Thank you for purchasing the RADAR 1500 MK@ LCD radar. This product will provide many years of trouble free use when operated properly, so it is important that you read and observe the precautions below. Read this manual thoroughly to gain a good understanding of the capabilities and the requirements of this equipment. Store the manual in a safe location so, that it does not become lost or damaged. Observe standard storage and handling procedures for electronic equipment. If, after proper installation, RADAR 1500 MK2 appears to be defective, please contact your JRC sales or service representative for assistance. Symbols Used In This Manual The following symbols are used in this instruction manual and on the product itself to ensure correct handling and proper use. Their meanings are explained below. Please observe the advice and precautions emphasised by the symbols as you read the manual and as you install and use the equipment.
A safety warning to alert you of possible physical harm to yourself, or to the equipment. An alert to possible harm to, or failure of the equipment.
This symbol warns of the possibility of electrical and/or other related dangers. The accompanying instructions should be meticulously followed. Electric shocks This sign alerts the reader to actions which must NEVER be performed.

Prohibition

This sign prohibits disassembly, or otherwise tampering with the indicated components.

Prohibits disassembly

This draws the readers attention to instructions which must be very exactly followed.

Instruction

Operating Precautions

WARNING

To avoid electrical shock, never touch the inside of the scanner when it is connected to an electrical supply. Always keep the protective cover on the scanner when it is connected to an electrical supply. High internal voltages can cause serious personal injury. The equipment should be routinely serviced, only by JRC authorised personnel. Avoid passing close to the scanner when the radar is in use. The scanner unit rotates quickly and can cause personal injury. Both this and the enclosed radome should be installed at a high place, such as a cabin roof, or a specially constructed arch, or radar mast. If the radiating units cannot be installed above all possible, standing head height, they should be guarded by a strong, protective, enclosing frame. Prolonged, close range exposure to radar signals is not recommended. Before approaching close to the scanner, or dismounting it, ensure that the STBY/OFF and the X-MIT/OFF keys on the display unit have both been turned off. The cable connector P1 at the rear of the display unit should be disconnected before removing the scanner unit from its installed position. Never sit on the scanner, nor otherwise subject them to weight. They are not intended to bear loads and ignoring this advice could cause damage to important internal components.

CAUTION

You will only get optimum performance from your RADAR 1500 MK2 by carefully following this manuals instructions. Incorrect operation reduces the performance level and could cause damage to the equipment. Remember that radar is only an aid to navigation and can be affected by many physical, environmental and operational factors. Radar does not diminish the users responsibility to keep a good look out at all times and to exercise all other navigational prudence and human judgement. Radar is not a substitute for human faculties. II

Equipment Photographs

SCANNER UNIT NKE-1063

DISPLAY UNIT NCD-3970A

Table of Contents
Symbols Used In This Manual ------------------------------------------------ I Operating Precautions --------------------------------------------------------- II Equipment Photographs ------------------------------------------------------ III Glossary of radar terms ------------------------------------------------------ IV SECTION 1 EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW --------------------------------- 1 1.1 FUNCTION -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.2 FEATURES --------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.3 COMPONENTS --------------------------------------------------------- 2 1.4 DIMENSIONS ----------------------------------------------------------- 3 SECTION 2 NAMES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPONENTS ---- 4 2.1 CONTROL PANEL ----------------------------------------------------- 5 SECTION 3 INSTALLATION----------------------------------------------- 7 3.1 UNPACKING AND INSPECTION ----------------------------------- 7 3.2 PLANNING THE INSTALLATION ---------------------------------- 7 3.3 MOUNTING THE DISPLAY UNIT ---------------------------------- 9 3.4 MOUNTING THE SCANNER UNIT ------------------------------ 12 3.5 CONNECTING THE SCANNER UNIT CABLE ---------------- 13 3.6 ELECTRICAL CONNECTION ------------------------------------- 15 3.7 INITIAL OPERATION AND SET UP ----------------------------- 18 SECTION 4 OPERATION ------------------------------------------------- 22 4.1 LAYOUT OF CONTROLS ------------------------------------------- 22 4.2 TURNING THE RADAR ON AND OFF -------------------------- 23 4.3 SELECTING A RANGE --------------------------------------------- 25 4.4 ADJUSTING RECEIVER SENSITIVITY------------------------- 25 4.5 ADJUSTING TUNING ----------------------------------------------- 25 4.6 REDUCING SEA CLUTTER --------------------------------------- 26 4.7 ADJUSTING RAIN CLUTTER ------------------------------------- 26 4.8 SETTING LCD CONTRAST ---------------------------------------- 26 4.9 SETTING DIMMER -------------------------------------------------- 26 4.10 SETTING 1/4 OFFSET ----------------------------------------------- 27 IV

4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25
RANGE MEASUREMENT ------------------------------------------ 27 BEARING MEASUREMENT --------------------------------------- 28 OPERATING MENU ------------------------------------------------- 29 SETTING GUARD ---------------------------------------------------- 30 RINGS ------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 POSITION -------------------------------------------------------------- 31 WAYPOINT ------------------------------------------------------------ 31 SELECTION OF DATA FORMATS -------------------------------- 31 TRAIL ------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 TARGET EXPANSION----------------------------------------------- 32 INTERFERENCE REJECTION ------------------------------------- 32 DISPLAY MODE ------------------------------------------------------ 32 PLANNED-TX MODE ----------------------------------------------- 32 SETTING AUTO/MANUAL TUNING ---------------------------- 33 IN CASE AN UNUSUAL CONDITION OCCURS DURING OPERATION ---------------------------------------------- 33 4.26 DISPLAY OF TRANSPONDER ------------------------------------ 34
SECTION 5 MAINTENANCE --------------------------------------------- 35 5.1 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ---------------------------------- 35 5.2 CLEANING (MONTHLY INTERVALS) -------------------------- 36 5.3 LCD FILTER SURFACE CLEANING ----------------------------- 36 5.4 FUSE -------------------------------------------------------------------- 36 SECTION 6 AFTER-SALES SERVICE -------------------------------- 37
SECTION 7 SPECIFICATIONS ------------------------------------------ 38 7.1 GENERAL -------------------------------------------------------------- 38 7.2 SCANNER UNIT ------------------------------------------------------ 39 7.3 DISPLAY UNIT ------------------------------------------------------- 39 APPENDIX Fig. 1 RADAR 1500 MK2 DISPLAY UNIT (NCD-3970A) FLUSH MOUNT TEMPLATE Fig. 2 RADAR 1500 MK2 SCANNER UNIT (NKE-1063) RADOME TEMPLATE V

Glossary of radar terms

The following is a list of abbreviations and acronyms which may be used in the text of the manual. A/D ALM Analog to Digital conversion Alarm In, also known as the approach alarm. Used to warn of approach to a preset zone or to a zoned target. CPU Central Processing Unit EBL Electronic Bearing Line EXP Expansion Fast Time Constant, also known as rain and snow clutter suppression FTC GPS Global Positioning System IR Interference Rejection KM Kilometer LCD Liquid Crystal Display LL Latitude/Longitude MH Modulator High voltage NM Nautical Mile PCB Printed Circuit Board PPI Plan Position Indicator (ships position/center screen) PW Pulse Width RR Range Rings (fixed) SHM Ships Heading Marker STBY Standby STC Sensitivity Time Control, also known as sea surface clutter suppression TD TI VD VOM VRM WPT X-MIT VI Time Difference Trigger Video Volt-ohm Meter Variable Range Marker Waypoint Transmit

SECTION 1

EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW
1.1 FUNCTION Congratulations on selecting the JRC RADAR 1500 MK2 LCD system to assist with your navigation. Whether you purchased this radar because of its compactness, power economy, ease of installation, or long term reliability, one thing is certain, the moment you turn on your RADAR 1500 MK2 Display you will know that you are seeing a revolutionary new concept in radar technology. You are the proud owner of a radar system unmatched in the marine recreational industry. Radar signals are stored on an LCD display with excellent graphic clarity and detail. A single glance at your Display will give you a complete and accurate 360 radar picture of other vessels, buoys and land surrounding your vessel. 1.2 FEATURES Easy operation using J-DIAL and JOYSTICK High speed rotation antenna Easy to understand, cursor-originated target information of range, bearing and Lat/Long Compact, lightweight scanner and display Intermittent transmission for power saving 1/4 radius offset 6 languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Norwegian and Italian) built-in Automatic tuning features Relative, Magnetic, and True bearing readout for EBL, WAYPOINT and cursor Dual IF bandwidth for high sensitivity On-screen trail function to see the relative course of displayed targets Variable on-screen data including own ships position, cursor position with Lat/Long, ships course and range/bearing to waypoint with LL EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW 1
1.3 COMPONENTS The table below lists the components which are included with your new radar system.
Description Radar 1500 MK2 system Scanner Unit Display Unit Bracket Interunit Cable Power Cable Instrution Manual Standard Spares Sun Cover Scanner Mounting Hardware Display Mounting Hardware Console Mounting Screw Model No. or Code No. JMA-1020 NKE-1063 NCD-3970A MPBX39815 CFQ8768-15 CFQ-8572 7ZPRD0593 6ZXRD00190 MTV303726 MPXP31681A MPTG30149 MPTG30380 Screw Screw 8-cores composite cables (15 m) with Fuse (2 m) This Manual 5 A Fuse 1 Remarks
Table 1-1 EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED

1.4 DIMENSIONS

FIG. 1-1 DISPLAY MOUNTING DIMENSIONS
FIG. 1-2 SCANNER MOUNTING DIMENSIONS

EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW 3

SECTION 2
NAMES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPONENTS
DISPLAY UNIT VRM/EBL Key J-Dial
Joystick with MENU/ENT OFFSET Key Contrast/Dimmer Key
Transmit/off Key Stand-by/off Key

DISPLAY UNIT

LATCH INTER UNIT CONNECTOR POWER INPUT/ NMEA/ COMPASS CONNECTOR

FIG. 2-1 DISPLAY UNIT

2.1 CONTROL PANEL STAND-BY/OFF Key Turns ON power to Display and Scanner and activates 90 second countdown timer. Press STBY/OFF key to go into Stand-by mode while in the Transmit mode. Press STBY/OFF and X-MIT/OFF keys simultaneously to turn radar off. TRANSMIT/OFF Key Turns transmitter ON and activates Radome. Press STBY/OFF and X-MIT/OFF keys simultaneously to switch off the radar. J-DIAL Push repeatedly to select RANGE, SEA, RAIN, GAIN, TUNE controls. RANGE increases or decrease the range scale in use. SEA reduces sea clutter. RAIN reduces rain or snow clutter. GAIN controls strength of returned echoes. TUNE manually fine tunes receiver by peaking tuning bar (No tuning bar in AUTO tune). SEA, RAIN, GAIN, TUNE, VRM, EBL, CONTRAST can be user-set for best efficiency. EBL/VRM Key Activates EBL or VRM on the display. A short press will turn on/off selected EBL/VRM. Press and hold, to select and control the desired EBL or VRM by rotating the J-DIAL. JOYSTICK Position cursor setting. Enables MENU for setup and selections. OPERATING MENU GUARD OFF ON RINGS ON OFF POSITION OFF L/L TD WPT WAYPOINT OFF ON BEARING REL MAG. TRUE NAMES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPONENTS 5

Table Top Mounted

60 mm (Min.)
FIG. 3-2 TYPICAL MOUNTING METHOD
When the display unit is mounted overhead, remove the mounting plate, which is secured by four screws and rotate it through 180 degrees for re-assembly on the other side of the unit.
4 SCREWS DISPLAY UNIT BRACKET

MOUNTING PLATE BRACKET

The display unit is separated from the bracket in the shipping carton. Install the display unit by sliding it onto the bracket until it is fully seated. To remove the unit simply depress the latch on the rear of the display unit and lift.

LATCH BRACKET

FIG. 3-3 DISPLAY MOUNTING DIMENSIONS
FIG. 3-4 SCANNER MOUNTING DIMENSIONS INSTALLATION
3.4 MOUNTING THE SCANNER UNIT
The scanner unit requires a minimum mounting surface thickness of 3 mm (0.12 inches). If the thickness of the mounting base is less than this, additional flat washers are required. If the thickness is more than 15 mm (0.6 inches), longer hexhead bolts are required. Selecting an adequate location for the scanner unit requires careful consideration. On many small vessels, the unit can be installed on a mast platform, on an arch or on a bridge structure near the ships center line. The radiator beam should not be obstructed by nearby large objects. Locate the unit where large structures such as superstructures, searchlights, horns or masts are not in the same horizontal plane, otherwise blind areas and false targets will appear on the radar screen. Using the outline drawing of FIG. 3-4 or the template in the front of the manual as a guide, install the scanner unit by securing it to a solid mounting surface. The attachment bolts are stainless steel hexhead bolts M6, 31.75 mm (1.25) long. Both flat and lock washers should be used. (See FIG. 3-5) Note: Do not apply excessive torque to fix the bolts. Use a 11 cm-long wrench (Fixing torque: 87 kgf-cm).
Chassis 28 mm (1.4 inch) Thickness 3-15 mm (0.12-0.6 inch) Radome base Mounting base Plain washer Lock washer Stainless steel bolt L=31.75 (1.25 inch) 5/16-18 UNC (attached)
FIG. 3-5 MOUNTING BOLTS for SCANNER UNIT

12 INSTALLATION

Usually, the mounting surface for the scanner unit should be parallel with the ships waterline. Some vessels, however, may adopt a higher bow angle at some cruising speeds. This substantially alters and raises the radars radiation plane. In this case nearby target detection might be poor. It may be helpful to lower the radar beam towards the FORWARD parallel by shimming the radar pedestal in order to tilt the beam angle slightly downward with respect to the waterline.

MAIN BEAM WATERLINE

IDEAL RADIATION PLANE

FORWARD

USING SHIMS TO TOWER THE MAIN BEAM

WEDEGE or WASHERS

3.5 CONNECTING THE SCANNER UNIT CABLE The scanner unit is supplied with an interunit cable, which includes a plug (P1) for connection to the display unit. If your installation does not allow you to run the cable with the plug (P1) attached, the wire cable can be disconnected and reconnected inside the scanner unit. When reconnected, be sure to include the cable clamp, the rubber grommet, and the clamping plate. (See FIG. 3-6)

TURN THE RADIATOR THIS DIRECTION. REDOME c CABLE e a
a d c c GASKET B GASKET A CABLE GASKET A GASKET B b DON'T PILE GROOVES. (GASKET A, B)
FIG. 3-6 ASSEMBLING PROCEDURE FOR CABLE

SHIELD COVER

3.6 ELECTRICAL CONNECTION 3.6.1 DC POWER CABLE The RADAR 1500 MK2 will work with any electrical supply within the 10.2 to 16 V range, since it contains a power regulator circuit. Connect the power cable to a DC source capable of supplying at least 3.5 A. The power cable should normally be wired through a circuit breaker. The red lead wire of the power cable must be connected to the positive source terminal and the black lead to the source negative terminal. The shielded wire is be connected to Boat Main ground. Should the power connections be inadvertently reversed, a protective fuse will blow. In this event, check the input power leads for correct polarity with a VOM and reconnect the leads in their correct polarity. Replace the fuse. The fuse is located in the power cable. [NORMAL-BROW FUSE (5 A) SHOULD BE SPECIFIED] 3.6.2 EXTERNAL SYSTEM INTERFACE The RADAR 1500 MK2 will interface with any NAV-AID (GPS or LORAN) and compass with the standard NMEA0182 or NMEA0183 output. The inputs from the NAV-AID must be digital data conforming to the NMEA0183 formats to drive various radar features such as waypoint mode. If more than one data type is present at the radar input (for example; compass and NAV-AID) a priority system has been established in the radars software to respond to the inputs in driving the features. The assigned priorities are set in this manner: HEADING: POSITION: SPEED: WAYPOINT: 1. 2. 1. 1. 2. 1. Compass (NMEA0183 HDG,HDM,HDT,VHW) NAV-AID (NMEA0183 RMC,RMA,VTG) NAV-AID (NMEA0l83 RMC,RMA,GLL,GTD) NAV-AID (NMEA0183 RMC,RMA,VTG) Compass (NMEA0183 VHW) NAV-AID (NMEA0183 RMB,BWC)
Using the outline of FIG. 3-7, FIG. 3-8 as a guide, connect the RADAR 1500 MK2 to your NAV-AID and compass.
P2 CFQ-8572 (2m) TO SHIP'S POWER T.RED T.BLK YEL GRN BLU WHI TO NAV-AID'S +:Data Output :Data Ground TO COMPASS'S +:Data Output :Data Ground P1
INSTALLATION SCANNER UNIT NKE-1063
P1 T.RED T.BLU T.ORN P2 YEL T.RED T.BLU GRN COAX SHLD SHLD WHT YEL T.ORN CFQ-8571-10(10m) CFQ-8768-15(15m) CFQ-8768-20(20m) 1A 2A +12V SHLD COAX SHLD WHI GRN TUNV TI/GS TIR/GSR VD VDR BZ/TUNI PW

DISPLAY UNIT NCD-3970

SHIP'S MAINTS (+) SHIP'S MAINTS () NAV-AID (+) NAV-AID () COMPASS (+) COMPASS () E
FIG. 3-7 INTERCONNECTION DIAGRAM
1A 2A PW VD VDR TIR/GSR TI/GS BZ/TUNI TUNV +12V

TO SCANNER UNIT

(+) TO NAV-AID GRN () +: NAV-AID'S Data Output BLU : NAV-AID'S Data Ground (+) TO COMPASS () +: COMPASS'S Data Output WHI : COMPASS'S Data Ground FUSE BLK RED

BATTERY

FIG. 3-8 NAV-AID INTERCONNECTION
3.7 INITIAL OPERATION AND SET UP 3.7.1 INSPECTION AFTER INSTALLATION After completing the installation and prior to energizing the equipment, it is necessary to ensure that all steps of the installation were accomplished in accordance with the instructions. Make sure that: (1) The cables are not pinched or damaged. (2) The allowed voltage is not exceeded and the polarity is correct. (3) All bolts are tight. (4) The power cable shields has been properly connected to Boat Main ground. 3.7.2 OPERATING THE INITIAL SET UP MENU To access this menu, push in the JOYSTICK until the INITIAL SET UP menu appears. The JOYSTICK is then used to select a particular item on the menu by depressing it.

INSTALLATION ADJUSTMENTS BEARING DISPLAY TIMING TUNE PRESET STC PRESET BUZZER OPER PROMPTS LANGUAGE
INSTLLATION ADJUSTMENTS MENU
3.7.3 TUNE PRESET Perform this step after the radar has been X-MITTING for 10 minutes. Set the range to 3 NM. Set gain to desired level. Turn SEA and RAIN all the way down. Turn IR off. In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select Tune preset. Move the bar to using the J-DIAL to get the strongest signal back. Note: There may be 2 positions where the targets are strong. Pick the strongest of the 2. Press the JOYSTICK to save and exit.
TUNE PRESET ADJUST MODE ADJUST W/J-STICK PRESS J-STICK TO END
3.7.4 STC PRESET Set range to 6 NM. Set Gain to maximum. In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select STC PRESET. Use the J-DIAL to remove all background noise from 0 Press the JOYSTICK when done.
STC PRESET ADJUST MODE ADJUST W/J-STICK PRESS J-STICK TO END
3.7.5 RELATIVE BEARING ALIGNMENT This step must be performed. Failure to do so may result in incorrect bearing readings. Set the range to 1.5 NM. Identify a suitable target such as a buoy and position the boat between 0.5 NM and 1 NM. Point the bow at the target. In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select BEARING. Locate the target on the display. Move the marker over the target. Press the JOYSTICK once. Move cursor back to the SHM (Ships Heading Marker is the solid vertical line on the display). Press JOYSTICK in when done. 3.7.6 DISPLAY TIMING This step must be performed. Failure to perform this step may result in incorrect target distance reading. Set the range to 0.25 NM. Locate a pier, a jetty, a bridge (close to water line) or any other straight object. Position the vessel so that it appears on the display. It does not matter which way you are facing. In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select DISPLAY TIMING. If the bridges, pier or jetty does not appear to be in a straight line on the display, then the DISPLAY TIMING needs to be adjusted. Use the JOYSTICK to adjust the timing and make the object appear straight on the display. Press JOYSTICK when done.
PUSHING DISPLAY TIMING EARLY

CORRECT

PULLING DISPLAY TIMING LATE
3.7.7 Buzzer ON or OFF In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select BUZZER. Select ON or OFF. Press JOYSTICK when done. 3.7.8 OPERATOR PROMPTS Operation prompts can be helpful to new users operating the radar. The default setting is ON. In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select OPER.PROMPT. Select ON or OFF. Press JOYSTICK when done. 3.7.9 LANGUAGE English is the default language. It can be changed to Spanish, French, German, Norwegian, and Italian. In the INITIAL SET UP MENU select LANGUAGE. Select the desired Language. Press JOYSTICK when done.

SECTION 4

OPERATION
In normal operation the RADAR 1500 MK2 is very easy to use and several of its functions are totally automatic. However, the prudent navigator spends time in good visibility to learn the layout of the controls and to become proficient in their use, so that he/she will obtain the best performance from the equipment when the visibility is poor, or the sea area is crowded. This section takes you through the controls step-by-step. 4.1 LAYOUT OF CONTROLS The layout of front panel controls is as shown in FIG. 4-1.

VRM/EBL Key

J-Dial
FIG. 4-1 OPERATING CONTROLS

22 OPERATION

4.2 TURNING THE RADAR ON AND OFF TO TURN ON TO TRANSMIT TO STAND-BY TO TURN OFF Press the STBY/OFF key. Press the X-MIT key. Press the STBY/OFF key. Press the STBY/OFF key and the X-MIT/OFF key simultaneously.
When you Press the STBY/OFF key, a 90 second warm-up count down timer is activated and displayed together with the total (display unit) usage to date. Press the X-MIT/OFF key, the radar transmits, the scanner begins to rotate and echoes will appear on the screen. Press the STBY/OFF key, the radar returns to stand-by mode to reduce battery drain. The rotator stops. Press the X-MIT/OFF key again, the radar reverts to full transmitting function. These sequences are also guided by on-screen prompts.

90 SEC 0000HOURS VX.X

PUSH XMIT TO OPERATE
FIG. 4-2 TURNING THE RADAR ON/OFF
INTERFERENCE REJECTION "ON" TARGET EXPANDER "ON" RANGE RING INTERVAL (NM) RANGE SCALE (NM) OWN SHIP COURSE DATA OWN SHIP SPEED DATA SELECTING J-DIAL

LEVEL INDICATOR

TUNE INDICATOR

NAVIGATION DATA

TRAIL "ON" GUARD ZONE ALARM "ON"

POSITION DATA

FIG. 4-3 LAYOUT OF THE SCREEN
4.3 SELECTING A RANGE Press the J-DIAL until RANGE is highlighted in the upper right corner of the display. The range scale and range rings setting in use is shown in the upper left corner. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise to increase the range and anti-clockwise to decrease it. The range rings are automatically set to correspond with this selection. 4.4 ADJUSTING RECEIVER SENSITIVITY Press the J-DIAL until GAIN appears highlighted in the upper right corner of the display. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise or counterclockwise, to vary the gain and thus control the strength of echo returns on the radar screen. An on-screen bar indicates the gain level selected. The proper setting is when the background noise is just visible on the screen. (i.e. a light speckled effect) 4.5 ADJUSTING TUNING Press the J-DIAL until the TUNE appears highlighted at the upper right corner of the display. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise or counterclockwise, to maximize the target echo. If there is no large, identifiable target (e.g. big ship or land) within range, select SEA CLUTTER and turn the control to maximum. Use these echoes from wave crests to adjust the tuning bar for fullest attainable deflection. This is best done with the range set to 3 nm or 6 nm. When the radar has warmed up, it may be necessary to make a further fine tune adjustment. AUTO TUNE The RADAR 1500 MK2 has an automatic tuning feature. In this mode, the radar automatically tunes itself for best efficiency at all ranges. (refer to 4.24)

4.6 REDUCING SEA CLUTTER

Increasing the SEA CLUTTER control effectively diminishes the radars sensitivity. SEA CLUTTER should never be advanced to the point where it obliterates all returns from waves, since this setting could prevent the detection of nearby targets, especially small wood/grp boats and yachts approaching head-on. The SEA CLUTTER control is normally only used on the shorter ranges to suppress the effect of sea clutter formed by breaking wave crests which the radar sees as solid objects. Press the J-DIAL until the SEA appears highlighted in the upper right corner of the display. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise, or counterclockwise to vary the sea clutter control and thus control the strength of echo returns from the sea surface. The on-screen bar indicates the selected level. 4.7 ADJUSTING RAIN CLUTTER Press the J-DIAL until the RAIN appears highlighted at the upper right corner of the display. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise or counterclockwise, to vary the level and thus control the strength of echoes returned from rain or snow. As you rotate clockwise, the returned echoes will become narrower and the returns from rain or snow will be reduced. 4.8 SETTING LCD CONTRAST Press the CONT/DIM key, and then rotate the J-DIAL clockwise or counterclockwise to change the display contrast. 4.9 SETTING DIMMER By pressing the CONT/DIM key, the back light for the LCD and the panel illumination can be varied in intensity. This function has only the two settings ON and OFF. 26 OPERATION
4.10 SETTING 1/4 OFFSET By pressing the OFFSET key, the display is offset downwards by 1/4 radius, expanding the display area in front of the vessel. Press the key a second time to return the display to normal.

OFFSET MODE OFF

OFFSET MODE ON
4.11 RANGE MEASUREMENT (1) Count the number of range scale rings in use between the center of the screen and the ring preceding the target. Add to this distance an estimate of the distance between this nearest ring and the inner edge of the target. (2) Using VRM Press the EBL/VRM key. If EBL is highlighted, press and hold the EBL/VRM key to change to VRM mode and activate the split-line VRM ring. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise to expand the VRM ring and increase its range. To lessen the indicated range, rotate the dial in an anti-clockwise direction. The actual target distance, in nautical miles, from the ship appears on the center top of the screen in. To turn off the VRM, press the EBL/VRM key while VRM is highlighted.
(3) Using cursor Press the JOYSTICK to make the cross cursor appear on the screen. The cross mark can be moved any direction by using the JOYSTICK. The range and bearing will be displayed at the lower right corner on the display. 4.12 BEARING MEASUREMENT (1) Using the bearing scale Using the bearing scale on the screen, visually estimate a line from the center of the display (ships position) projected through the center of the target, to reach the bearing scale around the perimeter of the display. The bearing which you obtain is the tergets relative bearing in degrees. (2) Using EBL Press the EBL/VRM key. If VRM is highlighted, press and hold the EBL/VRM key to change to EBL mode. Rotate the J-DIAL clockwise or counterclockwise to move the electronic bearing line to cut the center of the target. The target bearing (in degrees relative to the ship) then appears at the top center of the screen. The bearing may be displayed in relative R, true or magnetic M depending on the menu selection and what other equipment is interfaced to the rader. To turn off the EBL, press the EBL/VRM key while EBL is highlighted.

4.13 OPERATING MENU Press the JOYSTICK to access the first menu sheet. The JOYSTICK is then used to select a particular menu. Press again to open up the sub menu, which will be displayed to the right side of the selected menu mark. The DISPLAY can be scrolled for the second menu with the sheet which is below IR selection. GUARD on the first menu sheet is below TUNE on the second menu and so on. Pressing the JOYSTICK again will return the display to the normal video presentation.

FIG. 4-4

FIRST/SECOND MENU SHEET
4.14 SETTING GUARD The guard zone alarm is effective for alerting the operator to targets approaching his own ship. An alarm is sounded when any (apparent) target returning an echo above the noise threshold is detected. If sea clutter, or other incidental echoes trip the alarm, adjust the gain control and/or the sea clutter to avoid this false alarming. Press the JOYSTICK to display the menu sheet. Select GUARD-ON and press the JOYSTICK. The radar display returns to the normal video presentation. Corsor appears on the PPI screen and shows the distance and the azimuth of the Maker. It displays the distance help line and the azimuth help line of the dotted line. CURSOR Move the cursor to the desired guard zone start point using the JOYSTICK and then press the JOYSTICK again. The distance help line and the azimuth THE AZIMUTH HELP LINE THE DISTANCE help line of the dotted line are displayed HELP LINE in the fixation in the start point posiSTART POINT (cf. ) tion at this time. CURSOR Next, move the cursor to the desired guard zone Width point of your Guards zone then press the JOYSTICK conSTART trol. POINT THE NEW It displays the distance help line of the DISTANCE HELP LINE dotted line which is new at this time. GUARD ZONE WIDTH (cf. ) Next, move the cursor to the desired end point of your guard zone then press the JOYSTICK control. A ring in the distance range is displayed by the solid END line at this time. POINT To turn the GUARD function Off, START POINT select the GUARD-OFF on the Menu sheet.

END POINT (cf. )

4.15 RINGS The range rings can be turned to on or off via this menu. 4.16 POSITION Select this option to display the ships position (derived from a navaid input). This function allows selection of ships position in latitude/longitude (LL), time difference (TD) position, you may also display waypoint (WPT) as a LL position in place of your own position data. This menu also removes this data from display. To highlight the required sub-function, move the cursor to it with the JOYSTICK, then press JOYSTICK to activate it. 4.17 WAYPOINT If the radar is interfaced with a LORAN or GPS with the necessary data output, a waypoint symbol can be made to appear on the radar screen by activating the WAYPOINT function in the DISPLAY menu. Numeric data, showing the waypoints bearing, range, and time-to-go appear at the bottom right corner on the screen. 4.18 SELECTION OF DATA FORMATS This function selects the units and formats for the SHM, EBL, CURSOR and WAYPOINT data. It can be displayed in degrees True (T) or magnetic (M) and is indicated by these letters on screen. The Ships Head Marker is always displayed as zero degrees. 4.19 TRAIL This feature allows the operator to see the past history of target movement as an after-glow, or trail behind moving targets. The glow-time of these trails and - hence - the amount of display time which they occupy, can be set to short or long.

4.20 TARGET EXPANSION Target expand mode can be set to on or off. When on, this function increases the size of the displayed images to make small targets appear larger and easier to view on screen. When active,EXP is highlighted in the upper left area of the screen. 4.21 INTERFERENCE REJECTION
If youll watch the RADAR BEACON and the SART, set the process as follows. IR OFF Interference Rejection (IR) mode can be set to on or off. The IR reduces noise on the display caused by other radars. When active, the IR is highlighted at the upper left of the screen. If you are navigating in a port area serviced by a RACON, you should turn off the IR mode in order to see the RACON signals clearly. 4.22 DISPLAY MODE Targets can be displayed in black on a white background, or vice versa. 4.23 PLANNED-TX MODE The PLANNED-TX mode allows the operator to program the radar automatically to transmit for a pre-determined length of time, followed by a stand-by period. This maintains a radar watch whilst reducing the power consumption experienced during full transmit operation. In PLANNED-TX mode press the STBY/ OFF key and the radar will return to its normal operating mode.
4.24 SETTING AUTO/MANUAL TUNING The Radar 1500 MK2 can be tuned either automatically or manually. If MANUAL TUNING is selected, a tuning bar indicator is displayed. AUTO TUNE mode will automatically tune the radar for optimum reception whenever the radar is turned on, even if ranges are changed. 4.25 In Case an Unusual Condition Occurs during Operation If the operator encounters unusual conditions, such as:-The screen is disturbed. The machine accepts no key input. While manipulating, initialize RADAR 1500 MK2 by following the steps given below. (a) Press the STBY/OFF and X-MIT/OFF keys simultaneously. The RADAR 1500 MK2 is turned off. (b) Press the EBL/VRM and STBY/OFF keys simultaneously. All settings except the initial settings established through the INITIAL SET UP menu are reset to their factory-set values.
4.26 DISPLAY OF RADAR TRANSPONDER SART (Search and Rescur Radar Transponder) is life preserving device approved by GMDSS which is used for locating survivors in the event of a disaster or distress. SART operates in the 9 GHz frequency band. When it receives a radar signal (interrogating radio wave) of 9 GHz transmitted by a rescue ship or aircraft radar, SART transmits a series of respouse signals to the searchers to indicate the distress position. In order to see the SART or radar beacon mark on the radar screen.
RANGE SCALE SEA TUNE IR : : : : Select 6 or 12 nm. Set to minimum. DETUNED to reduce the clutter. Set IR OFF.
SART Code Position of SART
Position of the Rescue Craft

Land Other Ships

[EXAMPLE] Attention
When above settings to are made to display SART signals, objects around the own ship will not appear on the radar screen, so perform thorough visual monitoring of the sea area around the own ship to avoid any collision or stranding. Further, when more than one radar systems are mounted, while using a 9 GHz band radar for searching SART signals, be sure to use another radar as an ordinary radar to perform monitoring of objects around the own ship to avoid any collision, check of the position of the own ship to avoid any stranding, and so on. Need to retune the set for normal operation on completeion.

SECTION 5

MAINTENANCE
The purpose of this section is to provide instructions for the service technician. The RADAR 1500 MK2 is designed to provide long periods of trouble free operation. However, environmental and other factors may require this equipment to be periodically serviced.
This radar equipment contains high voltage. Adjustments require specialized service procedures and tools only available to qualified service technicians. The layman should never remove the radar unit cover, nor attempt to service this equipment. When servicing this equipment, it is important that the technician complies with all safety precautions set forth in this manual. The high voltage can cause severe personal injury.
5.1 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE Continuous satisfactory operation of the radar depends on how well it is treated. The following maintenance tips will save you time and money and will help to avoid equipment failure. 1. Always keep the equipment as clean as possible. Remove immediately dirt, dust, or spray from the display and from the scanner from time to time. These units are water resistant, but not water proof. Do not immerse. 2. During routine ships maintenance, inspect the radar system for the following points: (1) Check all hardware for tightness.
(2) Check for any evidence of corrosion in the scanner unit and display unit, or their cables and connecotrs. Clean as reuired. (3) Check that the cable connector is secure. 5.2 CLEANING (MONTHLY INTERVALS) Wash the exterior of the scanner with fresh water, but do not immerse the unit. A heavy deposit of dirt, or caked salt on the surface of the scanner may cause a considerable drop in the radar performance. Clean the face of the display unit with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth, slightly dampened with fresh water. 5.3 LCD FILTER SURFACE CLEANING In time, the surface of the LCD FILTER (screen) may accumulate a film of contaminants, which tend to dim the picture. A good glass cleaner and a soft cloth or towel can be used to clean the LCD display, the keyboard and the display cabinet. 5.4 FUSE A fuse seldom blows without some cause. Even if a fuse is replaced and it does not immediately blow again, it may still be necessary to make further checks on its associated circuits. If necessary, replace the 5 A fuse (Normal-brow type) in the power cable.

SECTION 6

AFTER-SALES SERVICE
To verify ownership and warranty registration, you should take a few minutes to fill out your warranty registration card in the front of the manual. It is very important that you take time to fill out this card. The warranty registration card should be returned to the nearest JRC service center immediately after your purchase, in order to receive full warranty benefits.
Read the attached the warranty card. It contains important information on warranty limitations.

SECTION 7

SPECIFICATIONS
7.1 GENERAL 1. Maximum range: 2. Minimum range: 3. Range scales: 16 Nautical Miles Less than 25 m on the 0.125 NM range Range Number of Range ring (NM) Rings Interval(NM) 0.0.0625

6. 7. 8.

0.0.125 0.0.25 0.0.25 1.0.25 1.0.25 3.0.5 6.1.0 12.2.0 16.4.0 Range discriminations: Less than 25 m Range ring accuracy: Better than 0.9% of maximum range of the scale in use, or 8 m, whichever is the greater. Bearing accuracy: 1 degree Display device: LCD: 115 86.4 mm (dots) Environmental conditions: Scanner unit Temperature 15 to 55 Humidity Up to 95% at 35 Display unit Temperature (Except LCD) 0 to 50 (LCD) Humidity Up to 95% at 35
Note: LCD performance will be slightly deteriorated in response speed and brightness during extreme low temperatures. 9. Input power: 10.2 V to 16 V 10. Power consumption: Approx. 30 W 11. AVR: Floating AVR system 7.2 SCANNER UNIT 1. Dimensions:
Diameter 450 mm Height 227 mm 2. Mass: Approx. 5 kg 3. Polarization: Horizontal 4. Beam width: Horizontal 5.2 nominal Vertical 30 5. Sidelobes: Less than 21 dB 6. Rotation: Approx. 32 rpm 7. Transmitter frequency: MHz 8. Peak power output: 2 kW 9. Pulse length/PRF: 0.08 s/ 2250 Hz (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 NM) 0.3 s/ 1200 Hz (1, 1.5 NM) 0.8 s/ 600 Hz (3, 6, 12, 16 NM) 10. Duplexer: T-junction with diode Limiter 11. Mixer: MIC front end 12. IF amplifier: Center frequency 60 MHz Bandwidth 3/10 MHz 13. Noise figure: Less than 10 dB 14. Characteristic: Linear
7.3 DISPLAY UNIT 1. Dimensions:
Width Depth Height Approx. 1.2 kg

RADAR ROUND-UP

BANANASHARK SEVEN SEVENTY

TIM BARTLETTS

Most professional seafarers, given a choice of a single navigation tool, would probably prefer radar, even more than their chart plotter, gps, log, or echo sounder. its so versatile!
ost people probably think about buying radar because it can tell you where the ships are, but it can do a lot more than that: it can also tell you what they are doing, their course, speed, and closest point of approach. And its an incredibly powerful pilotage tool, capable of guiding you safely into harbour in fog or darkness, or out of an early morning coastal mist into clear daylight offshore. No less important, in some respects, is that radar is perhaps the most traditional of navigation aids, in that it presents information, rather than answers, and does so in a form that requires a certain amount of skill and experience to use. Just like ribbing itself, developing and applying the necessary skill is a pleasure in itself. Radar, in other words, is fun!
JRC RADAR 1000 MK II851.88
Back in 1997, the Japan Radio Company introduced the R1000. Theyd been making radars for Raytheon for years, but this was the first small radar to carry JRCs own logo, and the first to sell for less than 1000. Within a couple of years, street prices had fallen to less than 700, and theyve bounced around at that level ever since. Installation is easy: the scanner is supplied with its cable already connected, leaving just a simple plug-in connection to the display. Operation, too, has been kept simple. The automatic tuning did a perfectly good job, and the Range, Sea Clutter, Rain Clutter, and Gain are all controlled by the same big twiddle knob: pressing it switches its function from one job to the next. That, however, isnt all that can be achieved by this multi-purpose knob: pressing the <cont/dim> key turns it into a contrast and brilliance control, while pressing the <ebl/vrm> key gives it control over the bearing line and range marker. The little joystick controls a cursor, giving simultaneous range and bearing measurements or, by pressing it reveals a menu of less important functions such as echo stretch, interference rejection, and a sectored guard zone. In many respects, this is a lovely little radar: its compact, light, and an amazing price. Its simple to install and simple to use, with few frills to confuse the first-time user. The one big let-down is that such a tiny scanner simply cannot produce a tightly-focussed radar beam. The consequence of this is that the picture looks blurred or blobby: a small buoy, for instance, stretches to a tendegree smear, while a ferry that crossed our bows, four miles ahead appeared to be a mile long on the screen! As an early warning device for crossing shipping lanes, or to confirm the proximity (or otherwise) of land, the JRC 1000 represents impressive value for money, but inexperienced users may find it difficult to interpret the picture while those with more know-how will find its value
JRC RADAR 1500 MK II1051.63
Introduced a couple of years after the JRC1000, the display and operating procedures of the JRC 1500 are virtually identical to those of the R1000. Its scanner unit, however, is 50% bigger and a kilo heavier, and its transmitter output has been increased from 1.5kW to 2kW. The bigger antenna produces a more focused, more concentrated beam which, combined with the more powerful transmitter, should slightly increase the range at which targets can be detected, and is why the original version was, rather optimistically, marketed as a 24 mile radar. Reducing the nominal range back to 16 miles for the Mk II is more a reflection of reality than a down-grading, but its pretty academic, anyway. Far more significant is that the bigger antenna improves the radars discrimination and picture quality even more than the bald figures given in the equipment specifications would suggest. Our screen photographs show that the ferry which appeared to be over a mile long on the JRC 1000 had shrunk to little more than half the size, and a pier that was only vaguely discernible at a range of four miles on the JRC 1000, stood out very clearly on its bigger brother. If you were looking for a gap, such as a harbour entrance, it would show up on the 1500 at nearly twice the distance at which it becomes visible on the 1000. 200 may seem a lot to pay for an extra six inches of scanner and another half kilowatt of power, but the end results are well worth it. The JRC 1500 has all the advantages of its little brother, it is easy to install, easy to use, uses about as much power as a couple of navigation lights, but thanks to the bigger scanner, it combines them with a picture that novices will find easier to use and that experienced users

FURUNO

M1623 1049
Furunos catalogue includes instruments, plotters, radios, and autopilots, but its at radars that the company excels, with a range that extends from deep-sea monsters with 28-inch displays and 12-foot, 30kW scanners, right down to the little 2.2kW M1623. Even for the baby of the family, the installation instructions are slightly off-putting, as connecting the inter-unit cable involves taking the lid off the scanner and then removing a dozen fiddly little screws to get at the circuit boards inside, but the actual connection itself is no more complicated than snapping in a plug. Its operating procedures are a similarly odd mix of the blindingly self-evident and the distinctly odd. Its not at all obvious, for instance, that you have to press the <power> and <mode> keys in quick succession in order to switch from stand-by to transmit, or that switching the range and bearing markers on involves pressing the <mark> key, followed by either the <gain> or <alarm> buttons. Setting it up for optimum performance, however, could hardly be simpler, with repeated presses of the <gain> button opening up mini-menus to deal with gain, sea clutter, and rain clutter in turn. In each case, the default setting is auto, so, with fully automatic tuning, it is quite possible to just switch the thing on and leave it to sort itself out. As usual, though, we were inclined
to think that the fully-automated set-up tends to set the sea clutter control too high, and then winds the gain up too much to compensate. Switching it to manual was certainly worth the effort. No radar nowadays would be regarded as complete without an array of features intended to enhance the picture, and the M1623 is no exception: it offers echostretch, off-centering, zoom, echo trails and even a variable scan speed. These bells and whistles, however, dont really do much for the M1623: its a small radar, with a big beamwidth and a not particularly high resolution screen, on which echo stretch is counterproductive and zoom are unlikely to be of great practical value. Features such as off-centering and variable scan speed are useful on high-speed boats, but the real strengths of the M1623 are that its a robust and simple radar, from a wellrespected company, at a realistic price.

50 RIB INTERNATIONAL

RAYMARINE C70 1,600 INC VAT (INC SCANNER)
Raymarine has just celebrated 30 years in the marine electronics business. Originally called Nautech, it was best known for its Autohelm autopilots, but soon branched out into other electronic equipment before being taken over by the American Raytheon group in 1990. Ten years later, it was back under British ownership and renamed as Raymarine, with an innovative range of radars that allowed customers to team any display with any scanner. This mix and match idea lives on and has been taken several steps further in the C and E series multifunction displays. Any of the five C and E series displays, by itself, is a colour chart plotter, but with a variety of add-ons, they can also turn into radars, fishfinders, or even (in the E-series) into video monitors! For most RIBs, though, the favourite option is likely to be the C70 display with a 2kW 18-inch scanner. Usually the C80 fits well in a RIB, and the C120 looks very good if theres room on the pedestal.) Installation isnt quite as straightforward as some, because the cable isnt pre-wired into the scanner. The most difficult bit, though is prising the top off the radome! Once youve managed that, the actual connection only involves pushing a multi-pin plug into its socket, and sticking the black and red power cores into their spring-loaded terminals. If your installation is likely to involve threading the cable through a tubular goal post or small holes, you may even find it easier than the JRCs, because the scanner end of the cable is enclosed in in a tapered plastic shrink-wrap tube. The display unit features an eclectic mix of push-buttons, soft keys, rocker switches and a press-and-twiddle knob, and the instruction manuals run to several hundred pages, so it looks pretty scary. In practice, though, it works very well: most of the really useful controls are activated by pressing one of the keys on the front panel, to reveal a group of options from which the specific control you want is selected by pressing one of the soft keys, and adjusted by using the cursor control pad. Multiple VRMs and EBLs open the door to quite sophisticated blind pilotage and collision avoidance techniques, and if the radar is receiving heading information from a decent electronic compass, its capabilities multiply. A sophisticated instrument, with plotting and pilotage capabilities that push the capabilities of a 6.5-inch screen and eighteen-inch scanner about as far as they can go, yet which remains easy to use.

FRIED BRAIN, ANYONE?

We all know, from Doctor Who, Star Trek and the adventures of Superman and the Incredible Hulk that radiation is A Bad Thing. It makes you turn green, or glow in the dark, or something. Every day, it seems, planning committees around the country are presented with these incontrovertible scientific facts yet still they go on allowing evil empires to set up mobile phone masts in childrens playgrounds. But surely the radiation that comes out of a radar must be even worse. it will cook our brains, wont it? Well, the answer is no. There are two main threats posed by electromagnetic radiation. One is that it will affect the atomic structure of our bodies and cause cancer, the second is that it will cook us. In order to cause cancer, the radiation has to be at frequencies as high or higher than ultra-violet light. Radar waves arent, so they dont. Radar waves are much closer in character to the microwaves used in a microwave cooker, so yes, they could cook us. But it takes time to cook something, even in a microwave, and time is something that a radar doesnt have. Radar doesnt transmit continuously: it transmits, typically, for about a millionth of a second, and then switches to receive mode for about a thousandth of a second before it transmits again. So even while you are in the radar beam, you are only exposed to the eyeball and testicle-frying radiation for about 0.1% of the time. For the other 99.9% of it you are cooling down! And youre only actually in the beam for about a sixtieth of the time anyway. Overall, you are exposing yourself to more radiation hazard by using a handheld VHF or mobile phone than by sitting right next to a small boat radar. Big ship
WHAT DO ALL THE KNOBS DO?
All small craft radars have the same main controls, though some may be automated, and others are often hidden in a menu control system. Power On/Off: switches the power on and off Standby/Transmit: switches the radar from its standby mode, in which it uses relatively little power, and in which its screen may be used to show data from other instruments, to its fully operational Transmit mode. Brilliance and contrast: adjust the screen to make the picture as clear as possible under different lighting and viewing angles. Gain: adjusts the sensitivity of the receiver to make weak contacts more visible or remove background noise. Range: adjusts the scale of the radar picture, and changes the radar transmissions to suit the scale in use. Tune: fine tunes the receiver to match the frequency produced by the transmitter. Optimum setting varies slightly, depending mainly on the temperature. Other controls may be used to improve the picture, mainly by removing unwanted signals returned from waves or clouds. Anti clutter (Sea): removes clutter found near the centre of a radar picture, caused by radar transmissions being reflected from waves. Excessive use can also hide real contacts at short range. Anti-clutter (Rain): removes clutter caused by rain, hail, or clouds, found anywhere on the screen. Some radars have two rain clutter controls, one of which works only on the centre of the picture. It generally has little effect on most solid contacts, but can weaken the response from shelving coastlines. Used to excess, it can weaken all contacts. Many sea schools and education authorities offer a one-day radar course that covers how to set up the controls, how to interpret the picture, and how to use the information for collision avoidance, navigation, and pilotage, Prices vary, but 80 is typical. Contact RYA Training (0845 3450400) for details.

FURUNO 1715 1355

The family resemblance between the Furuno 1715 and the 1623 is so strong that comparing the two is a bit like one of those spot-the-difference-games. But everything about the 1715 is just a little bit bigger or better than on the smaller unit: the screen is 20mm bigger and the control panel has an extra couple of buttons; the scanner is 80mm wider to give a beam that is a degree more focused; and the nominal range has been increased to 24 miles. Installation is very much the same as for its little brother, with the same total of fifteen screws to undo to remove the protective covers before you can plug the scanner cable into its circuit board! The operating procedures
were immediately familiar from the 1623, too: the only noticeable difference is that the addition of a couple of extra buttons means that access to the EBL and VRM has been simplified and made more logical. On the screen, however, the difference is much more pronounced. Increasing the diagonal measurement of the picture by 20mm increases its area by a useful 30% for a start. The real benefits, though, come from the scanner, whose narrower beam width yields a perceptible improvement in picture quality. Other features that the 1715 share with its little brother include variable scan speed, by which the scanners speed of rotation can be almost doubled from its usual 24 rpm to over 40rpm, to refresh the picture more quickly when operating at very short ranges. As with the two JRCs, the difference in price between the large and small Furuno models seems a lot for what you get. But if youre buying a Furuno, youre unlikely to be choosing on the basis of price alone, so its probably worth paying the extra for the 1715: its easier to use and very much more rewarding.

CONCLUSION

On paper, the difference between the two JRCs, and between the two Furunos seem slight. But the pictures speak for themselves: whichever make you choose, you get much, much more by paying a little extra. Even in its most basic form, the Raymarine looks pricey by comparison but dont forget its a multi-function unit, its performance is simply stunning and it comes complete with fish finder capability. TimBartlett RIB INTERNATIONAL 51