Raytheon GPS Junk?

[Woody]

Will anyone buy another gps unit made by Raytheon?

[Yes]

Yes I will.

[knappy]

What is your issue with Raytheon ? What model GPS did/do you have which you are not satisfied with ?

[yknot]

I have the new WAAS GPS unit and it's better by far than anything I have ever used. Going out the Huron River this past fall, I could follow my path around one of the bouys at the mouth of the river on the chartplotter. The instructions say that it is accurate within 2 to 3 feet and I believe it. I could watch my boat come into the Huron Boat Basin on the plotter.
Junk? You are wrong. Out of the ballpark wrong. I don't know if you are trying to start an argument, but if I was in the middle of Lake Erie or Lake Ontario at night in a heavy fog, I have no doubt that I could find my way back to my dock with my Raytheon GPS.
Frank

[Terry/JNR]

It's the best one I've used up to now.

[Scott D]

You guys with experience with the new Raytheon GPS's - how do they compare to Lowrance units? I am trying to decide which unit to get and the accuracy of the Raytheon sure seems nice. But I like the idea of the maps that Lowrance offers.

[yknot]

A few years back, I finished a fishing trip on Lake Ontario and was running back into Olcott, N.Y. in a very thick (20' visibility) fog. My Lowrance LMS 350A GPS and plotter told me that I was right between the pierheads. Wrong. I was actually 80' to 100' west of the west pier in 10' of water. Luckily, I heard people talking on the pier and corrected my course before I hit the beach. With my Raytheon WAAS GPS and chartplotter, I can watch my boat come into the Huron River, go around the bouys, and turn into the Boat Basin. No comparison between the two. From talking to other people that own the Raytheons, they wouldn't go back.

[Big Santa]

yknot,

Which unit do you have? I just ordered a RayChart 320. I was a little concerned about the size of the screen on the 320 being too small but chose it over the RC425 (which is bigger than I want). If you've got the 320, are you happy with the screen size?

[Hooked]

A few years back, the signals were off by the satellites, and now with the past year the government has discontinued throwing off the signals for civilian use. So all units are more accurate.

[Scott D]

You're right, they are more accurate. The government stopped putting errors into the signals last year I believe. I think it is was what was called selective availability (SA) and the way around it was to purchase a DGPS receiver which corrected for the SA and was transmitted by a limited amount of Coast Gaurd beacons.

With the SA turned off I think that regular gps systems are at best accurate to about 30'. I would think that the units with the DGPS would get close to the accuracy of the Raytheon WAAS system but I don't know for sure.

[yknot]

I have the 320. The screen size is ok for my usage. I generally don't run my fishfinder, so I have my chartplotter up on the 760 and track myself on that. I originally mounted the GPS on the hardtop, but my first mate, Joe, wears bifocals and couldn't read the screen without leaning waaaaay back. This year he will be much happier that I moved it to the dash right in front.

[Ron Anlauf]

The new WAAS system from Raytheon is the most accurate form of positioning available to today's angler. They developed the system for the FAA and are contracted to operate it. It uses satelelite signals, that are recieved by land based towers, corrected, sent back to a low altitude satlelite, and then back to us. The Raymarine units with WAAS capabilities recieve both signals, and do it with one reciever (unlike DGPS), and are the only ones presently, that can utilize the system. Accuarcy is within three meters 95% of the time.

Ron A

[FlyBoy]

Ron,

Is the area these units can be used limited? It would seem the ground based part of it would require multiple sites. It sure would be great if they worked all over north america!?

-John

[Bill]

Riught - how about Lake of the Woods. Does anyone know if it works there?

[Scott Fairbairn]

The WAAS system is a satellite based differential correction system. The units do not require land based stations at all. You don't need extra antennas, or to purchase expensive services for ti to work. All you need is a Raymarine chartplotter and WAAS GPS antenna (look the same as the old antenna's). The accuracy is incredible and should work fine at Lake of the Woods.

Scott Fairbairn #99

[JWilson]

Another big difference between the Lowrance and Raytheon is the new Lowrance's do not use c-maps, while the Raytheon's use
c-mapNT cartridges. As far as the Great Lakes go c-maps are hands down winners over the e-charts Lowrances uses. Anyone care to explain why Lowrance went away from c-maps?

[Tommy Mac]

Just a side note to the other discussion here. From what I understand the WAAS system operates any place in North America. Raytheon seems builds one heck of a unit. Does anyone know if they have come up with a interphase type of connection that will work to link the units to a computor? TM

[Scott Fairbairn]

Raymarine has software called Raytech Navigator that might accomplish what you are looking for. The software is very elaborate, used mostly by big vessels in the Great Lakes and offshore use.

Scott Fairbairn #99

[bob oh]

Woody, what's your problem with Raytheon??
Bob

[Ron Anlauf]

There is 100% coverage in North America.

Ron A

[hugh]

How much detail is shown on the charts. For example are contour lines, bouyu markers, etc. shown. Also, how do you load the individual charts or maps into the unit. Thanks for the help.

[Scott D]

Does anyone know where to find these units for mail-order or online? What are you guys finding to be the average prices?

[Meat]

Not all of the Raytheons use the C-Map NT cartriges. Some of units use the Navionics based cartriges. I do not know exactly the difference between the two, but I do know that the Navionics cartriges have the Fishing Hots Spots Maps for a number of lakes. http://www.navionics.com/FHS/

[Rich]

Woody,Ask yourself this question if they are good enough,for the
U.S. Navy,and there nuclear submarines,and their aircraft carriers why isnt it good enough for your walleye fishing?
Rich

[Don]

Woody,you did't say which unit is "junk' ,but from the response
everyone disagrees with you..Raytheon products are really superior electronics that have been used by the military for
years.Raytheon's WAAS (Wide area Augmentation System)is more
accurate then GPS/DGPS system..Check out Raytheon's marine WEB for a WAAS overview, plus info on their products.