Raymarine Quantum 2 doppler radar without heading sensor

[mikeo16]

I am looking at buying the Raymarine Quantum 2 radome along with the Axiom 9+ MFD. I have an older autopilot (along with a complete backup unit duplicate), so do not foresee buying an autopilot for quite some time. The compass in the autopilot will not be able to communicate with the Axiom, which i have accepted. The problem i have just discovered is that radar overlays on charts and MARPA functionality (identifying targets coming towards you and highlighted in red) will have limited functionality without an optionally purchased heading sensor such as the EV-1 heading sensor for about $700 including taxes.
I would like to hear anyone that has used the Quantum 2 radar unit without a heading sensor. Is it still worth it to get the Quantum 2 radar unit if I am not going to purchase a heading sensor or perhaps purchase something else instead. The additional $700 for the heading sensor just puts me over what I can budget for right now - perhaps I could next year or two...
Any feedback from actual users would be appreciated

[mlydon]

You need the heading info to run radar…..bite the bullet…..

Matt

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by mlydon

You need the heading info to run radar…..bite the bullet…..

Matt

No you don’t…..we ran a quantum for several years without a heading sensor. It works just fine.

But….without a heading sensor, marpa doesn’t work, ais targets won’t appear in the radar screen, etc….

If you can budget for the heading sensor in the next year or two it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re really using the radar to its fullest.

[goboatingnow]

I’m surprised your heading sensor on the AP won’t feed into the mfd system. What is the AP model, even if it’s old Ray gear once you have Seatalk or nmea0183 out of the AP you can get heading into the axiom

[mikeo16]

I have an Autohelm 3000 (actually have a complete backup as well) which currently interfaces with a Northstar chart plotter via nmea183. I was under the impression that the Axiom 9+ will not accept nmea183 input. I would love to be wrong about this.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by mikeo16

I have an Autohelm 3000 (actually have a complete backup as well) which currently interfaces with a Northstar chart plotter via nmea183. I was under the impression that the Axiom 9+ will not accept nmea183 input. I would love to be wrong about this.

If I'm not mistaken the AH 3000 is pretty much a self contained set of boxes. IE the compass is built into one of the boxes? If so, don't bother with this compass. even if it's able to output heading data, it'll be off enough to drive you bonkers.

[mikeo16]

Yep, that's what I figured. When looking at the Raymarine EV-1 heading sensor description that does Precision monitoring of heading, pitch, roll, and yaw allowing the autopilot to evolve instantly as sea conditions and vessel dynamics change, it is drastically better than the old AH3000 and probably a lot of other autopilots. It was not obvious that a sophisticated heading sensor was required when reading the descriptions of the Quantum 2 radar with Axiom+ MFD's. You would have thought it would have been included.
Thanks for your input

[Madehn]

My axiom pro16s has a nmea connection.

[Pizzazz]

Buy an Axiom with a nmea 0183 input and feed the compass heading info via nmea. Alternatively, you can feed heading via Seatalk from the 3000 autopilot and then through a Seatalk to Seatalk NG converter ($50).

Longer term, you definitely want to upgrade the autopilot, the Evolution is significantly better than the 3000. My priority has always been 1) autopilot; 2) chart plotter; 3) radar.

[mikeo16]

Thanks for that advice - I will need to research that a little. Much appreciated

[ItDepends]

For the radar to give you a usefully stable North-UP or Course-UP presentation and functioning MARPA your compass data needs to come at 10 Hz. Check the specs on yours, if it was designed specifically for AP usage, odds are that it is a 1 Hz unit to squeeze into the 2400 baud data pathway of standard 0183.

If you have a 38.5Kb 0183 line it might might be a 10Hz unit and will work.

[mikeo16]

Thanks , that's good to know and very helpful.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

Buy an Axiom with a nmea 0183 input and feed the compass heading info via nmea. Alternatively, you can feed heading via Seatalk from the 3000 autopilot and then through a Seatalk to Seatalk NG converter ($50).

Longer term, you definitely want to upgrade the autopilot, the Evolution is significantly better than the 3000. My priority has always been 1) autopilot; 2) chart plotter; 3) radar.

None of the current axiom lineup has 0183 afaik

[goboatingnow]

Ev1 does output heading data at 10 hz

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

None of the current axiom lineup has 0183 afaik

The axiom line without plus should have it with an adapter due the Raymarine overview here:
https://reviewmarine.com/raymarine-a...s-plus-vs-pro/
They say with an adapter, I think they mean the seatalk 1 to NG one from raymarine.

I think i am facing the same issues here…
Want to replace my old hd218 Raymarine with the old chartplotter with a new radar and chartplotter.
I have now Raymarine e7 mfd at the helm, Raymarine adapter seatalk1 to NG, the older ST6001+ Autopilot with S2G and lineardrive Typ 1.
Happy with the setup, just want a new radar with doppler.

Plan was to get an Quantum 2 radar and an axiom 7+ at the helm (cannot fit a bigger one) and put the older e7 at the nav station. Would Use RayRemote with iPad 12.9 anyhow to remote stear the axiom 7+.
Questions
1) First will that work or do I need to use the axiom 7.
2) for the heading, do I really need the 700$ ev1 heading compass or is there a much cheaper alternative available that has 10Hz and is enough for the Marpa to work?
If not maybe B&G Zeus 3 and their radar is the better choice, the Zeus 3 has a 10Hz compass integrated and would also work with my old Raymarine. Are there any downsides to this.

I am not looking into a major refit of my existing old but proven Raymarine setup.
Yes there is always something better….I like the simplicity of this older Raymarine and a lot went around the world with them.
Just wanna add a good radar with doppler as cheap as possible to what I have.