R. I. P.

[s/v Faith]

No, not another political figure or entertainer...






 My Magellan Meridian Marine GPS.

It was a good little unit, even if under-appreciated.  


Magellan was a company that manufactured GPS back before Garmin took over the known universe.  The company was purchased by the French and quickly lost interest in the GPS business and fell into obscurity.

 The Meridian Marine was (IMHO) the height of it's achievement even if it did suffer from some fairly significant design flaws (battery door that did not seal, and an external power connector that seemingly was designed by a 5 year old).

 I have owned a Magellan 300, 310, 315 AND a 320.  I like them all better then the Garman II, and the Garman 76 I now use.

 Now, you have to know that my expectaitons for a GPS are pretty low.  I want it to;

1. Tell time (ships clock is what I generally look at).

2. Keep track of actually miles traveled. (which I generally take with a grain of salt).

3. Give me some numbers that I can suspiciously compare with my DR plot and look for flaws with.

4. Tell me what my SOG was within the last few minutes (real speed actually comes from my Kenyon Knotometer circa 1964).

5. Although never used, direct my ST 2000 autohelm.  This is mainly academic because my autohelm has not been used in at least 4 years..... I don't trust it, and don't mind steering.  If single handing Faith does not mind heaving too for a minute while I run below for whatever.

 The Magellan was better then the Garman for one simple reason.  The display was ON TOP of the buttons rather then under them.  I have wondered what Garmin was thinking putting the buttons at the top of the display.  I can not figure it out.  Must be some kind of cruel joke.  Only makes sure your display screen will get thumb prints on it's tiny display screen.

 The Magellan's faulty battery door was it's undoing.  I noticed the buttons were getting finicky, and looked inside to find the 'green death' was everywhere.

 The odometer on the unit reads 5,858.9 nm, so I can not say I did not get my money's worth out of it.  

There is no purpose to this post other then to mark the passing of a member of my crew.  Even if I always did look at him with distrust, he did mark many miles with me and will be missed (at least until I figure out what I am going to use next)..   :P
 



 

 

[Tim]

The odometer on the unit reads 5,858.9 nm

Not bad for your trusted gps or you guys  ;)

[Amgine]

<grin> Now I don't feel so bad... We held a wake for my percolator which at an inopportune moment sprang a leak.

It was buried at sea with reasonable ceremoniousness.

I still mourn the flasher I had on a previous boat. I could tell more about the bottom with that tool than the digital readout I have now.

I think we all develop relationships with the equipment we add to our boats. Usually they go through a long vetting process before we, grudgingly, allow them aboard. Then we work with them, learn their true capabilities and limitations, share accomplishments with them. Then they pass on, fail, get superseded by a newer/better model or technology...

Of course, part of the mourning is regretting having to find a replacement and learn how to work with it.

[nowell]

I know this is old, but I have been MIA from the forums alot. Anyway, if your looking for a replacement, I can't rave enough about my Magellan eXplorist 100. Hand held, water tight, and just enough functionality for me. Works great when my chart is folded up and im trying to do some quick nav while avoiding that next platform! Carrying a tuppoware of batteries makes sure im always ready for power. Also at under 150 bucks, I have another in my ditch bag (in case I don't grab my main one).

Anyway, RIP for your loss, but definitely feel the Magellan love!

[Shipscarver]

Don't ya' just hate it when old friend dies?   ::)

[s/v Faith]

I really do.

  I am looking at the current offerings, and not finding what I want.  :P

I am not looking for a chart plotter... but that is probably what I will wind up with.

I want a display I can see, internal antenna, easy target assignment (Magellan had it ALL over Garmin here).

The closest I find on the current market is the Garmin 156... but for another $100....  ::)

[cantxsailor]

My Magellan 300 still works great even if it does take all day to come to life if its been without batteries for a while. I always take the batteries out for fear of the green death. It has out lasted my last 2 cars and has seen service on three boats. ........martin

[s/v Faith]

In the thread on Computer navigation AdriftatSea posted this;

....A real chartplotter is less than $500 if you know where to shop.  I recently bought a Garmin 3205 chartplotter for a bit over $500, but it is a bit more than a basic chartplotter. ....

  I am quoting it here since my question is off the topic of that thread.

Dan,

  What is your impression of your new Garmin?  In looking for a replacement for my Magellan and frankly I am disappointed in the current offerings.

  I do not care for the Garmin handhelds.  I have a GPS76 (non-map) and find the design with the buttons on top is about the stupidest thing I can imagine.  I have been looking at fixed mounted GPS, which all seem to be plotters now.

The exception is the Garmin 152, but I can't justify that for a unit that is just a fixed mount Garmin 72.   ::)

  So, I am looking at the compact chartplotters... I really am not sure I want to go this route, since I know that human nature is that if something is easy to rely on one will tend to do so.  The displays are so much easier to read, most have a screen that has the coordinates display that is WAY much easier to see...

  I know that some have been surprised to learn their Garmin 5xxx series draw as much as 5 amps when on!  I would not tolerate that....

  So, Dan, do you have the new Garmin hooked up?  IIRC you have a Link matter monitor, if so what kind of 'real' current numbers are you seeing?  What are your impressions?

Thanks,

 

[AdriftAtSea]

I really like my new chartplotter.  Be aware that IIRC Garmin has discontinued the 3205 model, which is the smallest unit that is capable of handling the new Garmin 18HD digital radome, so finding the unit may be a bit difficult at this time. 

I like the older unit's user interface and the fact that it doesn't use a touchscreen over the newer units, and the fact that I could get the unit very inexpensively helped too.  It is really nice because you can configure a "data bar", which can easily display important information like COG, SOG, Lat/Lon... etc. You can also have it display a "virtual compass" along the top edge of the screen.

As far as I can tell, the unit only draws a bit less than an amp in use, based on the Victron battery monitor I was using. 

You can still get the unit here, and it is pretty reasonably priced, only $575 or so.  The 3205 is replacing a Garmin 192 GPSMap unit, and like the 192 comes with the US Coastal charts pre-loaded. 

In the thread on Computer navigation AdriftatSea posted this;

....A real chartplotter is less than $500 if you know where to shop.  I recently bought a Garmin 3205 chartplotter for a bit over $500, but it is a bit more than a basic chartplotter. ....

  I am quoting it here since my question is off the topic of that thread.

Dan,

  What is your impression of your new Garmin?  In looking for a replacement for my Magellan and frankly I am disappointed in the current offerings.

  I do not care for the Garmin handhelds.  I have a GPS76 (non-map) and find the design with the buttons on top is about the stupidest thing I can imagine.  I have been looking at fixed mounted GPS, which all seem to be plotters now.

The exception is the Garmin 152, but I can't justify that for a unit that is just a fixed mount Garmin 72.   ::)

  So, I am looking at the compact chartplotters... I really am not sure I want to go this route, since I know that human nature is that if something is easy to rely on one will tend to do so.  The displays are so much easier to read, most have a screen that has the coordinates display that is WAY much easier to see...

  I know that some have been surprised to learn their Garmin 5xxx series draw as much as 5 amps when on!  I would not tolerate that....

  So, Dan, do you have the new Garmin hooked up?  IIRC you have a Link matter monitor, if so what kind of 'real' current numbers are you seeing?  What are your impressions?

Thanks,

 

[s/v Faith]

Thanks Dan,

 I wonder if the 5 amps I heard about (it was a 51xx series IIRC) was a touch screen?  

The one you have sounds good, and the current draw sounds like it is in the range I am looking for.

Is there a regular 'position' screen, without the chart display?  Was there one on your old unit....?

Hummmm.....  8)

  Are you planning to add radar to Gee?  Sounds like a nice package, to do it with.

 

[s/v Faith]

Still looking.  Finding some options,  I like the Garmin 152, but not for the chartplotter price it sells for (it is a fixed mount non-map GPS like my 76... but without the stupid buttons on the top of the display... (what  WERE they THINKING?)

  Also looks like a GPSmap 60 might be a contender, but not for the chartplotter prices they fo gor....

What are you using?  Do you like it?  Do you have anything for sale? (maybe a pre-chart plotter upgrade?

[AdriftAtSea]

You can set the display up to show a data bar and populate the data bar with all sorts of data, including your lat/lon position.  Most of the garmins can also use a sounder unit and be configured as a "fishfinder", but still show the databar.

While I'm not in the market for Radar at the moment, I'd like to have the option of adding it, so upgrading to the 3205 made a lot of sense for me, and the price was right.

Thanks Dan,

  I wonder if the 5 amps I heard about (it was a 51xx series IIRC) was a touch screen? 

The one you have sounds good, and the current draw sounds like it is in the range I am looking for.

Is there a regular 'position' screen, without the chart display?  Was there one on your old unit....?

Hummmm.....  8)

  Are you planning to add radar to Gee?  Sounds like a nice package, to do it with.

 

[s/v Faith]

Just a heads up, only good till midnight tonight.

I don't know if you guy know about this site but they sell 1 thing a day for real cheap. Today it's a hand held GPS. I checked 2 sites to compare and this one is more than $200 better than the other sites. The deal will go away at midnight ECST.

http://www.woot.com/

Bushnell ONIX 400 GPS with XM NEXRAD Weather
$99.99

   * + $5 shipping

Condition:
   New, Retail Box
Product:
   1 Bushnell ONIX 400 3.5" GPS w/XM NEXRAD Weather and Georeference Satellite Photography

This is a $400+ unit

[s/v Faith]

Doubt I will use the XM weather function, but at least the buttons are in the right place.  ;)



Wow,

  Amazon has it on sale for 4x what I just paid!

Amazon.com, the leading provider of GPS receivers in the internet, is putting the Bushnell Onix 400 GPS on SALE today. The Bushnell Onix400 GPS XM Receiver boasts of its capability of bring NEXRAD weather on top of your hands.

This gadget is normally sold $594 but Amazon is giving it away today for $399. That?s 25% off the normal selling price.

Source: Bushnell Onix 400 GPS, now on SALE | Daily World Buzz http://www.dailyworldbuzz.com/bushnell-onix-400-gps-now-on-sale/4956/#ixzz0YgCyZpNi
Via: Daily World Buzz

[s/v Faith]

WOOT.com has it one sale again for $99.

Bushnell ONIX 400 GPS with XM NEXRAD Weather
$99.99

    * + $5 shipping

Condition:
    New, Retail Box
Product:
    1 Bushnell ONIX 400 3.5" GPS w/XM NEXRAD Weather and Georeference Satellite Photography

[s/v Faith]

In the 'better late then never' catagory...  :P

I noticed that Woot.com has the Onix 200 on sale today for $59 bucks.  I was looking at some of the posts and found that it did not exactly receive stellar reviews.

Bushnell ONIX 200CR GPS

Test Series by BackpackGearTest.org

I have not taken the 400 out of the package yet, but will let you know what I find when I do.  Hope it is better then this guy found the 200 to be.  ::)

[Mario G]

I'm thinking my major electronics is going to be a laptop and the wife's cell phone with more options then this old sea dog will ever learn.  I can't get into any of the new fangled gagets even when I know it would be a good idea before the scoot.  "Getting lost hasn't always been a bad thing" ;D