Which new instruments

[Chi34]

Garmin only came into this business after the start of N2k.
Perhaps that gave them fewer legacy issues to deal with.
Things may have changed, but they used to apply basic calibration in the Airmar smart DST.
Is there a problem with Garmin for you?

Otherwise, just borrow an instrument head and calibrate the DST800. Ray 70+, Garmin, GM10 will do it - I forget now.

 

[roblpm]

I don't understand Buck Turgidson's comment that B&G describe the sensors as smart or not. This thread has concentrated on the DST800 triducer, and the B&G website only describes that as "smart". The NMEA2000 version of the DST800 is smart; the NMEA0183 version (not mentioned on the B&G website) isn't.

But I would have thought "smart" would mean that the sensors hold the calibration and that they they broadcast on to the network. But b&g say they don't implement that with the triton.

 

[roblpm]

Garmin only came into this business after the start of N2k.
Perhaps that gave them fewer legacy issues to deal with.
Things may have changed, but they used to apply basic calibration in the Airmar smart DST.
Is there a problem with Garmin for you?

Otherwise, just borrow an instrument head and calibrate the DST800. Ray 70+, Garmin, GM10 will do it - I forget now.

Yes and not the triton2 maybe.....

No problem with garmin or any of them. I am now irritated by the whole subject! How do you get to the people in the companies who actually know what the code in the displays does?

 

[pvb]

But I would have thought "smart" would mean that the sensors hold the calibration and that they they broadcast on to the network. But b&g say they don't implement that with the triton.

The term "smart" is used for sensors which have integrated signal processing and output PGNs which can be displayed directly, rather than needing dedicated depth displays or speed displays to process the signals.

 

[roblpm]

The term "smart" is used for sensors which have integrated signal processing and output PGNs which can be displayed directly, rather than needing dedicated depth displays or speed displays to process the signals.

Sure. But the issue seems to me after a bit of research is that all the functionality may not be used by the displays in terms of calibration.

So imagine your dst800 is reading 4 knots but you want to correct it to 5 knots. Some systems might tell the sensor to apply a correction factor. Other systems might just correct the display to 5 knots and then send a message to other similar displays to correct.

I don't care which way it is. I just want the manufacturers to tell me what calibration routines there are on their display and then if that information is written to the sensors. In the case of log speed for example its a bit more complex as the log can be calibrated at different speeds and a calibration table set up.

A simple question I thought. But the manufacturers don't publish this information so I could spend a grand on a system and then find it doesn't work how I expect.

Garmin, B&G and Raymarine all do it differently. And I am not 100% sure I am sure how......

 

[Boathook]

I have fitted Raymarine with an ITC-5 and it does store the calibration for depth, wind and speed. The dealer informed me that Raymarine had the best technical support that I have had to use a few times as the Raymarine manuals missed some of the details, but again I was told that is fairly common with software updates being quicker than reprinting manauals - even digitally.

 

[Pye_End]

I have fitted Raymarine with an ITC-5 and it does store the calibration for depth, wind and speed.

Slightly off topic - but does your calculate distance through the water correctly?

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Sure. But the issue seems to me after a bit of research is that all the functionality may not be used by the displays in terms of calibration.

So imagine your dst800 is reading 4 knots but you want to correct it to 5 knots. Some systems might tell the sensor to apply a correction factor. Other systems might just correct the display to 5 knots and then send a message to other similar displays to correct.

I don't care which way it is. I just want the manufacturers to tell me what calibration routines there are on their display and then if that information is written to the sensors. In the case of log speed for example its a bit more complex as the log can be calibrated at different speeds and a calibration table set up.

A simple question I thought. But the manufacturers don't publish this information so I could spend a grand on a system and then find it doesn't work how I expect.

Garmin, B&G and Raymarine all do it differently. And I am not 100% sure I am sure how......

It may be worth seeing if you could something out of Airmar? They have to make their transducers work with as many different systems as possible and I'm fairly certain they actually make some of the stuff the big brands use. Personally I'd want solid state transducers at the mast head and below the waterline and then work from there but I speak as man who charters and crews rather than owns.

 

[roblpm]

It may be worth seeing if you could something out of Airmar? They have to make their transducers work with as many different systems as possible and I'm fairly certain they actually make some of the stuff the big brands use. Personally I'd want solid state transducers at the mast head and below the waterline and then work from there but I speak as man who charters and crews rather than owns.

Yes in an ideal world you would buy some sensors and a base network wiring kit. Plug it all in and calibrate with a pc plugged in to the network. However the manufacturers want to sell you a whole system of their own gear so proprietary systems rule!

Not sure about the solid state wind for racing in the rain!