Marine Electronics Forum - Chartmap & Radar Overlay

Hello,

Does anyone offer a Chartplotter with Radar overlay that does not require the expensive true North heading sensor. It seems that one could find true north if the vessel is moving by GPS, then use this to overlay the radar image on the chartplotter image.

TIA

Mike

i believe the simrad cx34/44/54 does this without using a heading sensor.



mickey..

If you are being set by current and wind your heading will not be accurate for radar overlay.

The problem isn't finding north, the problem is the rate of turning and playing "Catchup" A GPS will update your heading MUCH slower than a rate compass, so for a while your overlay will not match up. Also if you are going slow and the GPS "Hunts" for a heading, your overlay will be going nuts.

I think there is one that only cost $149 or so.... don't remember the brand though ;?

Raymarine's C-Series works fine without the heading sensor. I have been using mine like that for the whole summer, no problemo. Of course while anchored, drifting, and turning while going slow the radar layer and chart layer will not always line up just right. I have used plenty of Ray systems with the heading sensor and let's just say the heading sensor is way down my list of "wants" for the boat.

The simrad CX series does it without the compass. It works just fine until you slow the boat down. When the boat slows down or is drifting, the heading gets a little erratic.

Any system will work as long as you are moving. The heading sensor reports the direction that the boat is pointing, not the direction that it is moving. If you don't care that the feature doesn't work at slow speeds (when you will be more susceptible to drift due to wind and current effects) then you may not need a heading sensor. Just be aware that you might want overlay to work when you get stuck in bad weather and have trouble making headway against the wind/current.

Ed

Does the Furuno 1724 allow radar overlays on the charplotter without the heading sensor?

TIA,

Mike

For the most part, all of the major radar/chartplotter manufacturers' current color products released within the last year or two (Furuno, RayMarine, SimRad) will allow overlay to work with just GPS COG instead of fast compass data being an absolute requirement, its just how well it will work in anything more than flat seas. If you are dropping a minimum of about $3,000 for a GPS antenna, a smallish 6-7 inch color display and a 2kw radome, (the running entry level system to have overlay) not dropping the extra $400 for something like a KVH AutoComp 1000 is being penny-wise and dollar foolish. It's not like adding a heading sensor doubles the price of your system, and having it benefits you most in the situations that radar-overlay is a godsend, when seas go to crap and you are yawing all over the place. No one needs overlay when the seas are like glass and you can see for miles which is what COG based overlay is going to limit you to.

boatdork - 9/30/2005 1:42 PM

For the most part, all of the major radar/chartplotter manufacturers' current color products released within the last year or two (Furuno, RayMarine, SimRad) will allow overlay to work with just GPS COG instead of fast compass data being an absolute requirement, its just how well it will work in anything more than flat seas. If you are dropping a minimum of about $3,000 for a GPS antenna, a smallish 6-7 inch color display and a 2kw radome, (the running entry level system to have overlay) not dropping the extra $400 for something like a KVH AutoComp 1000 is being penny-wise and dollar foolish. It's not like adding a heading sensor doubles the price of your system, and having it benefits you most in the situations that radar-overlay is a godsend, when seas go to crap and you are yawing all over the place. No one needs overlay when the seas are like glass and you can see for miles which is what COG based overlay is going to limit you to.

:thumbsup:

mawyatt - 9/30/2005 1:27 PM

Does the Furuno 1724 allow radar overlays on the charplotter without the heading sensor?

TIA,

Mike

Navnet requires a AD10 input before the box is not grayed out and you can select overlay.

Thanks.

We won't be venturing out but a few miles in the Gulf around the Tampa Bay area and stay generally around the intercoastal and some lakes. We do have some storms that come up quickly and that was why I wanted the radar. Is the overlay overkill? Since we stay close in we really don't need more than 200' for Sonar either, any recommendations on a system (Chartplotter/GPS, Sonar, Radar) either integrated or not is welcome. We have a Sea Ray 260 and so not much room for more that 2 small displays. I've asked this on another post and have some good feedback, but the more the better. I'm new to boating and navigation in general, but do understand electronics and GPS well (an EE)..so any help is greatly appreciated. BTW cost is important, the boat's already broke me!!

TIA

Mike

When I purchased my Raymarine E120's I did not want to buy the heading sensor but it comes with the TR1 autopilot. I saw no need for a radar overlay. But I have to tell you now that I have it, this is a great feature. I was pulling out of my marina deciding where to fish, looking at my waypoints on my GPS, I turned on the radar overlay and saw a concentration of boats around one of my waypoints 15 + miles away. Turn out to be a great spot that day. I love the overlay!

Somethin-Fishey - 9/30/2005 4:31 PM

mawyatt - 9/30/2005 1:27 PM

Does the Furuno 1724 allow radar overlays on the charplotter without the heading sensor?

TIA,

Mike

Navnet requires a AD10 input before the box is not grayed out and you can select overlay.


I believe that you can use NMEA for radar overlay with Furuno NavNet. Heading data (NMEA sentence HDG) is also required for the radar waypoint lollipop marker and for TLL data.

http://www.furuno.com/Furuno/Doc/0/6B435H8OEG1KH5BL3IC8BMGRFE/NavNet+Quick+reference+(rev25).pdf

You do need AD10 if you want to use the ARPA features (which also require an additional board installed in the radar display). Simrad autopilots will supply AD10 data also (depending on the autopilot computer used).

Ed

clover2695 - 9/30/2005 8:33 PM

When I purchased my Raymarine E120's I did not want to buy the heading sensor but it comes with the TR1 autopilot. I saw no need for a radar overlay. But I have to tell you now that I have it, this is a great feature. I was pulling out of my marina deciding where to fish, looking at my waypoints on my GPS, I turned on the radar overlay and saw a concentration of boats around one of my waypoints 15 + miles away. Turn out to be a great spot that day. I love the overlay!

Clover,
I also like the radar overlay on my e-series units, but you could get the same functionality from your radar without the overlay. Waypoints will appear on your radar screen (and even on the sounder), so you could have seen the fleet around your waypoint that way too. We do that all the time.

edk - 9/30/2005 10:09 PM

Somethin-Fishey - 9/30/2005 4:31 PM


mawyatt - 9/30/2005 1:27 PM

Does the Furuno 1724 allow radar overlays on the charplotter without the heading sensor?

TIA,

Mike


Navnet requires a AD10 input before the box is not grayed out and you can select overlay.


I believe that you can use NMEA for radar overlay with Furuno NavNet. Heading data (NMEA sentence HDG) is also required for the radar waypoint lollipop marker and for TLL data.

http://www.furuno.com/Furuno/Doc/0/6B435H8OEG1KH5BL3IC8BMGRFE/NavNet+Quick+reference+(rev25).pdf

You do need AD10 if you want to use the ARPA features (which also require an additional board installed in the radar display). Simrad autopilots will supply AD10 data also (depending on the autopilot computer used).

Ed


Your right AD10 is for ARPA, but the other connector is for overlay. If I don't turn my AP on I get a grayed out overlay button. I haven't hooke up another GPS to get a heading. By the time you bought another GPS and wired it up with another antenna, to get NMEA data, it would be easier/cheaper to get the compass.

This is all somewhat of a moot point because with the small screen on the 1724, the radar overlay is so cluttered it is quite difficult to use, indeed virtually useless unless on the very tight range settings. Try a demo before you invest in the compass if you don't already need one for an autopilot.

Overlay is great. Don't let anyone tell you it is a useless feature.

It makes picking up "known" objects such as buouys, daymarkers, and rockpiles very easy to distinguish from boats / barges/etc. It also helps you a lot when you turn marpa on. You can pick up direction and speed visually on a traget in relation to other info very quickly.

Good stuff. And since I have an autopilot (also worth its weight in gold), I don't have to worry about the heading info.

clover2695 - 10/1/2005 8:33 AM

When I purchased my Raymarine E120's I did not want to buy the heading sensor but it comes with the TR1 autopilot. I saw no need for a radar overlay. But I have to tell you now that I have it, this is a great feature. I was pulling out of my marina deciding where to fish, looking at my waypoints on my GPS, I turned on the radar overlay and saw a concentration of boats around one of my waypoints 15 + miles away. Turn out to be a great spot that day. I love the overlay!

You picked up boats 15 + miles coming out of your marina? How high is your scanner (is it a radome or open scanner and whay power) also how big was the fleet of boats you picked up? I'm pretty impressed, 15+ miles WOW :o

If you have a Gyro enabled Auto Pilot, like the Raymainre S1G, it ouputs heading data also. Overlay is a MUST have if you ask me. Puchasing a chartploter without Radar overlay at this day and age is just plain dumb. Get it, you won't regret it!! "Just set it, and forget it!!" ;)

Birdman - 10/3/2005 10:14 AM

If you have a Gyro enabled Auto Pilot, like the Raymainre S1G, it ouputs heading data also.* Overlay is a MUST have if you ask me. *Puchasing a chartploter without Radar overlay at this day and age is just plain dumb.* Get it, you won't regret it!!*** *"Just set it, and forget it!!"** ;)

Posted previously:

"Raymarine's C-Series works fine without the heading sensor. I have been using mine like that for the whole summer, no problemo. Of course while anchored, drifting, and turning while going slow the radar layer and chart layer will not always line up just right. I have used plenty of Ray systems with the heading sensor and let's just say the heading sensor is way down my list of "wants" for the boat."
-----
Jim Maier
BOE Marine Electronics & Accessories
Annapolis, MD




LMAO :rofl: