Marine Instruments

[Farrari 4]

I did find this on the public Raymarine web site under the FAQs.

 

What Frequency does my Tacktick product work on?

Tacktick Micronet products operate on 2 frequencies:

 

916MHz - USA, Canada, South America, Autralasia, Japan.

869MHz - UK, Europe, Africa.

 

These different frequencies are required to operate within the legally defined bands in the relevant countries.

 

I understood that 916MHz was licensed spectrum in NZ.

[Fogg 427]

I understood 916Mhz was for low power short-range transmission only i.e. max. 3mW.

 

It sounds like someone is beaming well over that power from the Sky Tower. Wonder who?

[Farrari 4]

I understood 916Mhz was for low power short-range transmission only i.e. max. 3mW.

 

It sounds like someone is beaming well over that power from the Sky Tower. Wonder who?

 

It used to be. RSM has issued a new policy as at 11 July 2011 allocating this range to Studio to Transmitter Links (STL's) i.e. radio station to transmitter links.

 

See http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/policy-and-planning/policy-documents-operational/archive/archive/fixed-001

[Fogg 427]

Did they reallocate low-power telemetry devices a new spectrum then? If so, it sounds like the makers of the Tactic stuff were caught out?

[Farrari 4]

Yep agree. From what I can see the 916MHz range is still unlicensed spectrum in the USA so it looks to be localised to NZ.

[Fogg 427]

Which support the other comment I picked up regarding this issue is that it's due to the relatively 'lose' approach to spectrum management in NZ compared to other countries.

[war machine 0]

Thanks for all the info on the Tacktick gear..... sounds like a bit of a SNAFU on the frequency management.

 

Apart from the frequency issue I didnt see anything to detract from the quality, reliability or waterproofing of their gear.

 

.. now we have a really good excuse to go browse the instrument suppliers at the boat show and see who knows their wireless stuff including the new owners and distributors....

[Guest]

Have a look at the new B&G Triton at the Boat Show. It is a new low cost colour instrument system 4" colour glass bonded displays so no air gap which means there can be no condensation. No black box, but simple plug in NMEA 2000 data bus. The displays can be configured to read digital or analogue, 1 piece of info, 2 pieces, 4 pieces or whatever you want. This product will tick most of the boxes mentioned in this thread.

[Guest]

Have to agree with you there Macka, that is very nice gear indeed, very nice. Easy to read which is good and easy one of the best 'multi' type displays in that size area, the 4" square type thing. For some reason the Triton didn't come up on my earlier search and I went to the show to specifically suss the ?? err.. displays, the ones with the big red letters, name of range forgotten but it's a B&G product. I think the Triton gear may have trumped those now though, it does tick all my boxes very nicely. Looks very smart as well. I was told the new release price, it's due shortly, is going to be spectacular in it's lowness........ he says thinking he wasn't told that at all but why knot chuck it in as you just never know

 

So after sussing and having a fiddle at the Show it's got worse from the what do to angle. The Raymarine E7 was better (read 'knot as scary' to this person with growing technophobia) than I expected and as mentioned above the Triton has now popped up as well. Both of those, or that full on digital like gear, for lack of better description, wasn't really on the radar that strongly but after the show it sort of is now.... bugger.

 

It appears we can go one of 3 ways -

1 - a set of 4" 'older school' like gear, again for lack of better word, like the Raymarine 60ST, Nexus NX2, Advansea etc, which would have us with a few heads to place. All good and has what I want but the downside is the many heads I'd need. Yes I know it's knot old school and a lot is cutting edge but are meaning more the 'one set of numbers per head' type thing.

2 - The more digital like versions of the above like gear like the Triton, E7 and etc. Same size but a bit more multi and we could probably get away with one head each side. That has an appeal due to less heads to squeeze in and I could have full everything both sides.

or

3 - Stepping it up just a tad to something like the Garmin GPSmap750, the Raymarine version or one of the others like that. Bit bigger but has maps so does have an appeal if I can get the boat to the stage I'm allowed to do something I want with her next year. These seem to be in the 6x4" range, roughly, so it would probably mean one of those one side and a repeater on the other. Quite surprised to see how cost competitive they were, I was expecting $1000's more than the pre-arm screwing prices quoted at the show.

 

I thought we may have nailed a option at the Show but if anything that made it all worse... bugger, bugger, bugger.

 

We sure are spoiled for choice and none seem to be easy to right-off to due to lack of features, poor rep, just looks shite and things like that. The features some units have is staggering, knot sure why they need so much but man have they packed in options. Price wise there seems little in it all, maybe 1 or 2 hundy here and there, certainly nothing much in the big scheme. I haven't considered price really as it does all appear pretty close and I'll happily pay a few hundy over one than another if it ticks my boxes, more happy paying a few hundy less as well

 

Oh, the CruzPro ultrasonic wind reader gizmo, the bit that goes on top of the mast, looks interesting but sadly a bit large for me to be happy sticking up there. A few years when they get that smaller it could be a goodie.... knot sure why I think that over the usual style which works fine though.

 

But one thing is for sure, getting boat info has come a long long way from a knotted string and a feather pinched from a Seagulls arse. It wouldn't surprise me at all that in a few short years you'll be able to brew a coffee by pushing a button on your speedo... if that can't be done already.

[Fogg 427]

KM, sounds like you've done a lot of thinking/research into this. Can I piggy-back off your efforts and ask: "Forgetting flasher functionality, if you wanted quality and reliability as the #1 priority, what would you buy to get the basics i.e. speed/wind/depth plus talk to plotter/autopilot" (price no object but obviously it's for a 35' cruising boat not a 50m superyacht)?

 

Have to agree with you there Macka, that is very nice gear indeed, very nice. Easy to read which is good and easy one of the best 'multi' type displays in that size area, the 4" square type thing. For some reason the Triton didn't come up on my earlier search and I went to the show to specifically suss the ?? err.. displays, the ones with the big red letters, name of range forgotten but it's a B&G product. I think the Triton gear may have trumped those now though, it does tick all my boxes very nicely. Looks very smart as well. I was told the new release price, it's due shortly, is going to be spectacular in it's lowness........ he says thinking he wasn't told that at all but why knot chuck it in as you just never know

 

So after sussing and having a fiddle at the Show it's got worse from the what do to angle. The Raymarine E7 was better (read 'knot as scary' to this person with growing technophobia) than I expected and as mentioned above the Triton has now popped up as well. Both of those, or that full on digital like gear, for lack of better description, wasn't really on the radar that strongly but after the show it sort of is now.... bugger.

 

It appears we can go one of 3 ways -

1 - a set of 4" 'older school' like gear, again for lack of better word, like the Raymarine 60ST, Nexus NX2, Advansea etc, which would have us with a few heads to place. All good and has what I want but the downside is the many heads I'd need. Yes I know it's knot old school and a lot is cutting edge but are meaning more the 'one set of numbers per head' type thing.

2 - The more digital like versions of the above like gear like the Triton, E7 and etc. Same size but a bit more multi and we could probably get away with one head each side. That has an appeal due to less heads to squeeze in and I could have full everything both sides.

or

3 - Stepping it up just a tad to something like the Garmin GPSmap750, the Raymarine version or one of the others like that. Bit bigger but has maps so does have an appeal if I can get the boat to the stage I'm allowed to do something I want with her next year. These seem to be in the 6x4" range, roughly, so it would probably mean one of those one side and a repeater on the other. Quite surprised to see how cost competitive they were, I was expecting $1000's more than the pre-arm screwing prices quoted at the show.

 

I thought we may have nailed a option at the Show but if anything that made it all worse... bugger, bugger, bugger.

 

We sure are spoiled for choice and none seem to be easy to right-off to due to lack of features, poor rep, just looks shite and things like that. The features some units have is staggering, knot sure why they need so much but man have they packed in options. Price wise there seems little in it all, maybe 1 or 2 hundy here and there, certainly nothing much in the big scheme. I haven't considered price really as it does all appear pretty close and I'll happily pay a few hundy over one than another if it ticks my boxes, more happy paying a few hundy less as well

 

Oh, the CruzPro ultrasonic wind reader gizmo, the bit that goes on top of the mast, looks interesting but sadly a bit large for me to be happy sticking up there. A few years when they get that smaller it could be a goodie.... knot sure why I think that over the usual style which works fine though.

 

But one thing is for sure, getting boat info has come a long long way from a knotted string and a feather pinched from a Seagulls arse. It wouldn't surprise me at all that in a few short years you'll be able to brew a coffee by pushing a button on your speedo... if that can't be done already.

[Guest]

Still knot too sure AC. I don't what, or need, lots of flash wizzbangs either, good solid gear that tells me the basics reliably is my target... or should I say ours, there are a couple of others as well.

 

Picking on 'Quality and reliability' is a smart move but how do you determine which gear does or doesn't do that? Ask around and it's easy to find people very pro and very anti all the brands/ranges out there. I've been told horror stories about everyone of them (and the suppliers of), but most are taken with a grain of salt as we hear similar things each day at work but find most aren't quite as spooky in real life as they are in the pissed off boat owners head. I've also had comments like 'It's been that good I'll never change and the people I got it from are now in my Will they were that great'. Me and my Navman as an example, worked like a dream for me from day one yet I believe you and a few others aren't quite of that same opinion

 

At this stage we are probably in the same place you are, which of the pretty good bunch will it be? It very much looks like it'll come down to the finer details of what they will be like in day to day use. A simple thing like the size of the buttons you push maybe the deal breaker. I am very much of the opinion all the known names make good gear and the major differences for Yachtie Average is in the small detail differences between them. All have strong points yet all also have weaker ones.... assuming each equivalent package is within a couple of hundy $ (10% ??)of it's competitor, which it does seem to actually be.

 

The price of a good set of gear is well below what I was expecting going in. Go for a package and there are some very good deals happening out there.

 

I'm told you can indeed get gear you can programme to turn on the coffee pot. For me that is definitely in the Pro column.

[Fogg 427]

I'm told you can indeed get gear you can programme to turn on the coffee pot. For me that is definitely in the Pro column.

 

That's not enuf of a pro for you, KM. You need it to clear away the empties as well!

[Guest]

I gave up drinking the Sunday morning after Simrad R3. Twas a case of 'coming too' rather than 'waking up'

[Fogg 427]

Mmmm.

[Guest]

I did and have lasted longer than expected......... but I do feel a relapse coming on

[Kiteroa 8]

Will be treating WT to a set of these new Raymarine's next week. They seem to be really nice units. I did a lap of the boat show and compared at the brands and decided the 70' series were the best value for money and my experience with their instruments has been pretty good. I also like the white on black option for the displays.

 

Going for:

 

SPX-5 pilot + 70' screen

Speed i70 screen + trans

Depth i70 screen + trans

Wind + 70'screen

[Chewing Gum 17]

Some people rubbish Raymarine but we still have original Raymarine windgear that came with the boat bought 10 years ago and I estimate at least 15years old.

[Guest]

Mmmm.

 

G'day AC - I was hoping by quoting you I'd get the U-beaut signage to come up again. Darn. Now to my ? - How many of eus's 'ave AIS. What brands? How do you rate them in a 1 out of 10 rating. Is the 'top of the line' worth the extra $'s cause it sure looks to have lots more functions. KM are you using one in your next crossing or is there not enough traffic going across the 'puddle'? Thanks all. Ciao, james

[Kiteroa 8]

Some people rubbish Raymarine but we still have original Raymarine windgear that came with the boat bought 10 years ago and I estimate at least 15years old.

 

My old multi did 24hrs upsidedown with the raymarine gear powered up and underwater. It was still on and working after the righting! That's a good enough test for me. a few other multi's have done the same on raymarine gear and it's been fine. I think it's the bees knees.

[Fogg 427]

WT and Chewinggum, I think you're hitting the nail on the head. The old Autohelm/Raymarine stuff was great.... it's the newer stuff that I've bought in the last 5-10 yrs that has been a problem, ever since the relentless takeovers and mergers of the original companies into one bigger company. It's a familiar story of quality falling post-takeover and not restricted to marine instruments but examples are littered all over the place in everyday life.