Radar unit

[Randygh]

I'm considering purchasing a radar unit for the boat. There have been several times when we had to wait for the fog to burn off before traveling. I want to make another trip to the islands next month. Time is precious in that I'd really hate to be fog bound in port and miss several days of work.

I'm considering a JRC 1500MK2. It is a 2 watt unit with 18" bar. The LCD is monochrome. I'd love to have a unit like Doug's that can overlay the screen with GPS maps, but I know the Admiral will definitely mutany at the price. Are JRC units good quality? JRC says the unit can be integrated with my Garmin GPS but I'm suspicious of integrating electronics from different manufacturers. Any comments are appreciated.
:D

[Tedster]

If you want to go budget, it is a good way to go and they do make good units for the money spent. Did you look at the Second Wave store in Ballard for radar units, they had a sale on them recently. Ted :)

[heymagic]

I had the JRC 1000 and was not happy with the performance. For $200 more you can get a Furuno 1623. I've had 2 of those , one several years old and will buy one for the Chris this winter. Gene

[Go Aweigh2452]

FWIW, Had I not gotten the Raymarine on sale at the boat show, I would have bought the Furuno 1715 over the 1623 series... not a big jump price wise but big on resolution and it had more options...

http://www.furuno.com/Furuno/Rooms/DisplayPages/LayoutInitial?ProductCategory=com.webridge.entity. Entity%5BOID%5B07860AE52FC370459BC6725E87CAE5DB%5D %5D&Product=com.webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5B8471FB1 264913D4C97D3666DA5DB5FBA%5D%5D&Container=com.webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5B60BEE 1E7AE665A458220D644B8C65CCD%5D%5D

[SomeSailor]

I'll be the first to vouch for Doug's unit. It works PERFECTLY! We were sitting out in the fog off Neah Bay fishing and you couldn't see 1/8th mile in any direction.

It was really amazing to see the returns on his Radar display, and then look into the fog to see them with your eyes. You could no-kidding pick up Puffins (birds) sitting on the waves sevarl hundred feet away as the would rise with the next roller. It would also discern garbage and floatsum in the water a couple hundred yards out as thye would rise on the swells.

Really nice setup that works like they all should. Definitely worth seeing first hand if you're thinking of buying. Now if Doug would shed his old Navy TACCO ways and allow "Course Up" it'd be REALLY nice... :)

The JRC 1500 is vastly superior to the 1000. I have a 1500 MKII on my boat and it works great. The only thing I don't like about it are the menu-driven functions. When you want to change range, gain, sea clutter, etc. you have to press a knob to select the function. Then you turn have to the knob to the setting you want. This is a pain when you are in the 1/8 mile visibility, trying to hold a heading, and trying to stay on course.

If I were buying a radar today, I'd look for one with dedicated keys and/or soft keys with assignable functions. I think to get this, you may have to go up one step in price, whether it's JRC, Furuno, Raymarine, or...

Raul

[kwb]

While I have and agree that Radar is a good thing to have, if I was outfitting a boat ~32' or less today I think I would skip the Radar until way later in the outfitting process. I would go with the best GPS plotting setup I could come up with to fit the boat, bigger inverters with batteries and dual alternator setup, dink upgrades, second station repeater of plotter, LCD TV.....

Now for the logic- Boats in this size range are very quick to respond. Targets that you are mostly going to be trying to avoid are Ferrys and Freighters. If the fog is so thick that you can't pick them out you are probably going too fast since you won't be able to see things like Logs/Debris. If you can place yourself on the charts you know about where the big traffic items are most likely going to be. Until you get into bigger units small boats are not that reliably shown on screen to know for sure if you have clear water ahead. Worst case you have near 0 visibility and you are at slower speeds and you see something coming out of the fog you still should be able to shuck and jive to avoid a collision with something big.

Its nice to have but unless you use it alot to get used to converting screen image to what is out there its not going to save your bacon.

[Tedster]

True words indeed, and if you ask most of the big guys that have them they will tell you that they actually used them only a couple times a year and that could have been avoided if they had waited a couple hours. :D

[SomeSailor]

I tell ya... it's THE ONLY reason Doug and I were able to safely fish Neah Bay a few weeks ago. I would've bet money it wouldn't have worked as well as it did had I not seen it with my own eyes.

It will NO KIDDING see birds on the water several hundred yards away... and you can see the crests of the waves out at several hundred yards. With it overlaying on the GPS chartplotter... it's a LOT of fun to watch and quite a useful tool.

(pretty inexpensive also when you think about it)

[bradvo]

I would not get hung up on being able to overlay - Ya really have to be out in some big water for it to look clear for the novice to understand. I had single radar unit and Gps on my 39 and loved it, I am still a bit undecided on my new split screen unit, but I do like the color.
I also avoid the fog whenever possible and will go around it if I can- Just to nerve racking for me to enjoy the boating venture when in it.
Brad

[Randygh]

Thanks for all your good ideas. Ted--I did check Second Wave and they have a 50% price reduction for monitors, and a few complete units that are still too expensive.

I have a good Garmin GPS and chart chip. It is simple to use and even the Admiral became familar with it when we traveled in the Gulf Islands. I would feel comfortable using the GPS in poor visibility. Of course I'd slow down to watch for logs or flotsam.

I agree with Ted, Brad and KWB about avoiding fog. There have been several instances when we were delayed several hours. Once we ventured into the fog when the visibility was about 1/4 mile. We traveled from Blakely Island Marina to Fisherman's Bay. I didn't have the GPS unit at the time, but I felt confident we would be ok. The thing that bothered me was that when we started off the visibility was ok but if the fog became dense I would have been alittle worried and the Admiral would have panicked. I'd hate to start across Rosario Stait and watch a distant fog bank suddenly close in when I'm half way across.

I've only run at night several times on Lake Chelan. I don't like to run at night because of floating debris or logs but I would have used radar if installed.

I'm watching ebay for a JRC 1500MK2 and a Furuno 1623.

[Tedster]

You are on it and either unit will do what you want for a fair price compared to what else is out there these days.

[Randygh]

Does anyone know the difference between a JRC 1500 and JRC 1500MK2? I don't see any difference in the specs? Same 18" antenna, power, LCD size, joystick, etc.

I don't know the difference but I'm guessing it may be software enhancements. Also, check to see if the 1500 has NEMA input for heading and waypoint position.

Raul

[Randygh]

The 1500 does accept NMEA input.

[3788sam]

Randy sounds like your thinking in the right direction. You don't need a ton of power if most of your time is on Chelan. I got to think most of the time you range is going to be set at 1/4 mile there. Radar does a great job up there- those round red and white markers thought out the lake make a great radar returns and pretty much map the lake out. That's how the Lady findS her way!

[Randygh]

The difference between a 1500 and 1500MK2 is that the MK2 screen is easier to read in sunlight. Software is the same. I don't plan on using radar in sunlight. Today on eBay I purchased a used, but like new, very recent production 1500. I got the complete unit for $540.00. Looking forward to installing it and practicing with it on Chelan before we head to the islands next month.

[Randygh]

Mike, I need some professional advice.

I plan on installing the radome on my hardtop. The dome has an 18" antenna. My anchor light is centered (port-starboard) and about 1' from the front edge of the top. The anchor light is about 6" tall on a metal pedestal. Will the anchor light interfere with the radar antenna transmission-reception? Should I mount the radome toward the front of the top just behind the anchor light or farther aft? Should I elevate the dome on a pedestal so it is above the anchor light?

Thank you

[SomeSailor]

Without starting a big debate here... ;)

Anything in the path of the beam will disperse some of the outgoing energy, and block some of the return. Will it work despite that? Yes in both cases.

Are pedestals better? Sure... if it doesn't take away from the aesthetics or the functionality. If you built a nice 6" pedestal, would it clear the nav lights better? Would it add height you can't afford? Etc...

Me personally... I think any height you can get is better. Pedestals get them up and away from the hardtop and the items in their way. Forward or Aft mounting won't make a huge difference, but remember if you mount it aft... when the bow is up, you are shooting through the fiberglass top, and any metal around the windshield and any wiring running through there.

All that being said... there are people that will tell you that there's works just fine at any old angle, shooting through their melons, through railings and while not level. But I'm here to tell ya... the beam width is about that of a small pencil when it leaves the array. Beam divergence will increase the beam diameter as the distance from the aperture increases, but no where is it more important than just in front of the array. Keeping things pointed in the right direction and from being blocked is more important at the antenna than any where else.

And all that RF that is diffused near the operator... is still RF... Microwave radiation isn't good for any of us. :shock:

[Go Aweigh2452]

I do not see any real deterioration in return signal with my anchor light directly in front of my radar unit. I think it is so close that the radar dismisses it as invalid or just too frekin close to alarm me. In any case, its not a problem. Most times however, I just hinge it (the anchor light) in the down position. Mike suggested I use a plastic rod instead of aluminum to hold the anchor light up. So that is also an option.

Pedestals are expensive and can obivously extend your range but as noted before, most times you will probably be in 1/4 mile scale anyway. So, I'd save my money and mount it on your top like mine is. It is more stable and my top is thin so I wanted to NOT have too much stress on it even though I added 1/4 marine ply as a backing for it. As far as angle... just put it flush on the top and the 3.9 or 5.4 degree angle (which ever your radar has) will see everything it needs to see unless you are at a VERY extreme bow up angle. My radar has not had a problem when I am getting out of the hole pushing tons of water or on plane. I get a bit of backgound noise aft only (which I can but never do cancel out) when the bow is too high but I still see forward OK.

[Randygh]

Doug--Does your dome block your anchor light from the stern view? I'm thinking of moving my anchor light toward the stern behind the radome and put the radome where the light was located. My anchor light is short so I may purchase a taller pedestal to provide 360 degree light above the dome. If there is any signal interefence, I'd rather have it from behind the dome rather than infront.

My boat's hardtop is very level when the boat is still or cruising. It is very stout with plywood sandwiched between the topside and underside fiberglass layers.

[Webjammin]

Here is a couple pictures of mine mounted on the shortest Scan Strut 3"
http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/10/just_relax_on_the_trailer.jpg



http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/10/P1010475.JPG

works great.

[SomeSailor]

Just go with a taller all-around white like Bob has on his.

The problem with proving something based on the way it works rather than the way it apears, is the human mind will come up with any number of scenarios to explain away things that aren't readily apparent. We'll also justify our explanations with the situations that we're faced with. (thin roofs mean pedestals are a waste of money.. or level is only something that works on paper)

I'll use Bob's picture as an example.

Is his anchor light shaft blocking the signal from behind it? Yes. Of course it is, it's metal. Radar cannot pass through it.

But... what happens is the beam reflections from the area just ahead (in rotation) and just after the beam (as the array rotates), bleed over into that area. Is the beam getting through? No. It's just not being missed because the noise is so high anyhow.

This is usually where people get wrapped around the axle over their Radar installations. Picture a flashlight beam and something that close as it rotates around. It does block the signal, but the rotating beam fills that area in enough the human eye can't see it.

If you want to see it for yourself. Get a small flourescent bulb and take it out to your radome at night and hold it in front of the array in various places as it sweeps. Even a small sport Radar should have enough RF to excite a bulb. You'll see the blind spots as the array passes by.

If nothing else it'll show you why they recommend you don't operate it at eye level. :D

[Tedster]

Great looking burgee! Ted :D

[Randygh]

Question--If two boats are approaching straight on and they have the exact same radar units running, why doesn't one unit receive the other unit's outgoing signal as its own returning signal?

(I suspect the reflected waves have a slightly different amplitude or frequency so that one unit won't pick up another's outgoing signal.)

[Go Aweigh2452]

Randy, I'll take a photo tomorrow of the unit with the anchor light up. In answer to your question, it clears the radar dome for rear view but not by too much.

[Numbknots]

You seaman experts correct me if I am wrong but technically isn't the anchorlight supposed to be "high enough to be Unobstructed in a 360 degree circle, according to the USCG???

I don't know How much is considered an ubstruction?

Tim

[Tedster]

You are totally correct in that statement, 360 degrees with no obstruction in sight!

[Go Aweigh2452]

Randy, here are a couple of pix...

http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/12/MVC-002S_2.JPG

http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/12/MVC-003S_2.JPG

Now for something new...
I added a 3/4 piece of marine ply with grit in paint so I don't go swimming at the ramps.

http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/12/MVC-006S_2.JPG

oil bath bearings and disk brakes...

http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/12/MVC-005S.JPG

[SomeSailor]

That plywood looks great Doug. That's one those... "I always meant to do that.. " items for most of us. :)

Hey... in that second picture is it just my eyes... or what's the deal with that skylight on your roof? (angled... or old eyes?)

[Randygh]

Doug--I like the ply walk board on the trailer. Will come in handy. What weight oil is in your oil-bath bearings? 90w?

I think I'll order a taller anchor light and move it aft of my radome. My radome will sit about where yours does on the hardtop.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Mike, Good news, your eyes are fine... the skylight is in the upper floor of my 38x40 toy box. The first floor is 13 ft high so I can store my boat in the winter and the second floor is 10 ft high with a full dormer on the south side. The skylight is on the north side of the toy box. I guess I'll post pictures some day. You'd like the pit- that's 15'x3'x5'9" deep, great for checking under carriages safely...

[SomeSailor]

I told you about brewing that nut brown ale of yours and playing with the sawzall :)

Hey... the humpies are in at Everett FULL FORCE. Went out with Anton today. Hooked 5 took 3. We could've gotten an earlier start... but there were TONs of boats after them.

You should make it up this way while they're thick. Fish checker only had 3 silvers on his log at noon, so they're still heading around the corners. :)

[Go Aweigh2452]

well tomorrow we head thru the locks to Uncle Bills house (touring for friends) and then on to Tillicum Village for din din. Next day at zero dark thirty, we head the long way round 101 to Port Townsend and go to Victoria. Should be back by Friday and then I'll head over to the "bubble"... BTW, bought that black box at Sportco for $64...

[SomeSailor]

Gimme a shout when you get over this way. The bubble is pretty disappointing usually. I've NEVER caught a fish there (well never got one to the boat). There are SOoooo many people and SOoooo few fish between the nettings. :(

Try the area called Humpy Hollow. From an imaginary line between the Shipwreck and Pocession Point (boundary between Area 9 and 8-2)... come out from the East bank into 180-200 feet of water. Troll directly towards the Mukilteo Ferry Landing from there (almost due North) at 55-60 feet and you'll kill 'em. If the tide is coming in, just reverse the course and run from North to South.

Use a small (size 0/0) white flasher with a pink mini squid 24" back. The humpies like a small presentation, but will hit lots of stuff.

[Randygh]

I just checked about my Garmin GPS and the JRC 1500 radar unit. The units are supposed to interface by NMEA 0183 standard. Do I need some type of a black box to interface the two or will the radar unit come with a lead that plugs into the GPS? Does the ability to communicate mean that the Garmin GPS map will overlay the radar image or will it just allow the waypoints to show on the radar screen? My radar unit was shipped from Mass. Friday and I should receive it Thurs or Fri. I'm excited to get it installed next weekend. Feels like Christmas when you're a kid! :D

Thanks for any info.

[SomeSailor]

Do I need some type of a black box to interface the two or will the radar unit come with a lead that plugs into the GPS?


No. You won't need a black box. Just some wire strippers and some electrical tape. The NMEA OUT connects to NMEA IN, and that's how they communicate. Only 3 wires. :)


Does the ability to communicate mean that the Garmin GPS map will overlay the radar image or will it just allow the waypoints to show on the radar screen?

The latter. Your GPS will be providing GPS data to the Radar, and it can in turn provide waypoint data to the chartplotter. Nothing as fancy as overlay. You're talking video then, not NMEA words.

[Randygh]

Mike and/or other radar wizards---I received my radar unit Friday and I mounted the radome last night. Looks great, just like new. The LCD didn't come with a mounting pedestal because the guy had it mounted in his dash. He's going to buy a new pedestal for me. Also he had cut the lead from the radome to his monitor in order to run it through a bulkhead without drilling a large whole. He spliced all the wires, but I didn't like the looks of his work and I didn't want 30' of extra wire in my bilge. I threaded the wire to the helm and cut it with alittle extra. This week I'll take the boat into an auto electric shop and have them reattach the plug to the end of the wire. The guys at the shop are are real butt fisherman and do alot of boat work. I know they can resolder the wires to the plug.

Now my questions: Mike you said to attach the NMEA out from GPS to NMEA in on the radar. In the GPS schematic a blue NMEA out (Com 1 TX) going to the RXD + on the autopilot/NMEA device. On the radar schematic is a yellow wire for the Nav-Aid +. I assume the blue GPS NMEA out (Com 1 TX) is attached to the radar yellow. Is this correct?

Also, the radar has a green wire that goes to Nav-aid (-). Since the radar and GPS are wired to the same ground, do I attach the radar green wire along with the main ground wire together at the ground? The GPS has its black wire that says it is for Power and Data so I assume I don't need to connect any special ground from the GPS to the radar's green wire. Is this correct?

I have a 1500 MKII connected to my Navman's NEMA output and I have mixed feelings about it. The JRC displays only the next waypoint. It does it with a box that has the word "waypoint" inside. The problem is that the box and text may obscure a target that's right on the waypoint. It's not easy to toggle back and forth between waypoint display and no waypoint display because you need to go into the settings menu. In any case, connect it and see if you like it. If you don't, go into the menu and turn it off.

A couple of points:
1- JRC allows the cables to be cut and shortened, no problem here. Their rep recommends soldering and heat shrink or the use of a junction box with a european style terminal block like this :
http://www.bluesea.com/product.asp?Product_Id=30194&d_Id=7465&l1=7465&l2=

2- As far as the NEMA connections,

GPS schematic a blue NMEA out (Com 1 TX) going to the RXD + on the autopilot/NMEA device. On the radar schematic is a yellow wire for the Nav-Aid +. I assume the blue GPS NMEA out (Com 1 TX) is attached to the radar yellow. Is this correct? Yes.

Since the radar and GPS are wired to the same ground, do I attach the radar green wire along with the main ground wire together at the ground? I went ahead and connected all my NEMA grounds together. I feel it works better this way.

Here's how I wired Moondance's lower helm electronics:http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=572

Raul

[Randygh]

THANK YOU RAUL. I printed your terminal strip diagram and will keep it in the boat. I'll get the radar and GPS wired together tonight. Thanks for the heads up about the radar display waypoint note hiding an object on the water. The terminal strip looks really slick.

What is the advantage of wiring the Garmin Fishfinder to my Garmin GPS? With the chart in my GPS, I don't see the need for networking the two, however there have been several instances where there was significant discrepancy between the GPS chart depth and the actual depth shown on my fishfinder.

Randy,

When I installed the electronics on my boat I installed two terminal strips, upper and lower helms. I used them to interconnect all the NEMA stuff as well as power. Then I made schematics using MS Excel. I keep these on the boat.

I have the following NEMA interconnects:
GPS#1 position to VHF#1 (DSC) and Radar
GPS#2 position to VHF#2 (DSC)
Fishfinder (upper helm) depth to GPS#1 (lower helm)
Provisions for electronic compass heading to Radar (I don't have an electronic compass yet)

As far as GPS position on the fishfinder, I'm not sure you'll derive much. My fishfinder has this capability but I've left it disconnected. I find very good correlation between the charted depth and the actual depth once I take tides into account. My GPS units are WAAS enabled and run c-map cards.

Raul

[Randygh]

My Garmin uses the Blue Water chip MUS023R. Does C-map work in Garmin units?

The guy I purchased my unit from cut and spliced the cable (right behind the display) from the dome to the display. I shortened the wire to about 10' when I routed it to the display. Yesterday I checked with the auto electric shop that I was going to have put the plug on the end of the cable. The guy at the shop said shortening the cable may interfere with the radar accuracy and he recommended I call JRC and talk to a tech. I called JRC in Seattle and talked to a friendly, helpful technician that spoke English. I was very impressed. He said the cable from the dome to the display can be shortened to 3' without causing any problems. He also said the easiest way to reconnect the plug to the cable is to use a terminal block rather than taking the plug apart. I picked up a European style block at Radio Shack yesterday. I'm taking the boat in tomorrow to the auto electric shop to have it hooked up.

Kudos to Patrick at JRC support!!!

[SomeSailor]

Great job Randy.

Shortening a Radar signal line isn't a big deal because the head on a sythetic array (flat arrays like most of these), the signal is actually received and brought down in freq at the array. Otherwise you'd have those Navy-ish waveguides running all over your boat.

Garmin does not use CMAP (and vice-versa), but you do want to connect your fish finder to it because you can mark depth data in the way-point (in case you're marking a fish location or such). That was one of the cooler features of the 188 Sounder I had.

The grounds you were speaking are actually two different grounds, but should work OK tied together. They are the normal grounds for the systems, and a NMEA data ground reference. The NMEA ground isn't really a ground per say, but a data reference level. If your communications works OK... no harm no foul. If it talks irratically, try separating the NMEA ground from the normal system grounds and it may talk a bit better.

Remember that NMEA OUT is FROM the NMEA GPS (master) to all the other devices. Since theirs no "handshake" in the NMEA 0183 standard, so you may only have one "talker" on the bus. I've watched a couple of people scratching their heads after hooking all the OUTs to INs and getting everything screwed up :)

Some times you can get away with a second device talking TO your GPS, because no other devices will cause problems... but that's not always the case. You may (or may not) be able to take data FROM your Radar to the chartplotter. (as in this picture)

http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/data/media/25/NMEA.jpg

[LadyDi381]

This may be a stupid question.What are your opinions about being on the upper helm with the radar going? We have heard that it could cause cancer. True or false? Because of what we have heard, we have only run it when we are at the lower helm.
Diane

[Randygh]

Diane--When I spoke to JRC tech yesterday he said I could lay along the radome with in it bed and it wouldn't produce enough harmful radio waves to be of concern. He says it runs on 1/2 watt and is not harmful whatsoever. :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

He says it runs on 1/2 watt and is not harmful whatsoever

and how many arms and eyes did this guy have??? Only kidding. I too turn it off when the Admiral is forward tending lines. Went thru the locks the other day and the line handler above asked if my radar was on. I said no, why? He said he is worried about the radiation and going blind... I thought about that comment and what he could possibly doing with the radar and refrained from the "going blind" part of a come back... I did chuckle to myself however... the Admiral just shook her head... didn't want to know...

Mike,

The JRC 1500 has no NEMA data outputs. It only has two dedicated inputs: position and heading.

Raul

[SomeSailor]

Diane--When I spoke to JRC tech yesterday he said I could lay along the radome with in it bed and it wouldn't produce enough harmful radio waves to be of concern. He says it runs on 1/2 watt and is not harmful whatsoever. :D

He's crazy Randy. It actually requires 30W of power just to spin it up... That's a 2000W scanner unit, and that's exactly what it's producing.... 2000 Watts of microwave RF radiation. It's moving, and installed above your head... but I wouldn't want one mounted anywhere near pointing at me.

Here's a quote from the JRC-1500 User's Manual (http://safety-marine.com/sm/Assets/pdfs/SM24004.pdf)


Avoid passing close to the scanner when the radar is in use.
The scanner unit rotates quickly and can cause personal injury. Both
this and the enclosed radome should be installed at a high place, such
as a cabin roof, or a specially constructed arch, or radar mast. If the
radiating units cannot be installed above all possible, standing head
height, they should be guarded by a strong, protective, enclosing frame.
Prolonged, close range exposure to radar signals is not recommended.

Raul; Disregard the NMEA Out on these units then. Some higher end models make use of NMEA 0183's ability to pass target data via a data bus. You can chart vectors, computer target range and speed on a separate chartplotter in that manner.

[/url]

[SomeSailor]

He said he is worried about the radiation and going blind...

RF burns are very damaging. Prolonged exposure... even at relatively near distances. It's been linked to lots of cool things like Occular and Uveal Melanoma, Retinal Degeneration and Testicular Cancer. Hit the Stand-By switch.

It's also a pretty good way to get shocked. We've killed many sailors who were working aloft when Radars energized.

[Go Aweigh2452]

We've killed many sailors who were working aloft when Radars energized.


and we have shot down a couple of seagulls with our radar onboard ship...

[SomeSailor]

One of our favorite tricks on P-3's was to pull a flourescent bulb out of an overhead light on the plane and hold it over our heads while standing in front on the plane. That was a 45KW Radar, but you get the idea. :)

[Randygh]

Mike and Doug--Thanks for the warnings. Sounds like the tech guy was way off base on his advice. I'll be sure to hit the stand-by if the Admiral is on the deck handling lines and fenders.

[Randygh]

I had the auto electric shop complete the wiring on my radar unit last week and I used it this weekend on Lake Chelan. It worked great. The 1500 doesn't seem too hard to understand and the screen has great resolution and contrast even in sunlight. Several times I picked up boats approaching from my stern that I was unaware of. I also picked up the wake of Lady Express as she crossed 100 yards in front of me.

The wind blew very hard Fri night, all day Sat and Sun. Finally settled down last night and was very pleasant coming back downlake.

Another drowning on the lake Friday night. Two 17 yr olds with no lifejackets were in a canoe in the middle of the lake when they were swamped by the waves. They didn't stay with the canoe and one of them was rescued by a local resident at 2249 when he heard one of the boys yelling for help. He got to the kid barely in time, he was just barely keeping his head above water. The other kid's body was found Sun about 100 yrds from shore. Sad tragedy that was totally preventable.

[uffdakev]

I see that someone was recommending a Furuno 1715 over a JRC 1500. I had a JRC 1000 that was hit by lightening. So I upgraded to the Furuno 1715. I like the better resolution of targets (but I imagine the 1500 would have had similar improvement) but the software for the Furuno sucks. It requires a minimum of 3 key strokes for the simplest function, (switching from transmit to standby). I bought it because it had dedicated keys for each function. However if you use the EBL line you have to manually toggle it back to the center, no automatic homing button like a Garmin. If you want to input NMEA you have to buy a $50 cable. A waste of money. In order to display speed etc you have to give up receiving any information from the rear of your boat (I like to know if a freighter is overtaking me) If you want to have it show your next waypoint you have to convert you chartplotter and the Furuno to True instead of Magnetic. I tried it and can't imagine why anyone would use True!

Kevin

[Numbknots]

Kevin,

I have a recently purchased Tolly which had in 01 the Furuno 1900c GPS chart plotter, 48 mile open array radar. I have spent hours trying to get used to the "menu system" It is the most cumbersome system I have yet to see. I usually end up setting my Garmin GPS276c on top of the display and charting a route with it and then using the Furuno strictly for the radar and screen size.

I will likely splurge for their "Black box Sounder" and heading indicator so I can have a color depth sounder on the 10.5 inch screen.

then again I may sell the whole works on E-bay and buy a Garmin networked system with the little remaining of the Kids college fund!!!!

Tim