VHF,Chartplotter anf Fishfinder

roywebster · 21 February 2004, 21:50

I have been trying to sort out equipment for my new rib.

I have narrowed the search down to the following

Navman 7200 VHF

Navman Tracker Chart Plotter 5600

Navman Fishfinder 4100

The intention is to mount the chartplotter and fishfinder on top of the consul and to flush mount the VHF. The antennas will be mounted on the A frame.

The compass will also be on the top of the consul.

I would welcome any comments on this equipment and any suggestions for alternatives, also will the compass be affected being mounted near to the other euipment?

Roy

simmons0 · 21 February 2004, 22:17

Im in need of everythign your after too, im going to the NEC tomoro looking for an end of show bargain.

Ive settled on:

Silva S10 radio
Garmin GPSmap176c

And i think a hummingbird FF though maybe a lorance.

roywebster · 21 February 2004, 23:22

I was at the show today. There's not alot there Marine Electronics have a stand .They are selling off a discontinued Raymarine combined F/F and Chart plotter for £450 reduced from £1500.

There is also a garmin stand but they havn't got alot of marine equipment on display

Roy

simmons0 · 21 February 2004, 23:24

oh well, ill go anyway.

Did you watch any of the zapcat racing?

gavin · 21 February 2004, 23:49

We have tracker 5600 IP 67 submersible to a depth of 1m for 1 hour, we are on our third in a little over a year all failed due to water getting in, we are on our second fishfinder, Navman also, it also failed due to water getting in again IP 67.In fairness Plastimeo have replaced everything every time,it took approx 3 months last time, the stuff is excellent the tracker especially, we have the fuel input trandsucers wired to the unit, this works well, we had vibration probs initially with the trandsucers, the fish finder, suffers from condensation on the screen and can be dufficult to read in sunny weather.The tracker is amazing its just the sealing probs rather than the electronics we have had probs with cheers gavin

Brian · 22 February 2004, 08:33

Roy
No matter where you put your radio, you cn assume that it will definately effect your compass. In my case it swung about 20 degrees away from it' correct reading.
After fitting radio, switch it on and then adjust your compass.

jwalker · 22 February 2004, 11:18

Quote:

Originally posted by gavin
We have tracker 5600 .... we are on our third in a little over a year all failed due to water getting in...

we are on our second fishfinder, Navman also, it also failed due to water getting in......

we had vibration probs initially with the trandsucers...

the fish finder, suffers from condensation on the screen and can be dufficult to read in sunny weather.

.....the stuff is excellent the tracker especially,

nik · 22 February 2004, 14:06

It may be more expensive than you want, but have you thought about foreward looking sonar?

http://www.echopilot.com/

I dont know how well they perform at speed, But I am quite interested myself.
Nick.

gavin · 22 February 2004, 19:41

Have a re read if it dosent add up.

steedthrust · 26 February 2004, 18:15

I have just boat a similar list, Navman 5600, Fish 4200, fuel flow meter, Silva DSC S10.

Reading the install instructions, does it really matter if the GPS antenna is near the radio aerial? The handbook says keep them apart by 2mt or 6ft, but surely the radio can only affect the plotter when you are transmitting.

Dont have a 2metre wide A frame.

Quote:

the stuff is excellent the tracker especially, we have the fuel input trandsucers wired to the unit, this works well, we had vibration probs initially with the trandsucers, the fish finder

What were the vibration problems? I am planning to mount fuel flow meter in console near my ytank.

Pitkis · 26 February 2004, 20:10

For Nik: Echopilot doesn't work in RIBs at all. Basically the forward-looking sounder works only in slow heavy-displacement boats. In planing craft it works up to approx. 10-15 knots - in RIB I think speed range is even narrower. So I'd suggest to forget Echopilot except in very large and slow RIBs.

GPS antenna and radio aerial can be in relatively close installation. I have had no problem in several boats that have both aerials inside 1-2 ft range. It's just some kind of like warranty thing, in theory the aerials may interfere with nearby signals, but in practise there's no problems.

Jelly · 27 February 2004, 07:40

Guys
if you have a look on the yachty (mby?) forums there has been a lot of discussion on this.
Basically its possible that when you Tx on the VHF you can interfear with the reception on the GPS.

Weather this is limited to GPS's with the reciever in the antenna as opposed to the plain antenna with the reciever I don't know.
Or people trying to mount everything at the top of the mast?
Or interfearance from long cheap cable runs running together not sure, but as many have said before cheap cable is a false econamy .

Well thats my 5 pence for the moment off to find the spell checker!!
Jelly

Jon Brooks · 27 February 2004, 08:09

We (as will most radio people) you should not have anything within approx a meter of your VHF antenna. More space the better.

This is not always practical on any boat.

With Ribs it can be easier.

If the boat has an A frame I will site the VHF on one side and the GPS on the other. If possible antenna cable on apart. One down each side of the boat.

Compas safe distance 1M, this is because of the speaker in the radio (has a big magnet).

Its just good working practice.

GPS's are very electronicly noisey.
Have seen lots of cases where they are sited to close to a radio or antenna cable run beside each other and you get "noise" on the VHF.
Re-route the cables and/or move the antenna apart problem solved.

Radio can be a black art.
Taken me years to get it right!!!!!!!!!

Regards