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The new chart plotter
In my last article I discussed the use of chats and the importance of the traditional navigational aides. Now I am reporting the additional electronics that I have installed. The biggest item both physically and pecuniary is the electronic chart plotter. It has an inbuilt GPS receiver so is able to display the position of the boat onto the electronic chart. I have also integrated it with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver. It puts the position speed, direction and other information about large vessels onto the screen too. In the Solent it makes little sense because it’s too busy and the distances so short that staring down electronics would be dangerous. Passage making it will have a great deal more practical use.
I made two other big investments.
Sea-Me active radar reflector – an ACTIVE system which receives a radar signal, amplifies it and re-transmits it. I bought this having read the Marine Accident Investigation into the loss of the Ouso and her crew. The MAI produced a study of radar reflectors.
New Radio
New Digital Selective Calling (DSC) VHF set – I decided to upgrade the VHF set with latest safety features and also my existing set didn’t have UK channels M1 and M2 which as a nuisance. I also splashed out on a remote handset for the VHF radio in the cockpit. So I could use the radio without going downstairs.
