Building the first VHF radio combined with a Class B AIS transceiver was a challenge but Standard Horizon went even further by adding unique remote station capabilities. The GX6500 can support two RAM4 wired mics or one wired and up to four RAM4W wireless mics. All stations can intercom with each other and have full control of the base station including access to all the VHF and AIS data seen on the base’s big screen, which can also be shared with other boat screens via NMEA 2000 and 0183. Moreover, the GX6500 can record and play back up to two minutes of recently received VHF audio, and includes a dual zone hailer with programmed fog signals and listen back. Combining VHF and AIS into one box means relatively good value and easy installation but the GX6500 is designed to the professional standard of individual antennas for each purpose (fitting an external splitter from one antenna is possible but performance may be diminished). The GX6500 will have an AIS-receive-only GX6000 sibling, and both radios will allow users to place direct DSC VHF calls to AIS targets without typing in their MMSI number. But at press time, both models also await FCC approval before they can be priced and shipped.
$NA, Standard Horizon, standardhorizon.com
Return to 2017 Pittman Innovations Awards
February 2017
