Chart plotter, What is best Bang for Buck please?

dolabriform said:
Whilst I agree that tablets are amazing and I have navionics on my phone and ipad, there are lots of things they don't do.
It all depends what you want to achieve.
My B&G interfaces with the following on a combination of Seatalk 1, NMEA1083, and NMEA2000 networks.
Heading sensor
Depth
Speed
Wind
AIS
Autopilot
VHF
Raymarine ST70 Multifunction displays

I can can set the autopilot to steer to a waypoint from the B&G, or to Wind. I have sailsteer on the B&G that gets all the info from the sensors, and AIS overlays.
I have the B&G at the helm with an ST70 Pilot and ST70 multifunction display, and remotes at the chart table.

As I say, it depends what you want to achieve. If you just want a plotter then sure, a tablet will do the job. But if you want a fully integrated setup that just works then get purpose made kit.

Just my 2 1/2 p
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I would suggest that a lot of boat owners do not have such possibility and therefore as we both agree - it depends on the level you want or need.

I have Tillerpilot - but the interface does not work ..... its old hat anyway. And as far as I am aware - you still have to accept a course alteration alarm from a plotter / AP system - it will not change course without your accepting ...
My Depth and speed are Echopilot Dual - so no use trying to integrate.
My AIS is USB dongle so that goes to my Acer One
My DSC VHF gets fed from my ancient Lowrance 3500

I am considering a NMEA to WiFi plexer as shown in a later post :

NMEA2WIFI - NMEA 0183 TO WIFI MULTIPLEXER WITH SEATALK INPUT SUPPORT | eBay

But in real terms - it would only be a small gain to what I have. Until I upgrade to more capable modern gear - its a luxury.

I can cruise North Europe / Baltics with gear that is more than capable.

I am not knocking your setup far from it.
 
The point (Refueler) about whether bang up to date charts are needed for small vessels is interesting. I tend to updat charts (electronic) evey other year, and my paper charts are pretty old now. For the most part that's fine - but things like wind farms and harbours change more frequently and I always wonder about getting caught out . On the whole I'm comfortable with updating once every two years on the plotter but I wouldn't want to leave it longer - personal taste.
As most of us know, TG's updates that focus on a) the East Coast and b) changes that are material to yachts are worth their weight in gold.
 
Refueler said:
I would suggest that a lot of boat owners do not have such possibility and therefore as we both agree - it depends on the level you want or need.

I have Tillerpilot - but the interface does not work ..... its old hat anyway. And as far as I am aware - you still have to accept a course alteration alarm from a plotter / AP system - it will not change course without your accepting ...
My Depth and speed are Echopilot Dual - so no use trying to integrate.
My AIS is USB dongle so that goes to my Acer One
My DSC VHF gets fed from my ancient Lowrance 3500

I am considering a NMEA to WiFi plexer as shown in a later post :

NMEA2WIFI - NMEA 0183 TO WIFI MULTIPLEXER WITH SEATALK INPUT SUPPORT | eBay

But in real terms - it would only be a small gain to what I have. Until I upgrade to more capable modern gear - its a luxury.

I can cruise North Europe / Baltics with gear that is more than capable.

I am not knocking your setup far from it.
Click to expand...

Again we agree ;)

It's not necessary to have a setup like mine, but I had the opportunity and the knowledge to do it so for me it made sense.
Another advantage that's not often mentioned is redundancy. If a display fails I can get all the info up on another display. If I lose the B&G I have a ageing Raymarine plotter with RADAR.
The N2K VHF should allow me to place an MMSI call from the plotter by clicking the target on the B&G and then clicking call ( I say should but it's not working as I think the standard horizon vhf doesn't send a particular message. I'm waiting to hear back from support). As I have the plotter and a RAM mic in front of me at the helm I consider this a very useful feature. Of course I can still use the RAM mic to call on 16.

The point you make about having gear that is more than capable is the most valid one. If it does the job then that's all that's needed.

Back to the OP's question. For my mind if one is upgrading or purchasing a plotter now, it makes sense to purchase something that is as future proof as possible, and has the potential to integrate into other equipment that you may have now or upgrade in the future.

I've yet to play with the Onwa kit, but from what I've seen on youtube it looks really good. One question that often seems overlooked is ease of software and chart updates. My iPad connects to the B&G and the navionics software on the iPad updates the charts on the B&G. This means I don't have to remove it from the pod to take out the card and update it.
Similarly, with firmware updates the B&G tethers to the hotspot on my phone or iPad and downloads it's updates.

Agreeing with others on this thread, it's not always necessary to update your charts but as it is so easy to do I check for updates almost every time I prepare for a trip. I have also seen discrepancies between the charts on the iPad and the charts on the plotter, and the plotter has been correct.

All modern kit is dependent on software, and I consider having the ability to easily update the software on navigation equipment a safety feature. With a tablet it's easy, go to the App store ( or equivalent ) and hit update. With plotters / displays it's generally not as easy, so I would check that the Onwa is easy to update firmware via Wifi.

Anyway, if it works it works :)
 
Refueler said:
I am considering a NMEA to WiFi plexer as shown in a later post :

NMEA2WIFI - NMEA 0183 TO WIFI MULTIPLEXER WITH SEATALK INPUT SUPPORT | eBay
Click to expand...

44 Euros ??????

That is cheaper than I could build it for! I'm tempted to get one just to play around with it. It's a shame it hasn't got an electrical NMEA2000 output on it as that would make this box the holy grail! It's a shame it doesn't list what messages it supports ( unless it supports all of them! ).

I have a raymarine E85001 that converts seatalk to NMEA0183, and an Actisense that converts that to NMEA2000. They cost a lot more than 44 Euros.
 
dolabriform said:
The N2K VHF should allow me to place an MMSI call from the plotter by clicking the target on the B&G and then clicking call ( I say should but it's not working as I think the standard horizon vhf doesn't send a particular message. I'm waiting to hear back from support).

Anyway, if it works it works :)
Click to expand...

I can answer that one, it won't work.

My Garmin plotter will initiate a call via my Garmin VHF. Your B&G plotter will do it with certain B&G VHFs. Won't work with the SH VHF though, sorry.
 
Baggywrinkle said:
Watching this thread with interest as I am thinking of replacing my Standard Horizon CP300 ... looks like the Onwa KP-39 and would make almost a drop-in replacement for my old SH.

Measurements are good, I/O forAIS, Autopilot is there ... and then I saw this ....

View attachment 95207

Magnetic base for GPS antenna? ... now that seems a bit strange.

I need to install the thing at the helm, in front of my compass ..... has anyone got one of these at the helm? Is the magnet strong enough to interfere with the steering compass?
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OK .. cleared this up with Alan from AVES Marine .... big thanks for the quick reply ....

The magnet is in the GPS puck - not in the plotter. You don't have to use that type of GPS antenna as it can also use a conventional 'mushroom' type with an adaptor for the GPS socket. There isn't a magnet in the KP39 - just a small piece of steel inside the left of the plotters top case: this could be removed easily if necessary.

I did a test for a customer a while back - not with a KP39 but with a 12" KP1299 and right next to a compass and it had no effect. I could do the same with a KP39 if you would like. KP708 7" can also use the puck antenna or the conventional type and this model doesn't have the small piece of steel within the case. Recommended minimum distance for a KP708 is .55 metres from a steering compass.

Regards,

Alan
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