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WatchMate 850 Class B Standalone AIS Transponder
$830.00
WatchMate 850, a fully standalone transponder with a 5″ sunlight viewable screen is easy to use and loaded with features.
Complete Class B AIS Transponder
WatchMate 850 is a Class B AIS transponder with a two channel parallel receiver and transmitter. It transmits your vessel position and details and receives the same kind of information from other vessels with AIS transponders.
The AIS data is sent every few seconds and includes information such as course, speed, latitude, longitude, and heading. Static information about the vessel is sent every few minutes and includes the name, type of vessel, length, beam, draft, etc.
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Description
Safety features
WatchMate 850 has powerful safety features that help ensure the safety of your vessel and crew. Its safety features are similar to a smartAIS transponder but it doesn’t have WiFi. The WatchMate 850 provides:
- Safety Underway. Continuously determine crossing situations, receive collision alarms with full vessel information for critical action.
- Safety at Anchor. Sleep soundly, knowing you’ll be alerted if your anchor is dragging.
- Safety for your Crew. Be alerted when your crew activate an AIS MOB device and see their current location for easy retrieval..
It means you can enjoy your time on the water, knowing your WatchMate 850 is always keeping watch in the background and is ready to alert you the moment it detects a hazard or unwanted event.
Target Prioritization
Target details
Intelligent filters declutter the screen and
allow you to focus on collision risks
Without filters
Safety Underway – Collision Avoidance
Graphical Plot Shows Crossing Situations
Shows the relative position of a target vs. your vessel at the closest point of approach. This provides a graphical view of the crossing situation and clearly indicates whether a target will pass ahead or behind.
CPA and TCPA
Computes the closest point of approach (CPA) and time until CPA (TCPA). Alarms may be based on these and other factors.
Bearing and Range
Computes the bearing and range to each vessel. Bearing can be displayed in magnetic to facilitate easy visual identification using your compass and binoculars. Bearings can alternatively be displayed in true or relative to your vessel’s heading.
Prioritization
Vessels and alarms are presented in order of priority.
Intelligent Filtering
In crowded operating areas the WatchMate 850 Transponder eliminates clutter by filtering out vessels with no collision risk.
Identify your “fleet”
Targets marked as members of your fleet are displayed with a special icon. Use this to indicate your friends or vessels you commonly work with.
CPA alarm
Triggers an alarm if a vessel will come too close.
Guard alarm
Sounds the alarm if any vessel comes within the specified range. Both CPA alarms and guard alarms may be used together for collision avoidance.
Increased Safety
Your safety is increased when offshore or in busy traffic areas.
Safety at night
When night falls or the weather is bad it is often difficult to see other vessel’s lights or determine their direction. The WatchMate shows immediately which way the vessel is moving and will even plot the crossing situation.
Positive Identification
You’ll have each vessel’s name and call sign and others using AIS will also have yours. If you wish to call another vessel you will be able to ensure you are talking to the correct vessel. This is very important when operating in busy areas or in bad weather when visibility is reduced.
Safety at Anchor – Anchor Watch
The anchor watch enables you to mark where you dropped anchor and sounds an alarm if your vessel moves outside an adjustable circle. It provides a helpful visual indication of where within your anchor circle the boat is located along with distance and bearing to the anchor point.
Unlike any other product, when you have a heading input our anchor watch automatically corrects for the location of your GPS antenna on-board.This eliminates cumulative position errors and makes the WatchMate 850 the most accurate and useful anchor watch available.
Anchor Watch
Man overboard
Safety for your Crew – Man Overboard (MOB) alarm
The perfect companion for AIS Search and Rescue and Man Over Board devices, including the latest models. Sounds the alarm whenever an AIS-SART or AIS-MOB is triggered. Clearly identifies them on the display and provides continuous position updates as well as bearing and range to the SART or MOB.
Integrated GPS Antenna
Includes a built-in GPS antenna that provides GPS data to the integrated 50 channel GPS receiver. This internal antenna allows for simple installation. However if needed, an external GPS antenna connection is provided and an optional external antenna is available.
For best performance, the built-in GPS antenna requires a clear and unobstructed view of the sky. It usually works well when installed in a cockpit, under a non-metallic dodger or under a fiberglass hard-top. However, if you are mounting the WatchMate 850 transponder in a location which does not provide adequate GPS signal coverage (eg. near or obstructed by metal objects or “down below” at a nav station), we recommend using our external GPS antenna.
Optional external GPS Antenna
DSC Calling
Direct Selective Calling (DSC)
You can use your WatchMate 850 to initiate an individual DSC call to any vessel displayed on your screen. This feature makes it easy to message nearby boats, requesting them to switch to a specific channel for a VHF call, without having to enter the other vessel’s MMSI number manually into your VHF radio.
The DSC feature works with any VHF radio that accepts the NMEA-0183 DSC sentence.
Sunlight Viewable 5″ display
Consise and easy to read
Uncluttered easy to read display shows all available AIS data.
Large backlit LCD
Adjustable daylight viewable backlit 125mm (5″) LCD.
Easy to use
Four buttons control all features. Each button is clearly labeled on-screen. Buttons are backlit for night time use and illumination brightness is controllable. Each setting has on-screen help.
Target Plot
Provides a radar-like display of all vessels within the selected range. The display can be oriented north-up or heading-up so it’s very easy and natural to interpret. Dangerous and lost targets are readily identified.
Safety messages
Displays received AIS Broadcast Safety Messages. These messages may contain important safety, navigation, weather, or shipping information.
Aids to navigation
Full support for AIS aids to navigation including off-position and virtual aid indicators.
Meteorological and hydrographic display
Displays real-time wind, current, tidal and much more in areas where this information is broadcast.
GPS receiver
Displays built-in GPS satellite status and navigation data such as your position, heading, course and speed.
Monitor your vessel
Safety Message
Plug and play
Interface with any MFD
Easy to install
Plug and Play
No external “black boxes” to mount, power and wire. Just plug in a VHF antenna and connect the WatchMate 850 Transponder to your 12 or 24 volt power supply.
Stand-alone unit doesn’t require chart plotter, computer or radar
The WatchMate is easy to interface to these devices but none are necessary for its operation. The WatchMate 850 is a fully stand-alone AIS collision warning solution.
Ultra-Low power consumption
Designed for minimal power consumption the WatchMate 850 is extremely well suited for energy conscious vessels.
Energy conscious users know how important low power operation can be particularly on a long voyage when charging from solar or wind. The WatchMate 850 consumes far less than a radar, chart plotter or computer. It takes power saving to a new level by going into a Power Save Mode causing the display and backlight to turn off when no targets are in range but waking up instantly when a target comes into range.
External interface
The WatchMate 850 Transponder provides complete AIS and GPS output and is easily interfaced to chart plotters, radars or computers.
Fully Water Proof Including USB Connection
The water proof USB connection can be used to connect the WatchMate 850 to onboard or home computers if required.
Other innovative features
Firmware Updates
When you buy a WatchMate 850, you get not just a product, but an extendable AIS platform. Designed to be compatible with a continuous stream of feature updates, you can update your WatchMate 850 with the latest firmware via USB and your computer
Silent Mode
Allows WatchMate 850 Transponder to be put in Silent Mode. When in this mode, the AIS receivers and GPS continue to operate normally and all alarms and other features, including the Anchor Watch, are available. The only change is that all transmissions are inhibited. Perfect for those times when you want privacy.
VHF “in use” Indicator
Unique VHF “in use” indicator (When used with Vesper Marine’s VHF splitter).
Self Diagnosis
Self diagnosis to provide warnings if AIS, GPS or antenna are not functioning.
External alarm trigger
In addition to the internal alarm, an external buzzer, alarm, or signal light can be interfaced withg the WatchMate 850 without requiring any additional relays (max 150mA).