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Dave thanks for the post. If commercial traffic is abundant in your area think about adding the AIS, quite impressive. The Navnet 3D is a phenomonal system and glad to hear your enjoying it.
To those that are bashing his post and making useless comments - take a hike and get a life. Go deal with your personal issues elsewhere.
Private AIS - geared toward commercial market and sure will be available in not too distant future. Compatability across the board? Good luck with that pipe dream.
Furuno makes a superb system, their customer service is excellent, enough said.
__________________ Capt. Ryan
1988 31' Tiara Open
USCG 50T Master
Im with you, and I ordered the Fa-30 AIS receiver yesterday- especially after looking at some of the vids of it on the web- Im impressed as well.
Long Beach is the busiest port on the West coast and when I was out last week I realized that if I could auto detect the big boys that don't even slow down in fog/rain/weather/night Id be 90% better off and only have to deal with the little guys like myself that do slow down. I'm constantly crossing a serious amount of Long Beach traffic on my to and from Catalina and I think the AIS would be an additional layer of security beyond what I already have.
Long Beach is the busiest port on the West coast and when I was out last week I realized that if I could auto detect the big boys that don't even slow down in fog/rain/weather/night Id be 90% better off and only have to deal with the little guys like myself that do slow down....
UD - you find the problem is the tankers? In Boston it's definitely the opposite. It's the small owners going every which way with no regard or concept of rules or courtesy and the large ships that are steady, slow, and predictable with good communication.
In the winter it's quite nice. In the summer all bets are off with traffic - the only rule is don't run into someone.
No tankers arent much of an issue at least for me as you said they are pretty predictable.
By big boys Im really talking about fall into 3 catagories that Id like to track-
High speed ferries/ passengers boats going to and from Catalina,
tug boats that are zipping from tanker to tanker as they go from anchor to port.
Commercial fishing rigs coming in and out of port.
The small guys are still a big problem but if I "pull" those 3 out of the equation using AIS, I can more easily focus on the little guys buzzing around.
For me at least I can easily eliminate anything with an AIS target as somewhat predictable(tugs excluded) and move my focus to moving blips NOT carrying AIS- kind of an elimination process more than anything.
Dave thanks for the post. If commercial traffic is abundant in your area think about adding the AIS, quite impressive. The Navnet 3D is a phenomonal system and glad to hear your enjoying it.
To those that are bashing his post and making useless comments - take a hike and get a life. Go deal with your personal issues elsewhere.
Private AIS - geared toward commercial market and sure will be available in not too distant future. Compatability across the board? Good luck with that pipe dream.
Furuno makes a superb system, their customer service is excellent, enough said.
I did add the AIS late last season- super cool.
Turns out in retrospect after being here a while- Gerg has a boat full of Garmin stuff and is a fanboy supporting them on other posts. He doesn't mention that in this post, when he talks about future possible products- thats likely where the attitude came from.
Note I did not slam anyone but only wished to post my experience with a then brand new system
Another note: If he bought at the end of the 5K series its now out of date replaced by the 6 & 7 K stuff or very shortly will be.
Im with you, and I ordered the Fa-30 AIS receiver yesterday- especially after looking at some of the vids of it on the web- Im impressed as well.
Long Beach is the busiest port on the West coast and when I was out last week I realized that if I could auto detect the big boys that don't even slow down in fog/rain/weather/night Id be 90% better off and only have to deal with the little guys like myself that do slow down. I'm constantly crossing a serious amount of Long Beach traffic on my to and from Catalina and I think the AIS would be an additional layer of security beyond what I already have.
Thanks-
Uncle Dave.
Maybe you know this, but lots of knowledgeable people are surprised when they see it on my boat -- The AIS targets are (or can be) shown on both the NN3D chartplotter and radar. As a result the AIS targets are automatically sorted out from the non-AIS targets (but all are tracked by MARPA). Plus, AIS data is often 5 minutes old -- it can take that long for a ship that has changed course to show its new course on AIS. It is an easy mistake to make to think that the course and speed transmitted by an AIS vessel continue to be accurate at the time you view it on your chartplotter (or radar). But, with radar overlay, you can quickly determine when AIS targets actual course/speed is different from their AIS broadcast course and speed.
One more thing, relative to the question about whether NN3 is an improvement. The NN3D MARPA function resolves much more quickly than at least Furuno's standalone radars (such as their model 1942, which I have on another boat), and I believe it can track many more targets, and it seems to do a better job with weak signals.
Last edited by MYTraveler; 05-28-2010 at 01:08 PM.
Are the charts better now? Yup. Is the radar better? Marginally. Sounder technology? Marginally. Integration? Not so much.
I
No other system that I am aware of, including NavNet2, would allow 10 separate displays, each with the ability to access and control each of the network components. The only way I could put 4 displays in the pilothouse, 4 on the flybridge, another in the cockpit and a tenth in the tower -- with each of the displays controllable and able to utilize all network components, not just mirrors of another display, was with NN3. In that sense, the network integration is a significant step forward from prior technology.
Maybe you know this, but lots of knowledgeable people are surprised when they see it on my boat -- The AIS targets are (or can be) shown on both the NN3D chartplotter and radar. As a result the AIS targets are automatically sorted out from the non-AIS targets (but all are tracked by MARPA). Plus, AIS data is often 5 minutes old -- it can take that long for a ship that has changed course to show its new course on AIS. It is an easy mistake to make to think that the course and speed transmitted by an AIS vessel continue to be accurate at the time you view it on your chartplotter (or radar). But, with radar overlay, you can quickly determine when AIS targets actual course/speed is different from their AIS broadcast course and speed.
One more thing, relative to the question about whether NN3 is an improvement. The NN3D MARPA function resolves much more quickly than at least Furuno's standalone radars (such as their model 1942, which I have on another boat), and I believe it can track many more targets, and it seems to do a better job with weak signals.
I actually play with all the modes and always try to track AIS targets on radar as you can visibly see the result of transmission and sorting delays as a gap in between the AIS identified target and the radar return.
I havent seen late model separates but its good to know the MFD's are better!
Ditto Traveler.... time to dish some details on that hot sexy mess you have there. Inquiring minds want to know!
Good discussion overall. I am nearing an upgrade, and have been looking for a lot of this info... Earlier, the radar overlay was brought up as a nice new feature of NN3D and other systems. Now, although I haven't used this, my knee-jerk reaction would be that I would be focusing on the chart and not the radar returns.... as of now, I like the blank background.... thoughts?
__________________
Lets have a Sexy Party! 38 Henriques FB 2000 ~ 17 Montauk 1978
I have to preface all of my comments by turning into "captain obvious" and reminding everyone Im not fishing but using my boat in lieu of a convertible sports car and likely use my unit differently. I usually average between 35 and 50 mph for long stretches 150-200 miles one way.
At the same time the flexibility of this system has almost everyone settling on a different config anyway.
Overlay-
I tend to use overlay outside of shipping lanes where I am really looking at a map and have really good visibility anyway.
My small screen gets cluttered pretty quickly with all that data going on, Id bet its a better experience with more screen real estate though.
Having "grown up" on separates and only now having an overlay capable system I find myself going back to a split chart/ radar mode when Im in the shipping & port lanes and doing the "Millennium falcon through the asteroid field stuff".
I do put the AIS targets on both, but find chart background masks some of the data present on the radar- its there as it should be but having a map over it makes it harder to see and I have limited eye on screen time.
Forward the video to about 3:30 and watch and listen to this thing for about a minute til say 4:30
Now, although I haven't used this, my knee-jerk reaction would be that I would be focusing on the chart and not the radar returns.... as of now, I like the blank background.... thoughts?
I always overlay ais on chart and radar, and both ais and marpa on chart. But, the only time I overlay radar on chart is near shore (or islands) outside of the US, or inside harbors (including US harbors). With foreign charts (my experience is limited to Mexico and Canada), I find (especially with Mexican charts, but also with Canadian) that the charts can inaccurately position land by as much as a mile. So, I enable radar overlay in order to get a visual representation of the error offset. Similarly, inside harbors, the chart overlay can help fill in the low profile targets to help differentiate between a channel marker and a dock finger.
Ditto Traveler.... time to dish some details on that hot sexy mess you have there. Inquiring minds want to know!
Happy to share, but please let me know your questions. Overall, I am very positive about Furuno, Icom, FLIR, and Robertson. Some of the Furuno equipment requires careful installation in order to conform to Furuno's specs, but that just requires a good installer.
Happy to share, but please let me know your questions. Overall, I am very positive about Furuno, Icom, FLIR, and Robertson. Some of the Furuno equipment requires careful installation in order to conform to Furuno's specs, but that just requires a good installer.
Not to derail my own thread but what FLIR piece do you have- and what do you think about it?
I was considering that next for nighttime lake boating.
Not to derail my own thread but what FLIR piece do you have- and what do you think about it?
I was considering that next for nighttime lake boating.
UD
I believe it is the Navigator model, with pan and tilt (and a 2x zoom, which I don't use). I have 4 screens in my pilot house, and at night one is dedicated to the FLIR display. (The other three are radar and chart plotter, the fourth I switch around, depending on circumstances.) The FLIR is amazing. I can see more with that than with my eyeballs, especially on moonless nights. Anything with a temperature differential is readily revealed, even in choppy seas.
I believe it is the Navigator model, with pan and tilt (and a 2x zoom, which I don't use). I have 4 screens in my pilot house, and at night one is dedicated to the FLIR display. (The other three are radar and chart plotter, the fourth I switch around, depending on circumstances.) The FLIR is amazing. I can see more with that than with my eyeballs, especially on moonless nights. Anything with a temperature differential is readily revealed, even in choppy seas.
Ethan is right, in New England if it looks like that picture, we express relief that the fog is finally lifting. Heavy fog is not being able to see your mooring from the bow of the boat before you leave.
I have a NavNet 3D system too. Not sure I understand all the whining about the system "not being ready" for consumers. I had some of the very first ones two years and they worked fine with some minor issues that were fixed within weeks by an update. With all the subsequent updates, they work better.
Garmin is doing a nice job on their new equipment. I would like to see how their new top of the line radars perform and compare them to the new generation Furuno units, which are truly outstanding. Certainly Garmin is not shy about issuing software updates. Both companies should be commended for continuously improving their products and taking advantage of the internet to allow end users to do updates easily and for free. I remember having to ship my Northstar 951 back to the factory for a software update back in the good old days when things were still made in the USA.
Ethan is right, in New England if it looks like that picture, we express relief that the fog is finally lifting. Heavy fog is not being able to see your mooring from the bow of the boat before you leave.
I have a NavNet 3D system too. Not sure I understand all the whining about the system "not being ready" for consumers. I had some of the very first ones two years and they worked fine with some minor issues that were fixed within weeks by an update. With all the subsequent updates, they work better.
Garmin is doing a nice job on their new equipment. I would like to see how their new top of the line radars perform and compare them to the new generation Furuno units, which are truly outstanding. Certainly Garmin is not shy about issuing software updates. Both companies should be commended for continuously improving their products and taking advantage of the internet to allow end users to do updates easily and for free. I remember having to ship my Northstar 951 back to the factory for a software update back in the good old days when things were still made in the USA.
Sounds like you guys get fog too! (at least thats what I am gathering form the comments about fog) Ive been on so many zero visibility trips I stopped counting- not fun, but I do feel secure with the level of gear.
Your comment about Garmin and US products mirrors mine in post 107 in this thread.
I discuss software updates as well. I have multiple GREAT Garmin products and am happy to support them.
Im very happy with my Garmin products, and would buy them again. I think Garmin is doing a great job.
My background in Marine electronics taught me how well furuno products hold up over time and how serviceable they are. "little" things like brass gears in the radar domes vs the plastic in almost all others makes a difference over the lifespan of the equipment.
The jury is out so to speak on the ultimate lifespan of Garmin, but they show every indication of having great longevity. Well see how the updates flow for discontinued units pretty quickly now that the 6 & 7K series product has been introduced.
I for one am eager to see how a heavily used touchscreen holds up after 5 years as the auto units basically go away after a similar amount of time and need replacing and they are for the most art shielded form every element but heat.
