What electronics are you running?

Started by David Hall, July 27, 2016, 04:05:26 PM

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thorhammer

Echomap 73sv look at my jig and where I reeled up to where fish are

David Hall

#16
Now that is jigging!  You don't let that sit still.
Back to my project now.
Pretty much think I have settled on the electronics I'm going to order up.  I'm waiting now for Raymarine to give me configuration guidelines and connection cables and fittings needed.
I decided to stay with Raymarine and here's why.
1. That's what I have been running on this boat for 8 yrs and upgrading is easier and less expensive than switching manufacturers. 
2. I have existing auto pilot and R199 in hull transducer that I don't want to give up.
That's my reasons now on to the good stuff.
I'm tossing my 11yr old e120 Classic and installing a new es128, Raymarine is offering a package that includes the mfd as well as two transom mount  transducers one for chirp down vision and one for side vision sonar.  The package includes the required modules and cables.  It's about 6-700 in extras for half price.  It should make fish finding a whole new ballgame when coupled with my R199.  That gives me excellent deep water, excellent shallow water and side vision in a system that builds bathymetry readings rit into my navionics chart in real time and saves them to my card.
I'm pulling my existing RD424radar and installing a new quantum "chirp" solid state radar, half the weight less than half the required running power of magnetron systems, no warm up warm down time, of course it will sacrifice range, that's okay with me, and it will give clear near target readings.  It's reasonably priced so if I decide to upgrade to an open array at some point down the road it will be an easy swap.
I'm adding AIS for safety reasons, FLIR thermal camera for the same reason, I do a lot of motoring in and out of the harbor in the dark and this should be a welcome dark running feature.  so as soon as Raymarine posts my wiring details for me, I'm pulling the trigger spending our anniversary European vacation funds and getting ready to chase blue fin tuna in Monterey bay for the second year in a row.

MarkT

Don't tell the wife you're spending the Euro trip funds on new electronics for the boat!
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

David Hall

We discussed it and the conversation went like this.
Her:  I don't think I feel like going to Europe this summer, me:  uhm what?  You don't? darn, I'm disappointed but okay.
Her: so how much are you spending on new electronics?  Me:  uhm you really don't want to know, seriously you will be much happier not knowing!
Her:  you're right don't tell me, I just hope it's worth it to you.  ME:  it is.
And that ended the discussion, for now.  So long as I maintain enough cash flow to meet the monthly requirements I'm free to do whatever I want within reason, boats are really not within reason but she understands how much it means to me to be able to have time on the water fishing with friends and family, she knows I would be much less happy without it.  She's a great wife, and a better friend.

MarkT

When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

David Hall

#20
I backed up regrouped and punted, I decided after thouroughly researching installation instructions that my plan needs to be broken down into increments, there's just to much programming and potential issues when adding new systems to existing systems, Raymarine makes it a bit easier with the seatalk nmea 2000 components but they charge an arm and a leg for cables.  So my first move was sending my sonar module to Raymarine, they said 7-10 days and they have had it for 7 days now so I should be hearing from them soon.
My second consideration has been new radar, I had Raymarine rd424 raydome and really wanted to upgrade to an open array, for the simple reason of better target discrimination and bird watching capabilities.  Open array is a pretty good price jump and there's 4-6-10-12KW Systems?  My boat is 28' and 4' antenna is about all I could carry, the 3048SHD radar runs around 5K,  I found one that is 12kw advertised on the big auction site for 2k, three years old and after some communication with the seller and his agreement to give me a 60 day warranty I pulled the trigger, it arrived Thursday while I was out of town for three days work training.  Now I'm trying to assemble all the hardware and gaskets I need to install it.  Got my old hear off the boat, including my vhf antenna, gps antenna and anchor light.  I found a nice mount for the radar that has the anchor light built in, I'm going to replace the old fixture with a new led fixture.  Glassed in all the holes from the old antennas which will get relocated after the radar is fitted and I know where to put them.  Hoping to get all the hardware and gaskets today, install the new led anchor light and install the radar tomorrow and get it up and running on my old e120 Classic display.  Once that is done I'm pulling the old mfd and installing a new gs165 mfd, and then get everything to talk to it.  I'm hoping by the end of August all new systems will be fully operational.  We will see.

Dominick

David, interesting, I never thought about being able to see birds with radar.  Is that something new or am I uninformed? Or just plain stupid?   :D Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

David Hall

And then it happened!
After I worked for three hours and went to pick up something for the BBQ, I finally got time to open my radar and check it out, I opened the antenna box first and noticed that the end of the box was already opened?
I slid the antenna out of the box, unwrapped the foam and discovered the case is busted all the way around?
Fed ex with another wonderful delivery.  The seller says he will send me another one.   Dang bummer, was planning to install it tomorrow. 

Rancanfish

Oh my.  My vocabulary would be spewing at that point.  Sorry for you David.
I woke today and suddenly nothing happened.

David Hall

The seller offered to send me another antenna free of charge but he doesn't have a super HD, he had me convinced they are all the same and the features are all in the pedestal until I did a bit of digging and learned he's not exactly correct, while any Raymarine 4' antenna will function with this pedestal, only the shd will give the enhanced performance and features.  I emailed him and told him I'm sending the whole package back on my dime and I want a full refund.  Unfortunately I already purchased a new mount, cables, voltage converter and all new stainless hardware installation kit for this one at an additional cost of roughly 500 more.  I do believe he will do the right thing and give me a refund, I offered to split the cost with him for a new antenna and he refused that offer and I don't feel it's right for me to not get any value out of the antenna at all and I'm not willing to accept a lesser grade of antenna from him so I packaged it back up and it will be on its way back to Florida on Monday.  Sometimes things just don't work out the way you plan but it takes a lot more than this to ruin my attitude.
I am learning a lot about electronics and radar in particular, by the time I'm done I will be an expert.
Expert: eg. Ex = a has been, and a spurt is a drip under pressure.

David Hall

I have to add that I hope I don't run across any deals on reels that I must have while I'm working on these electronics issues.  It will be a shame but all the little incidental stuff is killing me, a small bag of stainless steel nuts bolts and washers $100.00.

Tightlines667

#26
Here's my starter electronics package (+An Icom VHS w/DCR)...



-Furuno GP 1300F GPS/Plotter w/Hawaii Chip
-Furuno FCV-667 w/600W 200/50 duel Trans  (serviced)
-ACR 406 EPIRB (New batt)
-Uniden Atlantis 250 Handheld VHS
-President LTD950 (w/short antenna+batt clips.. backup w/stand alone fully charged battery)

Total Investment cost=$200

Additional safety equipt..
-ACR ditch bag, 6 offshore type jackets, signal mirrors, strobes, whistles, liferaft food/water, and my West marine inflatable raft.

This should get me started.  I would like to upgrade the sounder to a 1000w airman through-hull b4 I haul out, and will likely buy a cheap/used CB radio.  Nearly everyone out here has one, since there is alot of commercial traffic on the VHS, though most fishing talk takes place on cellphones these days.  I will not likely be betting an autopilot since with my manual steering on a straight shaft, it would be somewhat cost prohibitive.  Bungee cord will work in a pinch.

John

Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

David Hall

200.00 bucks?  that epirb alone is 400.00?
You did well!

David Hall

Quote from: Dominick on August 13, 2016, 08:27:05 PM
David, interesting, I never thought about being able to see birds with radar.  Is that something new or am I uninformed? Or just plain stupid?   :D Dominick

Its not a new thing we have always watched for birds working first with spotters assigned then with a good pair of gyro stabilized binocs and in the last 10-15yrs modern radar has been helping out a lot by discerning a flock of birds from 4-6 miles which is farther than you can spot them with your naked eyes.  Now you can pick them up on radar, head in that direction while glassing with binoculars.  saves a ton of fuel and time.  previously if we didnt see them with our eyes we couldnt chase them.

Dominick

David of course I know about watching for birds over bait but I did not know radar would pick them up.  I now know that radar will do so.  Thanks.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.