vesper marine XB-8000 User manual

XB-8000 |XB-6000 INSTALL GUIDE

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET GOING
= Item Included
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Congratulations on your purchase. Your XB-8000 / XB-6000
AIS Transponder is a Class B AIS Transponder with integrated
NMEA 2000 and WiFi* connectivity.
The XB provides information to improve your situational awareness and assist in
avoiding collisions at sea. Because it consumes very low power it may be left
turned on whenever your vessel is underway. It works by interpreting Universal
Shipborne Automated Identification System (AIS) messages which are sent over
VHF by transponders installed on other vessels. The AIS system uses two dedicated
VHF channels designated for this purpose and with the installation of the XB to
receive these signals, you can distribute this information to other devices on board
your vessel (e.g. chart plotters, laptops, smart phones) using NMEA 2000, USB and
WiFi*. In addition, your vessel data is transmitted to other AIS-equipped vessels
within range.
For more information on AIS go to www.vespermarine.com/xb.
(*XB-8000 only)
XB-8000 or XB-6000
External GPS Antenna with 10m cable
10 pin power/data cable
AIS/VHF antenna
MMSI number
PC/Mobile Device for configuring XB settings
2A fuse or circuit breaker
1m USB cable (for configuration)
Waterproof 5m USB cable with locking security ring
NMEA 2000 cable, T connector and network extension cable
SP160 Antenna Splitter
Consider other equipment you may need to install this on your vessel e.g.
additional cable, cable ties, mounting screws, wire strippers, screw driver etc.

CONNECTIONS
STATUS LED
COLOR STATE DESCRIPTION
Green (OK) Solid Normal Operation
Flashing Antenna VSWR is high
Background noise level on AIS receiver is high
Orange
(No Transmit)
Solid Device initializing, silent mode, waiting to transmit
Flashing Acquiring a GPS fix
Red (Error) Solid/
Flashing Built in integrity test error
(See troubleshooting section for more info)
• AIS/VHF antenna
• NMEA 2000 • GPS antenna
• 10 pin power/data port
• LED Status
185mm (7 1/4”)
98mm (3 7/8”)
• USB
Mount your XB at least 0.6m (2 feet) from any compass. Test your compass
to verify that it operates properly when the XB is operating.

VHF ANTENNA
GPS ANTENNA
!
• A dedicated VHF antenna or Vesper Marine AIS/VHF Antenna Splitter
is required.
• Make sure your VHF antenna is an omni-directional antenna designed for the
marine band (156-162MHz) and is well tuned at the AIS end of the band (VSWR
2:1 or less at 162MHz).
• Mount the antenna as high as possible (at least 2-3 metres (6-10 ft) above
the water surface) and as far as practical from any existing VHF, HF or radar
antennas and any metal structures. It is not recommended to place the VHF
antenna directly alongside a mast or another VHF antenna such as on
a mast-head.
CAUTION: Never operate this device unless it is connected to a suitable VHF
antenna or Vesper Marine AIS/VHF Antenna Splitter. Performance cannot be
assured if you use any other antenna splitter. The use of an improper splitter
may damage the device and void your warranty.
HINT: Use the VSWR meter in the vmAIS or WatchMate App
(see configuration section) to check your antenna system installation.
• The XB requires a GPS fix before it can transmit its position.
• The GPS antenna should be situated so that it has an unobstructed
view of the sky above.
• Do not place the GPS antenna near or in the path of radar or
HF antennas.
• The antenna cable is terminated with a small SMA connector to
facilitate easy routing through holes and openings. Do not cut the
cable unless you have the proper tools to crimp a new connector.
Make the connection to your AIS transponder last after antenna
installation is complete.
CAUTION: The GPS antenna provided is designed specifically for
use with the XB Transponder. Performance cannot be assured
unless you use a Vesper Marine GPS antenna. Use of a different
antenna may damage your XB and void your warranty.
HINT: Use the GPS Status screen in the vmAIS or WatchMate App
(see configuration section) to view satellite signal strengths which
will assist in determining the best location for the antenna.
!

POWER AND DATA
COLOR DESCRIPTION
Red DC positive (+) (12-24 volts). Always use a 2A
fuse or circuit breaker. Do not connect directly
to battery. If you must extend the power
connections use high quality pre-tinned marine
grade wire which is at least 16 AWG (1.5mm2).
Black DC negative (-)
Gray NMEA data out (+) A
Yellow NMEA data out (-) B
Green NMEA data in (+) A
White NMEA data in (-) B
Brown External silent mode switch. Do not connect if
not used.
(Do not connect blue or pink wire)
DATA OUT (+) A
XB CHART PLOTTER
DATA OUT (-) B
DATA IN (+) A
DATA IN (-) B
HEADING SENSOR
DATA OUT (+) A
DATA OUT (-) B
DATA IN (+) A
DATA IN (-) B
(Gray)
(Yellow)
(Green)
(White)
38400 Baud
4800 Baud
DC NEGATIVE / GROUND
(Brown)
EXTERNAL
SWITCH OUTPUT
SILENT MODE SWITCH
NMEA 0183 EXAMPLE
A 2m (6.5’) cable with attached 10 pin connector is supplied for connecting the
XB to power, other devices over NMEA 0183 and an external silent mode switch.
You may extend this cable as necessary.
• Check you have the VHF antenna connected before connecting to power.
• Fully engage the locking ring to ensure a watertight seal.
• Received NMEA 0183 data is output on WIFI* and USB.
Hint: Silent Mode
can also be controlled
over USB and WiFi*.
External switch is
an optional manual
override.

NMEA 2000
USB
• When you connect to your PC over USB the XB will automatically enumerate
itself as a COM port (see configuration section).
• On the first connection, most operating systems will automatically install the
necessary drivers. In some cases this may not be successful so the drivers are
available for download from www.vespermarine.com/xb.
DROP CABLE
T CONNECTION
NETWORK
POWER
NETWORK
EXTENSION CABLE
TERMINATING
RESISTOR
CHART PLOTTER
The XB can be connected to a NMEA 2000 network to enable AIS and GPS data
to be sent to other NMEA 2000 devices. The XB can also receive and make use
of data sent from NMEA 2000 sensors.
• Data Packets (PGN’s) supported are defined below.
• A drop cable, T connection and network extension cable are required to
connect the XB to your NMEA 2000 network.
Supported PGN’s
Be sure to check out www.vespermarine.com/xb for an up-to-date list and
description of PGN’s that are supported.
PGNs Received
127250 Vessel Heading
PGNs Sent
129025 Position
129026 COG & SOG
129038 AIS Class A Position
129039 AIS Class B Position
PGNs Sent (continued)
129040 AIS Class B Extended Position
129794 AIS Class A Static Voyage
129798 AIS SAR Aircraft Position
129801 AIS Addressed Safety
129802 AIS Safety Related Broadcast
129809 AIS Class B “CS” Static, Part A
129810 AIS Class B “CS” Static, Part B

WIFI (FOR XB-8000 ONLY)
Access Point Mode (default)
The XB-8000 will control your onboard WiFi network of up to 5 devices.
You can connect to the XB-8000 using:
• Network (SSID): VesperXB
• Password: WatchMate
We recommend that you change your password straight away and write it
down here for future reference:____________________. You can recover your
password over USB if you forget it.
• The default IP address that mobile apps may need is 192.168.15.1
(Port 39150).
Client Mode
The XB-8000 can also join an existing network. It can do this in either DHCP
mode (default) or you can set a static IP address using vmAIS (see
configuration section). To prevent the address from automatically changing
we recommend that you use a static IP address.
Wireless Access Point DAP- 1353
iPad
iPad

CONFIGURATION
• Before the XB can transmit your position you must configure your vessel
details and enter a valid MMSI number. Your MMSI may have been entered
already by your dealer. You must have an assigned MMSI for your vessel.
If you do not have an assigned MMSI, contact the relevant authority in
your country.
• You can configure your XB using the WatchMate App* or the vmAIS PC
software. These are available for download from www.vespermarine.com/xb.
• With vmAIS you can connect to the XB using either the USB virtual COM port
or over WiFi* by entering the IP address (192.168.15.1 default).
Click the connect button. Allow 30 seconds for the XB to initialize after power
on before attempting to connect. Enter your vessel details using this screen:
• Once you save the MMSI number you cannot change it. If you need to
change the MMSI, please contact an authorized dealer or Vesper Marine.
• When all the information is correct, click on the Save Vessel Data button.
• You can also change your WiFi* settings, view your GPS signal strength,
Transponder status and VSWR level using vmAIS.
*(XB-8000 only)

YOU’RE FINISHED!
GOT A QUESTION?
Visit www.vespermarine.com/xb for comprehensive answers to frequently asked
questions, technical support, downloads, local dealer contacts and more…
If the Status LED is solid green, the XB is transmitting your position and is
successfully installed! Your position will be transmitted every 3 minutes when
your speed is under 2 knots or every 30 seconds otherwise. Your vessel
information (e.g. name, callsign, etc) is transmitted every 6 minutes. If the
Status LED is not solid green yet, see the troubleshooting section for the
probable cause.

TECH SPECS
Size 200mm wide x 130mm high x 60mm depth (7 7/8” x 5 1/8” x 2 3/8”)
Power supply 12-24 VDC 2A max, 3W nominal
Environmental Watertight (USCG CFR-46, IPx7)
Operating temperature -25°C to +55°C (-13°F to 131°F)
Storage temperature -25°C to +80°C (-13°F to 176°F)
Serial data 1 USB port (isolated), 1 NMEA input (isolated RS422), 1 NMEA output
(non-isolated RS422)
Data port impedance NMEA input: 96k ohm, NMEA output: 28 ohm
NMEA 0183 output ALR, RMC, GSV, GSA, GGA, GLL, VTG, VDO, VDM, TXT, DSC
NMEA 0183 input HDG, HDM, HDT
Number of receivers 2 AIS, 1 DSC (timeshared)
Number of transmitters 1 AIS
Receive frequency range 156.025 – 162.025 MHz
Transmit frequency range 161.500 – 162.025 MHz
AIS sensitivity -113 dBm < 20% PER
Power output 33 dBm (2W)
GPS sensitivity -159dBm tracking & navigation
-142dBm acquisition
GPS SBAS support WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, GAGAN
Power/data connector 10 pin circular
USB connector Mini USB (USB 2.0)
GPS antenna connector SMA
VHF antenna connector SO-239
VHF antenna required 50 ohm, max 2:1 VSWR @ 162MHz. PL-259 connector
NMEA 2000 connector NMEA 2000 Micro-C
Firmware version 5.06
Wireless 802.11 b/g in Access Point or Client Mode
Access point security WPA2 - Personal
Client mode security None, WPA & WPA2 Personal