Vesper unveils Cortex – combination AIS, VHF radio and boat monitor
Vesper has cemented a reputation for high performance, well-thought-out, feature-rich products. So, when they tease that “The future is coming” as they have in their recent promotional material it’s worth paying attention. It turns out Vesper’s take on the future is about continuing their track record of innovative features while expanding their capabilities to VHF radios and boat monitoring.
Today at the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) expo and conference in Norfolk, VA, Vesper announced Cortex, VHF, AIS, and Monitor. Cortex is a modular system with a base unit, handsets, and mobile app. Cortex systems can start with just an M1 base unit which provides AIS and monitoring capabilities. Adding an H1 or H1p handset enables VHF audio functionality.
VHF
Vesper describes Cortex as “VHF Re-imagined” and goes on to say that Cortex’s VHF functionality was developed with a “focus on what people use and need most.” A few minutes with the handset in your hand shows what they mean. The functions you might want to access are almost always right on screen. On the AIS target information screen, there’s a button right on screen to call them. This makes a big difference when compared to the sheer number of button presses required for many features on a typical VHF radio. I’ve tried to use DSC station-to-station calling on several radios only to become frustrated by the number of button presses required.
To enable VHF audio functionality at least one H1 or H1p handset must be connected to the M1 base unit. Vesper explained that there are quite a few regulatory requirements for VHF handsets that preclude them from using a mobile device with the Cortex app as a VHF handset.
Most radios on the market today use a two channel VHF radio with one channel dedicated to DSC and the second for all audio. So, if you have a priority watch set to monitor channel 16 but are listening to channel 22a the radio will momentarily tune to channel 16, check for a signal strong enough to break squelch and then change back to 22a. This can be heard in the form of a momentary break in audio on 22a while the check of 16 is performed.
Vesper is using an 8 channel radio in Cortex affording them a lot of flexibility and capabilities. At launch Vesper is using two channels for VHF audio, one for DSC, and two for AIS. This leaves 3 channels available for future functionality. But each channel is dedicated to only one function, so no matter which functions are enabled there’s no pausing, etc.
Currently dual watch — monitoring 16 and one other channel — is the only priority watch feature supported. Vesper says they plan to implement additional scanning modes in the future and will use another of the 8 available channels for scanning.
AIS
Plotter view of targets List of targets, sorted by distance and with an icon on the right to show relative position Target detail AIS alarm raised with snooze options
Cortex features an AIS B/SO transponder and retains all of Vesper’s excellent collision avoidance, anchor watch, and man-overboard safety features. The use of a B/SO transponder means more frequent updates for higher speed vessels and pushier behavior by the radio to ensure transmissions make it out in congested traffic areas.
AIS targets can be displayed in a birds-eye view, plotter view or text list. Individual target details can be viewed by clicking a target in any of the views. Plus, as you would expect, all data is output over the M1’s NMEA 2000 connections so you can use your existing MFD or apps to display full AIS information.
The combination of AIS and VHF functionality means that tasks like initiating a station-to-station DSC call to a vessel visible on AIS becomes as simple as clicking on an AIS target — perhaps one highlighted in red by Vesper’s strong collision avoidance UI — and then initiating a call via the “Call Target” button displayed on screen in the app or on an H1 handset.
Monitoring
Vesper has a strong track record of using the data their products collect to deliver very useful features. The poster-child for this has been their anchor alarm which makes use of the high-accuracy, rapid-update GPS receiver built into all AIS units. Previously Vesper products made this alarm via an external alarm attached to the AIS unit or via Vesper’s mobile app. But, the anchor alarm was only available while on the boat. Cortex includes a cellular radio making the anchor alarm available anywhere there’s cellular coverage.
But, they haven’t stopped with off boat anchor alarm functionality. They’ve implemented a boat monitoring and control system. The system can monitor anchor watch, GPS position, battery level, bilge level, temperature, shore power, security sensors, bilge pumps, heading, wind, depth, barometric pressure, and control lights and refrigeration — or anything else that can be controlled via a relay. Monitoring is accomplished by a mix of a five-channel, analog I/O port on the Cortex base and Cortex’s NMEA 2000 connection. The NMEA 2000 interface should make expanding the monitoring capabilities to other major systems like engines straightforward.
A twice-daily update of sensor status is included with all Cortex devices at no charge. Paid monitoring updates every five minutes, delivers real-time alarm notifications, and allows control of devices on-board. Paid monitoring is $10 per month when paid annually or $20 per month on a month to month basis.
Hardware
Cortex is made up of the M1 base, H1/H1P handsets, and/or the Cortex app running on your smartphone. Cortex’s VHF audio capabilities aren’t enabled unless an H1 or H1p is connected but all other functions work with just the base and a smartphone with the Cortex app.
Base unit
The M1 base unit is the core of a Cortex system. The strikingly compact — especially given all that’s packed inside –, IPx7 water-resistant box houses a dizzying number of modules built-in. The M1 has a WiFi and cellular radio, 8-channel VHF radio (for AIS, VHF and DSC), NMEA 2000 connection, GPS input, analog IO port (five channels used for monitoring), and heading, barometer and battery voltage sensors. Plus, the M1 has a no-loss VHF antenna splitter to allow sharing the VHF antenna with another radio allowing a single antenna to serve a total of two VHF radios and AIS.
WiFi, GPS & Cellular antenna, power, and VHF in & out connections Front of the M1 has NMEA 2000, Monitoring IO and speaker connections
Handset
To enable VHF audio at least one H1 or H1P (The P version is the portable version with a rechargeable battery) must be present in the system. Up to 10 total handsets can be connected to an M1 base. All handsets, with or without a power cord, communicate with the M1 via 2.4ghz WiFi. I had reservations about the use of 2.4ghz WiFi when I installed the Ray 90 VHF but haven’t had any troubles using them onboard.
The handsets feature an optically bonded full touch screen covered with Gorilla glass that Vesper says will work with gloved and wet hands. It’s clear and bright with excellent off-angle viewing. The handset snaps into a cradle that both holds it securely and charges the non-corded versions. The battery should last more than twelve hours. In addition to the touchscreen, there are six, back-lit, buttons on the face of the handset that surround a rotating wheel with a select / enter button in the middle. Volume and power buttons are on the right side of the handset, the transmit button is on the left, and the protected DSC distress button is on the back.
Upgradability
Vesper emphasizes the upgradability of Cortex through software. At launch there are some advanced features not yet available. These include scanning, recording or buffering of audio, weather alerts, hailing / fog-signals and intercom between handsets. Though they weren’t specific about timing, Vesper did say that they’re working on quite a few additional features to be released after launch. If their AIS units are any guide it’s likely they’ll cover any missing features and give us some features we didn’t know we were missing.
Alerting
Alerting has long been a Vesper strength with the ability to notify you of anchor drag, dangerous targets, and MOB alerts received via the WatchMate App, a connected alarm and on screen for the Vision line. But, now, thanks to the monitoring capabilities of Cortex, the number of alerts has expanded and importantly the way they’re delivered has gotten clearer. Alerts are now spoken through the 85db speaker built into each H1, and displayed on screen, plus, if you’re on the boat — or off the boat and have a paid subscription — alerts can be delivered to your phone as well.
Hands-on
I’ve had the opportunity to try out Cortex demo systems a couple of times recently and I think Vesper is on to something. They’ve done a really nice job understanding how a boater will use the device and making Cortex simple and intuitive. The handset feels good in the hand, is well balanced and seems easy to use with one hand. I haven’t had a chance to test a working system installed on a boat, but I’m looking forward to that opportunity.
A couple of the missing features are important to me. I certainly want hailing, weather alerts and scanning capabilities. But, because of the built-in splitter, Cortex can be installed alongside an existing radio that can help bridge any missing functions while they’re being implemented.
Pricing
Cortex is expected to receive approvals and be available for purchase in early 2020. A bundle of one handset and the base unit giving you AIS, monitoring and VHF functionality will be $1,800. Just the base unit will be priced at $1,300 which will provide AIS and monitoring. Additional handsets will be $600 and can be added to the M1 base at any time to enable VHF.
The vesper XB 8000 uses its wifi to transmit its ais info to tablets etc , I can’t see that the Cortex does this except through nmea2000 .
My understanding is that Cortex retains all the features of the XB 8000 so it too will be able to share its own data as well as translate some NMEA 2000 to WiFi.
Looks powerful, Ben S! I’m wondering if they are suggesting antennas to accompany those WiFi, Cell and GPS inputs? (VHF we know about :))
Hartley,
Sorry for the delay is responding. I checked with Vesper and the answer is that the GPS antenna is required (with the usual requirements for a clear view of the sky, etc) while the WiFi and Cellular are optional. There are built in WiFi and cellular antennas so these ports are only if your installation requires it due to placement, vessel construction, etc.
Am I an idiot? It looks like you have to use a combo AIS/VHF antenna? Or can it take separate antennas? And if it has to use a combo antenna, what are your thoughts on this with a Sodtma setup? Worse or better than using the same setup (i.e. a splitter) on an “old-school” AIS?
Not that it is a deal breaker, it certainly isn’t, but I’m keen to know.
I definitely don’t think you’re an idiot and I think you raise an interesting question. I’ve had the antenna manufacturers stress the improved performance from an antenna tuned for AIS’ frequencies versus a standard VHF antenna. I don’t see a way to connect dedicated antennas. I’ll ask the Vesper guys and see if they have wisdom to share. Thus far it seems like they’ve thought through most of these questions but let’s see.
Thanks, Ben!
I thought it was just me missing something because I too have read all the manufacturer’s arguments about why you should use a dedicated antenna, so I thought I was just missing something here.
It would be great if they can give a satisfactory answer to this. Hopefully something that will convince someone as knowledgeable as you.
I had the opportunity to ask Vesper’s CTO, Carl Omundsen, about antenna choices. He confirmed that you’re thinking of it correctly,
Vesper made a decision that the approach their using serves the broadest population of users well. They point out that a single well placed antenna with good cable and connectors in good shape is better than multiple antennas (even if those antennas are perfectly tuned for their frequency range) where positioning is compromised to find room for multiple antennas (something I’m guilty of myself on Have Another Day).
The trouble they describe is the frequency with which an AIS antenna is installed later on a boat and as a result clamped on a stern rail or somewhere similar. The gains from the narrowly tuned antenna are more than lost by the lower placement with multiple objects in the way.
I think it’s also important to remember that there isn’t a splitter in use for the single antenna to serve both AIS and voice VHF. The 8-channel radio has a single antenna connection so there’s no splitter or cabling loss.
Vesper does sell a mid-point tuned antenna (https://www2.vespermarine.com/shared-ais-antenna) that strikes a compromise between the frequency ranges.
Wow, that was quick!
Okay, but on my boat with no mast to fit an antenna up high (not a sailboat) as opposed to their scenario (the dual antenna would be on the coach roof regardless), it still seems the only advantage is when comparing the setup to one where the VHF antenna is placed up high and the AIS on a pulpit.
I guess I’m not satisfied with that reasoning from them. Even on a pulpit the better antenna should be better, and if up the mast, the dedicated antenna should also be better. Only in the special circumstances they lay out where the only option is having the AIS on the pulpit as opposed to a combined antenna will the combined antenna be better, if you see what I mean. If there were two connections, at least one had the option to choose between scenarios depending on actual circumstances. Yeah, the box would probably need to be (slightly) bigger, but it’s a black box.
They basically aimed this at sailboaters who will only have AIS on their pulpit if they couldn’t combine things. It’s an expensive product, so I think they calculated wrongly on that design decision.
I take it they will now stop selling dedicated AIS antennas for the rest of their product line-up as well, ha, ha.
Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed with this and his reasoning.
I understand the desire to get the best possible performance but I don’t see Vesper’s decisions the same way.
There’s a couple of reasons for this and ultimately I think it’s very possible you will see it differently and I fully respect that. We all have to evaluate the products for how we’re going to use them and decide what’s best for our use on our boat.
First, I probably should have mentioned some of the other cases where antenna location can hurt. On my own boat I have several antennas close together, likely too close and I suspect this might hurt VHF performance. My own suspicion (which I’m planning to test) is that mulitple antennas too close together is hurting performance far more than an antenna tuned for wider frequencies. I don’t think this is a sailboat specific design or consideration. It’s a reality of the pain and/or expense of running additional coax cables and then properly terminating them.
Antennas are regularly used to cover very wide frequency ranges — think about the antenna on your cell phone which is coverage several hundred megahertz — and in fact the range of VHF voice (156-158) and AIS (162) are very close.
I think Vesper is taking the correct gamble that a much greater percentage of people will appreciate the lack of need for a splitter (and the multiple connections it brings) or new antenna than will be turned off by the inability to use two separately tuned antennas.
Lastly, given the radio design I’m not sure multiple antennas could be easily achieved. This is an artifact of how Vesper chose to implement their radio, but it’s those same choices that have given them a lot of flexibility to implement what I strongly suspect will be some exciting features.
It’s not so much that I object to. It’s the performance of the VHF while using AIS and especially the performance of the AIS while using the VHF to transmit.
That said, I’m not sure it’s a dealbreaker for me, but I was hoping one could have set this up for an “ultimate” setup. I have three things “up top”: An active radar transponder (Echomax XS) an AIS antenna in one corner, and a VHF in the other corner.
I may very well still get this setup – as I really like the entire system, including the VHF. Without the VHF handset, it will just be a black box Sotdma – although a good one considering it is from Vesper.
Something to note when discussing the single antenna… Cortex continues to transmit AIS even while you are talking on the VHF. It “interrupts” the VHF transmission with the regularly scheduled AIS transmissions (~27ms so not noticeable)
I may have missed something here. am i correct that this is set up to use a single dual AIS/VHF antenna, and is not set up to use 2 seperate dedicated antennas (one for AIS, and 1 for VHF)? and 2. am i correct that the second VHF port is a loss less splitter to use the same combo antennae?
IF so than what is the point of the lossless splitter if your pushing everything throu one combo antenna?
yes it is tru you should have a dedicated antennae for the seperate funcions, but that doesnt nessesarily physically translate well on many boats. Specifically on a sailboat without an arch or bimini to put a dedicated ais antenae such as mine. When i pulled my mast a couple months ago i added an additional coax cable to the upper spreader to install a seperate AIS antenna, however in this position the mast shields or disrupts signal in its shadow. so far all of this has been choosing the best comprimise, as a arch mounted antennae doesnt have the range a top of the mast antenna does. So I am all in favor of this setup, and more so since it does not seem to cause performance loss in this equipment. the second port with low loss splitter is intreguing (why is it there?) as it sounds like i could hook up a 2M ham radio to this for a three way Antennae. what is the max wattage to push through this unit? I will only be using the 2M while anchored/moored ect but if this is correct it could easily clean up my cable runs and simplify my antenna arangment
a combo AIS/VHS where you just push a button to call an AIS contact is the feature i have been looking for. this ease of use feature will keep the every day boater using thier VHF on a regular and that only benifits us all. this is one of those game changers that changes industries.
V/R
Robert
I have mixed feelings about this product.
On one hand, I’m glad to see Vesper finally releasing a SOTDMA Class B AIS transponder, although it took some time. I love the fact that they are releasing something that takes what were separate systems in the boat monitoring, VHF, AIS, and splitter world, and trying to make a game changing solution. I think software-izing VHF in particular, and giving us an alternative to the big three, which really haven’t had any innovation in years, is an amenable goal.
However, their track record in the last few years is one of market leader, which often times causes other issues — not being terribly nice to their customers, nor admitting or fixing some of the bugs that people have had to deal with on the XB-8000. I hope that was because they were all diligently working on this product, and that we will see that aspect of things change.
I am ALWAYS in favor of new ideas, and new innovations, and this one definitely could stand on that ALONE with the VHF piece – having multiple radios in a single black box with a software defined radio interface is game changing in and of itself. I can’t wait to see what they do with that part of the product in particular. Throw in one of the best AIS transponders, upgrade it to Class B SOTDMA, and then put a splitter and other features in it, and you have a solution that should be the industry standard for all future radios/AIS transponders.
I have a penchant myself for boat monitoring, and have talked, written, and installed so many I can’t even count any more. Having that as well in this makes me giddy, and it is a very logical place to put it and allow you to control and interact with it from. Adding the remote monitoring is the cherry on top. Unfortunately remote boat monitoring is still a nascent technology area, and all of the big players have varying pros/cons and options that don’t make it easy for a single choice to rise to the top of the crop. Perhaps having it part of your AIS/VHF solution will help propel that.
I think if Vesper are able to deliver this in a timely fashion and are prepared to rapidly iterate during implementation and software bugs, they will have a whole new market and a fantastic product that will set the standard for interoperability of these once disparate products.
Steve,
I’m curious to hear more about the mixed emotions you have. I’m not aware — which certainly doesn’t mean they don’t exist — of any unresolved bugs within the XB-8000. Can you tell me more?
I certainly agree that a software-defined radio implementation is pretty exciting given the stagnation we’ve seen in the category for a long time. I’m excited about what Vesper is going to do in this area and I think Vesper’s talents and track record make them a good fit for maximizing the potential of the category.
It’s funny, I’m possibly least excited about monitoring, at least as it’s implemented now. It has the same capabilities of several other products but doesn’t push the envelope as much here as I think they have or can in the other two categories. I hope they will in the future and also have to admit that just getting their anchor alarm off the boat is a big win for all of us.
Based on my conversations with them I believe it’s likely they will iterate but also think you’re right that the speed with which they deliver on potential is going to be critical.
Ben
Ben,
There were a few bugs in 2015-2016 with the XB-8000 around stability. Most of those were addressed in 2016, but there was one that Vesper blamed on improperly setup NMEA 2000 networks for over a year. In 2017 both Ben S and I contacted Vesper with the same symptoms – the unit disappearing off of NMEA 2000 networks, which meant that chart plotters and other devices suddenly lost all AIS targets, if this was the single source of AIS. It also meant you couldn’t interact with the unit until it was power cycled.
This particular bug lingered for a long time. I knew of at least 10 people locally having the same problem. Eventually in late 2017 Vesper released a fix, and it worked better, but I removed my XB-8000 and switched to another product as it still locked up. I was talking with three boaters today who still have to restart their XB-8000 more frequently than anything else because of this.
Being in the software world myself, I know it takes a long time to fix those last 10% of bugs, but the way this was handled was “blame the user” for at least a year, and really was disappointing to see from such a wonderful company with a great product.
With the Cortex being several orders of magnitude more software-complex, that is where my mixed feelings come from. I am hoping that the experiences I had were related to the heads down work to deliver this new product.
Steve, I recollect that bug quite differently and an email search seems to confirm my recollection. The XB8000 was not disappearing off my boat’s N2K network, and I don’t see you mentioning that behavior either in our joint emails with Carl.
What we were reporting was that when the XB had been running for quite a while, it often did not automatically join the boat’s N2K network when it was powered up. The fix was power cycling the XB after powering the N2K network, or just before. It was an annoying bug, but not nearly as bad as having the transponder drop off the network at random times. I would call that a critical bug and I would have hollered about it.
Actually we did all discuss this startup bug on Panbo (because I mentioned it in an otherwise unrelated entry):
https://panbo.com/lessons-learned-by-causing-a-false-ais-mob-alert/#comment-24381
Steve,
I also reviewed this situation and found the same issue Ben referred to. It took some time for us to reproduce it and get to the bottom of what was happening and it wasn’t dropping off the bus. Rather, in certain circumstances it wouldn’t rejoin the network when bus power was cycled while the XB-8000 was left on. It was continuing to operate normally otherwise. The workaround was to cycle power on the XB-8000.
This was fixed in an over-the-air update a few years ago. We’re not aware of any other current known N2K issues so if anyone knows of an existing problem or has difficulty, please contact our support team.
Hi folks,
My mistake – the 2016-2017 N2K bus issue was what Ben and I were communicating with Vesper on originally. A firmware update around the end of 2017 did correct this.
I too had the opportunity to see this radio at the NMEA conference and it is very impressive. I’m very excited by the opportunities presented by the radio.
As far as not having a dedicated AIS antenna, people make too much about loosing range. Yes, a dedicated antenna tuned to the correct frequency, and not sharing a job will work better. But how much better?? The masthead antenna on my sailboat going to an Icom M506 AIS receiver picks up targets to 40+nm all day, on a regular (non ais) antenna. That’s absurd! Height wins. It is cool to receive that far, and would be cool to transmit that far, but its not at all needed, even on a fast boat. Also in busy areas it just clogs up time slots for boats that don’t need to see you or be seen.
The Cortex has an input with a spliter to allow it to be used as a black box AIS with existing VHF without adding antennas.
The NMEA 0400 standard on VHF antennas is that they should be no closer than 4ft. to each other. Also, you shouldn’t mount a VHF antenna within 2ft. of any other obstructing object.
Now, the real question is can it get FCC certified. They seemed very confident, but we’ve seen that before, and that design had multiple antenna ports. I hope this radio does make it to market.
I agree that Cortex is cool! And so did the NMEA judges who gave it the first-ever Best New Product Award despite some serious competition (that Ben S and I also got to see up close and will be reporting on soon).
Meanwhile, Raymarine ClearCruise Augmented Reality — which has evolved a lot since it was first introduced last fall — received the NMEA Technology Award. Explanation of the awards here:
https://www.expo.nmea.org/content/awards/awards
(I couldn’t reply under the original post):
“Jeff Robbins September 21, 2019 at 7:37 am
Something to note when discussing the single antenna… Cortex continues to transmit AIS even while you are talking on the VHF. It “interrupts” the VHF transmission with the regularly scheduled AIS transmissions (~27ms so not noticeable)”
Ah, that is good. Isn’t this kind of making the case that they were full of it when they said you should get dedicated antennas due to those “interruptions” – for years and years on end?
Anyway, it’s great to know. It means I don’t have to worry as much as I thought.
The documentation for the SP160 splitter seems to indicate that VHF radio transmissions have priority ? No mention of the AIS interrupting. Unless perhaps the AIS and VHF connections could be reversed so that the AIS would have priority?
A few other questions I have regarding the RX: Will the Coretex unit continue to receive while there is a VHF transmission in progress ? How about the SP160 ? And what about the case of separate antennas ? Are they still able to receive with a full power VHF transmission nearby ?
Ah!
Damn it!. So much for that. I hope they will track this down and ask for documentation of these things, or run some tests when it is available for purchase.
I don’t think the functionality of the SP160 is indicative of much about how Cortex works. Cortex is using a single 8-channel VHF radio. The SP160 allows to totally separate radios to share a single antenna. The use case is different and the level of control is very different. Vesper can much more tightly control the behavior of the multiple channels of a single radio versus externally making the antenna available to one radio or the other.
It’s also worth noting that Jeff Robbins is the founder of Vesper. I have a high degree of confidence in the information he’s giving us.
Oh, he is?
I never knew this. Okay, that changes things. If he says it only interrupts (27ms) to send/receive the AIS data, I believe it.
I think it unlikely that it will RECEIVE any AIS activity while being used as a voice transmitter, since it would have to interrupt the transmission for a LOT longer than 27ms to do so. Simultaneous reception and transmission is unlikely in the extreme for these frequencies, especially for the size of the unit.
That it interrupts the ongoing voice transmission to SEND the AIS beacon is a very good thing, however, as it means others will continue to see you.
Okay, that’s a lot of up and down for me, and all because of a design decision to go with a combination antenna on this new unit. I ndidn’t think of reception while transmitting, but now that you mention it, it is obvious it will have to listen for much longer for AIS broadcasts from other boats.
So, if I want the Cortex VHF unit integrated with AIS and have separate antennas that can receive and send while transmitting and have them share info on the VHF/AIS display, I would have to somehow get a second black box AIS (Cortex or another) in order for this to be the ultimate setup where sending and receiving AIS won’t interfere with the VHF and vice versa.
Unless you have a very large vessel, or incorporate some significant filtering, I think it’s unlikely you could get an AIS receiver to hear much of anything on 160 MHz while you are transmitting with 25 watts (or even 1 watt) on 156/157 MHz on an antenna on the same vessel. The effect is called “desense” – the very strong signal on a relatively nearby channel (3-4 MHz counts as “nearby” for VHF) will cause the AIS receiver to become quite “deaf” while the transmission is taking place.
The isolation between masthead and aft rail might be enough (on a sailboat) but on a powerboat it would be difficult at best. Yes, a filter could be built to accomplish it, but it wouldn’t fit in the case size shown for the Cortex.
As an experiment, try listening to a distant (noisy) NOAA WX channel then key up your VHF (main or handheld) on an unused channel to see what happens. NOAA WX is on 162 MHz, so a couple of MHz further separated than AIS.
The AIS transmitter won’t bother the VHF reception as it is on the air for only that 27ms – you might hear a “tick”, but that’s all.
i think the advantage of a SDR radio is that this isnt nessesarily an issue. the SDR reciever digitizes the signals and manipulates them, sending the correct signal spike data stream to the correct reciever in the 8 channel reciever. so it can theoretically recieve everything without any real issues. i guess like other radios you can have bleed over from a loud and close signal.
If the hardware is properly built then there will be no problem with transmitting and receiving simultaneously with one antenna. I’m not an expert in the design of SDRs or antenna duplexers, so I can’t speak to the size requirements of such design. I can tell you that it is absolutely possible to use one antenna. This is exactly how thousands of ham radio repeaters work all over this country. They are separated by about 3-4 mhz. They receive a signal and simultaneously transmit it back out on different frequency on same antenna, and with much more power than 25 watts.
All this talk is just speculation until Vesper gives us details of the internals.
William, of course – but the duplexers used to make this work are VERY much larger than the package size we see for Cortex. Amateur VHF repeaters use a 600 kHz “split” – the smallest one I’ve ever seen was about 18″ wide, 4″ thick and 20″ deep (not counting connectors). For the 4-5 MHz “split” between AIS and regular VHF channels, it might be possible to cram a duplexer into perhaps a .5 cubic foot box, though it would be fairly lossy. The big problem with trying to duplex the regular VHF channels and AIS is that the regular channels span from 156.05 up to 157.475, while the two AIS channels are 25 kHz above & below 162 MHz. This means that the AIS receive path through the duplexer has to reject an almost 1.5 MHz range – a difficult thing to do without incurring losses on frequencies only 4.5 MHz away. Yes, a high-pass filter would do it, but it would need to be fairly high Q to pull it off. It would be less lossy if you used a pass filter element, but this raises the required volume up to a larger size.
FWIW, I’ve built MANY amateur VHF and UHF repeaters 🙂
73 DE Hartley W1OQ
Ben I enjoy your site greatly and was one of the first to comment about cortex but for some reason I am getting dozens of email notices of comments posted about Vesper Cortex and I can’t see how to stop them I probably checked or didn’t check something.
Tom, there should be two links at the bottom of each comment notification email that read “Manage your subscriptions” and “One click unsubscribe”. Either can unsubscribe you from notifications about this thread.
New question. The blurb describes the product as having an embedded ‘heading sensor’. Is this a magnetic type that works within a steel hull? If not can it be augmented with an external signal of some kind?
On a separate note I entirely agree with Vesper’s logic around the single antennae. One well located antennae at masthead, even if de-tuned slightly to cover a broader bandwidth, is going to outperform two more tightly tuned antennae but with compromised locations everytime.
I’m now planning on two identical Vesper VHF/AIS tuned antennae, one located at the masthead and the other on the bimini arch as a spare/backup. This gives maximum flexibility and the option to run two completely parallel systems if I want. Also in the event of a threatening lightening storm I can disconnect the masthead antennae and switch to the lower bimini mounted antennae if I need to keep the system running.
Philip, I recall Vesper explaining that the Cortex definitely prioritizes external heading sensor input on the presumption that it’s more accurate. Also, the internal heading, derived from a 9-axis sensor, is not output over NMEA 2000.
What it’s there for is those times on a vessel when AIS is running but the rest of the navigation network is shut down, which is a lot of the time on my boat (and many others). Then the boat’s AIS target will be properly oriented even when it’s on a dock or anchor, and also the anchor watch will look and work better. (Because an AIS transponder already knows where its GPS antenna is relative to the bow, it can do precise anchor math if it also has heading.)
I think the Cortex heading sensor is self-calibrating, but I don’t know if it can overcome metal hulls.
Appreciate the reply. That makes sense and it certainly isn’t a showstopper from my perspective.
It’s the SDR concept that really cranks my handle; that is the future of radio and it will interesting to see where Vesper take it in future revs.
Regarding dual or single antennas for combined AIS/VHF radios: I smile a bit knowing that when the Standard Horizon GX6500 was announced, the main reader complaint was the two antenna (or external splitter) install requirement…
https://panbo.com/standard-horizon-gx6500-a-loaded-vhf-radio-also-integrated-with-class-b-ais/
…but now that Vesper offers a single antenna solution, some of the first complaints are about not being able to use two antennas!
And readers may be amused to see how I defended the GX6500 design, presuming that dual antennas were both better and required by regulation. As AM phrased it, I was apparently “full of it” 😉
I still think that well-placed, including well-separated, dedicated AIS and VHF antennas with quality cabling are ideal. But also that a single antenna can work quite well. I also think that the distinction may be overblown because most of us don’t transmit on VHF very much, and much of that transmission happens close to marinas etc. when AIS is not as important.
By the way, there is a two antenna combo AIS Class B/VHF available now, though it’s gotten very little attention (including Panbo’s):
https://panbo.com/announcing-the-simrad-rs40-b-the-first-vhf-radio-with-ais-transmit-receive-capability/
“And readers may be amused to see how I defended the GX6500 design, presuming that dual antennas were both better and required by regulation. As AM phrased it, I was apparently “full of it” ”
I was talking about the manufacturers saying that you had to have two antennas to do it properly, and more than insinuating that using a combined antenna was sub-par.
Now, it seems the reverse of that – at least from Vesper’s side.
I don’t know if you’re a manufacturer (I don’t think you are). You’re just a very knowledgeable tech geek (I mean that in a good way).
AM, I’m Ben Ellison, long-time editor/publisher of this site (now Senior Editor), total boat nut, and while I know many of the manufacturers well, I speak for fellow marine electronics consumers. I really did mis-presume the regulatory requirements for combination VHF/AIS transponders, and I own it.
https://panbo.com/about-panbo/#Ben_Ellison
Well, in my book, you’re forgiven. I don’t expect you to know the intricacies of the law with these things. To me, you’re a tech geek (again, meant as a positive), and this is the reason I come here. 🙂
Does Vesper have any plans to have a non-touch microphone, more along the line of the ICOMS level of functionality? And, maybe wired for power?
Dan, I did ask Vesper about just this. I spoke of the fact that a good hand-mic on a hanger can be used without ever taking your eyes off the water. Vesper indicated they’ve thought about it but don’t have any plans at this time. I got the feeling they’re waiting to hear some feedback from users.
Exactly
Being this is so feature-rich, a feature suggestion for Vesper, find a field you can use in the AIS protocol and stick in the current VHF channel the radio is tuned too. Then in reverse, when you show the symbol for an AIS boat make it a different color to reflect that the VHF channel that boat is monitoring is known. Be sure to only send the VHF channel if the user has the radio volume set high enough to be heard (e.g. 7 out of 30 or better for example)
That would have two effects:
* In the short term, anyone with your new product can see the other vessels that are likely to be able to accept a DSC call before we even try to make one. (right now, a user could make 100 attempts, and reach nobody). This will save frustration just trying to use the DSC feature from your color handset.
* Perhaps if the feature becomes widely adopted (e.g. MFD manufacturers start sticking the VHF channel in the middle of the AIS icon) boats not equipped with your advanced DSC call capabilities can reach boats that are, benefiting your users (i) Others can spot who is listening to VHF and on what channel, simply change to that channel, and speak. For example while I am sailboat racing, I may be on 68, 69, or 72 while racing. In the short term a commercial vessel can click on my AIS symbol, look at the (what is the field with the user message anchored, etc.?) field then switch to 72 and ask if I noticed their freighter a mile away. In the long term, the freighter can just see the 72 in the AIS symbol and call me.
Dan, I suspect “find a field in the AIS protocol…” might be the hardest part. Has anyone heard of any extensions of the AIS protocol that could be licensed? I seem to recall a number of AIS radios having big problems becoming certified (and therefore acceptable to the FCC/USCG) because of some pretty esoteric differences with the standard 🙁
Personally, I would rather see a greater acceptance/use of the DSC feature, which gets around the “what channel are they on?” problem entirely. Specifically, I would love to see a feature where clicking on a box in the “AIS info” for a vessel showing on my MFD screen initiates a DSC call to that vessel (I know some newer stuff has this).
I am confused at why you wouldnt be monitoring or also monitoring channel 16 anyway. most recent VHF radios are pretty easy to set to watch 2 channels, and the newest ones montor 16 as a standard.
secondly since this vesper radio allows you to click a button and make a DSC call, the DSC connection is on its own DSC channel not a monitored one.
im not saying this isnt a bad idea, i actually think it would be good and can think of a couple reasons this would be usefull such as your example of a race where a DSC call isnt the best . parade boat route, fireworks barge picket boats, military and other group activities could also use that feature.
Don’t be so quick to diss this idea I offered (stuff the VHF channel number in a field) is valuable and practical to do, and enhances the whole idea the Vesper is evolving DSC calls so that boat operators can succeed at point to point conversations.
It enhances it two ways. (i) The Vesper Cortex owner recognizes which operators have an evolved VHF setup and can actually accept a DSC call (ii) that Cortex owners can more easily be raised by legacy VHF owners, as non Cortex owners can recognize what VHF channel the Cortex owners are listening on and broadcast a query.
Let’s face it, initiating DSC calls from the existing generation of VHF radios is very rare, to the point of non existant at least with recreational users. For the sender, it is too frustrating to use their VHF radio to initiate a DSC call. Then the operator receiving the call is unlikely to have the knowledge and practice to respond when their VHF radio chirps an inbound call. Add to that many ICOM brand radios were shipped in the default configuration to discard DSC calls! It is because this default two geeks like BE and I could not make it work on our last rendezvous in Maine.
Should Vespers product change the behavior of boat operators to send each other DSC messages, it will leave out everyone with the past generation of VHF products, who for the most part, have not even made the investment of configuring their DSC VHF radios with an MMSI number and an nmea-0183 connection to a GPS, to be capable of sending a Rescue 21 message either.
Dan, I’m not dissing on your idea as much as the infeasibility of it. If Vester found an AIS “frame” – say message 8 “Binary data for broadcast communication” or message 19 “Extended position report for Class B…” and dumped the “current VHF voice comm transceiver channel setting” into it, would the USCG consider it still AIS compliant? I don’t know (because I am not going to spend the loot to look at the entire standard!) – but i suspect they would be concerned. In addition, how would it handle the situation of a receiver in scan (“dual watch” or lotsa channels) like many of us do. (I usually monitor 13 & 16 in dual watch in busy commercial areas).
For a commercial entity, would they be worried because their AIS told the world (USCG included) that they were not on 13 & 16 at some point?
There are always ramifications – and when it’s to address something that already resulted in regulatory action (DSC) the enthusiasm of both industry and authority might be limited.
FWIW, I agree with you that nobody is using DSC like it should be used – I’ve received maybe 7 or 8 DSC distress calls over the last 4 years afloat – almost all of them USCG screwing around (for lack of a better term) plus two “inadvertent” initiations. I’ve never received a DSC call, and the hassle factor involved with scribbling down my “buddy’s” MMSI, then entering it into my VHF to call them means I’ve never even considered initiating one. If that process was easier (like clicking on their AIS symbol on my screen) I probably would – and I see this as the future. Maybe my NEXT radio/MFD/AIS combo can accomplish this 🙂
Or maybe the gods of spectrum efficiency will strike the VHF Marine band, and we’ll all have to chuck out our current gear and transition to some narrowband digital mode that will make all of this discussion superfluous . Hopefully we’ll all still be alive to witness it! I’m still waiting for my flying car…
I was thinking message 14 (Safety Related Message up to 156 characters), and make it 10 or less 6-bit characters so it is uses only 1 slot every 6 minutes. Some AIS units reportedly allow you to press a button and have a pre-programmed message go out, such as “anchored”, “disabled”, etc. Instead, it would be 69 (hmm, what else could that mean, LOL), for dual-band make it 69/16, or tri-band 69/09/16. Perhaps better would be VHF69, VHF6916, or VHF690916
For a commercial entity, would they be worried because their AIS told the world (USCG included) that they were not on 13 & 16 at some point? Cool … the first concern/improvement on this idea I have heard in the 6 years since I posted on Panbo. I wrote about another AIS improvement in 2007, and it only took 7 years to make it to market. https://panbo.com/sorry-breeze-pleeze-a-yuletide-n2k-rant/
This would be good for legacy applications, due to the ineffectivness of VHF radios when used for real world stuff. IE your contacted on 16, you switch channels as required. not all radios work well with this scenario. i have seen a few that drop both watch stations when you do this and you have to reset them afterwards. that means you are not watching 16 anymore for a little bit. if your watch channel is listed on your AIS info, someone could still get ahold of you.
On a side note, I ALMOST received my first DSC call five weeks ago. Unfortunately, when the VHF radio chirped my crew was at the radio and didn’t look at the display to recognize someone was calling us. Instead they thought it was broke and wanted to “reboot it”. When putting my boat away for the night I saw in the ICOM display that someone had called. I wonder how many people that poor soul called before having a successful DSC call?
A new product with CONNECT-AIS function will be shown at METS 2019.
em-trak B954 AIS Class B
em-trak Marine Electronics Limited
The world’s first & only high powered priority transmit AIS Class B with integrated VHF antenna multi-plexer & CONNECT-AIS technology with the lowest power consumption. The B954 is the pinnacle of AIS Class B performance, reliability, unmatched installation & connectivity flexibility providing unrivalled AIS data & complete freedom to use the data with any display or navigation APP
Thanks, Anon, that sounds interesting. Hopefully Em-Trak will fill us in about product details before launch, but both of us will be at METS anyway. Incidentally, if you work for Em-Trak or any electronics company, it’s fine to comment here but we ask that you identify your affiliation.
https://panbo.com/panbo-commenting-tips-edit-policy/
Ben is my information, I don’t know I was not logged in when I sent this information.
I read the information at:
https://www.metstrade.com/innovation/new-products/
Thanks, Christopher, and sorry for the misunderstanding. Here’s a direct link to the em-trak B954 (and B200) that will debut at METS:
https://www.metstrade.com/innovation/new-products/?search=Em-Trak
Also — for readers who don’t notice the link — your marine electronics operation in Poland is looking good (as usual):
http://el-marine.com/
Good ideas Dan. It would be ideal if it were in an existing standard message like 24 so MFD’s could do as you suggest. But it’s not presently. And we’ve been thinking about stuff sort-of like this too. I don’t think it would be appreciated to send periodic msg 14 broadcasts but we could do some private things to communicate between Vesper units to give you more info about other targets and perhaps some additional automation.
1) Yea, getting it into message 24 would be ideal. In the highly regulated telecom industry, we have gradually repurposed parts of fields in the original protocols to gain new feature functionality, the phase-in has taken years.
Do we really need the six-character call sign for instance? How about sending the vendor ID serial number only once an hour or once a day instead of every 6 minutes?
2) A Vesper-Vesper solution wouldn’t be enough. As the future potential owner of a Vesper solution, I would want a solution that reaches beyond the very few people with evolved/integrated AIS/VHF equipment.
It would be great if the extremely few vendors in this field could get together and propose a repurpose the transmission and AIS display of targets so that:
* Evolved/Integrated VHF/AIS systems could transmit the channels being listened too
* Non-integrated VHF/AIS systems (Legacy) could recognize the repurposed field.
* Owners of AIS displays (dedicated or inside MFD’s) of both Evolved and Legacy could see the AIS boat icon in such a way that the color or placing the VHF # inside the boat icon (or vhf # appearing after hovering cursor over the icon) ,could let the owner know that.
(i) That the displayed boat on AIS is capable of receiving a 1-1 DSC call (Vesper – Vesper, or otherwise)
(ii) That the displayed boat is more likely to receive a broadcast hail on the listed VHF #. (more likely = vhf tuned to channel and volume is well above zero or near zero)
A Vesper-Vesper solution, such as using a different VHF channel to send an augmented position report, would fall so far short of what the industry could accomplish in the above, wouldn’t you agree?
Does this thing have Bluetooth and if it does will it integrate with the various MOB Bluetooth devices?
I asked this of Vesper and they don’t have any plans to implement support of Bluetooth MOB devices at this time. But, I believe there are Bluetooth radios in the device making that a possible enhancement if there’s demand.
While my wife is a 50% share of our cruising team, she does not get excited about gadgets and electronic do-dads for the boat. She usually nods politely when I blather on about something while she stares off blankly. She was heading to the Annapolis show with a friend and I ask her to look for Vesper, to get some impressions.
Later, she texts me, “Want one!”
When she gets back, she had to breathlessly explain everything about it- from anchor watch, AIS and VHF wireless, to “No squelch! You don’t need a Squelch knob!” For comparison, the most I usually elicit from prospective purchases is, “Ok, that would be nice.”
So, she is demanding to know, what is the ETA?
nice product, love the handset look…however, am I correct in assuming my current XB8000, connected to Axiom Pro, will be obsolete? At the price I can’t see many takers amongst us hack boaters!
No worries, Nigel, I don’t think that Vesper has any intention of dropping the XB-8000 (and I think it would keep working fine even if they did).
Cortex does have all the features of the XB-8000 and Vision2 smartAIS series, plus a lot more, but I suspect that it will be a slow burn in the marketplace. I don’t think it’s the cost — which isn’t crazy if you compare it with a quality multistation VHF and Class B/SO AIS, plus a monitoring system — but it’s so different from familiar VHF radios and many boaters are conservative about such things. I may be wrong, and I certainly think that Vesper put a ton of smart thinking into the Cortex design, but time will tell.
Thank you Ben, the point is that I only this year fitted the XB8000 for nearly AUD$2000,so I’d have to sell it off. As an aside Raymarine Aust, tell me they dont support the XB anymore and have had issues, but won’t explain! Thanks and love the web site.
“Raymarine Aust, tell me they dont support the XB anymore and have had issues, but won’t explain!”
Well, that’s very hard to explain because there is no need for an AIS display brand to support any particular AIS source. All sources output AIS target info over NMEA 0183 using standard messages — by regulation, and certified — and many also output over NMEA 2000, again with standard messages. There have been a few problems over the years with displays that didn’t understand some messages properly, most recently from AIS MoB devices, but if the display messed up with one kind of AIS transceiver, it messed up with all.
So — any update on regulatory approvals? You can’t put it into a boat if you can’t buy it…
Hi Jerry,
We are as eager as you to get it out and on to boats, but as you point out there are a number of regulatory hoops we have to jump through first. The good news is its all going well and its still on track for availability Q1 2020.
Carl
Vesper Marine.
Re the regulatory approval:
BEN–very interesting that NAVICO got their combined VHF radio and AIS transponder approved. I had not noticed that. The price for the combined device is rather steep at $1,200.
WILLIAM–amateur radio repeaters may share one antenna for simultaneous transmit and receive, but that requires very specialized, very Hi-Q filters,. Also, the receiver and transmitter operate on single frequencies. This permits the filtering to be very sharply tuned to the single frequencies. Also these filters are mechanically quite large, particularly at 150-MHz. I don’t think you could fit them in the enclosure of a typical marine radio.
In the Marine VHF and AIS combination, the you’d need to keep the VHF transmitter out of the two AIS receivers. The VHF transmitter could be transmitting anywhere from 156 to 157.4-MHz, and the AIS receivers are listening on two frequencies (albeit close spaced). This is not the same as a single frequency receive and single frequency transmit as occurs with a repeater.
In the typical repeater, the transmitter path to the antenna goes through a deep notch filter to make sure the transmitter is not emitting any signal on the receiver frequency. The receiver path to the antenna also has a deep notch filter on the transmitter frequency, to further attenuate the transmitter signal. These filters are often in cascades of two or three to get the necessary attenuation.
The receiver for the repeater is built with excellent front-end selectivity and immunity to overload by strong signals. These characteristics are not usually found in VHF Marine Band radios, where the expectation is there won’t be any nearby transmitters.
In short, I don’t think the existence of amateur radio repeaters on the 144-MHz band sharing one antenna is sufficient to conclude that you could make a VHF Marine Band radio and an AIS transponder that could share one antenna and be able to have no effect when one is transmitting on the other. But, then again, maybe VESPER has some new technology to bring to this problem.
Jim, this subject has been beaten pretty thoroughly over the years 🙂 It’s clear Vesper is simply interrupting the voice transmitter for ~27ms to transmit the AIS beacon – a gap that is unlikely to be noticed on the voice channel. This is a singular advantage of the voice/AIS radio combination that is not available to other “combiners”. They can receive on both the voice channel and AIS channel(s) simultaneously, but the case NONE of them cover is having the AIS receiver active while the operator is talking on VHF voice. Unless the op is a windbag, however, this shouldn’t be a major problem 🙂
From Vesper earlier in the comments:
”
Something to note when discussing the single antenna… Cortex continues to transmit AIS even while you are talking on the VHF. It “interrupts” the VHF transmission with the regularly scheduled AIS transmissions (~27ms so not noticeable)
“
The single antenna problem with two multi-frequency TRANSCEIVERS is as follows:
–simultaneously RX on both receivers: no problem
–simultaneously TX on both transmitters: a problem, but can be done if as in the case of AIS the second transmitter is a very short duration burst that interrupts the first transmitter
–listen on one or two of the receivers while the one of the transmitters is transmitting: a problem, but can be done with a lot of filtering.
Again, in comparison to the earlier cited example of an Amateur Radio repeater using a common antenna, the topic under discussion here is quite different. There are two transmitters and three receivers trying to use the same antenna. And each transmitter can be on a variety of frequencies: the AIS transmitter hops between two channels and the VHF radio transmitter can be on a dozen frequencies. The three receivers are also listening to multiple frequencies. There are two AIS receivers listening to their dedicated channels, and the VHF Marine radio might be in scan mode using a dozen channels.
There is just no way for one antenna with a diplexer connected to two transmitters and three receivers to permit them all to have simultaneous use of the antenna when there are multiple frequencies., and fit it inside a small box.
With one antenna, when the VHF Marine radio is transmitting, the AIS transponder won’t be receiving–unless there is something really new and fancy being done.
I would be ready to replace my current VHF and AIS receiver by Cortex, should Cortex communicate AIS information to iPad Navionics. From what I have been able to find out, it does not seem to be the csa
Luis,
When it’s released I would expect that Cortex wouldn’t have any issues transmitting AIS info to Navionics. The current XB-8000 is able to so I would fully expect this will work on Cortex as well.
-Ben S.
Yes it certainly will, and not just AIS information. GPS and NMEA sensor data are also streamed over WiFi to third parry charting apps (including Navionics). As Ben points out, in much the same way our other smartAIS products do.
Carl
Vesper Marine
Thanks a lot Ben. It will certainly revolutionize the VHF/AIS market
Hey Ben
Any new information on timing of FCC certification on this? Vesper’s website says soon, but nothing else.
Len, In the Dec. 4 comment above Vesper Co-Founder Carl Omundsen was somewhat more specific:
“The good news is its all going well and its still on track for availability Q1 2020.”
These web sites:
http://www.allaboutais.com/index.php/en/standards/certification-and-testing-process
https://www.mussonmarine.com/laboratory/e9q6qvyj8z-automatic-identification-system-ais-testing.html
describe in general terms the certification process. To summarize, the manufacturer does their own internal testing, then has a third party organization perform testing for conformance to standards. That organization’s report is then sent to a “Notified Body” that has “the ability to award approvals on behalf of national marine bodies.”
Can you at least say where in the process the Cortex is?
We would very much like to put this system into a boat currently under construction in France; if it’s not available by March, we’ll probably wind up finding some other system, which would make me sad.
I’ve reached out to Vesper to see if there’s any further update they can provide. I suspect their ability to be much more precise may be limited since the dates are likely out of their control.
-Ben S.
Yeah Len & Jerry, Cortex is a complex product with a bunch of intentional RF radiators (AIS, VHF/DSC, WiFi, cellular) each with its own compliance standards and requirements. I’m happy to say we’ve completed all the major testing and begun production. And nearly all the external lab testing is also complete with the final remaining tests to be completed in the next few weeks. That’s followed by the administrative certification filings. You’re right Ben that final dates are indeed out of our control so still a bit reluctant to be definitive but we’re currently targeting first customer shipments for March.
– Jeff, Vesper Marine
Not surprising that Coronvirus has delayed Cortex at least a bit…
https://mailchi.mp/01d8366f7c18/the-road-to-launch-behind-the-scene-of-making-cortex-vhf?e=53699a75af
“We thought it’d be interesting to ask our customers – What’s the most exciting thing about Cortex?”
Well, actually being able to BUY it would be pretty exciting. 🙁
I know, lots of things not under your control, etc. etc. Still – it’s really frustrating.
Our new boat will, at least initially, have a B&G AIS — not because that’s what we want, but because they can deliver it.
I understand the frustration, Jerry, but imagine how it feels for a small company like Vesper to suddenly be working remotely just as they were about to complete a super ambitious new product.
Great to learn from the Vesper newsletter that Cortex received USCG approval a couple of weeks ago. That makes it “the world’s first VHF to be type approved by the USCG for AIS Class B SO-TDMA” and bodes well for FCC and CE approvals. They also write that “We have growing confidence that we will be shipping in July!” (at least to North America):
https://mailchi.mp/83f28e063d5c/zyge22orx1-4029677?e=53699a75af
Cool! Cortex is now type approved by USCG, FCC, CE, TC, and IC — in other words, worldwide — and “will start shipping to distributors late July”:
https://mailchi.mp/867742e29e67/zyge22orx1-4089481?e=53699a75af
Has anyone implemented this product yet, and are the results as good as the marketing implies?
Hi Andrzej, I understand that Cortex units have already been received by some U.S. distributors, and that I may receive a review unit this week. I’m completely ready to install it quickly and check it out. Also the manuals and various user guides are now online:
https://www2.vespermarine.com/cortex-v1-usa-can#downloads
https://support.vespermarine.com/hc/en-us/sections/360000302235-Cortex
Ben Stein just posted an interesting conversation with Vesper’s CTO, Carl Omundsen, and I added a comment about my first days of testing Cortex (it’s amazing)…
https://panbo.com/presenting-panbo-podcast/
I am very impressed by the Cortex product and have always liked Vespers technology. I do not have any AIS on my boat yet and previously considered the XB-8000. One feature I liked on the 8000 is it’s ability to be the client of my boats WiFi network. I have a high performance dual band WiFi router to connect multiple devices and share either marina WiFi (via Rogue Wave DB pro) or a Verizon jet pack. I also have a iKommunicate to get boat data on the network. This is great for my WiFi only iPads to get internet and boat data via one network. The Cortex manuals indicate it can only be an access point, not a client. I can understand this for reliable connection to the handset(s), but why not have a second WiFi radio that can be a client?
I’m disappointed about the Cortex WiFi options too, Howard, but…
1. It may be temporary, as there’s a rumor that “join boat network” may be an option added in an update.
2. I’m finding that the Cortext handset is so good at AIS awareness and collision avoidance that I may rarely run (the Cortex version of) the Watchmate app on my iPad. Which used to be the main way I used the XB8000’s ability to live on my boat WiFi network.
I have been testing Cortex for a while now too, and the WiFi setup definitely is something I’d like to see improved.
In particular for the boat monitoring and anchor alarm scenario. With the way it is now, you have to leave your phone or other device connected to the Cortex WiFi network in order to use those features via the app. That includes checking on your anchor alarm while laying in bed (I do it a lot in bad weather!) etc.
Since I already have an existing WiFi network that does a lot of other things, it really doesn’t work well to have to switch, or forget which one you’re on, etc.
I definitely hope there is an option in the future for this, but I also understand putting the handsets on some random WiFi network might also be risky, depending on how it is setup.
Steve, I’m looking at Vesper’s Anchor Watch screen — Wind and Depth included –on my phone right now, via the Cortex Monitoring app. I’m at home but could be in my berth on Gizmo.
But I’m thinking that the Cortex cordless handset is going to be great to have near a skipper’s berth in stinky weather. It has a nice version of the Anchor Watch, plus instrument data like Wind, plus VHF for weather or in case there’s trouble nearby. None of that is dependent on if your phone or tablet is online, and all functions are presented on a lovely touch/knob/button interface dedicated to the tasks. Oh, and those calm but clear audible warnings!
I am going to guess you have a review unit and not a unit purchased through a reseller? I purchased mine from a local reseller, and the remote LTE monitoring plans don’t seem to be ready to go yet. They show up on Vesper’s site at https://www2.vespermarine.com/cortex/plans but I have not been able to figure out a way to purchase one which would allow LTE monitoring.
That also would only work where the Cortex and your phone have service. I’m currently in a location that has marginal LTE service, so having the phone connect to the Cortex would have to be done via WiFi.
I also agree having a wireless handset would be a great option in the berth at night. I know those aren’t shipping in the US yet either, so hopefully one or the other will start being available so we can use them!
Right, Steve. I have a review V1 kit and the 3G/4G cell is working at my float in Camden, which didn’t happen with many 3G monitoring systems. I’ve got the handset so I can move the power connection to the flybridge as needed (and more easily imagine how nice would be to also have a battery-powered handset that works just like it).
Steve, I’m not at all sure that my review Cortex is any different than what you bought. Both components did get updates once I got them fully operational and the Monitoring app simply had me establish a Vesper account than opened up in the Premium plan for a 90-day trial. I think that’s what every new owner is supposed to experience.
Ah I overlooked the fact that there are TWO different apps for Cortex. One named Onboard, which I’ve been using locally, and one named Monitor which is where you can activate the remote monitoring service, access boat data remotely, etc.
After downloading Monitor and rebooting the hub unit to get it to connect to the Cloud, things are showing up in the Monitor app and working fine. My existing anchor alarm (I’m anchored currently) wasn’t showing up, but weighing anchor and dropping it again got everything into sync.
Good to hear, Steve. I’m guessing that Vesper made it two apps because the functions are so different and because the monitoring could add confusion to the central AIS collision avoidance features on the Onboard app.
Howard, I’m happy to confirm that the Cortex hub is capable of being a WiFi access point and joining a boat WiFi network at the same time, and Vesper is working on the implementation details now. It may be, for instance, that all or at least one of the handsets has to be WiFi connected to the hub in case of issues with the boat router that’s not really part of the system. I’ll add that so far the handset is working at both my helms with very clear audio and fast data refresh speeds, like it was connected to the hub with an Ethernet cable.
At any rate, it sounds like you (and I) will be able to do what we want in terms of using apps with Cortex over our boat routers, and that feature may come soon, though nothing guaranteed.
Ben, this is great news! Thank you for the update.
Really interesting product. I’ve loved my Vesper Vision while never having much love for any VHF radio. VHF controls and interfaces all seem to be designed by engineers who learned their stuff 40 years ago.
I’ve never had a VHF mike that could be misplaced because it’s connected to the navstation with a curly wire. Find the wire and you’ve found the mike that fell off the clip.
Where do you keep the Cortex handset underway? In a pocket or on a lanyard? Or at the navstation? Are you worried that it could fall and break the gorilla glass like so many of my cell phones?
Does the handset pick up more wind noise outside or engine noise than a typical VHF mike? And no squelch control? Does that really work with different strength signals?
Great questions, and here is some additional context for some of them.
We strongly recommend that at least one handset is an H1 (tethered with a curly cable), which is why the Cortex V1 package comes with the H1. The portable option, the H1P, might be used standalone in some installs, but we recommend in this case that your existing VHF be kept as a redundant backup. The splitter on the M1 is designed to facilitate this, and is failsafe i.e. will allow the AUX VHF to pass even if the M1 loses power.
Each handset comes with a cradle for mounting on a bulkhead or in the cockpit. The H1P comes with two, one for charging and another for an additional mounting position. The cradle is designed to accommodate a railblaza mount with standard railblaza hardware. The H1P also has a lanyard option, and given its portable, there are times where, for example, placing it in the breast pocket of a jacket makes sense and its certainly small enough for this.
Our drop testing was performed with pass criteria of 1.6m (higher than the norm of 0.9m). Its fair to say that although the screen is not indestructible, the housing design coupled with the Gorilla glass outperforms a typical smart phone.
We found the normal squelch knob on a fixed mount VHF would confuse most users and the control resolution offered is somewhat misleading. A VHF will typically have about 9dB of freedom when it comes to squelch (-107dBm to -116dBm), below that and you are really just open. So we have broken it into 3 steps of 3dB – from low sensitivity, normal to high sensitivity (and open) all available from the VHF screen settings menu. The jury is out if this is enough for most users, and we are watching with interest.
Carl
Vesper
It looks like this can pass NMEA 2000/0183 over Wifi. Is it over TCP or UDP. If TCP only could it in the future go over UDP?
Thanks
Its currently over TCP. I’m curious about the need for UDP, how will you want to use it Joe?
Carl
Vesper
Hey Carl, I had this vision of taking the Sailmon MAX between my dinghy and sporty 24′ keelboat having the Cortex passing NMEA boat speed, wind and depth info to it and a tablet so only really needing the Vesper permanently hooked to the boat. I like the integration and simplifying in a sporty sailboat and not having to buy an entire electronics package for a small boat.
My understanding is that UDP is less restrictive on the number of concurrent devices tapping into the dat stream, where as TCP requires a one to one relationship.
On another note, I have installed Cortex and I’ve noticed that the Cortex Monitor App (Android v1.6.20 -v114) and prior versions looses connection to the hub for several hours at a time. I think that I was on board at one point and noticed the hub either power off or go to sleep mode. Is this common to others or unique to my situation. The hub is connected to an always-on power source and the battery has never been below 75%. Any ideas regarding this behavior?
no, UDP has less error control embedded in it TCP/IP uses error correction to discard ‘broken’ packets of data, and has more flexibility in managing the order in which packets are recieved. Both are part of ‘OSI’ network model – meaning that both TCP/ip and UDP are used on a network – wired or wifi.
UDP is generally considered faster and more simple to recieve – though the software further up the model needs to be able manage corrupted data better.
Re going to sleep,. afraid I cant comment on this, byond noting that many IOT hubs might go into a low power/hybernate for power saving. It might not be in full power down mode – just the expensive (in power terms) wifi might have gone offline – until it detects a request?
Sorry that I’m still working on my Vesper Cortex review, but there’s so much good to describe. And Vesper just announced some new features that are “just around the corner”:
https://mailchi.mp/0d8843083199/cortex-new-feature-roadmap-free-giveaway?e=53699a75af
Oh the woes of mergers and acquisitions… I have a Cortex, software is decent, roadmap looked promising, hardware (handsets in particular) are terrible. The wireless handset charge contacts corrode after only a week of use, the wired handsets fair just as well, the wire strain relief pull out from the boot (rubber shrinkage?) Hardware is hard?
Also note, since around April 2022, the Vesper Support has turned into Garmin Support and it’s been all around confusing. Seems like there’s not a lot of available support people for Vesper products. It’s been about 3 months trying to get a new handset to replace one that died (power issue) and a fix for the “Premium Monitoring” (their LTE/4G modem that reports instrument data as well as allows for control of GPIO) It’s basically trash, the updates are supposed to be realtime, constant 1 minute updates but all i get are constant “Cortex Offline” “Cortex Online’ notifications on my phone. The Cortex has excellent LTE coverage (it’s in the city)
Hoping they get their s together.