Chart Plotter Advise Needed

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B

BI40

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Jul 6, 2011
19
American Boatbuilding Corp. Block Island 40 Palm Coast
I am looking into buying another Standard Horizon chart plotter (they are relatively cheap, can live in the cockpit unnoticed and provide all the information I need), but my two earlier units on two other boats had external antennas that mounted to the stern rail.

These newer units have "internal antennas" that (according to the sales people) can "punch" through a bimini. Has anyone had any good (or bad) luck with this type of installation? With the Standard Horizon, the external antenna is now an option with a $150 price tag ...a purchase that I would rather avoid if possible. Thanks!
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,364
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
All of my handheld GPSs work fine even down below. A bimini shouldn't be an issue.
 
gpd955

gpd955

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Feb 22, 2006
1,164
Catalina 310 Cape May, NJ
Mine always work. I have found that sometime is takes a few minutes longer than normal to locate sufficient satellites but once they are found, it hasn't been a problem.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Unless your bimini is coated with metal foil the signals should get through with no attenuation. My hand held GPS works best under clear skies, it is a bit slower with heavy overcast and sometimes loses it satillites when down 2 floors in the house. It works well in my car with a steel roof and glass windows. I can try it next week in a metal tractor shed.
 
sailaway78

sailaway78

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May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
I have a Garmin

With internal antenna. It works fine under a bimini with solar panels on top. Never a problem, unless you consider it takes a couple extra minutes to lock on when powering up.
 
B

BI40

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Jul 6, 2011
19
American Boatbuilding Corp. Block Island 40 Palm Coast
Thanks for the heads-up guys. Now feeling better about saving $150 ...the optional external antenna.
 
AbbySedge

AbbySedge

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Dec 29, 2009
51
Seidelman S-37 Mobile
Re: I have a Garmin

Yeah, Garmins are quite expensive. Paid around $1000.00 for it at a marina store in New Jersey. I still have the receipt for it somewhere. Just sent off for the registration last week.
 
M

MaranaF

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Jun 26, 2011
22
Bruce Roberts R50 Ipswich
AbbySedge said:
Yeah, Garmins are quite expensive. Paid around $1000.00 for it at a marina store in New Jersey. I still have the receipt for it somewhere. Just sent off for the registration last week.
Click to expand
Well for an in expensive chart plotter can I recommend my setup?.... I am using a iPad with the Navionics
software downloaded from the app store. I keep the iPad in a 'Otterbox'.

The complete investment is about £600 and I have a device that performs many functions including all my weather, email, stores all my manuals in PDF format and gets me on this forum!
 
Chuckbear

Chuckbear

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Jan 3, 2009
821
Marine Trader 34 Where Ever I am
We have used the CP300i on two boats now, one with a substantial hardtop over the cockpit and it worked flawlessly. Chuck
 
FourPoints

FourPoints

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Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
I've got a Garmin GPSMap 540s flushmounted to the bulkhead in the cockpit, I'm only using the internal antenna. It shoots through the fiberglass deck and the bimini, and haven't had any problems getting a lock, even in the worst of weather...
 
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