We have a Vesper WatchMate XB-8000 AIS transponder on Cambria and have been very happy with it. It has been a set it and forget it device for us. We set it up a couple of years ago and haven’t given it much thought since. It just works.
It creates a Wi-Fi network that our iPads and laptops use to get our GPS position and AIS data. Also, it is on our NMEA 2000 network so it sends AIS information to our Garmin chartplotter via the network.
We use the Vesper VHF antenna splitter so our VHF antenna at the top of the mast can be used for both our VHF radio and the AIS.
Vesper was a small company based in New Zealand when we bought our equipment. Since then, they were bought by Garmin. I hope that the Vesper line of products continue to be of the highest quality.
Links-Resources
Here are links to the Vesper equipment we have.
Cormacks On Cambria 