Katech AIS Test and Analysis System

Test Equipment

AIS Test Equipment and Accessories

KATAS NMEA Simulator 1

This unit is a small hand-held device based upon existing RT Controller technology. It can provide a full simulation of most of the ships sensors whilst static or at sea. Several different NMEA sentences can be programmed to be included in the output data sequence with optional checksum inclusion. The unit is powered from the device under test and comes with a variety of adapter leads to allow connection to various items of maritime radio and navigational equipment. Units have had extensive use for research and development purposes. More details of production version will follow shortly.

AIS Pilot Port Interfaces

This unit allows the pilot port interface of a shipborne Class A AIS transponder to be interfaced to a PC type computer so that high-level charting software such as ShipPlotter can be used. The interface is bi-directional for use in advanced diagnostic situations but is factory supplied to only eavesdrop on the AIS NMEA data output stream. In this state, there cannot be any data or commands sent back to the AIS transponder that might adversely affect its normal operation. The interface is available with either a serial or a USB interface. There are two variants of the serial version, one is powered from the USB port in a similar manner to the AIS Receiver 1 whilst the other has an external power connection and is supplied with a wall cube power supply. The true USB version uses the USB port exclusively but requires a virtual com port (VCP) device driver to be installed in the computer before use. This software is provided on the KATAS AIS Starter Disc which is supplied with each AIS Pilot Port Interface from this portable range. These interfaces are designed for temporary connection for use in diagnostic situations but can be attached to a bulkhead using the included VelcroŽ pads. They are available with captive Pilot Port cables of 1m, 2m, 5m or 10m lengths and are useful for engineers attending ships to diagnose faults as well as being useful to the members of the maritime pilot profession. The housing is normally black but white units can be supplied to special order.

There is an additional version of the serial Pilot Port Interface which is housed in a rugged bulkhead-mount metal box with internal terminal blocks. The unit is identical in operation to the portable unit but is supplied without any cable. It is intended to be permanently fitted with the installer providing the cabling. This does not need a separate USB power cable as it is provided with an internal, isolated power supply. This unit need not be connected to the ship's AIS pilot-port but could, instead, be patched directly into the connection box of a ship's AIS transponder. One application of this would be to have a computer running ShipPlotter away from the navigational position, perhaps in a private cabin or in the officers' mess below decks. The ships AIS transponder would be used to receive and decode the signals which would then be passed to the computer in NMEA format for graphical display and analysis with ShipPlotter.

KATAS AIS Starter Disc

The AIS Starter Disc is a CD-ROM that contains PC-format software enabling KATAS AIS receivers and pilot port interfaces to operate without the need for an Internet connection. The disc contains a 21-day trial version of ShipPlotter software for Windows as well as a large collection of simple copyright-free images of much of the UK coastline. This combination allows the user with a suitable PC computer and any KATAS AIS receiver or pilot port interface to begin decoding and viewing ship movements immediately. The ShipPlotter software is also capable of interfacing with other professionally generated charts, in both raster and vector formats, available from other sources. The CD-ROM also contains copies of user instructions for all KATAS 'portable range' AIS receivers in a printable PDF format. As the data on the disc is compiled from publicly available sources, there is a nominal charge only to cover the cost of the media and duplication. The disc is identical to that supplied as part of the portable range of KATAS AIS Receivers and Pilot Port Interfaces. It is equally useful to users of the KATAS land and marine-use receivers as well as users of other AIS receivers.