Today’s technology allows you to do lots of things that we wouldn’t even have considered 20 years ago. Who would have thought that you could play hundreds of songs on a device that is smaller than a credit card? Today, we take these advancements for granted.
The world of boating has also seen an enormous number of advancements over the years; who would have ever thought that you could actually monitor depths, your location, speed and fuel consumption from one screen? With today’s technologies, it’s all possible.
Confusing
There’s so much out there that the world of electronics and accessories can be a sea of products, and you can quickly become confused by all of the products that are available. So, keep a clear head and keep it simple. Understand your basic needs from your electronics.
Besides a VHF radio, you need to determine what type of navigation products best fit you. Are you simply going to be hitting a small bay or backwater where land is a stone’s throw away? Or, are you going to be cruising at night or offshore? Different boaters have completely different requirements with their electronics.
If you do any type of fishing, you’ll most likely want to get at least a depth sounder/fish finder as well as a GPS unit. This will allow you to pinpoint what depths you are in and the location of the fish so you can effectively target them. A good GPS will also show you bottom depths from a larger perspective, so you can see if you are fishing a dropoff, slough or other structure as well.
Today, technology is moving together. A boater can purchase an all-in-one GPS, chart plotter and fish finder, and radar is also in the picture. Products are more powerful, require less space and can be networked
Are you just going to sail during the day and stay in small bays and backwater? Maybe a basic compass will do, or maybe a small GPS unit. If you’re looking for night sailing, radar may be in order, but at least some type of GPS with a lit screen so you can see your whereabouts on the water. The number of combinations can be limitless, and you need to decide what works best for you given your parameters.
With all of this said, once you’ve decided what pieces you will need on board, you will need to determine how they talk to one another, or how they are networked. Today’s technologies allow you to network your equipment provided they conform to certain protocols or proprietary standards.
The Basics
Networking your equipment can be quite easy today, provided they are conforming to the same standards. All major electronics manufacturers offer networking options, but many of their approaches are different.
Many manufacturers such as Garmin have proprietary networks, allowing you to create a network of Garmin units that communicate with one another. Garmin has everything from a router to the actual hub where all of the components plug into and display on an enabled machine.
Furuno uses Ethernet technology to network its components together. This technology, called NavNet, allows boaters to network all of their components together, but again, they must be NavNet-compliant. You can get most any option that you need from Furuno, including a chart/radar plotter, GPS/WAAS chart plotter, marine monitor, GPS/WAAS receiver, a sounder and a weatherfax that are all part of their NavNet network.
Lowrance takes a different approach through its LowranceNET. It allows any product that uses an industry standard data communications protocol (called NMEA 2000) to be used on its LowranceNET. Any NMEA 2000-standard devices can plug into the LowranceNET network through Lowrance’s Backbone Cable, and data from that machine can be read on other components on the network, and vice versa.
The world of networking on boats will continue to evolve, but it’s gotten to a place where all in one is popular. As is reading data from many units in one central place. We’ll continue to see this evolution, but networking today is now affordable for the average boater. You can reap the benefits of reading your electronics all in one place, or you can combine your depthfinder and depth sounder with your GPS or radar unit. It’s coming together!
BACK TO BASICS
ABOUT GPS
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. GPS is a navigational system that can accurately locate your position anywhere on the Earth. This technology is available to everyone, everywhere, day and night, and best of all, at no cost for use of the navigational data.
How It Works
GPS uses 24 satellites which are located 11,000 miles above the Earth. The satellites transmit data back to Earth and by locking onto this transmitted data, a GPS receiver can process the data and tell you where you are on the Earth. GPS products are receivers. These products gather data from a satellite and display your location on a screen.
GPS works 24 hours a day, in all weather conditions, and can be used worldwide for precise navigation on land, on water and even in the air.
THE GARMIN MARINE NETWORK:PLUG AND PLAY
Garmin’s Marine Network is a plug-and-play system that puts GPS, weather, sonar, radar and other important data together for easy access to the information. You can customize the network with the Garmin components that you want, building a custom network for your boat.
We’ve just provided a couple of the elements of the Garmin Marine Network. To see the entire Garmin network, visit your local boating store or log onto www.garmin.com.
GARMIN GPSMAP 498C: CHARTS, DEPTH SOUNDER AND NETWORKING
Garmin’s GPSMAP 498C provides boaters with the cartography they need to safely venture offshore. These combination units come with pre-loaded marine map detail that utilizes the new BlueChart g2 technology. Coverage is for the coastal areas (including Alaska and Hawaii).
The unit features integrated mapping, 2D or 3D map perspective, tide and current data, navaids, marinas, boat ramps, roads and more. The unit also accepts pre-programmed data cards for loading additional map coverage of inland lakes or BlueChart detail for other regions.
The Garmin 498C ‘s built-in 500-watt sounder features Ultrascroll for high-screen updates and their CANet bus-enabling sounder display allows information to be shared with, and controlled from another chartplotter on your boat.
In addition to these features, the 498C has other more standard features, including alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off-course, proximity waypoint, clock, low battery voltage and GPS accuracy. DSC-equipped VHF radios can also see positioning data.
For more information on the GPSMAP 498C, visit your local boating or electronics store, or log onto www.garmin.com.
GARMIN GDL 30/30A MARINE WEATHER SATELLITE RECEIVER
Looking to make sure you get stuck out on the water when the weather’s about to turn? Then check out the Garmin GDL 30/30A. Satellite weather is provided via XM.
You can access real-time weather information for the US directly on Garmin’s GPSMAP 3010C or 3006C using the satellite receiver, eliminating the need for a separate PC interface. Weather information is captured and processed by the unit and transmitted to the other units on the Garmin network. The GDL 30 and XM WX Satellite Weather service work together to keep boaters continually informed of changing weather patterns so they can make informed decisions about where they’re sailing. The unit is also completely waterproof.
GARMIN GMS 10: THE NERVE CENTER
Garmin’s GMS 10 Network Port Expander is the nerve center of the Garmin Marine Network. This 100-megabit switch is designed to support the connection of multiple sensors and the GPSMAP 3006C and GPSMAP 3010C chartplotters/multifunction displays (MFDs) to the Garmin Marine Network.
The GMS 10 allows users to gain the benefit of Ethernet-like data transfer speeds; now that’s fast!
Each networked multifunction display can be networked independently, and the connections are completely waterproof for operation in corrosive marine environments. The switch has LED indicators for individual line status.
The new plug-and-play design means that all peripherals are automatically detectable and readily accessible once they’re connected to the network. Likewise, owners can easily expand their systems by using the same network date cable to plug additional units and displays into the GMS 10 network ports.
LowranceNET: Industry-Standard Data Sharing
Lowrance has taken a different approach to networking through LowranceNET, its non-proprietary product system. The system allows the boater to bring everything together using NMEA 2000 data sharing. Any electronic device that uses the NMEA 2000 data sharing protocol can be put on the network, and data can be shared between machines. This means that you can get fuel flow information on your fish finder or GPS unit!
How It Works
The LowranceNET system is connected through Lowrance’s Network Backbone Cables that carry all the information to the other units on the system. The system is simply daisy-chained together, and T-Connectors allow the easy expansion of the network, adding sensors, gauges and head units.
Lowrance’s Network Backbone Cable is the data communications pipeline that runs the length of the boat and capped at each end with a 120 Ohm Terminator. Available in a variety of lengths up to 25 feet, the backbone is interspersed with T-Connectors for linking to (and sharing between) all sensors and display devices.
The LowranceNET system 12 Volt Power Surce connects to the boat’s 12-volt supply to power devices like Lowrance’s EP-10 Fuel Flow Sensor, LMF-400 Multi-Function Gauge, and LGC-2000 GPS Module. Compatible Sonar/GPS head units are powered separately with their own 12-volt power source wiring.
Lowrance has created a number of products that can be used with the LowranceNET sytem and other compatible data sharing networks. These Electronic Probe sensors all have their own built-in microprocessor “smart module” that transmits its data in the NMEA 2000 format to every device installed on the network for data display. These products include fuel flow meters, water thermometers, and speedometers.
The result is data displayed on a number of vehicles, including LMF multi-function gauges and a host of sonar/GPS head units.
For more information on LowranceNET, visit your local boating store, or log onto their website at www.lowrance.com.
LOWRANCE LCD-111C HD
Looking for a combination sonar/depth finder and GPS receiver that also has temperature readings, speed and distance measurements as well? You may want to give the Lowrance LCX-111C HD a try.
The Lowrance LCX-111C HD has a large, super hi-res 10.4-inch display. Its Super VGA, liquid crystal TFT display has a programmable color palette and offers super-high 600 x 800 resolution. The product also has temperature and speed and distance readings for a sensor and optional sensor.
On the GPS side of the unit, the LCX-111C HD has a 20 gigabyte hard drive with plenty of electronic charts, including U.S. coastal areas, a topographical USA land-based map with street-level detail. In addition, the unit has over 2 million points of interest and an exclusive hunting database.
The LCX-111C HD offers advanced digital recording/playback of sonar graph and GPS details, plus custom map uploading with multimedia cards.
The LCX-111C HD is NMEA 2000 compatible for networking with the LowranceNET. The unit has been received so well that it won a New Product Showcase award at the American Sportfishing Association’s ICAST show in July of 2005. For more information, visit your local boating store, or log onto their website at www.lowrance.com.
FURUNO NAVNET: BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
The worlds of computer technology and marine electronics have finally merged with Foruno’s NavNet. NavNet was the first line of Marine Electronics to implement Ethernet network technology, and provide boaters with the flexibility to use them on a single standalone system or as part of an integrated network bridge.
Using the same network technology seen in most professional office environments, the NavNet network utilizes an Ethernet Hub, giving virtually limitless network expandability.
The latest iteration of Furuno’s NavNet technology is NavNet vx2, a product that combines radar, GPS/WAAS Chart Plotter, fish finder and network weather into one navigation network. NavNet vx2 supports C-MapNT MAX and Navionics Gold charts. You can use NavNet vx2 as a single, standalone system or as part of an integrated network that utilizes Ethernet technology.
FORUNO GP7000F/NT: ALL-IN-ONE!
Furuno’s new GP7000F/NT combines a GPS/WAAS, chart plotter and fish finder into a single, compact, waterproof LCD display. Ideal for smaller boats and pleasure craft, the GP7000F/NT delivers pictures on its 7-inch wide color LCD screen.
The GP7000F/NT incorporates a new ultra bright display with an anti-reflective coating that enhances the GP7000F/NT’s sunlight viewability. It also features extremely wide viewing angles so you can see the display from nearly anywhere on your boat.
Furuno’s all-in-one has conveniently-arranged front panel controls, a rotary encoder knob and easy-to-understand “soft-key” menus. Its built-in GPS/WAAS receiver provides a procise position fix.
Furuno’s 70000/NT’s space-saving unit also features the added bonus of a built-in, dual frequency fish finder that supplies detailed bottom readings. Sounder pictures are displayed jointly with course plot and other navigation information in split-screen format, or on the full width of the screen.
The fish finder features cruising and fishing auto modes, or you can manually adjust the settings to suit your specific needs. You can obtain detailed echoes of bottom structure and fish using eight custom ranges to 4,000 feet. Other modes include Bottom Lock, Bottom Zoom, A-Scope and Marker Zoom.
The GP7000F/NT was specifically engineered to utilize the latest C-MapNT electronic charts, which provide highly-detailed charts and information on more than 1,000 of the most popular cruising, fishing and sailing marinas across the country. It operates using C-Map’s local, wide or superwide charts available on a new secure digital memory card.
