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rogerbum
Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 5922 City/Region: Kenmore
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Meant to be
Photos: SeaDNA
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Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:07 am Post subject: So WHICH radar? |
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So - lets suppose we are all convinced that we need a radar AND that we need enough of a system to safely avoid others/navaids in fog but don't really need a networked system and chart plotter overlay. What should we go with?
From my quick searches it looks like there are a few low end (approx $1000) possibilities (all prices roughly the lowest price from a Froogle search - figure about $100-200 more for a post mounting, "degrees" is horizontal beam width).
Furuno 1623 - 6" Mono LCD, 15" Radome, 16 n.m., 2.2 kW,6.2 degrees, $1100
Furuno 1715 - 7" Mono LCD, 18" Radome, 24 n.m. 2.2 kW 5.2 degrees, $1450
JRC 1000 MKII - 6.5" Mono LCD, 12" Radome, 16nm, 1.5kW, 7 degrees, $850
JRC 1500 MKII - 6.5" Mono LCD, 18" Radome, 16nm, 2kW, 5.2 degrees,
$900
So:
1) What else should be on this low end list?
2) Who has experience with any of the above and can comment on the ease of use, features etc.?
Roger on the SeaDNA _________________ Roger on Meant to be |
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gotjm3
Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 49 City/Region: Middle River
State or Province: MD
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C's the Day
Photos: C's the Day
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Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 10:29 am Post subject: |
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We got the Raymarine C80 with 2 KW radar. THe ability to overlay the radar onto a chart is wonderful. It's also a great way to check the accuracy of your chart software. THe 2 KW unit has met our needs so far, in fact it has done better than I anticipated. If you are still looking for the whole shooting match (radar, chartplotter, depthsounder) it's great. Good luck! _________________ TJ + Jen
Hailing from Middle River, MD
(A drinking town with a boating problem...) |
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Sneaks
Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 2020 City/Region: San Diego (Encinitas)
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: C-Brat
Photos: Jenny B and C-Brat
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Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 10:35 am Post subject: |
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OK Roger, I'll stick my neck out. I don't have direct experience with any of them, but, like Charlie and Sawdust, I've got plenty of radar experience and I've got a Furuno 1622, which is essentially the same as the 1623.
In the radar world, size matters and so does power. Size as in antenna size and power as in peak power radiated. Take the 1623 and the JRC 1500, which are pretty close cousins in price. The 1623 has a horizontal beam width of 6.2 degrees, the 1500's bigger (in width) antenna gets you 5.2 degrees. A little better discrimination between close targets. The 1500 has a wider vertical beamwidth (30 degrees vs 1623's 25) so it's a little better for stuck up C-Dorys cruising with their nose in the air. On the other hand, the 1623 rotates 10 RPM faster than the 1500, so in rough water it will likely light up the target a tad better than the JRC.
Power is about the same, so all things being equal, IMHO the same type of people who can tell the difference between 20 year old Scotch and 30 year old Scotch are the only ones who will really notice the difference.
Aesthetically, the baby JRC 1000 dome on a 4" or lower mast would likely look best on a C-22, followed by the Furuno 1623. On a C-25, the Furuno 1715 or the JRC 1500 wouldn't look "too big."
Bottom line? Strictly used as a safety radar, with maximum range requirement expectations of 1 mile or less AND only used occasionally by relatively inexperienced users, buy whatever you want. They will all fill the bill equally well, and that includes navigational use.
User friendly? The newer offerings are amazingly easy to use compared to the stuff in the past. JRC support is in Seattle and they are very open to shortening cables. They'll even send you email DIY directions to shorten them down to 3.5 meter length. Furuno is less than forthcoming in that department, but their Furuno authorized warranty repair centers will do it with Furuno's blessing. Fortunately I boat where we have one of those facilities.
My opinion, as always, is worth precisely what you paid for it.
Don _________________ Mary & Don Anderson
Brat #483
"Jenny B" 2005 C-22/F75 sold, Oct. 2008
"C-Brat" 1993 C-16 angler/50 hp |
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flagold
Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 951 City/Region: Abbeville
State or Province: AL
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Dawg-E
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Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:11 am Post subject: |
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I agree with the C-80 observations except: go with the C-70 and hang it from the electronics rack, the C70 is perfect for this setup and you can stand or sit and run the boat with no loss out the windows (still your primary collision avoidance system). RayMarine sells a C70 kit for small boats that includes it, the radome, the harness, the hardware, and the gps antenna. Yes, you can have it all and stay within the budget described above. If you want RayMarine depth, at some point you can plug that into the same C-70 and have that as well (excellent), but that was not the question asked. I already had an excellent sounder and GPS in the Matrix 97 and that is my 2nd nav system.
As for the previous discussion on needing radar, here is what Capt. Rick Rhodes has to say about the Hernando Beach channel in "Cruising Guide To Florida's Big Bend" (in part): "You only want the challenge of negotiating a Hernando Beach channel once a day. Channel aids go all the way up to "R110." That's a heck of a lot of navigation aids, but you'll be thankful each one is located where it is." I've lived in HB practically all my life (he got how it started from a bad source) and have come in at night on occasion, but recently came in with the CD using radar for the first time -- what a difference -- I could see the channel, see the markers, and it was a snap. Well worthwhile to have that radome up there!
Last edited by flagold on Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:28 am; edited 1 time in total |
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dogon dory
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1321
State or Province: AK
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: DogOnDory
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Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:21 am Post subject: |
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Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author
Last edited by dogon dory on Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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SeaSpray
Joined: 12 Mar 2004 Posts: 1007 City/Region: Brentwood, CA
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: SeaSpray
Photos: SeaSpray
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Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:02 am Post subject: |
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I was at the local West Marine in Pittsberg, Ca and they had an open box JVC radar complete for something around $500. If you were interested you might be able to call about it and then get the local store to get it for you. Sounded like a deal but I have radar.
Steve |
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