Alltek Marine is bringing its new B620 and B650 AIS Class B transponder families to IBEX in Tampa on 6–8 October. For a 12–23.99m yacht, choosing between the two involves the transmission standard, antenna arrangement and connections to existing helm displays.
Two AIS transmission types
The B620 uses 2W CSTDMA Class B technology, while the B650 offers 5W SOTDMA operation. The maker describes quicker reports and longer reach for its 5W range, but AIS remains one aid to navigation rather than a replacement for watchkeeping.
The B620 family has configurations with Wi-Fi, an antenna splitter or both. Those features matter where a yacht has limited aerial positions or needs data on a tablet as well as a dedicated plotter.
Integration on a cruising yacht
The manufacturer specifies NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 connections as well as USB, depending on model. An installer must still check the actual display’s supported messages, cable protection, power supplies and radio installation before selecting a transponder.
Class B equipment is not automatically appropriate for every vessel or trading situation. Flag and operating rules need to be checked independently if a yacht is commercially operated.
What IBEX visitors can review
Alltek says the two product families will be central to its booth 3-338 presentation. Builders and refit teams can examine enclosure design, available configurations and the practical implications of a shared VHF antenna.
The company’s August show announcement and its product specifications are the sources for this report. No performance claim is attributed to an installed yacht or independent sea trial.
Official sources: primary reference 1, primary reference 2, primary reference 3. This article is independently written by Luxury Yacht Guide.
