Thoughts on the Standard Horizon GX1700E Explorer GPS

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wipe_out

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I am thinking of getting a GX1700E Explorer GPS.. Seems a good idea to not have to worry about connecting any external GPS source..

Has anyone got any thoughts on these units, positive or negative?
 
I spent a lot of time reading about 'after sales back up of suppliers' and also looked at compatability problems with other equipent especially mixing differant makes.

For another £85 extra I would go for the GX 2100E with built in AIS, and it does what it says on the can! but you can completly improve the AIS as I have done by adding a SH 300i Plotter and I am very pleased with it, had a few hick up wiring questions but SH give very promt replies and put me right!.

Mike
 
I'm in the same situation as wipe_out, plus, I don't want to buy a chart plotter. I couldn't really justify the cost and don't know where I'd put it - I use paper charts, hand held GPS and an iPad (mostly for planning) and am happy with that. I do like the idea of one's position being given out automatically in an emergency situation.

If you get the GX2100 you've then got to shell out for an external GPS, thats got to be powered up etc. and you only get a tiny AIS display. Radio Ocean do a similar unit for less which also has a wireless remote control available, this might be more practical as I'm mostly single handing, but we come back to the external GPS problem again.

Happy to hear others experiences rather than opinions.
 
That's my thinking too.. Initially anyway I don't need/want a chartplotter but I do want to send my location in an emergency.. Especially if something happens to me and it's someone else on board, who may not be able to pass lat/long details to the CG, that has to call for help.. Spending a few hundred quid (or more) on a chartplotter just to get GPS seems excessive..
 
I've been dithering on this subject as well. Whether to get the GX1700 VHF with built-in GPS or GX2100 VHF with built-in AIS?

GX1700 : http://www.standardhorizon.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=178_173&products_id=100039
GX2100E : http://www.standardhorizon.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=178_173&products_id=100019

I've been slow to realise that the GX1700 built-in GPS means it has a small internal antenna. Which means if the radio is mounted below decks, reception is likely to be limited. Which means you need to use the optional external GPS antenna option.

So why not do the same with the GX2100E and then have a VHF + AIS + GPS?

The SH optional external GPS antenna's part number is Q7000619A - the UK price seems to be c.£100, but it supplies the GPS signal via a pair of NMEA signal cables, so any similar and cheaper GPS antenna might do just as well?

Any thoughts on a suitable GPS antenna that sends the signal via a pair of NMEA wires?
 
Boreades said:
Any thoughts on a suitable GPS antenna that sends the signal via a pair of NMEA wires?
Click to expand...

If you don't mind a little easy soldering, a BR355 unit is just the job at £25 or so. The soldering is needed because the unit expects a 5v power supply rather than 12v, so you need to make a little circuit with a 5v regulator and two capacitors. I made mine up on a sliver of veroboard with three screw terminals on the end (0v, 12v, nmea out) but you could do it "squashed bug" style with the components just soldered directly together.

In fact, perhaps there's space for another YAPP here from Angus?

My BR355 works fine through the deck, it's just wedged in position at the top of the space behind the electrics panel. My phone is also quite happy to put a location on Google Maps or Navionics while sitting in the cabin. So in a fibreglass boat, I wouldn't instantly discount the internal antenna on the radio.

Pete
 
I have the 1700. Nice VHF - does most of what it is meant to.

It takes ages to get a GPS fix if at all. It is placed where every other device fixes quickly and reliably and is mounted on the supplied bracket - not buried deep into the wall. The GPS antenna is meant to be on the front so that should not matter greatly anyhow.

One of the screens shows the sats being acquired but it actually gives up after a few mins so needs resetting. It bleeps in an annoyed way if it can't get a fix.

The manual does say it can take 'several minutes' to get a fix! Don't know why that would be!

Tony
 
Last edited:
prv said:
If you don't mind a little easy soldering, a BR355 unit is just the job at £25 or so. The soldering is needed because the unit expects a 5v power supply rather than 12v, so you need to make a little circuit with a 5v regulator and two capacitors. I made mine up on a sliver of veroboard with three screw terminals on the end (0v, 12v, nmea out) but you could do it "squashed bug" style with the components just soldered directly together.

In fact, perhaps there's space for another YAPP here from Angus?

My BR355 works fine through the deck, it's just wedged in position at the top of the space behind the electrics panel. My phone is also quite happy to put a location on Google Maps or Navionics while sitting in the cabin. So in a fibreglass boat, I wouldn't instantly discount the internal antenna on the radio.

Pete
Click to expand...

Angus has already provided this. I use two and they work well. I think the Standard Horizon has a poor user interface. Also costs £36 to change the MMSI number.
 
dgadee said:
No, but he has now - as I said in my post.
Click to expand...

Ok. "Already" made it sound like you thought you were correcting me.

dgadee said:
Did you patent it?
Click to expand...

No, indeed I made some suggestions to Angus on how best to arrange the terminals, based on the common mistakes we see here all the time when the technically-challenged start sucking their moustaches and poking at the wiring :)

Pete
 
Sorry to resurrect this thread but I've just ordered one of these at a very good price. I hadn't read this before ordering so hope and believe that the GPS won't be puny and slow. I'm confident it won't be as SH is quality kit. The alternative was fiddling about getting a position from my Garmin handheld which would probably have looked messy.
 
ghostlymoron said:
Sorry to resurrect this thread but I've just ordered one of these at a very good price. I hadn't read this before ordering so hope and believe that the GPS won't be puny and slow. I'm confident it won't be as SH is quality kit. The alternative was fiddling about getting a position from my Garmin handheld which would probably have looked messy.
Click to expand...

I fitted one in my last boat, it was about the only part of it that never gave any problems! Reliable, easy to use and the GPS pickup was fast. I'd certainly buy another one.
 
Boreades said:
I
I've been slow to realise that the GX1700 built-in GPS means it has a small internal antenna. Which means if the radio is mounted below decks, reception is likely to be limited. Which means you need to use the optional external GPS antenna option.
Click to expand...
That has not been my experience. From very first switch on I had a fix in less than 30 seconds. Far faster than my handheld GPS.
 
We have the 2200E. We just came from Gib to Madeira and the AIS/GPS worked faultlessly. Big benefit is that the GPS is internal and always showed precisely the same position as all the other GPS's on the boat (these days you get a GPS with nearly every device you buy...) :-)

I would buy another 2200E.
 
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