Do you have old electronic stuff?

[john_morris_uk]

Our echo sounder, log and wind are all ST60 but the oldest kit we still use regularly is a Raytheon R20X radar that I believe is over 30 years old. (Not exactly sure as it was on the boat when we bought it.). It still works brilliantly.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Yes, who'd want a modern radar that uses a fraction of the power to give consistently better results and enables you to use two sets of settings simultaneously so you can see pot markers/flotsam and distant ships/weather at the same time?

I get the argument that it's expensive, and I understand wanting to keep things running, but there are certainly benefits to opening new boxes.

I VERY much doubt modern radars see targets very much better than our old Raytheon. It’s also got two EBL and VRM markers so it’ll keep an eye on two targets.

It’s got the bigger scanner so it’s beam width is narrower which helps.

It’s losing gain so I’m guessing the magnetron is finally failing although regarding power, it only uses a couple of amps from memory.

 

[lustyd]

I VERY much doubt modern radars see targets very much better than our old Raytheon

Well we get pot markers, so there's that. Narrow beam helps a little, but the modern sets also use frequency modulation and other techniques to give considerably better results. They use considerably less power than the old ones, and because they're solid state can act as two completely independent radar antennas at the same time. You should try one out, they really are better in every way as far as I can tell.
I can track up to 20 targets, all of which can be automatically detected and overlaid with AIS information on the chart

 

[doug748]

When I bought the boat I replaced almost all the electronics as they were getting on a bit (and then I'm being kind).
The oldest I still have is the Sailor VHF - and I have no intention of replacing it because
1. It still works perfectly
2. As it's a non-DSC set, I'm spared all those annoying alerts (which are 13 a dozen right here).

View attachment 166217

Yes, keep your old VHF. In the first post I forgot to mention I have a pretty new DSC, Icom VHF, mistake. You have to take innovation on merit. New is best to is a schoolboy catchphrase, often seen on these pages, I think often with some obscure political motivation.

I also forgot to add that I have one of these:



Does not count for the purposed of this thread as it lives in the loft and I don't think it ever did anything useful even when new.


.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Joining the hi-fi thread drift, my audiophile mate recently spent more on his speaker cables than I spent on my entire ‘sort of budget’ amp, speakers, deck and cd player. It’s madness I tell ye.

People believe the oddest things. Analogue phone, spend. Other cables not so much IMHO.