Boat Forum / Electronics / July 2003

Good morning.  Maybe someone can help me with a perplexing problem before I
have to turn it over to an auto/boat electrician.  The boat is a Buccaneer
470 with an 82 Evinrude 90hp V4.  I use it trolling for Trout on Lake
Toupo - running the main engine about 30 minutes a day, and on ...

Can anyone recommend an external GPS, i.e one of the dumb ones that sit on
the rail at the back with no display.
I have a seiwa chartplotter with internal gps, but it does not have an
option for an external aerial.

I have had my Cap'n 6.1 running on GPS input to the serial connector and the
USB of my Toshibia Tecra 8000. No problem there. (But I prefer the USB since
I'm now using a GPS module that requires power from the laptop USB.)
Now it's  time to try an hook up the autopilot. All  the ...

I own a 2001 340 Sundancer and the tv reception amplifier appears to
have quit. The power light on the amplifier no longer lites and i
cannot program any channels and have no reception. The antenna system
is a glomex. I have tried to remove the amplifier with no success. I

My 4000 GP works reasonably when the boat is motoring, changing course as
normal, however as soon as any weatherhelm is created the boat drifts off
course, the 4000 displays the offcourse error but makes no attempt to
correct it. Raytheon has replaced the control head on numerous ...

Windows will not start properly [cursor jumps around etc.] when GPS [garmin
48 or garmin 120] is connected to the computer [tried two different laptops
via DB9 serial port] with operating system Windows XP.  This does not happen
if the GPS is not set to nmea output [none/none or ...

In the old days on my
dad's commercial fishing boat we had 8Ds with tar tops.  When they went bad
you'd take the battery
up on the pier, take the caps off and let all the hydrogen vent, empty the

Is anybody able to help me in locating an operators manual for a Sitex
Nav-Add 7000 plotter.
Thanks
Fred

I  have various electronic items on board which are rated at 14V and
16V DC max.  I am fitting a 20" LCD TV this winter and that is rated
at 16V max.  Although so far I've not had a failure I'm concerned at
spike protection and voltage regulator failure giving high voltages.

I'm considering adding radar to my Catalina 27 TR.  But I just can't see
spending thousands.  What is the least expensive system I can get into that
is still worth having?
I've already got a good GPS and depth sonar system, so I'm not looking for

I am adding a second battery to my small cabin sailboat, as a "house"
battery.  Basically, it will run one thermoelectric cooler while away from
shore power.  I am NOT planning on using a battery switch.  I would sure
like to add a simple schematic to my post....but since binaries ...

Can someone provide me with some instructions for the use of my NASA Target
Depth Sounder.
There are only 3 buttons, but, I have been unable to deduce how to set the
alarms. Are there any other features are avauilable besides max/min depth

Can someonr explain the idiosincracies I have observed in a peltier module?
In scrounging parts for the watermaker I cam across an interesting
surplus assembly.  I was really after the 1 gpm flowmeter and stainless
needle valve but it came with a  really strange device.  One of ...

Are zap stoppers really needed on alternators? These aftermkt devices claim to
portect alt. diodes against damage from transients.  I can't imagine that
engineers at places like Motorola would design alternators that needed external
aftermarket devices to effectively protect them ...

I recently was given a Navico Marine Pilot 1600 unit but an missing
connections and fittings and, most importantly, the manual.
Does anyone know where I might be able to obtain a manual?
Thanks!