Masthead
SPORTBOARDS
Everything is hooked up and operational, everything is pure
NMEA 2000 and it includes Wind Sensor (WSO100),
Compass, Depth/speed/temp sensor,
GPS sensor, USB Hub, and a color display/controller.
The USB hub pathed all the NMEA messages into my
laptop running Coastal explorer. Coolest thing to see all your instruments shown in digital or analog dials on the
screen - pick
water temp,
depth, speed thru
water, speed over ground, apparent and true wind direction, humidity, dew point, barometric pressure ( and graph of same), air temp, mag heading, true heading, plus many more calculated values.
You can display all this on the DSM250 and you can use the DSM250 as a controller to set depth offsets, calibrate your
compass, and have 15 more programmable favorite screens to have quarter, half , or full
screen display in digital or analog for any of the NMEA signals. It is capable of water and
fuel capacities,
rudder angle, ANYTHING on the NMEA network. has night screen and lower power modes.
the
laptop has N2k analyzer to look at all the devices.
Install started at top of mast, beginning of backbone using micro cable, down the mast, t-off to the depth/speed tranducer at base of mast, into
engine room below
center cockpit, there had a T and kind of hub out to compass, dsm250 display and USB hub to chart table, backbone continued to aft and installation of
GPS sensor on stern rail where it terminated.
You only have one power connection in the network, you can hot
plug and play devices. I leave the boat and quickly disconnect and stow the display below. I found a velcro connection in
cockpit much better than drilling into
deck. I HATE stuff in my face at the
helm had no problem seeing even the quarter screens from the helm.
VERY cool stuff - VERY good tech support, good
manuals, and they follow the
NMEA 2000 spec. Raymarine and others stupidly created their own version of cable to hold you capture to their cabling and equipment - dumb when there is a standard trying to be employed.
My future
autopilot will use the Maretron compass, and this is even preferred. The compass has a
nmea 0183 cable port too. There are conversions to work with any of the companies who stupidly made their own
cables. The maretron
cables can be terminated with field connectors and you don't have to buys specific lengths. I bought some cables with factory terminations and then cut one end to apply a field connector where I fed through bulkheads and did not have the space to feed a connector.
I am very pleased and thrilled with my Maretron equipment and feel safe to add other equipments on the network - not necessarily maretron, but again, I feel safe and supported by Maretron.
They are the underdog taking on the big boys, but they have really good and supported equipment.
The programmable screens, ie, setting your own "red" zones on analog displays and all is really cool. You can download updates and control all your devices to the latest code. I am looking forward to the display/controller DSM250 and seeing its updates in years to come.
a good choice , very easy, very practical, an open architecture !
Mike Barnes