I have seen a few posts here for GPS/Chartplotter recommendations. However I still have a few additional questions. Im looking for a GPS/Charplotter mainly for use in the lower half of Lake Michigan (so a map card would work just fine). I would also like harbor info and the misc. info avail on the maps. Black and white display is fine. A few models I am looking at are the Garmin GPS Map 176C and the Americas, and the Raytheon Raychart 425 with the Raystar 120 diff. w/ WAAS receiver. I can get them both for the same price so Im leaning towards the Raytheon because of the screen size. If anyone has any pro's or cons on Raytheon products in general or on this one in particular please let me know.
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Dakota Jim Russell
I prefer Garmin
Garmin 176C is, ofcourse, is color and is WAAS ready permitting you accuracy in the 15-20 area (my experience in S Dak_ . . . need a bright screen in the daylight - suggest you test all three in conditions where your white shirt reflects off the screen. 176C can use the MapSource, America, or Blue Charts . . . I use MapSource on my Garmin 162 and Garmim GPSMAP76(BxW) and find it very acceptable. If you'd like a sample MapSource chart for your port, email me or post it here and I'll send you a jpg file. To date, I have had 5 Garmins (45, 48, 162, Map76, Extrex Summit) and have found them all shock resistent, reliable I appreciate the free updates to their software, and had no problems with any of them. Visit http://www.garmin.com/marine/products.html#sounders to get complete specs on their marine line. But as they say, pay your money and take your choice <grin>
Garmin 176C is, ofcourse, is color and is WAAS ready permitting you accuracy in the 15-20 area (my experience in S Dak_ . . . need a bright screen in the daylight - suggest you test all three in conditions where your white shirt reflects off the screen. 176C can use the MapSource, America, or Blue Charts . . . I use MapSource on my Garmin 162 and Garmim GPSMAP76(BxW) and find it very acceptable. If you'd like a sample MapSource chart for your port, email me or post it here and I'll send you a jpg file. To date, I have had 5 Garmins (45, 48, 162, Map76, Extrex Summit) and have found them all shock resistent, reliable I appreciate the free updates to their software, and had no problems with any of them. Visit http://www.garmin.com/marine/products.html#sounders to get complete specs on their marine line. But as they say, pay your money and take your choice <grin>
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Paul Akers
Garmin
I've been shopping around also and I've looked at the Ray and Garmin GPSMAP 182. My pref is the Garmin. Check out their site for modules (garmin.com). When I first looked at the Ray, the flourescent light in the store was glaring on the screen, making it difficult to see. What will the sun do? A real turn off. I'm planning on a Garmin purchase at one of the winter boat shows in the area.
I've been shopping around also and I've looked at the Ray and Garmin GPSMAP 182. My pref is the Garmin. Check out their site for modules (garmin.com). When I first looked at the Ray, the flourescent light in the store was glaring on the screen, making it difficult to see. What will the sun do? A real turn off. I'm planning on a Garmin purchase at one of the winter boat shows in the area.
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Carl and Juliana Dupre
Garmin, 3 for 3!
Hi, David. In our opinion, Garmin is the state-of-the-art in GPS and chartplotter technology. We a will be shortly purchasing a Garmin 176C. It has all the bells and whistles that you need, as mentioned earlier. We really like the new Garmin 2006C model, but just can't face the $2K price tag. Reasons for the 176C decision are: - The new Garmin "blue charts" look to us to be the best chartplotter-level charts that we have yet seen. On the new Garmin plotters these charts approach the detail and readability of the PC-level charts. The Blue Charts to us looked significantly better than either C-Map or Navionics on similar plotters. -Although the 176C has a relatively small screen (about 3.5" diagonal), it has two strong advantages; it does not require a separate external antenna, and if your electrical system glitches on you at the worst possible time (Murphy's Law), the 176C will run on batteries. -Looked like the best overall value in terms of what you get for what you pay. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! Carl and Jule s/v 'Sysygy'
Hi, David. In our opinion, Garmin is the state-of-the-art in GPS and chartplotter technology. We a will be shortly purchasing a Garmin 176C. It has all the bells and whistles that you need, as mentioned earlier. We really like the new Garmin 2006C model, but just can't face the $2K price tag. Reasons for the 176C decision are: - The new Garmin "blue charts" look to us to be the best chartplotter-level charts that we have yet seen. On the new Garmin plotters these charts approach the detail and readability of the PC-level charts. The Blue Charts to us looked significantly better than either C-Map or Navionics on similar plotters. -Although the 176C has a relatively small screen (about 3.5" diagonal), it has two strong advantages; it does not require a separate external antenna, and if your electrical system glitches on you at the worst possible time (Murphy's Law), the 176C will run on batteries. -Looked like the best overall value in terms of what you get for what you pay. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! Carl and Jule s/v 'Sysygy'
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Mark Brunner
GPS/Chartplotter
I have a Hunter 340 and have a Ray 425 with the Ray 120 WAAS. I am pleased with the unit. It gives me good location and speed updates. There are several different screens to choose from and for the price it is more than you may need for lake yachting. The charts are great and give alot of information. It does take some getting used to at first, just like any chart plotter, but once you are up to speed you find out that you have a really great tool.
I have a Hunter 340 and have a Ray 425 with the Ray 120 WAAS. I am pleased with the unit. It gives me good location and speed updates. There are several different screens to choose from and for the price it is more than you may need for lake yachting. The charts are great and give alot of information. It does take some getting used to at first, just like any chart plotter, but once you are up to speed you find out that you have a really great tool.
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Bill Saint
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David
Curious to see the MapSource file
Thank to all who replied, your comments were very helpful. Jim if you could send that MapSource file to pachorr@hotmail.com I would greatly appreciate it. The portability and battery power feature of the Garmin 176 are great bonuses for the Garmin products. However, with the Waterways and Lights CD what is the max detail you can zoom in on? 1/4 nm or better? Does the 3.5" display make it diffucult to view or is it acceptable? Does the color wash too much in the sun or is that acceptable as well? Again thank you all for the responses.
Thank to all who replied, your comments were very helpful. Jim if you could send that MapSource file to pachorr@hotmail.com I would greatly appreciate it. The portability and battery power feature of the Garmin 176 are great bonuses for the Garmin products. However, with the Waterways and Lights CD what is the max detail you can zoom in on? 1/4 nm or better? Does the 3.5" display make it diffucult to view or is it acceptable? Does the color wash too much in the sun or is that acceptable as well? Again thank you all for the responses.
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Dakota Jim Russell
Will do and also so answers.
Will do . . .I presume you can handle a jpg. Careful, the Garmin 176 does not work off an internal battery (the handheld GPSMAP76 does however). Visit www.Garmin.com to check on specks. To answer your questions, I believe all the units will zoom to .2 nm. This appears to be quite adequate on the 172 with a 3x3 inch display, or even on the Map76. For example, I can have 120 feet of rode out and see a nice sweep over of time as the boat swings around the buoy. This was NOT possible during the time selection whatever was being enforced by the military. Further, it is easy to plot where the anchor is from such a swing, which really helps if the wind switches 180 and you are wondering about it holding. Hence 3.5 display is not a problem if you are reasonably close to it. . . Careful of the wash out. At night, the b/w 162 is fantastic . . . during the day I would want a brighter screen . . . and the colors, I think, are generally better. Suggest you see if you can do a trial in the sun. I don't believe that you need to buy the waterways and lights CD for most of the units you are considering as they will be on it. However to get a better picture of the bays, marinas, anchorages, you will want at least the MapSource maps and quite possibly the Blue Charts. I did find out that where internal memory is not listed or listed as not applicable, it is because you can buy chips up to 120 megs
Will do . . .I presume you can handle a jpg. Careful, the Garmin 176 does not work off an internal battery (the handheld GPSMAP76 does however). Visit www.Garmin.com to check on specks. To answer your questions, I believe all the units will zoom to .2 nm. This appears to be quite adequate on the 172 with a 3x3 inch display, or even on the Map76. For example, I can have 120 feet of rode out and see a nice sweep over of time as the boat swings around the buoy. This was NOT possible during the time selection whatever was being enforced by the military. Further, it is easy to plot where the anchor is from such a swing, which really helps if the wind switches 180 and you are wondering about it holding. Hence 3.5 display is not a problem if you are reasonably close to it. . . Careful of the wash out. At night, the b/w 162 is fantastic . . . during the day I would want a brighter screen . . . and the colors, I think, are generally better. Suggest you see if you can do a trial in the sun. I don't believe that you need to buy the waterways and lights CD for most of the units you are considering as they will be on it. However to get a better picture of the bays, marinas, anchorages, you will want at least the MapSource maps and quite possibly the Blue Charts. I did find out that where internal memory is not listed or listed as not applicable, it is because you can buy chips up to 120 megs
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Carl and Juliana Dupre
Jim: 4 AA Batteries
Jim: According to Garmin.com the standard power for the G-176/176C is 4 AA batteries; last "4 to 10 hours depending upon selected backlight level". In fact, you have to spend extra money to get the power/data cable to run it off the boat system. We will be certain to verify that point before buying. Carl
Jim: According to Garmin.com the standard power for the G-176/176C is 4 AA batteries; last "4 to 10 hours depending upon selected backlight level". In fact, you have to spend extra money to get the power/data cable to run it off the boat system. We will be certain to verify that point before buying. Carl
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Dakota Jim Russell
I stand corrected . . .and also another correction
Good gosh, you mean I'm wrong <grin> Thanks for the note of correction. My misinformation came from the Garmin website comparing specs which indicates for battery life and for the 176 and 176C that "This Feature is not applicable to this Product". But if you have one, obviously you have more information than I have, and when confronted with the facts, one needs to yield gracefully <grin> Also, please note that I previously stated that the smallest zoom screen size was 0.2 nm, which may or may not be correct. The image does zoom to the screen that says 200 feet in the legend only covers a portion of the screen, and does not necessarily equate to 0.2 nm or whatever, though it appears approximately so.
Good gosh, you mean I'm wrong <grin> Thanks for the note of correction. My misinformation came from the Garmin website comparing specs which indicates for battery life and for the 176 and 176C that "This Feature is not applicable to this Product". But if you have one, obviously you have more information than I have, and when confronted with the facts, one needs to yield gracefully <grin> Also, please note that I previously stated that the smallest zoom screen size was 0.2 nm, which may or may not be correct. The image does zoom to the screen that says 200 feet in the legend only covers a portion of the screen, and does not necessarily equate to 0.2 nm or whatever, though it appears approximately so.
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Dakota Jim Russell
Garmin said . . .
Dupre's were right. I emailed Garmin and got the following response . . . . Thank you for contacting Garmin, The 176C runs on 4 AA batteries. The information you were viewing may have been referring to the memory battery for this unit which this unit does not use a memory battery as it relies on newer technology to save the unit data. Best Regards, John Redmond Garmin International 800-800-1020 <<http://www.garmin.com/>> Sales@Garmin.com
Dupre's were right. I emailed Garmin and got the following response . . . . Thank you for contacting Garmin, The 176C runs on 4 AA batteries. The information you were viewing may have been referring to the memory battery for this unit which this unit does not use a memory battery as it relies on newer technology to save the unit data. Best Regards, John Redmond Garmin International 800-800-1020 <<http://www.garmin.com/>> Sales@Garmin.com
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Dakota Jim Russell
Garmin said . . . Dupre's are right <grin>
Dupre's were right. I emailed Garmin and got the following response . . . . Thank you for contacting Garmin, The 176C runs on 4 AA batteries. The information you were viewing may have been referring to the memory battery for this unit which this unit does not use a memory battery as it relies on newer technology to save the unit data. Best Regards, John Redmond Garmin International 800-800-1020 <<http://www.garmin.com/>> Sales@Garmin.com
Dupre's were right. I emailed Garmin and got the following response . . . . Thank you for contacting Garmin, The 176C runs on 4 AA batteries. The information you were viewing may have been referring to the memory battery for this unit which this unit does not use a memory battery as it relies on newer technology to save the unit data. Best Regards, John Redmond Garmin International 800-800-1020 <<http://www.garmin.com/>> Sales@Garmin.com
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