Other radar with RM

M

mawyatt

New Member
Dec 13, 2007
1,001
Clearwater, Fl
Boat Info
2008 Sundancer 38DA
Engines
8.1L Mercruisers
Considering getting more for your $ from others than Raymarine. Is it possible to use other brands with the RM E120 and still have the chart overall and seperate displays? Thanks to those that posted I'm going to use the KVH heading sensor instead of the RM and the interface seems just connecting the NEMA 0183 up to the E120. Just wondering if the radar can do the same?

Thanks
 
Having a radar that is dependable and that works well is far more imortant than saving a few $ on the initial cost.........just ask any coastal boater who has had to come home in fog so thick you can't see your anchor on the bow.

I'd rethink the question and ask what is the best radar I can find that fits my budget instead.
 
Yes I was thinking overlay and typed overall...sorry about that!!!

Yes Frank that's basically what I'm saying...getting the more for your $ than Raymarine to get the most radar for my money. The reason I'm thinking about radar is exactly the situation you described, it's happend twice. Both times I navigated with GPS and my compass and when at idle speed, this is when I discoverd gps (at least with the RM) doesn't do well for heading...thus my previous request for heading sensor information. I've heard some people around my marina say Furuno and Garmin are better than RM. In our previous boat I installed a Garmin 198C gps chartplotter and it seemed more stable headingwise than the RM at idle speed. I'm not bashing RM but want to make a educated decision on the heading sensor, radar and if I'll attempt the install myself.
 
I used several types of radar and Raymarine for ease of use and clarity of image is the best I have seen in over 20 years of boating. Just my opinion.
 
topgun1185 said:
I used several types of radar and Raymarine for ease of use and clarity of image is the best I have seen in over 20 years of boating. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's good to know. The Raymarine radar would probably be the easiest to get set and running considering it interfaces with the RM E120. I understand from others the RM heading sensor isn't so great, thus my intrest in KVH. I have downloaded the RM radar pdf installation file and it seems straight forward. I've been looking over the SeaRay 38 schematics and can begin to envision how to wire things up. Not sure where the best place is to locate the power module that supplies the radar head with power. The cable that connects to the power module also has the SeaTalk plug that plugs into the SeaTalk crossover coupler which then allows a cable to go to the E120 display.
 
I have had the e series with radar and the raymarine smart heading sensor on two diff boats now and was very happy with the ease of installation. I think you should stick to all the same brand equipment when planning your installation. If you install an autopilot in the future, the autopilot will come with a heading sensor and you will be able to interface this with your e series which will then give you the radar overlay. The heading sensor is also needed for your navionics chart to give you the water's "current" direction and speed, which I find very useful.
 
bluebelly said:
I think you should stick to all the same brand equipment when planning your installation. If you install an autopilot in the future, the autopilot will come with a heading sensor and you will be able to interface this with your e series which will then give you the radar overlay.
Click to expand...

I'll disagree with this. The whole point of NMEA is you can get the best equipment (sensors and displays) and they all work together happily. The Raymarine autopilot does hook up to that crappy Raymarine fluxgate compass/heading sensor but it also hooks up to any other heading sensor. The connections are right next to each other on the computer head.

I've come to the conclusion that all these vendors have an area or two that is there "specialty" and then the other components under their brand that make a complete system are mediocre at best. Why not put the better sensors/devices in if you can? It's called best of breed...

I've never heard anything bad about Raymarine's radar systems... I don't like their radios and some of their sensors though... Their fish finder technology is top notch... Their newer displays/chartplotters seem to be "current" with technology whereas the older Pathfinder/RL80 type of systems were behind on technology even in their day (the drawing speeds are horrible).

Raymarine was spun out of Raytheon a few years ago and it appears the company has become more competitive and entrepreneurial and is delivering better products. When it was Raytheon, I think the group was probably held back as part of a stogie and bureaucratic company. I've been more impressed with Raymarine's products over the last year or two... However, their fluxgate compass stinks.. don't buy one if you have a choice.
 
I should clarify that the radar signal is not a standard protocol like NMEA and so I doubt you'll be able to mix and match a radar on the Raymarine displays... sorry...
 
So.... how is it you've never had any problems with it and you have to calibrate it every year?

I have to calibrate mine around 2 times a year and it's usually after I'm in some bigger waves. If you've ever taken one of these sensors apart, you'll see why they have issues. Inside that black puck is a vertical free moving pendulum with the sensor on the end of the pendulum (a string). I assume this pendulum is in there so if the boat rolls or pitches the sensor will stay vertical with the horizon... well... this is basically a 1.5 inch pendulum with a weight on the end.. and so the only way that thing is going to work and stay vertical is if the motion of the boat is very gradual. I don't know about you, but my boat motion is not gradual... So this very short pendulum and sensor just bang around inside that black puck with no rhyme or reason and if the sensor hits the side of the puck, it'll knock it out of calibration. It's so bad, the manual even says that if you are caught in heavy seas, the fluxgate will need to be calibrated... Huh? The fluxgate in my handheld doesn't have any moving parts... Why does the one raymarine have require it?

Anyway... the KVH uses technology leaps and bounds above a itzy bitzy magnet hanging on a string inside a puck... You should go to the KVH website and read the technical paper on their heading sensor technology. It is very impressive.

I boat in the Chesapeake Bay which is very similar to the Great Lakes as far as wave steepness. The prevailing winds tend to be a little stronger on the bay but it is similar boating...
 
Mine was mounted by Sea Ray and it's not that low in the boat... maybe that's the problem. Mine is mounted in a side locker (not on the centerline) and is probably 7-8 feet above the water line. Now Sea Ray will tell me they worked with Raymarine on the location of this stuff so it's all OK.. Just like mounting the KVH sat dish 4 feet directly in front of the 4 kw open array radar...

I still think a 1.5 inch string banging around seems silly... That's probably why you have to mount in low in the boat...
 
Garys right ... that heading sensor is a POS.... Im more mad at myself for being the cap again. So i deserve it ....


Rob
 
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