Furuno, FA-100 CLASS A AIS

The Furuno FA-100 is a Class A shipborne AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponder designed to exchange real-time navigation and vessel data between ships and coastal stations. It is an IMO-compliant system used mainly on commercial vessels for collision avoidance and maritime safety.

Technical Specification

⚙️ GENERAL

Parameter	Specification
AIS Type	Class A Universal AIS (IMO compliant)
Standards	IMO MSC.74(69), ITU-R M.1371-1, IEC 61993-2, IEC 60945
Function	Ship-to-ship & ship-to-shore AIS communication
Reporting capacity	Up to ~2250 reports/min (single channel), 4500 (dual)
Display	Built-in LCD display

📡 AIS / RF SPECIFICATIONS

Parameter	Specification
Frequency range	156.025 – 162.025 MHz
Channel operation	Dual channel AIS (CH87B / CH88B)
Output power	2 W / 12.5 W selectable
Modulation	TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)
Bandwidth	25 kHz / 12.5 kHz
DSC Receiver	Channel 70 (156.525 MHz)

🛰️ GPS RECEIVER

Parameter	Specification
Type	Built-in GPS receiver
Channels	12-channel parallel tracking
Frequency	1575.42 MHz (L1, C/A code)
Accuracy	~10 m (HDOP ≤ 4)
Function	Provides UTC sync, position, SOG, COG
Backup	Works as backup if external GPS fails

🔌 INTERFACES

Interface	Specification
Serial ports	IEC 61162 (NMEA 0183 / 61162-1/2)
Data input	GPS, gyrocompass, log, sensors
Data output	AIS data to radar, ECDIS, PC
Communication	Multiple COM ports (typically 4+)

📡 SYSTEM FEATURES

Feature	Specification
AIS receivers	2 × TDMA receivers (dual channel)
DSC receiver	1 × Channel 70 receiver
Message handling	Safety-related text messages
Data types	Static, dynamic, voyage-related data
Update rate	Dynamic data ~2–10 sec depending on speed