You should really get a dual-channel RX since You want to use it for
navigation. You will get updates twice as often, which is very important
considering the new ClassB trasponders for smaller vessels only transmit
positions every 30 seconds. That means only every minute if You only have
one channel. I promise You, in that last minute You will want to know who
is turning where...

I can recommend the SR162, also available from Milltech at $439. The SR
series are made by a Chinese manufacturer but with engineering help from a
Swedish team of AIS engineers which has improved the product a lot.

The new ClassB transponders are not yet FCC approved but are available in
Europe for around $1200.

/Marcus

On Oct 3, 1:05 pm, Ulrich G. Kliegis wrote:
On Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:39:56 -0400, "MarcusAA"
wrote in rec.boats.electronics:

The new ClassB transponders are not yet FCC approved but are available in
Europe for around $1200.

If you speak of the SR transponders - they are not yet approved, and I
was informed that they will get impounded when found by british
authorities on a ship visited by them in a harbour or in their waters.

I am pretty sure, though, that the joint efforts of the chinese and
swedish egineers will get that solved. Other brands are available
already. Be sure to have the certificate of the BSH, the only approved
certifier worldwide so far, confirmed by your dealer.

Regards,

U.

I can recommend the SafePassageAIS 100 Dual-Band Receiver at $499
(until Monday Oct 8th). A little more expensive than the MillTech but
with a USB power data cable and with water tight connectors.

Fred Pot
SeaCAS, LLC