Tired of Bugs in Navico Equipment

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

With your rig, you might be able to fit an open array radar. I would check that out if I were you.

Hi Dockhead and Seasons Best!

I thought about open array but except on large sailboats have had a conservative bias against fouling them.

With the new radar I will reconsider and maybe put a bit higher on the aft mast, further away from the topping lift.

[Pelagic]

It could mount by the lower spreader

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by colemj

The only real power difference is that 12W to keep the magnetron warm in standby on the pulse units.

That means that the fmcw radars only have a power advantage when they are shut off and not being used. This is a silly and meaningless way to consider an advantage.

I don't think this is "silly".

The way I see it: With a normal radar you have 20W when operasting, and 12W when standby.
With the Navico Broadband unit you have 20W when operating and 2W when "standby".

If your radar is operating all the time, then there is no big advantage. But if you don't need your radar a lot, having a radar that consumes only 2W in standby, or that you can even completely switch off (since the Navico is almost instant on).
So it also depends lot on how you use it.

[colemj]

Yes, that is my point. If you don't use your radar, then the fmcw units use less power.

But to me, trumpeting this point of NOT using a product as an "advantage" is silly.

And the purposeful omission of this, and the resulting implication by Navico that fmcw uses a lot less power than pulse, is dishonest.

It works, though, as evidenced by how many people in this thread and others believe that their fmcw units are saving them lots of juice. Even to the point of thinking that it is so low, they can just operate them continuously.

One can always just switch off a pulse radar too. They take ~1 minute to become operational when switched back on. If one is primarily interested in not using their radar, this is as good an option as fmcw.

So yes, if you plan on not using your radar (or needing MARPA, or complying with the regs), then a fmcw unit is the best choice.

Mark

[Cap Erict3]

-------
4D 24" Radome Scanner Unit

General

Approvals CE - conforms to FCC - conforms to 1995/5/EC, EN60945 Part 80 (47CFR) and Part 2 (47CFR)

Dimensions Φ599 x 227 mm (23.6 x 8.9 in)

Weight 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs)

Input Voltage 8.7 - 32 V DC (from display unit)

Power Consumption 34 W (10 W Standby)

Environmental Waterproof to CFR46 Temperature range: -10° to +55°C Humidity limit: up to 95% at 35°C Maximum wind speed for satisfactory operation: 100 Kts

Maximum Range Scale 48 nm

-----------
Power consumption wise, my 3G uses a bit less than my old Radome.



Never use a hundred words when 3 will carry the message.

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

-------
4D 24" Radome Scanner Unit

General

..

Input Voltage 8.7 - 32 V DC (from display unit)

Power Consumption 34 W (10 W Standby)

So if I'm reading this correctly, the 4G actually uses 24w MORE when operational (34W vs 20W for the furuno dome), and only 2W less in standby (10W vs 12W for the furuno).

Is that a correct summary?

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

So if I'm reading this correctly, the 4G actually uses 24w MORE when operational (34W vs 20W for the furuno dome), and only 2W less in standby (10W vs 12W for the furuno).



Is that a correct summary?

No.

That is my old Radome 4D


Never use a hundred words when 3 will carry the message.

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

No.

That is my old Radome 4D


Never use a hundred words when 3 will carry the message.

Ohhh, 4D, not 4G. Thanks, my mistake.

[cburger]

I was given a suite of older Navico instruments, thinking they might be from the 1980s, were purchased at a boat show and were new in the box when I installed the on my boat in 2012. The speed log never worked, this year the depth gauge started reading knots and is not working and the tiller pilot worked initially for one brief weekend and now will not steer the boat no matter what I try.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by cburger

I was given a suite of older Navico instruments, thinking they might be from the 1980s, were purchased at a boat show and were new in the box when I installed the on my boat in 2012. The speed log never worked, this year the depth gauge started reading knots and is not working and the tiller pilot worked initially for one brief weekend and now will not steer the boat no matter what I try.

The Navico company has only existed since 2006, and has never marketed anything under that name, so it's doubtful these are Navico instruments.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

With your rig, you might be able to fit an open array radar. I would check that out if I were you.

Thanks for the suggestion Dockhead I reviewed my options and compared the specs on the 24" Radome

http://www.furuno.com/en/products/radar/DRS4D

and this 3.5 ft Open array still at 4kw peak power, same as Radome.

http://www.furuno.com/en/products/radar/DRS4A

The big difference was weight
7.5kg for the Radome vs 25kg for the open array.

The open array has a narrower beam width and a range scale up to 48nm vs 36nm for the DRS4D, but would that make a significant difference with same peak power?

I could put the DRS4A higher at lower aft spreader where the old TV antenna lived, so as to be well clear of topping lift, but again is it worth it?

I am more used to researching the bigger ship sized IMO rated open array scanners @ 98nm, where power consumption is not an issue

Next one up is a 4ft open array @ 12kw peak power and weighs in at 26kg

http://www.furuno.com/en/products/radar/DRS12A

[cburger]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The Navico company has only existed since 2006, and has never marketed anything under that name, so it's doubtful these are Navico instruments.

Yup Navico labels on all the gauges and tiller pilot

[colemj]

Yes, Navico was a brand in the 80's and 90's. I had a Navico tiller pilot in the 80's and a wheel pilot in the 90's. They used to compete very well with Autohelm.

Mark

[cburger]

Originally Posted by cburger

I was given a suite of older Navico instruments, thinking they might be from the 1980s, were purchased at a boat show and were new in the box when I installed the on my boat in 2012. The speed log never worked, this year the depth gauge started reading knots and is not working and the tiller pilot worked initially for one brief weekend and now will not steer the boat no matter what I try.

Anyone with thoughts on why this equipment has given such poor service?

[colemj]

Well, they are 30 years old and you have no idea of their history - lightning, humidity, etc. I don't see how a depth transducer could be sending speed data.

Mark