Does anyone out there have any experience of these non paddlewheel type logs, l think they work on the 'doppler effect' what ever that is. l've gotta replace mine and this sounds like the ideal solution. 'Recommendations ?'
Forget Doppler .. If you read the good Doctors theorums you will realise that they apply to a transmission medium of air which is sllightly less dense than <water>..
Doppler theory works well at high frequencies but the time delay at low frequency introduces errors which are not acceptable.
The normal paddle wheel log has yet to be perfected
brian moffat
chief electronics engineer
yacht electrical services
Cote d.Azure
France
I have the new echopilot forward sounder and non paddle wheel log, it is absolutely perfect, both sounder and log work well and have given no problems so far, I still have a paddle wheel (when its working), and they tend to agree, including the GPS, when no tide effects, I would reccomend it.
I use the VDO propeler-type since years, with good success. Never got fouled except for barnacles on the propeler itself.
Nowadays is a mere backup for GPS anyway!
I have had an Echopilot for over a year.
I am NOT happy with it, even though I have been in touch with Echopilot who now ignore my problems.
Problems:-
1. Under 10 feet below the keel it goes crazy and generally reads double the speed and distance
2. Radio interference from the log within the boat is such that my weatherfax cannot operate and even old fashioned AM radio has severe interference, so too does my Navtex receiver.
3. I sometimes hangs up hence the log readings are no longer acurate.
Repeated e-mails to EchoPilot currently leave me uninformed as what to do next. I have suggested that I send it back to Echopilot but their silence is deafening.
At the price charged I would advise leave well alone.
Myself, I am now re-fitting my old AutoHelm paddle wheel log.
I would be VERY happy IF this message causes a response from EchopPilot, my e-mails don't.
I'm sorry to hear of your problems. Mine is OK and I've never noticed any radio interference, I wonder what the problem is? I have never had any problem with Echopilot, when I did complain about the crap screen on my earlier model, I cant understand their reluctance to speak to you. But like you said, I hope your post chivvies then on a bit, have you thought of letting PBO or YM know so they can take it up on your behalf? Might work.
You sound as though you don't have any shortwave radio equipment. I do, my weatherfax is on automatically at various times of the day. If the weather fax and the speed log are on at the same time, a very likey scenario if on a passage, then the radio interference prevents the weatherfax receiving a chart.
My Navtex is on 24 hours a day working on 518 Khz, that too is affected by the speed log. Don't you have Navtex?