Autohelm Radar
05/09/06 21:05 Filed in: Electrical and Instruments
On passage from Brighton to Cowes the radar failed in fog. This was only the second time it had been used in anger.
Later inspection showed the cause of scanner failure to be water inside the scanner dome submerging the circuit board with the drain tube not being effective.
The choice one was presented with was to try to find a replacement scanner for an obselete piece of kit (9.5 years) or uprgrade. I still don't think expensive electronics should fail after only 9.5 years. I don't mind the technology dating but early failure is not acceptable particularly after very very light usage.
Small boat radar has progressed rapidly since 1997 and I looked on this more as an upgrade than a repair/replacement.
The Autohelm radar replacement was a Raymarine C70 Plotter, Navionics Gold charts, scanner and a new GPS unit. A quantum leap in functionality.
Later inspection showed the cause of scanner failure to be water inside the scanner dome submerging the circuit board with the drain tube not being effective.
The choice one was presented with was to try to find a replacement scanner for an obselete piece of kit (9.5 years) or uprgrade. I still don't think expensive electronics should fail after only 9.5 years. I don't mind the technology dating but early failure is not acceptable particularly after very very light usage.
Small boat radar has progressed rapidly since 1997 and I looked on this more as an upgrade than a repair/replacement.
The Autohelm radar replacement was a Raymarine C70 Plotter, Navionics Gold charts, scanner and a new GPS unit. A quantum leap in functionality.