I have had the earlier model Gx2150b for three years now. I bought it from Hodges marine in the US, paying the extra for the command mic. To date, despite all the offshore sailing I do out of Newcastle - the busiest coal port in the world - I have not connected it to a chart plotter, so have never used the AIS (Might do so sooner or later! It could be very handy?). Oh, the AIS will not work until it is connected to an external GPS.
In all, the Standard Horizon is not a bad unit for the price. The VHF works fine, though for some of the remote locations I end up in, to recieve weaker signals clearer, I do regret not going all out and buying the top of the shelf Icom 604. Icom also make a 506 with AIS. If you are on a budget and just want the convenience of recieving commercial shiping positions and using the information like radar with warnings etc, the Standard Horizon is a good buy.
Either way, the Ram Second Station/Command Mic is something I highly recommend. Sailing, it is so much easier to have this at the helm and the main unit protected in the cabin. With the Standard Horizon Ram Station, make sure you keep Inox or similar up to the bulkhead connection. Mine corroded and the main unit started turning itself on and off at random. Since giving it a regular spray, I have never had a problem.
I have purchased a couple of times now from Hodges without a problem and fast delivery. Their prices are excellent. To maximise value, with the more expensive US postage, it is worth buying a couple of things under the $1,000 import duty threshold. It is no problem to read the instructions for the Standard Horizon and change the channels from US to International. The Icoms do the same.
www.hodgesmarine.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=stagx2200b+standard+horizon+matrix+fixed+mount+vhf+wais www.hodgesmarine.com/Standard-Horizon-Gx2150b-Class-D-25w-Matrix-Ais-p/stagx2150b.htm www.hodgesmarine.com/Standard-Horizon-Ram3-Second-Station-Mic-Black-p/stacmp30b.htm www.hodgesmarine.com/Icom-M604a-Vhf-Radio-Hailer-Rx-Repeat-Fog-Horn-3-p/icom604a41.htm www.hodgesmarine.com/Icom-M506-Vhf-Fixed-Mount-W-Rear-Mic-Ais-Nmea-p/icom50641.htm www.hodgesmarine.com/Icom-Commandmic-Iv-Black-p/icohm195b.htm
