Garmin Radar

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 1:37 am Post subject: Garmin Radar

Last week I mentioned to my wife that the missing radar on the boat needed to be replaced before going to the SJ's this summer. I planned to get the low end Furuno, but she said to call our son because the outfit he works for sells radar. She said they talked about getting me one for Christmas, but that his was the wrong kind. Well, it turns out he works for a Garmin dealer! So, I hated doing it, but since my wife insisted I had him get himself a new Garmin 3210 and a 4kw radar at his employee discount. And since he doesn't have a boat, we'll stick it on mine. It took a little effort to get it past his boss, but they let him do it this one time and it is in shipment.

Fishing is shut down for two weeks, so the boat is home and waiting for the UPS guy. When she goes back in the water, there should be a big screen color set hanging in the cabin and a sleek new radome up top. Might even have some video cameras hooked up since it supports two. I'll keep the smaller Garmin I have on the dash for my primary chartplotter/fishfinder, and have a completely separate (the older one won't network) chartplotter/radar system with it.

This is a double blessing. Garmin is a little too proud of their stuff for my budget, but the discount makes it almost affordable. And since Kay was the one who said to call him, I slipped it past her, too. It’s good. The radome is big at 28”, but it is low profile. The 2kw radome is the same dimensions, so for a very little difference in price and on the advice of a trusted guy on here (you'll never guess who), I got the 4kw. Garmin is coming out with a slightly smaller (24") radome in the next month or so, but I figure the TyBoo with it's wide flat roof will look better sporting the big guy. It should take some of the heat off of Jon and his big Furuno on C-Lou.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 4:22 am Post subject:

Mike-

Congratulations on the new RADAR. Nice having Dusty around to justify things. Try not to BBQ the seagulls with that thing! Joe.

Byrdman · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:29 am Post subject:

Hey Mike!! Congrats on the new toys. I will be interested in following your installation and use...and feedback on the Garmin rig. FreeByrd had a FULL COMPLEMENT of Raymarine stuff on her...(Dusty and Les at work)...and it was a great system. Now that she is no longer mine, and I am starting over, I am for sure thinking of the Garmin set up...with radar sort of at the end of the toy chain... I was thinking Garmin simply because of the (4 me...) ease of use and getting around on the button pushes and pages. I do not think those guys at Raymarine get much sunshine. Great stuff....but if ya do not use it REAL often... ya kinda forget your way around. Or at least I did... the system was much smarter than me....but then again, so was my bow line. Maybe too much sun and fun for me. Ya gotta love the 60s and 70s... Embarrased

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject:

Patrick -

Yeah, I think the Garmin stuff is a little more intuitive. Of course, it is what a guy learns first that is usually the best for him. I can relate to the smart bow line comment. The reason for choosing the new 3210 was because it is advertised as having "highly detailed" BlueChart-g2 cartogrophy for costal waters already programmed in. I am also getting a new data card for my local areas because the BlueChart-g2 cards have a some extra features - like aerial photographs of inlets and marinas. We'll see how detailed the built in charts are, but they are probably good enough to compliment the radar overlay. I cant afford the network gear and a heading sensor yet, so the MARPA stuff will have to wait.

Today I am rewiring the windlass circuit to connect it to the starting battery rather than the house. I always run the motor when using it anyway, and the windlass drops the voltage a bit when it runs loaded. I should have thought of that in the first place, but now is the second best time to redo the wiring. Now there won't be a power bobble in the house circuit where the electronics are hooked.

I'll be sure and keep you posted as I learn about this thing. In fact, you'll probably get tired of reading about it. The one drawback of going with Garmin is that there aren't too many of them around - at least on the CBs - so I don't have anyone to ask my dumb questions.

KenG

in their most recent edition. They favored Furono and Raymarane FWTW. The most notable thing is that the Garmin unit they tested (3010 + gmr40) had half the warranty period of all the other sets. Given their relatively new entry into this arena that'd be one point of concern for me. (Do they make anything else which has a moving component?)

Still, a good deal is hard to pass up. I know!!

dogon dory · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:20 pm Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

Sawdust · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:41 pm Post subject:

Or stand in front of it! Wink

The parking is about 15 minutes from Cornet Bay launch ramp.

Duster

Captains Cat · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:47 am Post subject:

The radome is big at 28”, but it is low profile.

Wow Mike, congrats. I'd love to have one of those, it'll look like a flying saucer is trying to abduct you and your boat!!

Can't wait to get the review of how it operates. Would your son like to be adopted temporarily?

Charlie

Sneaks · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 10:44 am Post subject:

Tony · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 10:59 am Post subject:

Mike this could be great in reducing trailer weight! The aerodynamic lift might increase your GPM on the escort! Moon

TyBoo · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

You guys quit making fun of my deal! It still won't be as big as C-Lou Jon's!! He had to junk his Ford and get a Dodge to tow his.

Wide dome = narrow beam width.

Tony - would you like me to rename your photo album to Lil Buddy? Neat pictures - thanks.

Sneaks · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 11:47 am Post subject:

TyBoo · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject:

If you want to get all semantical about it, the equation equates to my having a broad mind and a narrow beam. A rare combination for a man my age.

TyBoo · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 12:43 am Post subject:

Tech tip of the day: If you have a new chartplotter with a bunch of little bitty colored wires to connect to a GPS receiver with a bunch of little bitty different colored wires and you are not too good with colors because they don't really look all that different to you, just make up some labels on the label tape maker with the different color names on them and have your 9 year old girl tell you which label goes on which color wire because for some reason she can see the differences in the colors and she must have been right because the chartplotter works just fine even though the radar didn't get here yet.

Tony · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 12:56 am Post subject:

Mike must have taken an extra truck to haul it to ya.... Tony