Electronics again

[CHANCE1234]

I have searched through most electronics posts on here and I have a few questions. Has anyone used the Garmin GPS MAP 3005, (it is a stand alone chartplotter)and if so what do you think. I have seen advertised prices online for $719, and then they offer a $150 mail in rebate through march 24th. Also I have an older Sitex bottom machine that worked well before. However in the process of replacing the t-top with the doghouse, the transducer wire got cut, and I lost the powercable. Does any one out there have these they would be willing to part with. Or does anyone know where I can get the replacement power cord and transducer/wire. Thanks for any ideas.

Elijah

[peterb]

A couple of quick points.

First, try ebay for things like old transducer cables and the like. I cut the cable to my Furuno combo GPS/ff unit and got the best deal on ebay for the replacement.

Second, it has been my experience that the new electronics are much better than the older technology.

For example, I have a Fununro 1623CF combo GPS/FF unit that cost $1,695 in 2001. Last summer I bought a Garmin 178C GPS/FF unit for about $600, and the Garmin unit is much better. It has better color, more bells and whistle (like telling me the tides) and much better GPS mapping capabilities.

Good luck.

[thedink9]

I agree with Peter about how superior the new Electronics is compared to just a few years ago. Consider one of the lower prices combo units and I'm sure you will quickly forget how much you like the Sitex. BOE has a few closeout deals going on now that may interest you. Rich

[Michael Vezzosi]

Chance, do you mean one of the old Sitex units with the whiteline and paper rolls in it? My SeaCraft came with one, and a couple of paper rolls. I was so excited. Now its been sitting in my attic for years. The only other unit on my 20 is an old Sitex XJ-1 Loran. I guess I still carry it in the event I need the C.G.. I know they are both prehistoric.

I think I'm going to go BOE after tax return for 192C, or whatever supersedes (sp?) supposedly coming out next month. I want to rig it for each boat, then just transfer the head, without spending a fortune.

I have to check what I've got in the attic. Quite sure everything is still there. Previous owner DC'ed before I bought. Vezo, Part II.

[CHANCE1234]

vezo, no it is an electronic sounder, no paper. I know the new technology is alot better, but with me money is always a consideration. The sounder worked very well in my sea trial even at top speed which is why I would like to get atleast one or two more seasons out of it. I may end up bitting the bullet and getting a new chartplotter, as mentioned above. As the one i have now is the garmin 210 i think, it is quite old and black and white. The previous owner said that it would cut out once in a while when underway. Probably just a loose or bad connection somewhere, but I need to be able to justify getting a new one some how. I am just wondering if anyone has heard or seen anything on the Garmin gps map 3005c.

[Michael Vezzosi]

Dude, I am a complete electronics idiot. If I didn't have over 20 years of firefighting experience, I'd give my Captain's spot up and go back to driving. I didn't have Atari or Intelevision growing up. And even back then technology was changing in leaps and bounds. I've got twenty four year olds trying for my job and honestly, they could proably do a better job, administratively. There is just no money in the budget to train me on these programs and such. So I take my additional, officers pay and bribe them with beer and large bonfires at my house! Adapt and Overcome. Thats why someone pinned these bugles on my lapels!

Did I tell ya, I don't know anything about the Garmin model you mentioned? Part II.

[peterb]

Here are a couple of up dates to my previous points.

First, if you click on the attached url you should see Sitex trnsducers starting at $9.99 web page

Second, i did check out the Garmin 3005. My opinion is that it is very nice & state of the art, and that you are paying a premium for its various add on capabilities (such as a sounder for another $250, satellite weather at $500+ and other misc. bells and whistles).

It uses the same bluechart maps as my Garmin 178C.

Here is my biased take. If you are just looking for a solid color GPS w/FF capabilities, I would take the Garmin 178C. It will be several hundred dollars cheaper. however, if you want the capability to support satellite weather connectivity and the like, than maybe this is a good unit to go with.

Just my 2 cents.

[Michael Vezzosi]

Armani Man. I think you have hit the nail on the head for my purposes, though I like the idea of not dealing with chips. Is it as easy as loading a larger chip in a digital camera? Load one time and Fagetaboutit? Still curious what next model will offer. I subscribe to the K.I.S.S. Theory. Part II.

[peterb]

PART II,

You are correct, just like a digital camera. You would be amazed by the amount of stuff that they can now pack on these chips. Here's another mind blower. On my old boat i had a Garmin 185 monochrome unit. A chip that would cover the Jersey shore would cost me close to $300. Now I can get a color chip for my new unit for under $100 (and with a ton of more info).

Welcome to the digital age.

[oldbluesplayer]

entertaining discussion - vezo II, I know how you feel, trying to sort out all the new stuff, and figure out what you need / want / can afford.

I'm pretty much a cheap bastard myself, and just went thru this last summer, and didn't have a clue about GPS, was an old time chart and compass man, though had grown to feel naked without a fish/ depth finder - Fr. Frank gave me a lead, at the time, which I followed.

Something which doesn't seem to get much play, for salt water use, is the Humminbird line, but I had one for 20 years across several boats, and it always worked, and worked well, fresh or salt water, and my brother has been using one almost as long, in the salt, so by direct experience I was comfortable with them - anyways, make a long story short, I went with a lower end Humminbird Matrix 27, it's b&w, but I don't feel a need for color on the fishfinder. I also got a Garmin hand/ bracket held GPS-Map 76. I've come to really like this, easy to use, key for me is user friendliness, and it is.

Having used this combo last summer, I will say the Humminbird finder is great, but I do wish I had got a color GPS, thought the bw works just fine.

It's a bear trying to compare these in a catalog, or on line. I went to the Boston boat show last weekend, and was surprised to see, on many of the "bigger" models, the screen was Not significantly bigger than my little handheld, so I was g;ad to see I hadn't dropped $500 on something, when my little $200 unit had basically the same size screen.

I guess my bottom line is to suggest you go do some direct shopping, see the units side by side, and demo them hands on and see how You feel about the user friendliness of them.

Also - on the built in charts - expect to find you need to pay more for the detailed chips, or download, or whatever, as the base map is "ok" but not really very good. when I launch in Gloucester and go up the Annisquam, the garmin base chart tells me I'm on dry land, same thing when I go in Hampton harbor and go over to the Seabrook town dock - I wouldn't even dream of trying the mouth of the Merrimack until I download the detailed chart!! from what I saw of Eagle / Lowrance at the show, their base charts are the same, and you'll have to buy the upgrade chip.

So, just a random collection of thoughts from this old fuddy-dud.

Bill