Are you an Electronics Junkie?

Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Do you need to have the latest and greatest tool in the box? Have you pre-purchased an iPhone 11 Pro?

Well before you run out and get a new Radio and an AIS system... you might want to check out the latest from Vesper. We have complained about not having an AIS and a VHF radio in one box. Vesper thinks they found a way to do just that... Panbo reports about the new Vesper "Cortex"
...https://www.panbo.com/vesper-unveils-cortex-combination-ais-vhf-radio-and-boat-monitor/
 

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,771
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Too late, we just installed their XB 8000. I hope they give you a commission ;) you are a great spokesman! BTW, I love their unit but I need to install a toggle to shut off the external alarm!!!
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Bob I really love the XB8000. Simple and effective. I have not added a horn for the alarm. You can shut off the alarm using the software app (if I remember correctly). You also can control the unit using a USB connection. It tends to be a bit more powerful way to control the XB8000.

No commissions here. Just a happy consumer. But if you want to send them a message, now that I am on a fixed income I have learned not to turn down anyone wanting to send me money. Maybe those Patron accounts work that way. Mmmmmmm?
 

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,771
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
The external horn came as part of a kit that I purchased from Defender during their warehouse sale. You can silence the alarm with the app but each time a transmitting boat gets close it will sound again. It is also connected to my chartplotter and that alarms too. I can shut that off but on a busy day it can sound pretty hectic on my boat and I'm constantly reaching for my cellphone to shut off the Vesper alarm.:banghead: I like the feature and will feel a little easier in dense fog or night time but I think this feature is best suited for ocean passages. A simple toggle will allow me to turn it off or on as needed.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I like the feature and will feel a little easier in dense fog or night time but I think this feature is best suited for ocean passages.
I agree with that. I was getting alarms all the time in the sound. I eventually just chose to shut off the "Alarm Sounds" option on the app - "No sounds for Alarms".

Easy to turn the alarms back on when needed.

From the Vesper Site...

What can I do if I'm hearing too many alarms?
If you are having too many alarms go off check your Profile settings. Adjust the CPA alarm distance and TCPA (Time to CPA) and check the Target Speed Alarm. You can use that setting to eliminate alarms for stationary vessels.
 
May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Do you need to have the latest and greatest tool in the box? Have you pre-purchased an iPhone 11 Pro?
That's me. (Ok, only the standard iPhone 11, not the pro, but still...)

Looks like a really interesting piece of equipment. Some of the AIS features duplicate what an MFD would do, but putting it all together along with the alarm and monitoring capabilities is pretty compelling. It's nice to see a VHF interface more robust than just knobs, dials, and 2" Amber backlit screens. Maybe it's just me but I'm tired of hailing a marina and being told to switch to their working channel, then needing to fight with the handset buttons to scroll to that channel.

As I read through the article I was expecting it to cost a few thousand dollars. Seeing the price for the base plus handset at $1800 is pretty remarkable. The new Simrad VHF/AIS combo is $1099 and that doesn't have the 8 VHF tuners, monitoring, cellular alarms, or new interface.
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
Do you need to have the latest and greatest tool in the box?
Not yet. But the day will come. I do listen to all related conversations. I'm more of a give me the fewest electronics possible but those to have are actually either needed or very useful.

What do you need to get good weather forecasts anywhere in the world? Is a good ham radio sufficient?

dj
 
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Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
It's nice to see a VHF interface more robust than just knobs, dials, and 2" Amber backlit screens. Maybe it's just me but I'm tired of hailing a marina and being told to switch to their working channel, then needing to fight with the handset buttons to scroll to that channel.
I understand the first, but don't the second. Pushing UP & DOWN is too hard? Or is U&D a menu on this thing?

There have been, and will continue to be, detailed discussions about this topic. Kinda like asking your mom what girl to marry before you've had a first date, or "What boat should I buy?"
:D


Here's another good recent one:

New iPhones and the imminent death of the MFD - Cruisers & Sailing Forums
 
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Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
No new iPhone. Spent all my money on boat instruments. Still want to get engine instrument data on my i70S, just ran out of time this year.
Luckily not much use for AIS on the bay or I'd be down another expensive electronics path.
 
May 17, 2004
5,025
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I understand the first, but don't the second. Pushing UP & DOWN is too hard? Or is U&D a menu on this thing?
Pressing up and down is easy enough, but pressing them the exactly right number of times to scroll from 16 to 68 is not trivial. The Simrad RS35 we have does have a knob for this, which is easier to modulate than buttons, but its associated HS35 handset is buttons only and not a great user experience.
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Do you need to have the latest and greatest tool in the box? Have you pre-purchased an iPhone 11 Pro?

Well before you run out and get a new Radio and an AIS system... you might want to check out the latest from Vesper. We have complained about not having an AIS and a VHF radio in one box. Vesper thinks they found a way to do just that... Panbo reports about the new Vesper "Cortex"
...https://www.panbo.com/vesper-unveils-cortex-combination-ais-vhf-radio-and-boat-monitor/
With an iphone 6 in my pocket, for sure I'm not! I go to the Panbo site occasionally (Ben is a friend) but I confess, I'm usually completely unaware of most of the gizmo's Ben reviews. But he is a very regular guy so I try to follow some of it.

I still don't feel a need for AIS in my sailing so consequently, AIS is still greek to me. And the idea of coupling it to a VHF, the least used gizmo on my boat these days, seems absurd but I'll trust that to users of AIS.

I was expecting a W2K effect this spring on my trusty Garmin 182 CP. I fired it up on the water and it didn't skip a beat for the warnings about something or other. Like my iphone 6 that complains about no storage (I gotta do something about that,...), I have a tough time replacing something that works, ok. But I thinks it's time to retire it.

The charts are becoming outdated and a color screen would be nice. :)
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Do you need to have the latest and greatest tool in the box? Have you pre-purchased an iPhone 11 Pro?
I used to... Not so much any more. Had to have the latest iphone at one time. I just switched from an iphone 6s to an Xr and hate it. My laptop is 9 years old and runs Windows 10, I still think XP was better. I never migrated to an Apple laptop simply because I was brought up on DOS and Microsoft product.

My boat electronics are somewhat newer. I bought a newer multifunction display and digital radar a couple of years ago, but don’t yet have AIS. I hardly ever use the VHF at the nav station, happier with the icom handheld I keep by the wheel, and its probably 10 years old...

Whats ironic is that when I was buying all the “latest and greatest” I could barely afford it. Now that I can afford the toys, the urgency to upgrade has disappeared. I haven’t quite determined whether this falls into the category of “maturity” or just plain “old age” complacency.
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
I still don't feel a need for AIS in my sailing so consequently, AIS is still greek to me.
Hey Tom, once you have AIS and it’s displayed in an app or chart plotter, with or without radar overlay, you will like it. It’s like having an air traffic control display with each “target” speed and direction clearly visible, with projected course lines. If you click on any of them to get details; it shows vessel name, and size/speed/COG/CPA. It’s the CPA (Closest Point of Approach) that’s the real “killer app” especially when on convergent course with a large fast moving ship. It’s even better at night or in fog when you have less visual cues. The peace of mind knowing that your CPA is 1/4 mile or greater with a ship is priceless. The other thing of great value is having the ship name on your screen so you can easily hail them on VHF. It’s a great compliment to radar, adding information.
If you have an AIS transceiver you have even more peace of mind knowing the big ships can “see” you too, without visual sighting, and there’s a big safety benefit in that. Hard to put a price on that.
 
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Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I am not a junkie, but I do like my toys.

I was so happy when I got my first little N2K network set up on the boat and got my MFD and AIS receiving VHF talking to each other! I just put a Blue-tooth receiver hooked to the old boat stereo so I play stuff off my iPhone (no headset jacks on newer iPhones). But too cheap to install a new blue-tooth stereo.

Greg
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
I am not a junkie, but I do like my toys.

I was so happy when I got my first little N2K network set up on the boat and got my MFD and AIS receiving VHF talking to each other! I just put a Blue-tooth receiver hooked to the old boat stereo so I play stuff off my iPhone (no headset jacks on newer iPhones). But too cheap to install a new blue-tooth stereo.

Greg
I recently upgraded to a nice Kenwood Bluetooth stereo only $115. Amazing how cheap and good the commodity electronics are. It even has an app for remote control from the phone
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
What percentage of boats on the high seas are using AIS? It was my understanding it still is deployed by a small number of ships.

dj
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I recently upgraded to a nice Kenwood Bluetooth stereo only $115. Amazing how cheap and good the commodity electronics are.
I thought my old stereo was toast ( wouldn’t work over the winter layup). Checked out new stereos and looked forward to installing a new one with all of the bells and whistles, and then the #&*)/+-$( old one started working again...and I mentioned that I am too cheap to replace a working stereo.

Oh well, it is just a matter of time.

Greg