Is a smart heading sensor worth almost a boat unit?
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Paul Kamins
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Mar 22nd, '05, 20:18
- Location: CD30 Sandra Lee Belfast, ME.
Is a smart heading sensor worth almost a boat unit?
I have a Raymarine chartplotter, radar, and autopilot. I know that the chartplotter and radar would overlay better (in heads-up mode) with the smart heading sensor, but wondering what other advantages might be achieved by adding this and if it would help the autopilot. Does anyone have experience with this unit? Thanks, Paul.
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Cathy Monaghan
- Posts: 3502
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 08:17
- Location: 1986 CD32 Realization #3, Rahway, NJ, Raritan Bay -- CDSOA Member since 2000. Greenline 39 Electra
- Contact:
Hi Paul,
The main reason we have the heading sensor/fluxgate compass interface with the radar aboard our CD32 is to obtain accurate MARPA data (Mini Automatic Radar Plotting Aid, see: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Defa ... &Section=2) . It also provides better heading data for the radar/chartplotter overlay as well as any autopilot it's hooked up to (Gyrostabilized heading sensor, see: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Prod ... uct_id=699). The heading sensor also measures the boat's yaw. With both heading and yaw (rate of turn) data, the autopilot should be able to steer better since it knows how the boat reacts better than without it.
Also without a heading sensor, your radar/chartplotter knows your position and where objects are in relation to your position but it doesn't really know which way you're heading or which way the objects are heading. With the heading sensor, your radar will receive more accurate MARPA data and your radar will be able to tell you whether or not you're on a collision course with something else. It provides CPA (closest point of approach), TCPA (time to closest point of approach), SPD (the speed of the target), CRS (the course of the target), and RNG (the distance between you and the target). It's a great feature and I'm glad we have it since we do alot of sailing at night, and last year we did alot of sailing in fog as well.
Anyway, that's why I want the heading sensor to talk to both the RL70RC and the ST4000+.
Cathy
The main reason we have the heading sensor/fluxgate compass interface with the radar aboard our CD32 is to obtain accurate MARPA data (Mini Automatic Radar Plotting Aid, see: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Defa ... &Section=2) . It also provides better heading data for the radar/chartplotter overlay as well as any autopilot it's hooked up to (Gyrostabilized heading sensor, see: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Prod ... uct_id=699). The heading sensor also measures the boat's yaw. With both heading and yaw (rate of turn) data, the autopilot should be able to steer better since it knows how the boat reacts better than without it.
Also without a heading sensor, your radar/chartplotter knows your position and where objects are in relation to your position but it doesn't really know which way you're heading or which way the objects are heading. With the heading sensor, your radar will receive more accurate MARPA data and your radar will be able to tell you whether or not you're on a collision course with something else. It provides CPA (closest point of approach), TCPA (time to closest point of approach), SPD (the speed of the target), CRS (the course of the target), and RNG (the distance between you and the target). It's a great feature and I'm glad we have it since we do alot of sailing at night, and last year we did alot of sailing in fog as well.
Anyway, that's why I want the heading sensor to talk to both the RL70RC and the ST4000+.
Cathy