Northstar GPS Problem

[Boatsb]

And the garmin is a 19xx 0183 reciever.

You can also put in any number of newer units with maps and even sounder modules and have an 0183 output available. Then when the old gear fails you have a backup.

[Pete]

I agree the Garmin 18X is a good idea. I have the version that attaches through the serial port on a PC as my backup, should it ever be needed. Also, keep a second identical laptop, ready to go, if that should be needed.

The Northstar does provide additional interesting information, and is a differential unit versus WAAS with the Garmin 18X. But yes, it is a viable alternative.

Pete

[Reefgeorge]

Let us know if you find something that has a decent fit in that Northstar hole because I have face the same issue. Considerable research years ago was a bust on that form factor. I also keep my older gear going with my own repairs. Max Marine as referenced above had an inverter board for my Furuno Navnet that got me back up for $125 and 20 minutes.

I started in boating before all of this modern nav equipment was even invented. It's great and I enjoy it but I also have back ups and the skill to get home without any of it which I have done a few times in 40 years. I also still have a slide rule if that interests anyone. It's cool, it's made out of Bamboo and we sent men to the moon using them.

I realize that old Northstars and slide rules won't generate any new business for gear installers and perhaps that is the frustration that I read here but hey good thing it's a free country. I once had a guy beat me from the championship tees with a rusty crappy seven iron against my entire bag of clubs. Thats the day that I realized that skill and adaptation can beat new equipment.

:-)

George

[Fanfare]

Over the years I have upgraded to a Northstar 952 on my lower steering station. It fits in the same hole as its predecessors and still works fine. Since I always run from the flybridge, where I have more advanced equipment, it is entirely satisfactory. Northstar was well ahead of its contemporaries in ease of use and it is a shame Simrad purchased and killed the brand. Someday I am going to need a complete overhaul of my electronics. Until then these old units are serving me well. After all, they are completely paid for.

I have had great service from Marine Electronics of the Outer Banks. Quick response with a fair price.

[Pete]

Talked to Marine Electronics of the Outer Banks this AM and he has several well burnt in beacon receivers that will fix up my Northstar 941XD. Plan to give my unit a ride over to them on Monday.

Thanks again to Eric for the pointer to some folks right in my backyard.

Pete

[MVCaprice]

While the Garmin 18x is a good option you could just use a simple USB GPS such a GlobalSat if you have a free usb port on that pc:

https://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-...ywords=usb+gps

I run one of these on our PC OpenCPN system and it works decently. Almost all of the cheap USB GPS's support the common NEMA 0183 output sentences so it should be just a matter of pointing the Admiral software at the right com port.

With a 18x you would either need a physical com port or a USB com port adapter as well.

[bobk]

Let us know if you find something that has a decent fit in that Northstar hole because I have face the same issue. Considerable research years ago was a bust on that form factor. I also keep my older gear going with my own repairs. Max Marine as referenced above had an inverter board for my Furuno Navnet that got me back up for $125 and 20 minutes.

I started in boating before all of this modern nav equipment was even invented. It's great and I enjoy it but I also have back ups and the skill to get home without any of it which I have done a few times in 40 years. I also still have a slide rule if that interests anyone. It's cool, it's made out of Bamboo and we sent men to the moon using them.

I realize that old Northstars and slide rules won't generate any new business for gear installers and perhaps that is the frustration that I read here but hey good thing it's a free country. I once had a guy beat me from the championship tees with a rusty crappy seven iron against my entire bag of clubs. Thats the day that I realized that skill and adaptation can beat new equipment.

:-)

George

George, you are a man after my own heart, but I gotcha beat on experience. I've been running boats since the mid '50s.... and I still keep a slide rule and pencil and paper onboard just in case. However, I was a plastics chemist so my rule is plastic.

When you are ready to plug that hole, you can make a nice trim piece from black acrylic etc and mount what you want on it.

Bobk

[Boatsb]

Garmin 742 Physical dimensions 8.8" x 5.6" x 2.1" (224.0mm x 142.5mm x 53.9mm)

[Cricket]

Just in case you decide to go the new route at some point the 7 inch Simrad evo2 and B&G Zeus 2 are 9.09 wide x 5.79 tall. The newer models of theses are evo3 and Zeus 3 are 9.4 wide x 5.9 tall. The main difference between the Simrad and B&G units are that B&G doesn't have a built in sounder. Defender is selling "refurbished " B&G Zeus 2 units, which are actually brand new, for what I think is a great deal, 12" $1350, 9" $849, 7" $489, and they come with a Cmap Max N + USA chart sd card. Bought 2 of the 12" back in June. You might need a remote gps antenna as the built in might not work well enough inside the boat.

[Reefgeorge]

BobK

I was an Electrical Engineer. If I would have known that I was getting into boating after school, I might have chosen a plastic rule as well. Either way us old dogs always know how to find our way home. My father was an officer in the Merchant Marine during WWII and a radio operator during the Korean War so he taught me semaphore, morse code and how to use a sextant all by the time I was ten. I probably also get the desire to fix everything from him as well. His generation wasted nothing.

George