Silva S15

[Rupert Bear]

I have had simrad sets go on me as well, can't comment on Icom as I have never used one.
I am actually coming round to the opposite view, I think now I would rather buy the cheapest set I can and just replace it every year or two when it dies. Another reason why I got the HH is I am intending to have it set up to be powered from the boat and capable of using the boat aerial as well as self contained.
I don't have room for a seperate DSC set and I remain to be convinced that an Icom combined set at twice the price of the Silva and four times the price of the cheapest DSC set is going to be 4 times as reliable, certainly not without seeing it myself.
If the silva turns up and goes again so quickly I will demand a refund and buy something else, then I will look for alternatives one way or t'other.

[marknj]

Not 4 times as reliable but maybe 10!

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Anyone know where i can get a list of MMSI's for the CG's? I had to call Dover CG several times yesterday and CH16 was very, very busy...would, i think, have been better to use DSC...

http://www.hmcoastguard.co.uk/comms/mmsi.php

Cheers

Mike

[Rupert Bear]

Anybdy heard when the S10's and S15's everybodies waiting for are going to arrive? Silva don't seem to know

[philip]

I'm pretty sure I've seen them in the Force 4 shop in Lymington:

http://www.force4.co.uk/acatalog/Onl...eakers_28.html

Cheers

Phil

[Jon Brooks]

[QUOTE=Rupert Bear]I don't have room for a seperate DSC set and I remain to be convinced that an Icom combined set at twice the price of the Silva and four times the price of the cheapest DSC set is going to be 4 times as reliable, certainly not without seeing it myself.QUOTE]

We would like to think they are! and most of our customers would agree.

If you wanna see them in action come and find me at either Sportsboat and Rib or Ribex and I will be more than happy to show you our kit in action.
There will also be boats at each event so you can see them in the field as it were too.

Oh and we have no supply problem on our fixed kit at all!

Have to say I know of no H/H marine radio that will "run" from 12v, most will charge but not "run".

Regards

[Rupert Bear]

The instruction booklet says it operates on internal battery or 12v power but then goes on to say that you should not transmit when the ac charger is plugged in. Either the charger has an internal fuse or similiar or you cannot transmit when powering via the jack at all.
My intention is to wire the 12v lead into the fusebox permanently so that in an emergency I can plug it in and use it in the case of the main radio dying and the battery in the HH being flat. I am also goi to make up a adaptor so I an plug the main aerial to the handheld.
Silva are now telling me that the radio should be here early next week, i will wait and see.
I have now heard a few people saying they have had problems so if this one doesn't last it is going back and I'll buy something else.
They definitely have supply problems, I couldn't get the navtex aerial last year and waited weeks for the radio and the prolem seems just as bad now.

[Jon Brooks]

well I have learnt something new today!


regards

[Rupert Bear]

I am not saying you are wrong about the 12v lead use, just saying what the instruction book says about the various methods of powering the radio.
It is ambigious enough that I wouldn't bet on either way being the right way

[Jelly]

Quote Rupert Bear
My intention is to wire the 12v lead into the fusebox permanently so that in an emergency I can plug it in and use it in the case of the main radio dying and the battery in the HH being flat. I am also goi to make up a adaptor so I an plug the main aerial to the handheld.

If you are going to put a fly lead into fusebox, my I suggest a switch on it, thus eliminating the possiblity of a stray current giving electrolosis.
Also you can buy RF addaptors instead of a connectors on a piece of cable, each connector has an RF loss so by going down the extra cable route you are adding an extra loss you don't need, right at the time you want max power output.
Most VHF connectors are PL259 on the antenna cable going to a SO259 on the reciever. Sorry no idea what the connectors are on the silva range, quite a few are now SMA (icom M1v for instance) rather than the old style BNC or TNC.
Hope it helps
Jelly

[Rupert Bear]

The cable will only be arund 18 inches long and since I have around 6 spare ways full of spare fuses then the one with the flylead will have no fuse in. The fuse will be moved over to make it live when needed, not because I am worried too much about corrosion but more the spare lead shorting out against something in there even with a cap on it.
An adaptor is what I will use as the cable is long enough to come out the console when disconected from the VHF. It is something I don't really expect ever to use but you never know, I like keeping my options open

[Rupert Bear]

Silva now have S15 and S10's available got my replacment yesterday, will see if this one lasts

[Rupert Bear]

The S10 has a bug, shows "NO GPS" all the time, even when receiving a NMEA string with a valid position.
According to Silva it does work OK but the decimal places are only accepted to .00 rather than the .000 from most plotters/gps's.
Actually I am not sure I buy this explanation fully but it does seem to work in practice

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Rupert Bear

The S10 has a bug, shows "NO GPS" all the time, even when receiving a NMEA string with a valid position.
According to Silva it does work OK but the decimal places are only accepted to .00 rather than the .000 from most plotters/gps's.
Actually I am not sure I buy this explanation fully but it does seem to work in practice

A friend of mine had the same problem trying to interface his Garmin 152 to the S10 ( both new) .
I eventually sorted this out ( after plenty of swearing, rechecking wiring etc etc and wondering why when connecting my own 128 we had no problems) - as you say it is an issue with the output in more than 2 decimal places.
On the Garmin 152 you can change the position "precision" in the " "Advanced NMEA setup" facility. Changing the default "4 digits " to 2 worked fine and GPS position shows on the VHF screen. (Appendix H for those with the same combination/problem)
I am not sure whether this facility works or is needed with other GPS makes but worth a try.
I am not sure about Silvas claim that although the VHF indicates " no GPS" it WOULD send the position in distress mode ???!!
Hope this helps ?
Jeff

[seafariskye]

Now have my 3rd set intalled, and to make things better the sun actually shone today when we were out, and onto the nice big clear digits on the readout -- what did the digits do -- bugger off, that what -- now have my 3rd non functioning set, that you cannot tell what it is doing, does not memory scan anymore, and goes to whatever channel it wants.

I will be sending it back for the final time, and will not be buying another -- 3 times gone wrong, always the same thing -- full refund wanted -- unless anyone wants a decent weight for fishing???

Pete

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by seafariskye

Now have my 3rd set intalled, and to make things better the sun actually shone today when we were out, and onto the nice big clear digits on the readout -- what did the digits do -- bugger off, that what -- now have my 3rd non functioning set, that you cannot tell what it is doing, does not memory scan anymore, and goes to whatever channel it wants.

I will be sending it back for the final time, and will not be buying another -- 3 times gone wrong, always the same thing -- full refund wanted -- unless anyone wants a decent weight for fishing???

Pete

Can I interest you in am Icom
Sorry had to say it.

Regards

[Daniel]

He's got an Icom on the boat i sold him but to be fair that suffered from water ingress and had a £100 repair bill while i owned it.

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by Daniel

He's got an Icom on the boat i sold him but to be fair that suffered from water ingress and had a £100 repair bill while i owned it.

Is it an old one then?
M59?

Regards

Jon

[Daniel]

Yup. I take it they had a history of this?

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Yup. I take it they had a history of this?

No but was hoping it was an older one that let water rather than a new one!!!

Regards