Expedition Navigation Software 
1 of 1- firestorm
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Offline - Registered: 4/07/2017
- Posts: 27
Missing AIS and Boat position on map
Hello All,
Suddenly I can't see any AIS data on the map. So no ships and not even the position of my own boat.
I'm using a VesperAIS that outputs data via USB to one of the inputs on my ThinkPad Dock. Input to Expedition is via a com port. The Vesper also outputs NMEA 0183 to my multiplexer and the USB output is also conneted to the ThinkPad Dock and enters Expedition via another com port. As a side note Vesper AIS data is also output over the NMEA 2000 bus.
Normally under Instruments I used to select Vespers com port as a GPS Source which results in displaying my boat and at the same time other ships AIS data. At the moment neither my boat or any other data is shown. Monitoring the raw data from Vesper's com port shows that a lot of data is coming in, but is not displayed. Toggling AIS under Instruments doesn' show any difference.
Changing to the MPX outputs com port, I'm getting the position of my boat and AIS data of other ships. The thing is that the MPX is in constant overload by all the AIS data. Therefore I prefer to use the Vesper's com port which is more stable and complete (boat names and such) in providing AIS data.
What could be wrong, or what am I overlooking?
Last edited by firestorm (10/05/2025 8:51 am)
- firestorm
- Expert
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- Registered: 4/07/2017
- Posts: 27
Re: Missing AIS and Boat position on map
BTW I am aware that only GPS source should be used. Pulling the NMEA plug on the Vesper does not make a difference.
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Thread Starter- Nick
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- Registered: 9/16/2015
- Posts: 3,261
Re: Missing AIS and Boat position on map
Does the data in the raw data window look as expected?
Do you have the required NMEA senetenecs selected to be received?
- firestorm
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- Registered: 4/07/2017
- Posts: 27
Re: Missing AIS and Boat position on map
Hi Nick,
The port settings open in AIS Options. Since these were looking familiar to me, I assumed the corresponding NMEA 0183 settings were also as they should be. However they were not and I should have checked, since GGA, GLL, GSA and VDM were unchecked. Strangely enough the barometer MMB was still checked. I'm puzzled why these settings have changed. Any way I'm happy. Thanks for the help.
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Thread Starter- NoRay
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- Registered: 1/18/2019
- Posts: 44
Re: Missing AIS and Boat position on map
Hi, I had a different, but at the same time similar issue. After a recent update I too did not have AIS anymore. In my setup, the Vesper XB8000 connects to my network over wifi,and has so for years now. For some reason after the update its network setting in Exp had changed from TCP to UDP. Changing it back solved it. No idea why it had changed.
- firestorm
- Expert
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- Registered: 4/07/2017
- Posts: 27
Re: Missing AIS and Boat position on map
I also have the Vesper XB8000. There are many options to distill AIS and position from this unit. My Sailmon processor gets position data over NMEA 2000, the Serial/Power connector provides NMEA 0183 to a com port, USB to com port - my preference cause it eases the load on the NMEA MPX and ofcourse WiFi. As we say in The Netherlands, many roads lead to Rome. I sort of understand why it changes the input, but can't understand why it changes input settings.
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Thread Starter