New plotter

[MacFern]

My Garmin 2006c finally broke so was thinking about replacing with echomap 74cv. Any feedback on that unit or other recommendations is appreciated. I have an old but decent sonar so not really concerned about the sonar feature, just need a decent plotter.

 

[warthog5]

While you are moving up....That's still a entry level unit.

It doesn't have A-scope on it...... I confirmed this last week when I was fiddling with a customers boat and he had a ecomap.....I was at West Marine and most sales people didn't even know what a A-scope was.

You now have to move up to get it.


But if your happy without it, so be it..... I'm use to it and find it a valueable tool.


What is A-scope?

When A-Scope is turned ON...It creates a small column to the extreme right of your screen. This is the info that is under your boat NOW! It also shows how big of a circle your X-ducer is shooting at that depth.

 

[Brent]

Wart What are you seeing folks install without spending a fortune or looking like mission control

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[MacFern]

Thanks Wart, although I can't say it has impacted my boating experiences yet, my depth finder is an older high end unit that does have the 'A' scope feature, and that is why I think it is suitable for my future use; the imagery may be outdated but I think once I become better skilled it will suffice. So I really just need a decent plotter. My current 2006c does link up with my simrad autopilot so that is something I would want to maintain in any upgrade. I am open to any decent plotter within a reasonable budget and would prefer an easy flush mount replacement. Biggest thing is that replacing the antenna/receiver on the 2006c seems to be a bad idea given the significant advances in technology.

 

[warthog5]

Biggest thing is that replacing the antenna/receiver on the 2006c seems to be a bad idea given the significant advances in technology.

Your in luck......No antenna needed on this new stuff. It's in the face of the unit....It samples 10 times faster than your old 2006C.... I had one on my Mako.

I'll tell you how good they are... Big center console .....flush mounted......boat parked under a steel RV shelter and still get 27ft accuracy.

For that autopilot you need NMEA 0183, as that is what the 2006C is.

Move above the Ecomap stuff and I'm not a fan of full touch screen..... I still like control knobs.

 

[MacFern]

do you think finding a plotter with NMEA 0183 will be difficult? Everything I see has NMEA 2000.

Any thoughts on these 3 units that are currently discounted?
BOE Marine has this re-manufactured Simrad unit NSS7 evo2 Reman Combo Multifunction Display for $700. Normally I would be a little concerned about buying a remanufactured unit but I know BOE has a good reputation on this forum. They also have a Garmin GPSMAP 820 on sale for $750, regularly $1,300.

West Marine has the Garmin GPSMAP® 840xs Multifunction Display with U.S. Coastal and LakeVü HD Charts on sale for $800, regularly $1,500

 

[warthog5]

The Garmin GPSMAP® 840xs is what I'd go with in your situation.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/138028#specs


It supports CHIRP and a 1000Watts. You can run your old FF ....It will be 50/200Hz. and run this one also with the addition of a CHIRP X-Ducer at the same time, when this one is in CHIRP mode. It supports Radar
I has NMEA 0183 output as well as NMEA 2000.

 

[MacFern]

Thanks for the advice, just ordered it.

 

[MacFern]

I am trying to install my new Garmin GPSMAP 840xs and am not sure how to wire it to my simrad AP14 autopilot and my IC-M502 radio. The new GPS has just 8 wires coming from the power/NMEA cable and the Garmin 2006C plotter I am replacing has 11 wires coming off of the unit and another 9 wires coming off the GPS receiver/antenna. 5 of the wires were connected between the receiver/antenna and the plotter, the red wire from the receiver/antenna and the plotter go to power, the black wires go to the negative bus bar, and then there is the grey wire from the receiver/antenna that goes to my radio and also to the Data port on the autopilot. the rest of the wires from the receiver/antenna and the plotter are not connected to anything.

So the only wire on the old GPS that is connected to the autopilot is the gray wire coming from the receiver/antenna. I have a wire from the radio that is connected to the gray wire coming from the GPS 17 GPS receiver/antenna, which is then connected to the Data port on the autopilot. Would I just connect the radio wire to the gray wire on the new GPS and then also to the Data port on the autopilot? The function of the gray wire on the new GPS is NMEA 0183 internal port 2 tx (out). It also looks like the metal sheathing from that radio wire is connected to a wire that goes to the comm port on the autopilot, would I just leave that the way it is?

not sure this makes any sense. I guess the question is how do I determine what wires from the GPSMAP 840xs need to be connected to the autopilot, and how do I connect my radio to the GPS and the autopilot

I know red is power and black is ground and that's about it. The wires that I do not know what to do with are Blue: NMEA 0183 internal port 1 tx (out); Brown: NMEA 0183 internal port 1 rx (in); Gray: NMEA 0183 internal port 2 tx (out); Violet: NMEA 0183 internal port 2 rx (in); Orange: Accessory on

I also currently have my Furuno 1712 radar connected to the autopilot but was told by Garmin that it will not work with this GPS/plotter; it has the NMEA input so any chance they were wrong? the owner's manual does say that you can connect the plotter to a GARMIN radar.

Thanks for any help,

 

[warthog5]

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/ ... 0B4FB.html

TX = + Blue RX = - Brown

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/ ... 17FCF.html

You can remove that old antenna... It's no longer needed.

The new unit has this...... High-sensitivity internal 10 Hz GPS/GLONASS receiver antenna is built in the front face of the unit.

 

[MacFern]

thanks for the information. Plotter is in and works great. I had no idea how much better it would be compared to the old one.

next question, what is the best method to fill and refinish the hole in my roof where the old GPS receiver/antenna was? I read various recommendations on the forum, maybe too many to decide what's best. I have some epoxy, cabisol, and formula 27 on hand. I also have some fiberglass but have never done any fiberglass repair so even less familiar that material/method

 

[warthog5]

It's not a big deal to tape the bottom...... Mix Epoxy/Cabisol, but make it a little on the thin side....That way it fills the whole cavity. You will have to fill it twice, as it will seem full but sag down.

 

[MacFern]

thanks again Warthog5