the marine environment
and provide isolated and robust communication between your devices.
–If a battery powered laptop is being used then it is recommended to switch off the computer, connect the
USB cable, then switch on the laptop. This will help to ensure that all equipment grounds are correctly
referenced before use, minimizing any risk of equipment damage.
If you have any additional questions on this subject then please feel free to contact em-trak support for advice.

HOW DO I PROGRAM THE B100?
Before your AIS unit can be used, it must first be configured with your vessel details. This information includes
the Vessel name, MMSI number, Call Sign, Vessel Type and Dimensions)
The method available to you to set your unit up will depend on where you live. If you are installing the unit in
the USA, then the FCC has stated that only approved Marine Installers are permitted to configure AIS devices.
The good news is that we appreciate that not everyone is an accredited installer, so we offer a free SD card
configuration service that allows US users to apply for an SD card with their configuration files on. Simply fill in
the online form, found at http://em-trak.com/class-b-registration, and we’ll send you a card within 5 working
days. Alternatively, you can ask your local installer to set the configuration of your B100, using the ProAIS2
software that comes with the CD in the box.
If you are installing your B100 outside of the US, then you are permitted to configure your AIS transceiver
yourself. You can do this by connecting your B100 to a PC/Laptop via the USB connection and running the
ProAIS2 software that is included on the CD that comes with your B100. Simply connect to the software, fill in
the blanks and click “write configuration” and you’re done! A word of warning though. Once the MMSI number
is entered and written to a unit, it cannot be changed by the end user and must be sent back to the supplier to
be reset, so be careful not to make any mistakes when entering your vessel data.
WILL MY CHARTPLOTTER DISPLAY AIS IF I CONNECT IT TO MY B100?
This very much depends on the features on your Chartplotter. Most modern Chartplotters made in recent
years should be AIS compatible. Provided your Chartplotter/external display has NMEA0183/NMEA2000
connectivity and also the ability to interpret AIS VDM messages (VDM messages are received from other
vessels AIS devices), then it should be able to display other vessels AIS information.
If in doubt about compatibility then please contact the em-trak support team for advice.
WHAT IS THE RANGE OF THE B100?
There are many factors that will affect the range of the B100, not all of which are within the control of any
installer. Things like atmospheric conditions and local geography, sea conditions etc. can all have an impact
on the range of any radio based technology.
In addition to these factors, thinks like choice of antenna and height/ location of installed antennas can also
adversely affect the range of any device. Also, the strength and quality of an inbound signal will also mean
that range from other vessels will be hard to reliably predict. To better your chances as getting the best range
performance, the user manual for the B100 lists all things that need to be taken into consideration as part of
the installation process. Assuming though, that a correctly setup B100 is connected to a suitable, well serviced
and correctly installed antenna, in ideal line of site conditions, users can expect ranges of at least 15-20 miles,
if not much more.