It looks like Standard Horizon are on to a winner with their new GX2100 VHF radio. In addition to it being a fully featured VHF radio with DSC etc it also very cleverly integrates an AIS receiver into the unit as well. Considering that a AIS receiver from West marine costs the best part of $500 and this still has to be connected to a compatible multi function display or chart plotter then this makes the GX2100 even better value. On the display that you can see above your boats heading is symbolized with a small black arrow in the center of the range circles and the four closest AIS equipped targets are also shown as circle with a small tail. You can scroll through each of these targets in turn and to the right of the display the call sign, the speed and direction of the vessel and all other necessary information is displayed. Up until now I have avoided installing an AIS receiver as it is just another piece of equipment but now one can simply replace the existing VHF set that I have aboard and get the functionality of the AIS as well in one small compact bundle. Incidentally these is an NMEA output on the back of the unit so that it can connect to a suitable multi function display and show AIS information overlaid on the chart.
I have requested a review unit and hope to give it a try in the real world at sea in due course. The GX2100 will be on sale in stores for $399 I am told and at that price I can see the manufacturers selling an awful lot of these radios.
I personally was not the only one who was impressed, my fellow judges at the Miami boat show also like it too and so we gave it an NMMA innovation award in the electronics category.
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