Smart Radio SR161, SR162 and SR162G AIS Receivers

The Smart Radio SR161 and SR162 AIS Receivers are compact, easy to install, stand alone marine receivers that monitor the channels assigned to the Automatic Identification System or AIS. These radio receivers are specially built for marine environments for the intended use of deciphering Automatic Identification System data. Most commercial vessels are required to have an AIS transponder that transmits information about the vessel and its movements. The system is designed to assist vessels with identifying the traffic around them and to help with marine safety and collision avoidance.

The SR161 is a low cost, single channel scanning receiver designed for recreation vessels and the SR162 is a full time dual channel receiver designed for recreational and professional use.

The SR162G has all of the features of the SR162 but also includes an integrated GPS and an external GPS antenna.

The SR161, SR162 and SR162G can be used with computer-based navigation solutions using a standard RS232 serial port interface.

Information output by each ship equipped with an AIS transponder includes the name of the ship, size of the vessel, the speed and direction of travel as well as other vessel and voyage related information. When attached to a standard marine VHF antenna, the AIS radios can receive these information broadcasts from each vessel and output the data as a NMEA serial data stream. This information can be used by computer-based navigation systems that support AIS and by some marine navigation hardware devices. The information gathered by a Smart Radio AIS Receiver is more detailed than what is available with radar. Now you can not only track multiple commercial vessels in your area but you can also see the same ship information that is gathered by commercial vessels and the Vessel Traffic Service.

• High-sensitivity AIS data reception
• Line of sight reception similar to marine VHF reception distances
• Very low power consumption
• Receives AIS Class A and Class B vessel reports
• Sends information to a PC or chart-plotter via a serial interface
• Ability to track and display information on multiple targets
• Easy installation: connect a VHF antenna (not included), 12 volt DC power and a serial cable to your PC
• Can be used with your existing VHF marine radio antenna with an appropriate splitter
• Can an be used to consolidate incoming NMEA positional data from a GPS into a combined high-speed data stream on a single serial port.
• Dual AIS channel support

• Single channel receiver that scans between the two AIS frequencies
• When interference is detected on one receiving channel, the SR161 automatically switches to the alternate AIS channel

• Full time dual channel receiver
• Able to receive AIS information from both AIS channels simultaneously

• All of the features of the SR162
• Integrated 12 channel GPS module and GPS antenna port
• 16 foot cable attached to an external, magnet mount GPS antenna

The SR161 and SR162 can be used with many popular computer-based marine navigation packages. The following Windows®-based packages have been tested and are known to work with these receivers:

• Rose Point Coastal Explorer 1.1      See sample screen!
• Maptech Chart Navigator Pro
• Nobeltec Visual Navigation Suite 8.0      See sample screen!
• Nobeltec Admiral
• Capn 8.0
• Boatcruiser 2.0      See sample screen!
• Fugawi Marine ENC      See sample screen!
• Global Navigation Software NavPak
• DigiBOAT Software-On-Board
• Xanatos Titan
• EuroNav seaPro
• Y-tronic Yacht-AIS
• Seaclear     See sample screen!
• Navicon AIS Navigator
• COAA Ship Plotter     See sample screen!
• Memory-Map Professional     See sample screen!
• MaxSea v12.5.3 with Mobiles Module

For the Mac, the following packages are recommended:

• GPSNavX     See sample screen!
• MacENC     See sample screen!

Any navigation package that can process NMEA VDM data from a serial port should work with the SR161.

BONUS Purchase an AIS Receiver from Milltech Marine and receive a free software CD with a shareware version of the Seaclear software package for Windows PCs, NOAA digital planning maps for the US and instructions for using the receiver with Seaclear.

SPECIAL PROMOTION Purchase an AIS Receiver and Rose Point Navigation Systems Coast Explorer 1.1 together from Milltech Marine at a special promotional price. See our online store for details.

Electrical

• Power supply range: 9 - 15 volts DC
• Power consumption : 1.5 watt

Output

• Format: NMEA 0183 version 3
• Baud rate: 38,400 baud
• Output message: AIVDM, GPRMC (SR162G)
• LEDs: 2 LEDs for receiver and data transfer

Receiver

• Frequency: AIS1 on 161.975 MHz, AIS2 on 162.025 MHz
• Dual channel scan receiving (SR161)
• Full time dual channel receiving (SR162/SR162G)
• Integrated 12 channel GPS receiver (SR162G)
• Channel spacing: 25 KHz
• Sensitivity: -112dBm
• Demodulation: GMSK
• Antenna impedance: 50 ohms

Physical

• Dimensions: 115 x 75 x28 mm
• Weight: 400g
• Connectors: antenna BNC, 12 volt wiring, serial port
• Output port: 9 pin D socket RS-232 serial
• GPS antenna port (SR162G)
• 16 foot cable and magnet mounted GPS antenna (SR162G)

Packages include the AIS Receiver, a 9-pin serial cable, wiring and connector for 12 volt power, product manual and a bonus CD with digital charts and software for displaying AIS information.

Front view of the AIS Receiver

Rear view of the AIS Receiver

Components included with SR161/2

Components included with SR162G

An example of Coastal Explorer 1.1 from Rose Point Navigation Systems working with data from an SR161. This shows multiple vessels in the area and multiple methods and panes for displaying vessel information. Click on the image to see a full screen shot.

An example of Nobeltec's Visual Navigation Suite 8.0 working with AIS data supplied by the SR161. This shows two vessels in close proximity to "My Ship". One is a tug that is turning left towards "My Ship". Information about this vessel is displayed in the panel at the bottom of the screen. The other vessel is indicated in red and is on a very close point of approach to "My Ship".
Click on the image to see a full screen shot.

An example of the Seaclear PC navigation package working with data from the SR161. Note the two Washington state ferries with detailed displayed on one of the ferries in the "AIS Target Info" window. The Seaclear package is included on CD when you purchase the SR161 from Milltech Marine.
Click on the image to see a full screen shot.

An example of Memory-Map Navigator PocketAIS running on a PocketPC working with data from an AIS receiver.

Click on the image to see more information on this product.

An example of an AIS screen from MacENC running on a Mac.