Recent Actions

• Commented on MIBS CZone tour, enabling the car-like boat
  Ben, In 2009, Apple, Nokia, Samsung, and most of the major vendors did agree on the micro-USB. Why Apple did not follow through is probably well documented. http://www.gizmag.com/standard-micro-usb-charger-europe/12108/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10274953-94.html As far as the questions concerning the distributed power vs the...
• Commented on MIBS CZone tour, enabling the car-like boat
  Ben, Thank you for posting this topic. I am interested in the distributed power but wonder where the tipping point is for installing this on an existing boat. How does this new model for wiring a boat compare with the...
• Commented on Maretron DCR100 partial install, lights on & Labels up
  Ben, The DCR100 is not new is it? When I figured the cost of the DCR100 ($350), the cable T for my backbone ($25), the NMEA2000 cable to the DCR100 ($100) AND that I needed 6 other switches and cabling,...
• Commented on Radar on your PC, laptop or tablet
  Steve, I totally agree. I have been rebuilding the electronics on my boat with Coastal Explorer as the chartplotter. When I asked Navico last year at the Miami boatshow about it working with CE, they pointed out that there was...
• Commented on Anyone Actually Use Bluetooth With their Phones?
  Chuck, I have tried probably a dozen BT headsets - Jawbones, Plantronics, Motorola, etc. I love the low price Motorola - both my wife and I use them. It is illegal to use the phone with your hand while driving...
• Commented on NMEA Open Source Project
  Chukulubu I have been trying to write a SMS app of N2K values as alarm/alerts. Is your code open?...
• Posted Navico / Simrad Broadband Radar and PC Chartplotter to Panbo Forum
  Hello, I am running Coastal Explorer for my chartplotter and have been watching to see if Navico / Simrad would offer a PC compatible version of the broadband radar. I recently found that Navico has a software development kit (SDK)...
• Commented on The N2K WiFi gateway issue, is NMEA stifling innovation?
  Ben, I have been reading this thread not as a developer or a start-up but as a boater interested in where the marine electronics industry is going. I have been in the technology business for over 30 yrs and after...
• Commented on Vessel Vanguard, world's largest boat systems database?
  John, I am using the same approach. PDFs, photos, spreadsheets stored local and online....
• Commented on SmartPlug shore power system, has its time come?
  Ben, Thank you for the posting. I have been waiting for the 50a plug. I hope to buy two for my boat at the Miami boat show in a few weeks....
• Commented on DMK box hand's-on #1, developers needed!
  Quitsa, I think your mention of your MFDs and iPad makes me think you already see the future...one where my system (PC, MFD, radar, AIS, weather, etc) combined with my NMEA2000 data is on a tablet or two which are...
• Commented on Compass Marine: Installing a battery monitor & much, much more
  AMP 59239-4-P - do they really cost $1,100?...
• Commented on Most popular Panbo 2011 entries, themes for 2012?
  I think this is less of a surprise or concern to the PC software manufacturers than the old school proprietary systems - Raymarine, Furuno, Navico, etc. The iPad is very new (2 yrs) and tablets in general are going to...
• Commented on Helm Electronics
  Don, I totally agree with your comments. I have a helm in the process of a redesign and total electronics replacement. I have to believe that the MFD and on-board network tied to a tablet/iPad is going to be something...
• Commented on Vessel wiring daigrams
  I have used Visio numerous times to do wiring diagrams. I have used Google's free tool - SketchUp a few times....
• Commented on SmartPlug shore power system, has its time come?
  Ben or Aaron, The 50amp plug set has been mentioned for over a year now? I was told it was soon to be released in the fall of 2010. I burnt a twist-lock last Christmas and wanted to install a...
• Commented on Hello Nobeltec TimeZero Odyssey, goodbye VNS?
  Hello, As others have said above the market is split right now between some attractively priced software with expensive cartography or the MFDs. The limiting factor is the interfaces to Radar, AIS and weather. All of the MFDs have a...
• Commented on NMEA 2011 Technology Award, the pace quickens
  I too looked at the Digital Yacht Boatranet at the Annapolis Powerboat show. As I understand it, it is a lynix blackbox with a built in web server to display the data from the boat. It shows data from several...
• Commented on Verizon 4G WiFi hotspot, Novatel MiFi 4510L
  Dan, Nice write up. I use several broadband devices - currently a Verizon Pantech USB plugged into a Cradlepoint. My problem with the Mifi is having to carry another charger in my laptop bag. I can not tell you how...
• Commented on Panbo Forum via IE
  Dan, I am having the same issue with IE 9, so I use firefox too for Panbo....
• Commented on Defender/Garmin split
  Interesting that West Marine has dropped most other lines except Garmin....
• Commented on PC radar overlay depends on chartplotter?!
  Chessyduck, I am very interested in a PC compatible radar, as I need to replace a non-functioning Raymarine system. I have checked with the Rosepoint folks often, but each time they have not had a compatible system. I would like...
• Commented on Garmin GTU 10, a remote anchor watch?
  Ben, This is interesting but I am not sure I want to tie into cellular / internet. Most of the time I am looking for an anchor watch solution when I am at anchor and want to sleep. My 10...
• Commented on Maretron DSM250, N2K ups & downs
  Mark from Maretron replied to my technical support question very quickly and was patient with my multiple emails as I determined that pins 5 and 8 could be jumpered to 7 and 6. The DCM100 is now appearing on the...
• Commented on Maretron DSM250, N2K ups & downs
  Hello Ben, I installed a DCM100 today...well, it is connected to my NMEA2000 network. I do not see it with N2KAnalyzer nor DSM250. My experience with Maretron support has been closer to what JJN has experienced unfortunately....
• Commented on Mas-Technologies M200, analog Yanmars to NMEA 2000??
  Ben, When I put the EMS100's on my boat, I looked at the MAS-Technology solution and spoke to some of their staff in Pennslyvaina. I ended up with the Maretron units and they look exactly like what the photos above...
• Commented on Garmin GDL 40, cellular weather & maybe much more
  Ben, I do not see the value in Garmin's solution compared with XM/Sirrus. For a cellular solution, there are more apps for iPads/iPhones/Win7 and Androids - many are free or much lower cost. I do agree that there is an...
• Commented on Navico Broadband Radar 3G, better range & lower cost!
  Ben, Thank you for the information. My Raymarine has stopped working and since the warrenty has expired, I am told it would be about $900 to send it back to Raymarine to have it repaired. It's a no-brainer to get...
• Commented on Navico Broadband Radar, beta demo
  Hello all, What have folks found with the Navico BR24? My Raymarine magnatron has died so I am looking for a replacement system. Ideally I am looking for a system that will interface to Rosepoint and AIS....
• Commented on Maretron IPG100, the missing link, sort of?
  Ben, I cannot get my N2KView to show any depth from an Airmar P-79. Gemeco has advised me to unmount the sensor, tape it to a pole and hang it over the side. Which I will do as soon as...