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NSPL-400
AIS/VHF antenna splitter
User Manual
ENGLISH
www.bandg.com | www.simrad-yachting.com | www.lowrance.com
Page 2
Preface
As Navico is continuously improving
this product, we retain the right to make
changes to the product at any time which
may not be reflected in this version of
the manual. Please contact your nearest
distributor if you require any further
assistance.
It is the owner’s sole responsibility to install
and use the antenna splitter in a manner
that will not cause accidents, personal
injury or property damage. The user of this
product is solely responsible for observing
safe boating practices.
NAVICO HOLDING AS AND ITS
SUBSIDIARIES, BRANCHES AND AFFILIATES
DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY USE
OF THIS PRODUCT IN A WAY THAT MAY
CAUSE ACCIDENTS, DAMAGE OR THAT MAY
VIOLATE THE LAW.
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 Navico Holding AS.
Warranty
The warranty card is supplied as a separate
document.
About this manual
Meet the technical standards in accordance
with Part 15.103 of the FCC rules
• comply with CE under EMC directive
2004/108/EC
• comply with the requirements of level
2 devices of the Radiocommunications
(Electromagnetic Compatibility)
standard 2008
For more information, please refer to the
brand web sites:
www.bandg.com
www.Lowrance.com
www.simrad-yachting.com
Governing Language: This statement,
any instruction manuals, user guides and
other information relating to the product
(Documentation) may be translated to,
or has been translated from, another
language (Translation). In the event of
any conflict between any Translation of
the Documentation, the English language
version will be the official version of the
Documentation.
This manual represents the product as at
the time of printing. Navico Holding AS
and its subsidiaries, branches and affiliates
reserve the right to make changes to
specifications without notice.
Important text that requires special
attention from the reader is emphasized as
follows:
¼ Note: Used to draw the reader’s atten-
tion to a comment or other important
information.
Warning: Used when necessary to
warn personnel that they should proceed
carefully to prevent risk of injury to personnel or damage to equipment.
| NSPL-400 User Manual
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Contents
4 Notices
4 Safety warnings
4 General notices
4 Compass safe distance
4 RF emissions notice
5 Warranty
5 Disposal of this product and packaging
6 About your AIS/VHF antenna splitter
6 About AIS
7 What’s in the box?
8 Electrical connections
9 Installation
9 Preparing for installation
9 VHF antenna
9 VHF radio
10 AIS transceiver
10 FM radio
10 Power cable
10 Installation procedures
2 |
16 Operation
16 Indicator functions
17 Troubleshooting
18 Specications
Contents | NSPL-400 User Manual
Page 4
Table of gures
7 Figure 1 Items included with the product
8 Figure 2 AIS/VHF antenna splitter overview
9 Figure 3 Typical installation configuration
11 Figure 4 NSPL-400 dimensions
12 Figure 5 NSPL-400 mounting
12 Figure 6 Position of the VHF antenna connector
13 Figure 7 Position of the VHF radio connector
14 Figure 8 Position of the AIS transceiver connector
15 Figure 9 Connecting the power supply and optional
FM output
16 Figure 10 Indicator location on the NSPL-400 unit
Contents | NSPL-400 User Manual
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1
Notices
When reading this manual please pay particular attention to warnings marked with the warning triangle. These are important messages for safety, installation and usage of the product.
Safety warnings
Warning: This equipment must be installed in accordance
with the instructions provided in this manual.
Warning: Only use this AIS/VHF antenna splitter in
conjunction with an approved AIS Class B transceiver or receiver
purchased from a reputable supplier.
Warning: Do not install this equipment in a flammable
atmosphere such as in an engine room or near to fuel tanks.
General notices
Compass safe distance
The compass safe distance of this unit is 0.5 m or greater for 0.3°
deviation.
4 |
RF emissions notice
The information provided in this section assumes the NSPL-400 is
connected to an AIS Class B transceiver.
The warnings regarding RF emissions provided in the manual for the
VHF radio being used with the NSPL-400 should also be noted prior
to installation of the NSPL-400.
¼ Note: The NSPL-400 generates and radiates radio frequency electro-
magnetic energy. This equipment must be installed and operated
according to the instructions contained in this manual. Failure to do
so can result in personal injury and/or the malfunction of the NSPL400 and/or the AIS transceiver it is connected to.
¼ Note: Never operate the NSPL-400 unless it is connected to a VHF
antenna.
To maximise performance and minimise human exposure to radio
Notices | NSPL-400 User Manual
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frequency electromagnetic energy you must make sure that the
antenna is mounted at least 1.5 m away from the NSPL-400 and is
connected to the NSPL-400 before power is applied.
The system has a Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) radius of 1.5
m. This has been determined assuming the maximum power of the
AIS transceiver and using antennas with a maximum gain of 3 dBi.
The antenna should be mounted 3.5 m above the deck in order to
meet RF exposure requirements. Higher gain antennas will require a
greater MPE radius. Do not operate the unit when anyone is within
the MPE radius of the antenna (unless they are shielded from the antenna field by a grounded metallic barrier). The antenna should not
be co-located or operated in conjunction with any other transmitting antenna. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms.
Warranty
This product is supplied with standard warranty as defined in the
accompanying warranty information.
Warning: Any attempt to tamper with or damage the
product will invalidate the warranty.
Disposal of this product and packaging
Please dispose of the NSPL-400 in accordance with the European
WEEE Directive or with the applicable local regulations for disposal
of electrical equipment.
Every effort has been made to ensure the packaging for this product
is recyclable. Please dispose of the packaging in an environmentally
friendly manner.
NSPL-400
Notices | NSPL-400 User Manual
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2
About your AIS/VHF antenna splitter
About AIS
The marine Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a location and
vessel information reporting system. It allows vessels equipped with
AIS to automatically and dynamically share and regularly update
their position, speed, course and other information such as vessel
identity with similarly equipped vessels. Position is derived from the
Global Positioning System (GPS) and communication between vessels is by Very High Frequency (VHF) digital transmissions.
There are a number of types of AIS device as follows:
• Class A transceivers. These are similar to class B transceivers but
are designed to be fitted to large vessels such as cargo ships and
large passenger vessels. Class A transceivers transmit at a higher VHF
signal power than class B transceivers and therefore can be received
by more distant vessels, and also transmit more frequently. Class A
transceivers are mandatory on all vessels over 300 gross tonnes on
international voyages and certain types of passenger vessels under
the SOLAS mandate.
• Class B transceivers. Similar to class A transceivers in many ways,
but are normally lower cost due to the less stringent performance
requirements. Class B transceivers transmit at a lower power and at a
lower reporting rate than class A transceivers.
• AIS base stations. AIS base stations are used by Vessel Traffic Sys-
tems to monitor and control the transmissions of AIS transceivers.
• Aids to Navigation (AtoN) transceivers. AtoNs are transceivers
mounted on buoys or other hazards to shipping which transmit
details of their location to the surrounding vessels.
• AIS receivers. AIS receivers will generally receive transmissions
from class A transceivers, class B transceivers, AtoNs and AIS base stations but do not transmit any information about the vessel on which
they are installed.
Because VHF radios and AIS devices operate within the same frequency range and therefore require the same type of VHF antenna it
is possible to utilise a single VHF antenna for both devices by using
an AIS/VHF antenna splitter.
The NSPL-400 is designed to work primarily with AIS class B transceivers, although it will operate equally well with AIS receivers.
6 |
About your AIS/VHF antenna splitter | NSPL-400 User Manual
Page 8
Warning: This AIS/VHF antenna splitter must not be used
with Class A transceivers, Aids to Navigation transceivers or AIS
base stations.
What’s in the box?
Figure 1 shows the items included with your NSPL-400 purchase.
The following sections give a brief overview of each item. Please
ensure all items are present and if any of the items are not present
contact your dealer.
NSPL-400
Product manual
Product manual
Product CD
Screws
Screws
(packet of 4)
(packet of 4)
Power and FM Radio cable
Power and FM Radio cable
Warranty
Warranty
information
information
Accessory cables (x2)
Accessory cables (x2)
Figure 1 Items included with the product
• Product manual
The product manual is this document and should be read thoroughly prior to any attempt to install or use the NSPL-400.
• VHF radio connection cable
This cable is used to connect a VHF radio to the NSPL-400. The cable
has PL259 connectors at either end and requires a SO239 connector
on the VHF radio. If your VHF radio does not have a SO239 connector please contact your dealer for details of suitable adaptors.
• AIS transceiver connection cable
This cable is used to connect a Class-B AIS transceiver, such as the
NAIS-400 to the NSPL-400. The cable has a BNC connector at one
About your AIS/VHF antenna splitter | NSPL-400 User Manual
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Page 9
end (for connection to the NSPL-400) and a PL259 connection at the
opposite end (for connection to the AIS transceiver).
• NSPL-400 AIS/VHF antenna splitter unit
Figure 2 shows an overview of the NSPL-400 unit.
The NSPL-400 has a number of indicators which provide information
to the user about the status of the NSPL-400. Please refer to section
4 for more details of the indicator functions.
The NSPL-400 mounting holes are located as shown in Figure 2.
Please refer to the Installation procedure section for details of how
to mount the NSPL-400.
• Power and FM cable
The power and FM cable connects to the NSPL-400 and enables
connection to power and an FM radio antenna input.
Electrical connections
The NSPL-400 has the following electrical connections as shown in
Figure 2.
• Power supply
• VHF antenna connector
• VHF radio connector
• AIS transceiver connector
• FM radio connector
8 |
Indicator lights
Indicator lights
Green Yellow Yellow
Green Yellow Yellow
(Power) (AIS TX) (VHF TX)
(Power) (AIS TX) (VHF TX)
VHF antenna
VHF antenna
Mounting holes
Power and FM Radio
Power and FM Radio
Mounting holes
Mounting holesMounting holes
Figure 2 AIS/VHF antenna splitter overview
About your AIS/VHF antenna splitter | NSPL-400 User Manual
VHF radio
VHF radio
AIS transceiver
AIS transceiver
Page 10
3
Installation
Preparing for installation
Figure 3 shows a typical installation configuration for the NSPL-400.
Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the system elements
and their connections prior to attempting installation.
VHF antenna
GPS antenna
GPS antenna
NMEA 0183
Chartplotter
Chartplotter
Power in
NMEA0183
device
device
VHF radio
VHF radio
NAIS-400
NAIS-400
Power in
Switch
Switch
USB
USB
NMEA 2000
NMEA 2000
Figure 3 Typical installation conguration
NSPL-400
NSPL-400
VHF antenna
Power in
Power in
FM radio
FM radio
In addition to the items provided with your NSPL-400 the following
items will be required for installation:
VHF antenna
Connection to a suitable VHF antenna will be required for the NSPL400 to operate. A standard marine band VHF antenna such as that
used with VHF voice radios will be sufficient. Please take note of the
warnings in section 1 regarding the use of antennas.
VHF radio
If you have an existing VHF voice radio connected directly to a VHF
antenna, you can disconnect the VHF radio from the VHF antenna
and connect them both to the relevant connectors on the NSPL-
400.
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
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Page 11
AIS transceiver
If you have an existing AIS transceiver connected directly to a VHF
antenna, you can disconnect the AIS transceiver from the VHF
antenna and connect them both to the relevant connectors on the
NSPL-400.
It is necessary to connect the VHF antenna, VHF radio and AIS transceiver for the antenna splitter to function correctly.
FM radio
The NSPL-400 also provides connections for the antenna of an FM
broadcast radio receiver. Connection of an FM radio is optional.
Power cable
The NSPL-400 is supplied with a two meter long power cable. If you
require longer cables to reach your power supply please ensure the
cables are capable of carrying currents of up to 200mA on average.
Means of connecting the cables together will also be required. The
use of ScotchlokTM connectors is recommended for this purpose.
Installation procedures
Before beginning installation of your NSPL-400, please ensure you
have the necessary additional items as detailed in the previous section Preparing for installation. It is strongly recommended that
you read all of the instructions in this manual prior to installation.
If after reading this manual you are unsure about any element of the
installation process, please contact your dealer for advice.
The following sections explain the installation process step by step
for each of the main elements of the system.
10 |
Step 1 - Installing the NSPL-400
Please note the following guidelines when selecting a location for
your NSPL-400:
• The NSPL-400 must be fitted in a location where it is at least 0.5 m
from a compass or any magnetic device.
• There should be adequate space around the NSPL-400 for routing of
cables. See Figure 4 for details of the NSPL-400 dimensions.
• The ambient temperature around the NSPL-400 should be main-
tained between -25°C and +55°C.
• The NSPL-400 should not be located in a flammable or hazardous
atmosphere such as in an engine room or near to fuel tanks.
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
Page 12
• The NSPL-400 is fully waterproof to ingress protection rating IPx7,
however it is recommended that the NSPL-400 is not subjected to
extended periods of exposure to spray or submersion.
• It is acceptable to mount the NSPL-400 either vertically or horizon-
tally.
• The VHF antenna splitter must be installed in a ‘below decks’ envi-
ronment.
• The NSPL-400 should be mounted in a location where the indicators
are readily visible as these provide important information on the
status of the NSPL-400.
47 mm
135 mm
152 mm
Figure 4 NSPL-400 dimensions
52 mm
98 mm
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
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Figure 5 NSPL-400 mounting
Step 2 - Connecting the VHF antenna
Route the cable from the VHF antenna to the NSPL-400 and connect
to the VHF antenna connector on the NSPL-400 as shown in Figure
6.
A standard marine band VHF antenna or AIS antenna should be
used with the NSPL-400. The connector type on the NSPL-400 is
SO239. Your chosen VHF antenna requires a PL259 connector to
mate with this. If your VHF antenna does not use this type of connector please contact your dealer for details of available adaptors.
12 |
VHF antenna
Figure 6 Position of the VHF antenna connector
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
VHF radio
VHF radio
AIS transceiver
AIS transceiverVHF antenna
Page 14
Step 3 - Connecting the VHF radio
Using the VHF radio accessory cable provided with this product,
route the cable from the VHF radio to the NSPL-400 and connect to
the VHF radio connector on the NSPL-400 as shown in Figure 7. If
the cable supplied is not long enough please contact your dealer
for details of suitable extension cables.
A standard marine band VHF voice radio should be used with the
NSPL-400. The antenna splitter is DSC compatible.
AIS transceiverVHF antenna
VHF antenna
VHF radio
VHF radio
AIS transceiver
Figure 7 Position of the VHF radio connector
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
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Page 15
Step 4 - Connecting the AIS transceiver
Using the AIS transceiver accessory cable provided with this product, route the cable from the AIS transceiver to the NSPL-400 and
connect to the AIS transceiver connector on the NSPL-400 as
shown in Figure 8. If the cable supplied is not long enough please
contact your dealer for details of suitable extension cables.
A fully approved marine AIS class B transceiver, such as the NAIS400, or AIS receiver should be used with the NSPL-400 and requires
a SO239 VHF antenna connector to connect to the NSPL-400 using
the supplied accessory cable.
14 |
VHF antenna
Figure 8 Position of the AIS transceiver connector
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
VHF radio
VHF radio
AIS transceiver
AIS transceiverVHF antenna
Page 16
Step 5 - Connecting the power supply and optional FM output
The NSPL-400 requires a 12 V or 24 V power supply typically provided by the vessel’s battery. It is recommended that crimped
and soldered lugs are used to connect the NSPL-400 to the power
source. It is recommended that the power supply is connected via a
suitable circuit breaker and/or 1A fuse block.
1. Connect the red wire to the power supply positive terminal.
2. Connect the black wire to the supply negative terminal.
3. Connect the FM connector to the FM radio antenna input.
Red
Red
Black
Black
Green
White
Blue
Green
White
Blue
Power in +
Power in +
Power in –
Power in -
FM ground
FM ground
FM output
FM output
FM ground
FM ground
Figure 9 Connecting the power supply and optional FM output
¼ Note: If the FM connector is not used, please ensure the connector
is set aside and insulated from making contact with any electrical
sources. Alternatively, the connector can be cut away, but ensure the
Green, White and Blue wires are separately insulated.
Installation | NSPL-400 User Manual
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Page 17
4
Operation
Operation of the NSPL-400 is automatic and requires no user intervention. During operation the antenna splitter will share signals
received at your VHF antenna with both the AIS transceiver and the
VHF radio.
When either the AIS transceiver or VHF radio transmits, the NSPL-400
will automatically sense the transmission and route the signal to the
antenna.
If both a VHF radio and AIS transceiver are transmitting at the same
time, the NSPL-400 will give priority to the VHF radio.
Warning: It is not possible for both connected devices to
transmit simultaneously using a single VHF antenna. When
talking on the VHF radio, AIS position reports are not transmitted.
Indicator functions
The NSPL-400 includes three coloured indicators as shown in Figure
10. The state of the indicators provides information regarding the
status of the NSPL-400.
Indicator lights
Indicator lights
Green Yellow Yellow
Green Yellow Yellow
(Power) (AIS TX) (VHF TX)
(Power) (AIS TX) (VHF TX)
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Figure 10 Indicator location on the NSPL-400 unit
The indicators provide the following functions:
• Power - this indicator is illuminated whilst the unit is powered
• TX AIS - this indicator flashes to indicate AIS transmissions
• TX VHF - this indicator flashes to indicate VHF radio transmissions
¼ Note: TX AIS and TX VHF LEDs may both illuminate when the NSPL-
400 is used with some brands of VHF radio at high output power
(25 W) setting. This is normal behavior and does not indicate a fault.
Operation | NSPL-400 User Manual
Page 18
5
Troubleshooting
Issue Possible cause and remedy
Power indicator not
illuminated
‘VHF’ indicator does
not illuminate when
VHF Radiotelephone is
transmitting
‘AIS’ indicator does
not illuminate when
AIS transceiver is
transmitting
Clicks or pops
are heard from
a connected FM
broadcast receiver
VHF or AIS
transmission range is
reduced
Both the ‘AIS’ and ‘VHF’
indicators illuminate
when the VHF radio is
transmitting
Check power supply connections and fuse
or circuit breaker
Check polarity of power supply connections
Check power supply voltage
Check the antenna output of the VHF
Radiotelephone is connected to the antenna
splitter input labelled ‘VHF’
Check the antenna output of the AIS
transceiver is connected to the antenna
splitter input labelled ‘AIS’
This is normal and may occur during VHF or
AIS transmission
A small reduction in transmission range is
normal and due to the insertion loss of the
antenna splitter
This is normal operation with some brands
of VHF radio and not a fault. Function of the
antenna splitter is unaffected
If the guidance given in the table above does not rectify the problem you are experiencing please contact your dealer for further
assistance.
Troubleshooting | NSPL-400 User Manual
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Page 19
6
Specications
Parameter Value
Dimensions 152 x 98 x 52 mm (L x W x H)
Weight 260 g
Voltage supply DC 9.6 to 31.2 V
Current consumption <150 mA at 12 VDC
VHF and AIS frequency range 156 MHz to 163 MHz
Insertion loss AIS & VHF receive paths
0 dB
Insertion loss AIS & VHF transmit paths <1 dB
Max input power, AIS port 12.5 W
Max input power, VHF port 25 W
Min input power, VHF port 100 mW
AIS, VHF and Antenna port impedance 50 Ohms
FM port impedance 75 Ohms
Switching time, receive to AIS transmit <10 us
Switching time, receive to VHF
transmit
Operating temperature: -25ºC to +55ºC
Ingress protection IPx7
0 dB
<10 us
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Specications | NSPL-400 User Manual
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*988-10379-001*
201-0318 NSPL-400 Product Manual
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