The Marine Electronics Hub
Smaller, better, cheaper! McMurdo’s new Fast Find 210 PLB is just a bit over four inches long (my model has small hands), but features not only a 50 channel GPS but also an SOS flashing LED. And it will probably retail for under $300. I say probably because…
Either XM or Sirius Weather and Audio is now available on nearly all major MFD brands. Above is Sirius seen on the new Lowrance HDS during the Broadband Radar demos. The implementation looked very good (as did the whole HDS package, more on that soon), but in truth all the satellite weather implementations seem to be getting better. I spoke with both XM and Sirius representatives at the Boat Show and their message was that…
I got aboard a demo of the new Raymarine C-Series Widescreens last week and was fairly impressed. While I don’t really care that these 16 x 9 aspect ratio screens are “theater like”, I do believe in getting the biggest display possible, and this format helps, because…
I jetted away from the Miami Boat Show (on a half-empty plane!) with loads of coming Panbo electronics material, but first I’ll discuss the behind-the-booth question of the show: How bad will 2009 be?
It’s a lousy photo, but amazing once you understand it. Notice the piling somewhat hidden behind Navico Broadband Radar engineer Don Korte and right off the bow of yesterday’s demo boat. Then check out the Lowrance HDS 10 screen slightly obscured by my new colleague Chris Woodward (who writes for Sport Fishing). It’s delivering a clean target plot of the piling less than 30′ from the 18″ scanner dome! …
Many readers have commented on my Sailing with an Airmar PB200 entry. I enjoyed reading and responding to comments, and offer this diagram in response to some questions about mounting the PB200.
There’s an old thread at rec.boats.electronics on how to best install a plotter in an open cockpit so it can be easily removed. Sandy offered the interesting suggestion of using “finger cots” to protect the loose power and data plugs when the unit is put away. Finger cots? …
While these screenshots (click’em for full size) are spectacular examples of what Maretron’s new system monitors can do, they are also a bit deceptive. That’s because the underlying sensor technology can scale to much more modest yachts, which don’t need a PC monitoring program like N2KView to use it…
Aha, a worthy electronics-oriented blog I forgot in my “Resources” update (now fixed) is Tom Tripp’s OceanLines. Check out this week’s interesting project: Tom, who also blogs for MadMariner, got several major manufacturers to...
OK, it’s not NMEA 2000, not color, and not touchscreen—kinda homely really—but I’m liking the new Blue Sea DC/AC/tank/bilge monitor…
