Can Anyone Recommend a Good Radio / Nav Expert

[GAJ52]

My boat is a Birchwood 37 and about 27 tears old with very 'dated' radio and navigation gear (Decca, I told you it was old). Although I mainly use my boat on the Thames, I would like the opportunity to take it onto the Thames Estuary at some point and maybe even beyond, who knows !

Without going over the top financially I would like to update the Radio and Navigation system (Sat Nav) and also see if I could still use my existing Radar to feed into the new system.

Does anyone know of a good Radio/Navigation Engineer that could possibly offer some advice / estimate for the work involved.

Thanks, Glen

 

[apollo]

Try nigel at marine radio services
02089797979

 

[duncan99210]

If you're only thinking about occasional trips into the estuary, then perhaps a more cost effective route for the navigation element would be to look at something like Navonics running on either an iPad or Android tablet or smart phone. There are a number of apps available that will give you boat position, speed and course all shown on an up to date chart. You'd need a tablet with GPS and a waterproof case if your helm position is outside.
If you then get a DSC VHF radio with a built in GPS you wouldn't need to fit a separate GPS to provide the radio with a constantly update position fix (DSC radios use this fix to transmit your position if you send a distress call).
The chances of being able to integrate a 25 year old radar into a modern system are less then good.... Best just to hang on to the current system if it's only for occasional use, assuming it's still working OK.

 

[GAJ52]

Many thanks for the info

 

[oldgit]

You really do not need radar for the odd trip into the estuary,if the fog is that bad,you moor up and stay put. Proceeding under way in fog with a less than experienced radar operator is not advisable.Keep the one you have got.
A decent chart plotter with fishfinder/depth sounder is far more sensible use of money.No need to spend afortune on all singing and dancing touch screen Raymarine stuff Garmin do some really good basic kit for a few hundred quid.
IMHO.
If you really do need to spend...A s/hand Raymarine RL8o crc scanner and display could be bought off Ebay for around 1k-1.2K ish
They come up for sale frequently as there is no way that they can be used with newer gear.

 

[mlines]

I would have thought that the modern digital kit would not interface to an old analogue radar. Ok so some devices have a raw video input but I am not convinced this is suitable for an old radar