GPS, Navigation, Compass, VHF radio???

[Irishguy]

OK... This is kind of a spinoff of my other thread "What do you really need?" I have tried to do some research on the forum about VHF radios, and GPS, etc... But when I try to search for "GPS, VHF, etc..." I get a lot of threads that aren't related. However based on what little I have found I plan to do the following:

Use actual paper charts
Buy a reasonably priced mounted compass
Carry one of my handheld compasses for sighting, etc...

This is the part where I am a little unsure:

What kind of reasonably priced GPS should I get?
Should I get a dedicated unit?
Do I need to get any extras for it?
I have a little Netbook, should I just use that and some kind of USB GPS?
What kind of USB GPS?
Should I just use some kind of Marine navigation App for my iPhone?
What App do you recommend?

What about radios?

I have a VHF that I bought used, but it needs an antenna, and for the price of a decent antenna it looks like I can just get a handheld unit. Should I sell the radio and just get a more modern handheld unit that gives the GPS coordinates when you radio in?

To give you some idea of what I might need We are just planning on sailing on Lake Guntersville at first and then working our way up to the bays and intercoastal waterways on the Gulf Coast later perhaps a little light coastal sailing within sight of land.

I realize that all of these things are lafe savers should the need arise, but I am on a limited budget also, plus I don't want to buy some fancy stuff that I don't really need.

 

[caguy]

IMHO a lot of it depends where and when you plan to sail. If you are on a lake or just off shore and you can see where you want to go you only need a chart to tell you where the hidden dangers are.
If your in an area where the fog rolls in and you can not see land you can easily lose you bearings and unless you are familiar with currents directions and sounds you are sol and should have a GPS. I used a small handheld Etrek Venture for a long time to go back and forth to Catalina. Its amazing how accurate that little unit is. The grandkids and I used it for Geocaching and found it accurate to within 3'. I mainly got the GPS marine unit to give me depth and find fish. It is also accurate to 9 ft and comes in handy in the fog.
As far as the radio is concerned WM sells an inexpensive unit that has MMSI and DSC ($130 when on sale.) That linked up with your GPS will tell the CG exactly were you are (well maybe not where you are but where your boat is). The mast mounted antennae gives you much better range the higher your antennae the longer the range.

If your budget is tight check Ebay bought my Garmin 188 for $125. Its a couple of generations old but still gets me home and catches fish.

 

[Ross]

For a GPS I use a Garmin 72 and find it to be adequate. VHF radio is not very costly, I probably don't transmit on mine more than once per season. for paper charts check the link. http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/BookletChart/

 

[Irishguy]

I went by Bass Pro Shops yesterday on my way home and looks at several GPS systems, and also looked at some depth finders. They had a Hummingbird 865? unit that was a combination Depth finder and GPS. it was pretty cool, but cost $399, plus you had to buy a navigation SD card that was $150. I told the guy I was just starting to research, and I wanted to look around more.

After I got home I was doing a little research on Iphone apps and reading some online reviews in addition to the reviews by folks at the App store. I read quite a bit of good reviews about the Navionics App. This morning I purchased the Navionics App for the South region. I includes all the lakes in the South as well as the gulf coast. It looks pretty promising and it looks like I will be using this to suppliment the paper charts and Compass. I will probably buy some kind of water proof case for the iPhone. If you already have an iPhone it seems like the cheapest solution.

I am already using Gaia GPS for when we go hiking and biking in the woods and it seems to work pretty well.

Is anyone else using the Navionics App for the iPhone?

 

[Todd Smith]

West Marine was having a great sale on Garmin 76Cx lately. For about $350, I got the GPS and a complete US coastal chip for it.

If you are on a truly limited budget, get a non-mapping GPS for about $100 or less, then plot positions on the paper chart.

 

[higgs]

Re the VHF: I don't think a handheld is the way to go for your only radio because the range is so limited - just a mile or so. You want a mast head antenna for better range.

A laptop with Sea Clear and free Noaa charts will pinpoint you as accurately as any dedicated unit. The problem with a laptop is keeping power to the it for long hours.

 

[BobM]

Truly the minimum?

Well, for lakes and near coastal cruising in fair weather you can get by with paper charts, a cell phone, a hand compass and a hand held VHS. A marine AP for you cell phone wouldn't hurn, nor would using available charts on your net book...although it might be an expensive toy to donate to Neptune.

 

[Ross]

Re: Truly the minimum?

I believe that a boat should have a mounted compass if it is big enough to take a mile or two from home. The risk of the visibility dropping to a fraction of a mile is real and can happen in minutes.

 

[rejenk3]

If you feel a hand held VHS is adequate for your needs, you may consider Standard Horizon HX850S. Besides the radio function it includes GPS (lat/long, COG, SOG) as well as weather and DSC.

 

[sailaway78]

I agree it depends on your use

It depends a lot on where you currently sail, and to some extent on your future plans. I would not recommend a hand held VHF as a primary radio. They are very limited in range, and battery life. I have a hand held that I use mostly for bridge openings and close range communications. For anything over a couple of miles, a handheld is virtually useless. If you sail in a lake, or one of the smaller bays, a hand held GPS will probably do. The kicker on GPS chartplotters is the mapping media they use. If you plan on doing very much traveling, you will be way ahead by going ahead and buying a plotter with all the maps in it. You will spend much more in the long run buying area chips than you will if you bite the bullet and get one with all the maps built in to start with. Check ebay for some possible bargains.

 

[Irishguy]

I believe that a boat should have a mounted compass if it is big enough to take a mile or two from home. The risk of the visibility dropping to a fraction of a mile is real and can happen in minutes.

I had planned on that from the get go. I am already watching several mounted compasses on ebay right now. I will supliment with a hand held.

 

[Irishguy]

If you feel a hand held VHS is adequate for your needs, you may consider Standard Horizon HX850S. Besides the radio function it includes GPS (lat/long, COG, SOG) as well as weather and DSC.

Thanks for the heads-up... i am watching one on ebay right now. they are selling for about $170 including shipping, so not too pricey...

it could be used as a back-up for the Navionics software on my iPhone.

 

[Irishguy]

The kicker on GPS chartplotters is the mapping media they use. If you plan on doing very much traveling, you will be way ahead by going ahead and buying a plotter with all the maps in it. You will spend much more in the long run buying area chips than you will if you bite the bullet and get one with all the maps built in to start with. Check ebay for some possible bargains.

The Navionics software that I loaded on my iPhone has all of the lakes in the south as well as the coastline and the bays and inter-coastal waterways on the gulf. Plus based on what I can tell by playing with the software and reading the help file it appears to have the ability to plot your course. All for $9.99. It seems like a pretty good deal.

I took my iPhone in the store the other day, started the Navionics App, and compared its screen to several of the marine GPS units and the information displayed looked to be comparable. As I learn more about its capabilities and shortcomings I will keep everyone updated.

Honestly... After researching and shopping around for Marine GPS solutions and reading various posts and opinions about the subject, simply loading an app on your iPhone in about 5 minutes just seems almost too simple... Like there's got to be a catch... It was just too easy.

 

[Charisma]

be aware that the navionics app, even though it is a great deal, is not compatable with the new iphone iOS 4.0 or at least not yet. Check our MotionX GPS. I was using it last weekend along with a buddy boat and we were playing hide and seek in different coves, just to familiarize ourselves with the app and it seems to work great. Keep in mind we sail on an inland lake. Chris

 

[MrBee]

Since you already have a netbook, I would download Seaclear and buy a Puk type gps for it. Get the charts you need for your area for free. If battery power is an issue then only use it when needed for close in Areas. I have a large laptop that loves to consume power and use it all day with no problem.. Based on the area you intend to sail i wouldn't get to much "Stuff" till you actually start sailing then you will get an idea of what is at the top of the priority list and what moves toward the bottom. Personally if I had to chose between a hand held VHf and an antenna for the other one, considering where you said you will sail, I would opt for the Handheld. Me and a buddy just spent a week on Chesapeake bay and he had the iPhone app. It worked fine but I was glad to have my laptop. I have been waiting to find a dedicated chart plotter for cheap, in the meantime I will use my laptop.
i also have a small GPS. no mapping just a $100.. hand held that shows my track and give Lat / Long then i can plot that on the paper if needed. Most of the time i'm in site of land with no need to do that except for practice

Brian