Garmin 4208

[djnward]

Has anyone bought and installed one of these chartplotters/radar(GMR 1 ? Are you happy with it? I'm about to take the plunge. Looks like great interface and bright screen.
Richard

[Roscoe]

Can't remember if what I had was the same Garmin model, but I had to return it because the wires wouldn't fit through the radar arch. The wire was split, with plastic on each of the two ends, and that made the whole thing too big. Not sure if that is a concern for you, or if the model you're looking at is configured that way. I ended up with a Raymarine system which fit and is working well.

[ripple]

I installed the 4212 with 4kw radome, GSD 22 sounder, and XM weather receiver. So far I am really happy with it, although I played with one of the 5212 touch screen units in the store and the interface on those seems a little faster and easier to use.

[jkidd]

In order to get the cable through the radar arch you have to cut off one of the ends. Garmin sells a kit to replace the end after you do that. I'm using a Garmin 3210 and the GMR-18 because Garmin took all the ability to configure the numbers on an individual screen away. It seems like going through there menu system takes more keystokes now. With the 3210 you can configure any screen to display what you want to see. However the 4000 series does have some cool features. I bought a 535s as a backup and to use some of the new features.

[oldgrowth]

Richard - I just installed the Garmin 3205 networked with the GMR 18 radar and the GSD21 sounder and I am very happy with the package. It was not that hard to install and is fairly intuitive on the use and menus. Have not read the manual as of this date. Hopefully I never have to.

The only thing I am unhappy about with the 3205 is the proprietary chips it uses. I believe the 4208 uses the SD card which is much better.
________
Dave

[djnward]

Thanks VERY much for your replies.
Yes, I am mounting a radar arch so the wiring would be a problem. I went to Garmin and found what I think are the right replacement ends. I talked with the retailer who suggested splitting the wx proof ends that are inside the cabin and then clamping them. I'm not crazy about doing that.
During a walk around half the harbor here in Bellingham, I found no Garmin Radar units. Mostly the boats have Furuno with a smattering of Raymarine. I heard from the retailer that when Garmin recently entered the radar market, they decided to develop their own radar unit rather than use someone elses. I'm assuming that as the underdog (at least around here), they are trying to get business away from the others with a more powerful radar head (4kw) and fancy graphics. Furuno seems to the the radar king but I really like the bright and larger Garmin screen in that I can't hardly see the 3.5" one I have. (whose eyesight is fading?..not me!) Garmin has one year warrantee vs Furuno 2yr.
Even so, I think I'm going with the Garmin.
Thanks again
Richard

[thataway]

For the most part I have stuck with Furuno for Radar. If you go to any harbor, you will find that the majority of the commercial vessels will have Furuno radar. There is a reason for this--and it is Furuno quality and resolution. Furuno got a little behind the time with slow chart plotters and perhaps not as bright screens as some of the other manufactuers.

More important than the power is the descrimination, which is the ability to distinguish two close together targets. The only way to increase discremination is to have a larger antenna. A Garmin with a 24 inch antenna (3.6 degrees) will have the same discrimination no matter if 2 KW or 4 KW and is going to be a better radar than an 18" antenna (5 degree horizontal beam) with a 4 KW transmitter. I would much rather have a 24" antenna with a narrower beam, and 2 KW than an 18" antenna with a wider beam and less descrimination. Many of the fishing boats will have 4 to 6 foot open scanners which have even better descrimination.

I have not been on a boat with the Garmin Radar. My philosophy is that I want redundancy in navigational instruments. I also like to have as much screen real estate as possiable--thus, I have one 7" plotter, one 7" plotter/fish finder, one digital depth sounder, and one 7" radar. When you split an 8" screen into 4 segments, they are each very small (Radar, Chart plotter, Weather and Depthfinder). But I do realize that there is limited area on the console of the C Dories. This is why the 12" all in one units are popular. Most of the boats I have been on with the networked systems have at least two displayas (like two 12" Furuno Nav Net or two 12" Raymarine displays.

I do not do overlay. Sure it looks nice having overlay, but when I really want to see what is out there in a pea soup fog, I want a dedicated radar.

In reviewing the Garmin Radar, I notice that the Garmin does not need a heading sensor for overlay of the radar on the chart plotter. It seems to have high marks, but it is a new item.

[djnward]

Thanks Bob. I'm mulling around your comments. I currently have a small (4") Garmin GPS and a Humminbird depth. It's hard to read the GPS and I'm concerned what when my eyes are it, they are not on the water ahead. I'm wondering what it's like to have four screens going. Is it chaos or are you better able to tune them as you want them and just glance at them as needed? I had hoped that by overlaying the radar I'd be just using one screen.
Richard

[thataway]

Richard, I have my screens just below the visual sight line out the window. Some comment that this gives a "cluttered look"--true. But I can see the chart plotter with my peripheral vision as I look ahead, and when I pull my eyes down to the chart plotter, I have the view out the window in peripheral vision. So I have the two chart plotters/fish finder on the top of the console, and the Radar hung down from the overhead.
They are set up so my wife can look at them also. Generally if one of is is looking at an instrument, the other is looking ahead. Of course in pea soup fog, or potential dangerous situation in the dark, we are down to a displacement speed and all senses are very important.

I consider the worst of the world is a "Console mounted screen"--maybe even worse is the far overhead box mounted screen (some center consoles and large boats have this) (have to have special trifocals to see that one!) These cause you to have to shift the eyes way off of the foreward view. I have used this is large trawlers, but in a smaller fast boat, things happen way too fast for me when you have to concentrate away from the foreward view....

I do a mental overlay of the radar--but I have been doing this for over 30 years, and started doing this with paper charts, so it seems to me to be the best say.

The larger the screen, the easier it is to see the detail. I don't want to be saying "is that the bouy or is that a boat plus the bouy?"--For me it is easier when they are separate--

All of my experience is on other folks boats (larger than C dory) with overlay--and many of these folks do go to separate screens for the radar and chart plotter. With a networked system ($$$$) you can have both--either overlay or separate screesn. But these systems so far have been considerably more expensive. I tend to have a minum screen size of 5"--and really prefer at least 6 to 7 inches. The CD 25 came with a Garmin 176 C which is a 4" screen, and way to small for me. If you have an 8" screen, then you will have 4 small screens which are no bigger than the 4" screen, and most likely slightly smaller.

Try and see various layouts on boats and see how they work when looking at sight lines foreward. We all have different requirements.

[jkidd]

I have used Garmin, Ray, Bottomline, Eagle, Lowrance. I think they are very good products. I choose Garmin this time because of its networking and it is easy to use. I still have backup devices. The 3200 series can switch between screens with 1 button and you can configure any screen to look how you want it to. I was disappointed with the 4000 and 5000 series when Garmin took the ability to configure the screens away from you. Now you pretty much have to go thru there menus, and look at what they decided to let you see. I paid $845.00 for the GMR18 Scanner, I can't help but think that Garmin is trying to buy market share to get there product out there. So far I haven't had problems with seperation I have been running it a lot in the daytime just to see how everything displays. Here is a pic. The interferance on the fish finder is because i'm running both transducers right next to each other.

[mikeporterinmd]

One of things I like about Lowrance is the ability to overlay digital data on
the main pages in any manner or size that you choose. I have a much
smaller unit than you are considering, but I assume this feature is available
in their larger units as well. I also like the level of integration between
devices. When I dim the LMS337C-DF, the LMF-400 dims too! The 400
has more levels of brightnes, too, and if you use it control brightness, the
LMS337C-DF matches. They are doing some nice stuff with the NMEA-2000
networks.

Now, if only they would deliver the connectors so I can connect
my system properly...(mine is not technically in spec, but works fine.) And
the lack of plotting of DSC info from a VHF could be an issue for some.

Mike

[djnward]

The thread that's beginning to crystallize is that I need big enough screens to make this upgrade worth while. Bob, I agree that dividing up an 8 inch screen puts me back to where I started. It makes sense to me that I would want as little clutter on my radar screen as possible. At least with the 3210 I could have two screens that I could control and work with. On the 22 I'd prefer not to hang a radar if possible but I'm going to take a closer look at Furuno. The 3210 with the 24in dome is looking good and just within my budget.
Your inputs are very helpful.
Here's to safe boating!....Richard