Furuno Wireless Radar w/ iPad

H

Hewbs

New member
Hi,

Has anyone here tried the Furuno First Watch wireless radar? I am a little hesitant having to rely on a WiFi connection instead of a hard wired radar. After doing some research it looks like you can buy an $45 software add on to the iPad app TZ iBoat that will allow you to overlay the radar data on the TZ iBoat maps. Since we already have a cellular capable iPad it seems like a much cheaper solution than buying a new radar capable chart plotter and radar separately. If you have an good or bad experience with the Furuno wireless radar please let me know.
 
Hewbs":1m5byr8n said:
Hi,

Has anyone here tried the Furuno First Watch wireless radar? I am a little hesitant having to rely on a WiFi connection instead of a hard wired radar. After doing some research it looks like you can buy an $45 software add on to the iPad app TZ iBoat that will allow you to overlay the radar data on the TZ iBoat maps. Since we already have a cellular capable iPad it seems like a much cheaper solution than buying a new radar capable chart plotter and radar separately. If you have an good or bad experience with the Furuno wireless radar please let me know.
Click to expand...

If it requires an internet connection or cell signal you wont like it in Seward, PWS or N. gulf coast.
 
An internet connection is not needed from what I have read. It sounds like you connect the iPad to the WiFi network that the radar makes and the data is transferred that way. I think it’s similar to Bluetooth but faster
 
tsturm":ex5har9f said:
Hewbs":ex5har9f said:
Hi,

Has anyone here tried the Furuno First Watch wireless radar? I am a little hesitant having to rely on a WiFi connection instead of a hard wired radar. After doing some research it looks like you can buy an $45 software add on to the iPad app TZ iBoat that will allow you to overlay the radar data on the TZ iBoat maps. Since we already have a cellular capable iPad it seems like a much cheaper solution than buying a new radar capable chart plotter and radar separately. If you have an good or bad experience with the Furuno wireless radar please let me know.
Click to expand...

If it requires an internet connection or cell signal you wont like it in Seward, PWS or N. gulf coast.
Click to expand...
You don't need internet or cell signal except to initially load maps on the iPad. You do need a cellular capable iPad to get the GPS built-in as the GPS does't come with the non cellular iPad (although it can be added with a 3rd party device).
 
There are not a lot of reviews on this--which seems unusual, since it was announced in 2014, and then shipped a few years later.

This Furuno is still a magnetron unit--the Solid State (Or "Digital" radars are better resolution at short distances where one really wants the most detail and discrimination.

is probably one of the best at The Hull Truth.

Sailing Anarchy also had a thread.

Panbo (Ben Ellison) did a review in 2014.

I have been using the RayMarine Quantum solid state radar for 2 years which works over WiFi (thru the MFD) and I like it. It allows Marie to look at the radar from anywhere in the boat on the I pad and I can do eyes on the water, which she watches radar, chart plotter and depth sounder (If need be).

I am not sure if the Furuno will do chart overlays on an I pad. I know it will with Nobeltech and a computer. For some reason I thought that someone had tried the Furuno wireless on the C Brats, but I cannot find the thread. I believe that Boris used a Lowrance solid state radar with his computer.(?)

I have owned a number of Furuno radars, including commercial grade, and they are good units.
 
The Lowrance series of radars (3G, 4G, Halo) use an ethernet connection to run data from the radar to a display. This display can be used to overlay radar on a chart display, either a computer, tablet or dedicated MFD.

I use a pc computer running OpenCpn to display the overlay and it works quite well. Through a ethernet hub I also use a Lowrance MFD to display such an overlay.

OpenCpn is a free navigation program available for pc's running Windows or Linux/Ubantu and Mac's running some version of OS X. There is a paid version for Android units. There is no OpenCpn version for an IPad.

Boris
 
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