My AIS-800 is hiding from me!

R

Richard Granshaw

New member
I bought a 2020 C-Dory TomCat this spring and I've been learning the mechanical and electronic systems. I've successfully registered the Garmin devices and updated the software, but I am stuck trying to locate the AIS-800 device. It shows up on the chart plotter and appears to work fine, but I would like to change the name of the boat in the AIS data as it is still labeled TOM CAT. It's probably been that way from new.

To change the name, I need physical access to the device to attach a USB cable. Unlike all the other devices, I can't find it. I know it should be located away from metal, wiring and cables, and I'm wondering if it is above the ceiling liner.

Does anyone know where these are normally located? I'm assuming it may have been installed during manufacture, and above the ceiling liner seems like a good place to put it - until one wants to update the data or replace the unit.

Thanks everyone!

Richard
 
Richard, I’ve got one in my 26 and one in my trimaran. The AIS is relatively small, so it could be almost anywhere. It is connected to an AIS antenna or to a splitter between your VHF radio antenna and your VHF. I would simply follow your antenna and the wire back to the radio.
 
Quick question. I'm assuming you purchased the boat used and the MMSI registration was created by the previous owner. Have they transferred that number to you? The AIS-800 is a small box that I think would be mounted near easy access to the antenna and NMEA system. Since it has some indicator lights on it,I would also think it would be somewhere that the indicator lights could be seen. Colby
 
1Ensure that the MMSI number is entered into the VHF radio correctly as it can only be entered once. If the MMSI number is entered incorrectly, the VHF radio will need to be sent into Garmin to have the incorrect MMSI number cleared. Contact Product Support to have an RMA (Return Materials Authorization) issued prior to sending in the device. This will ensure the fastest service in resolving the issue.
The AIS 800, is a splitter in the antenna cable allowing the radio to communicate with the GPS and transmit location. Newer or more expensive radios have their own GPS built in.I don't know if it is possible to reconfigure the AIS 800.When I bought my used boat I upgraded my radio and got a new MMSI number with new boat decription.
 
It is unlikely to have been installed at the factory. The vast majority of times, all electronics are installed by the local dealer or electronic shop. There will be one NMEA 2000, at least one or two antennas, a GPS antenna, attatched to the unit. You don't need ot change the specifications, but as Colby noted the MMSI number, which changes emergency notification data, as well as ownership. That may be a "factory" reset--ie back to Garmin for reset. There is a USB macro port on the right side of the part of the unit which recieves the Power supply and the NMEA 2000 cable.
 
thataway":26vqfepc said:
... That may be a "factory" reset--ie back to Garmin for reset. ...
Click to expand...

Some newer radios can reset the MMSI without sending it to a shop if you know the secret series of button presses. You can contact the radio manufacturer with the model number to find out if you can do this and what the secret sequence is.
 
On the A800 AIS:
a full factory reset of the MMSI number can only be performed by a Garmin dealer or installer.
Click to expand...

This is the response for the A800. Garmin factory will not do the reset, but their dealers or installers can. I could not find any "secret" ways to reprogram by the end owner.
 
thataway":2hw5lnvb said:
On the A800 AIS:
a full factory reset of the MMSI number can only be performed by a Garmin dealer or installer.
Click to expand...

This is the response for the A800. Garmin factory will not do the reset, but their dealers or installers can. I could not find any "secret" ways to reprogram by the end owner.
Click to expand...

It would be illegal for the end user to do that reprogram. I don't think the manufacturers or dealers would be willing to give any info out on how to reprogram the MMSI number.
 
Thanks for all the useful tips and information, especially from colby and thataway!

Colby, the previous owner had not transferred the MMSI to me. I think the dealer handled that for her when she bought it, so she wasn't aware of how to do it.

I did a search and found I could manage an existing MMSI registration at https://www.boatus.com/MMSI/ if the original registration had been entered there. Fortunately, the MMSI number for my TomCat was there. One of the options allows transfers, and I was able to transfer the MMSI to a new owner, that being myself.

Then I filled in my contact info, state registration, etc. for the TomCat. Some of the fields are for much larger vessels and I left those.

I was able to specify a new name, C-CAT, and the form asks for the old name, if known. The old name is TOM CAT, so I put that in.

This does at least update some public data, but I don't yet know how that gets used and distributed, or how much verification there is.

Working on thataway's information that the electronics get installed by the dealer, I'm in the process of contacting the original dealer for the boat.

On the aft roof of the cabin, there is a GARMIN GPS 24xd Receiver and Antenna device. That's in a good location for accurate GPS readings, and maybe the AIS-800 doesn't need to be in a carefully-selected location as a result. It can use the GPS numbers from the 24xd. Following the cables from the antennas leads to the area behind and below the main helm in the cabin. The cables become difficult to follow, so it's probably time to cut some of the zip ties to make the job easier.
 
colbysmith":3vip2d4l said:
... It would be illegal for the end user to do that reprogram. I don't think the manufacturers or dealers would be willing to give any info out on how to reprogram the MMSI number.
Click to expand...

Newer Standard Horizon radios can do it (at least it was implied by Standard Horizon). I asked about resetting a MMSI on a radio I was going to sell. I asked SH about resetting it and they asked me the model and serial number. They said "On that one you have to send it in to be reset."
 
There are two drawers under the helm seat. When I removed those, there was a sizeable area behind them that was full of cables, wiring and several devices, including the AIS-800. Discovered at last!

Thanks for all the help!

Richard
 
The Garmin AIS-800 Setup utility let me update any of the descriptive data stored in the AIS-800 except for the MMSI number, which makes perfect sense.

After the software connects, it shows the existing data. The MMSI was correct and matches the one on the BoatUS database for my boat. All I had to do was change the boat name and call sign to the value I'd chosen. I also updated the vessel dimensions as they were slightly off. The software accepts whole numbers in meters. Then the new data can be saved back to the AIS-800. I reconnected via the Setup software to confirm the data looked good. Then I checked it looked correct on the chartplotter as well.

The Setup software also shows what signals the device has transmitted and received, so you can see whether the boat is broadcasting an AIS signal, and you can see all the surrounding boats that the device has received data from. I'm in a marina, so there were about 30 boats listed plus some nearby ferries.

In addition, there is a diagnostics tab. I have one error indicating a weak output signal, and looking it up, it's likely due to deterioration of the antenna or its connection. I wouldn't have known that otherwise, and now it's something I can track down and remedy.

Richard
 
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