So what is a good gps unit to purchase?
"derbyrm" wrote in message
m...
Ref. Q2 A cheap GPS unit will give your speed over the ground more
accurately than any paddlewheel. That gives you water speed and requires
you to know currents and tidal flow, assuming you're interested in
navigation. Yes, GPS technology has improved in the last 12 years (more
channels, better sensitivity, and, for a lot more bucks, better
databases).

Depth is good. New mono-chrome fishfinders seem to be in the $100 range.
More for color.

I've got a basement full of obsolete electronic stuff. It isn't worth
fixing.

Roger

http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm

"Skip Gundlach" wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, after our 2.5 years ashore, along with several other instruments,
much to my disgust, this unit's display has gone Tango Uniform (along
with several of the buttons), with the LCD screen severely compromised
for viewing. The transducer, of course, is virtually useless to
anything other than a single Raymarine depth (only) sounder, as it's
low power and the current gear would fry it.

Speed (paddlewheel), depth, contour bottom, and temperature are
included in that transducer, which is a 2 O-ring sealing removable
unit; there's a plug if I'd want to remove it for cleaning or the
winter (if I were doing something other than what we are, which is
going to the caribbean full-time).

If I replace it, of course, the existing hole would be a great deal
easier than hauling, tearing out the old one, and starting over. The
plug is 1.04, and the uncompressed O-rings 1.08, and there's an
alignment pin at the top, which has a screw-top for final fit and
security; the removal is facilitated by a D-ring bail.

So, two questions (maybe 3):

1: Does anyone know of good sources for NOS or good used gear where I
might find another display? Ironically, in all the eBay listings, the
only ones which showed up were 3, all sold in the last couple of weeks,
before we found the defect. Nothing current, nothing before in the
sold listings.

2: Does anyone know what fishfinder transducers would take that
receiver, if I replace it altogether? Related, has technology
progressed, yet, to the point where speed sensors don't require moving
parts?

3: This is minimum 12 year old technology. However, functional
replacements seem to run somewhere between 3 and 12 hundred dollars, so
if it can be repaired reasonably, I'm up for that option, as we don't
really need all the bells and whistles, our boat not being a primarily
fishing vessel :{)) Knowing how fast we're going, and how deep it is,
on one unit, is handy, but that's the primary usage. Bottom contour is
interesting, but for the most part, we'll be able to look over the side
and see that, so it's not very critical.

TIA for any help...

L8R

Skip

Morgan 461 #2
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