JRC 1000

[brians]

Having read YM's test in January issue can anyone give any advice good or bad re the JRC 1000?

I am primarily interested in collision avoidance and use will be occasional.

Thanks

 

[ParaHandy]

I fitted a JRC 1500 - supplied by v. good crowd (Kev) at Yachtbits.fsnet.co.uk - and it works. The 1500 is virtually identical to 1000 but has narrower horizontal beam width. The set is easier to fit than many others as display has (amongst other useful nick-nacks) plug connections for power and signals. The 1500 is probably worth the extra because it's discrimination is a lot better (ability to distinguish two close-by targets).

You might find the manual not so good - it's basic but all info is there. I read loads of guff about radar before buying and that helped. Yachtbits offers useful hints as well.

 

[Guest]

Everything I've heard and read indicates the 1500 is the better model. Alternatively, why not look at the Raytheon set - great display, serious quality, waterproof etc. etc. I don't know the exact prices, but the Raymarine unit is good value.

 

[Guest]

I have the JRC 1000 on board Blustery Day, the unit is (or has been up till now) very reliable, easy to use, easy to set-up and low on power usage. The interface to the GPS is usefull but it is only able to show one WPT at a time (Unless I am doing some thing wrong here). I agree with the comments about the narrow beam width, some times it can be a bit tricky distinguishing between two close targets.
However for collision avoidence and costal nav it is more than up to the job.

You are welcome to come and play with mine, if you know what I mean?

Regards

Simes

 

[BarryH]

Ive owned and used the 1000 for a while on the last boat. Cant fault it for the price, Easy to use and install, only down side is the link to the gps, which has been mentiond elsewhere in this thread.

IMHO i dont think you can go far wrong installing a 1000, if its your first radar then you,ll probably be better using this than an all singing and dancing megabucks unit, at the end of the day if you shop around you could probably pick one up for around £650-£700. its your money, your choice.

Regards BarryH

 

[johndf]

Raytheon SL 72

If you spend a bit more the SL 72 is worth considering. I fitted one last summer and am very happy with it. Cost was under £1100 inc 10metre cable. This was an internet special offer, £100 off the usual already discounted price.

 

[Guest]

could I upgrade to a 1500 by fitting larger dome?

I have a JRC 1000, could I upgrade it by fitting the dome from the 1500?

Does anyone think its worth it?

Regards

Sean

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Is it worth it

I reckon it depends on what you want to use your radar for. I went for the 1000 so that I would have some eyes in foggy conditions. I don’t intend to navigate by it, just avoid any big lumps that are heading my way. OK the 1500 has a narrower beam width hence better definition, but I am not too bothered if its one or two objects heading my way if they are that close together! So went for the cheaper option.

 

[Guest]

Re: Raytheon SL 72

One thing that the SL72 has that the others don't is a North up option. I already have a Raytheon autohelm and so I assume that the N up option will be easily achieved and had decided to buy the SL72 rather than one of the others at under £1800. I've been used to big ship radars with N up but perhaps on a small yacht the display will not be sufficiently well stabilised to prevent yaw affecting the display quite badly. What do users of N up think?

 

[charles_reed]

Re: Raytheon 10x

I've had one of these on my boat for the last 9 years - it's done about 550 hours.

It's fairly close to a real radar - no problems with N up or yaw and it's fitted to a very lightweight 31'.

I believe a radar to be of more use than a GPS - but then I was brought up in the hard school of EP navigation, pre-Decca.

The 10x was made for Raytheon by JRC and many reckon it's the best small boat radar ever marketed by them.

 

[johndf]

Re: Raytheon 10x

I have not used the N up mode much yet on my SL72, but when I have, the picture has been very stable. I've mainly had it in head up mode for collision avoidance. I'm fairly new to radar, so am I right in thinking that N up is the better mode for navigation and course up for collision avoidance?

 

[Guest]

Re: Raytheon 10x

Charles,
Thanks for the encouraging reply but I cannot identify the Raytheon 10x, or is this a screen size, i.e. 10"? In any case do you use a colour or monochrome LCD or CRT display?

 

[Guest]

I fitted one two seasons ago for just the same reasons. I also liked the compactness of both the JRC1000 scanner and the display.

It does the collision job very well except for plastic boats under 25 feet in waves. You just don't see them on the radar until the last moment. However this is not a problem. It's the big ones going 15kts+ I wanted to identify.

All in all I like it and I'd buy the same again. But I won't deny that the Raytheon is a much better radar. Its a question of being very confident about what your needs are and what will satisfy you.

Andrew Lee

 

[Guest]

Re: Raytheon SL 72

I tried economising by using the COG output from GPS as the heading source for my Raytheon SL72, but in North Up mode it was far too unstable to track contacts. Investing a ridiculous sum for a cable to link my Autohelm 4000+ to the radar, ie the Autohelm heading sensor output, has made a miraculous improvement. I also come from a big ship background and find it difficult to work in anything other than North Up. The SL72 is now excellent for collision avoidance as well as other navigation tasks.

Nick F

 

[Guest]

Have used one for the last two years, and it has been totally reliable. I would not worry about the issue of discrimination - even plowing through the Spanish fishing boats at night crossing Biscay, I didnt find that to be a problem. However (and I have nothing to compare it with) I am not impressed by the sensitivity. There are times when cliffs some 8 miles away have not shown up on the trace, and at 10 mile or more you can forget it.
If I had my time again, I would certainly try other sets on other boats before deciding.

 

[jtwebb]

I had one of the first JRC 1000s on a Fulmar I recently sold. It did everything I wanted but need effort on the Sea Clutter, Rain Clutter and Gain to get the best sensitivity as one changed ranges. It was used in all conditions and has saved a considerable amount of worry. It does not seem brilliant on range to land as it was below the stated maximum even allowing for viewable horizon. It certainly saw big ships very well and I have also done collision avoidance with what turned out to be one of those small plastic French fishing boats. I have, however, decided to fit the Raytheon SL70 to my replacement boat as I want the autoclutter and slightly bigger screen.

J Webb

 

[ArthurWood]

I have been using a 1000 on a power boat for over a year and am pleased with it, although I have not had to use it in anger. I agree with other comments made wrt sensitivity etc, but it is very easy to use and adequate for most needs IMHO.