New Icom Chartplotter, Radar etc

[martini]

MarineCommander WEBsite | Icom UK.

[willk]

Ooooooooh!




Icom - branded or manufactured?

[ncp]

Originally Posted by willk

Ooooooooh!
Icom - branded or manufactured?

Good question. When I was researching radios, I saw all the nav stuff and thought "Who buys this other stuff??? Heck, who even sells it?" Didn't find too much in the way of prices or vendors online.

[Erin]

Bet the radios still aren't N2K tho!

[martini]

Originally Posted by Erin

Bet the radios still aren't N2K tho!

Nope, still 0183 if you want to connect your Icom radio to your Icom plotter! Although the plotter does have n2k.

Love the radios but the rest doesn't look to clever. I'm guessing its made by Icom Japan.

Sent from my portable speaking device using Rib.net

[Erin]

Originally Posted by martini

Love the radios but the rest doesn't look too clever.

Since moving to a Garmin radio my love of Icom has diminished somewhat.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

Since moving to a Garmin radio my love of Icom has diminished somewhat.

I can't decide about those Garmin radios - what do YOU like about them?

[Erin]

Simple UI with effective soft keys. Plus the fact that they talk nicely to my plotter to allow for direct calling any AIS target or DSC vessel in my list of 'friends'. Oh, and N2K of course.

I also find the screen is good and the menu structure fairly logical. Unlike the Icom you don't have one button doing lots of random things depending on whether your press or press and hold it.

[willk]

No problems with it fogging up? I've seen a lot of those...

[Erin]

You only asked ME what I LIKED about it

Yep, it does fog a bit, but clears after a while. But I know if it became a problem Garmin would replace it. My old plotter did too, until they brought in bonded touch screens. I'm sure there's still fog lurking in amongst the circuit boards but it ain't a problem now.

[willk]

LOL - foggy instruments make me VERY grumpy. I've been known to cut them open and insert silica in the works. I wouldn't want to have to do that with new kit...

Thanks for the general overview though

[Erin]

I think you'll find there's Navman fog and then the better quality Garmin fog. Agreed though, that there must be some way to design it out. It cost Garmin 3 plotters for me before I upgraded to touch screen.

[Gilles]

coooooool, is that my gift for xmas ?

THAAAAAAAANKS

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

It cost Garmin 3 plotters for me before I upgraded to touch screen.

All button operated units I presume? I suppose sealed HAS to be better! Touchscreens seem to be regarded as the work of the devil if you don't own one and the best thing since sliced bread if you do. I wonder where the actual truth lies? LOL

How has your's performed - OK with wet mitts? No problems with screens overheating? Fog? Vampire bats flying out of the card slot?

[Erin]

TBH I don't think fogging has got anything to do with having buttons or not. All the plotters have a breather hole with a Goretex or similar veil behind. This is obviously to accomodate expansion and contraction from extreme temperature ranges and avoid the waterproof seals blowing. However, it allows for migration of vapour which as we all know includes moisture sometimes (waterproof not vapourproof - a subtle but important difference). Ergo, moisture gets into the interior and condenses on the inside of the screen cover unless your screen doesn't have a cover such as touchscreen.

I wouldn't go back to button plotters and have just bought a 7012 for the big boat. Vampire bats are very timid over here and have stayed well hidden behind the chart slot. I do sometimes see flying pigs?!

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Erin

I wouldn't go back to button plotters and have just bought a 7012

Excellent choice. Is the screen fogging up on the 200i really an issue?

Using the plotter to initiate calls will be good. What VHF has the big boat got?

Final Q: do you think it would be worth upgrading from AIT1000 to the 2000 or perhaps 3k if it comes out at LBS, so that everything is NMEA2K?

[Erin]

Cor, what is this? Interrogate Erin day or summink?

The grand bateau has a Standard Horizon radio but I may add a Garmin as a secondary unit at some point as they are pretty cheap these days for a safety item. Personally I don't see any benefit from upgrading your 0183 AIS unit as it is not really doing much else other than parse position data to your plotter. It's not as if it's doing any two way talking.

A bit of screen fog doesn't bother me. It's a PITA on the plotter because you are constantly viewing a detailed image, but the large monochrome channel numbers on the VHF show through the fog just fine.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

A bit of screen fog doesn't bother me. It's a PITA on the plotter because you are constantly viewing a detailed image

There's a cruel irony in not being able to see the AIS hits on your plotter because of "fog"

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Erin

It's a PITA on the plotter because you are constantly viewing a detailed image, but the large monochrome channel numbers on the VHF show through the fog just fine.

You don't get any fog in the 5008 do you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fCQgwyxBc

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

...the better quality Garmin fog. Agreed though, that there must be some way to design it out.

You'd certainly think so, but I suppose it would add to the cost. As you say, there will always be a touch of free moisture inside the kit. I find that very cold days and very sunny days are the worst. I guess as the sun or just the operation warms the electronics and the screen back becomes the coolest place for the moisture to condense. I'd have thought that a lightly heated screen would have kept it at bay? User replaceable plug in silica packs would be a cheap fix perhaps and an ongoing source of revenue too...

Garmin Dri-Pac - £19.99