I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't
need a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my
needs at the nav station because of the deck hardware above.

I figure if I'm going to install an antenna, I might as well go with fixed
mount and retain my handhelds for a back up system..

I have compared features on a number of models (fixed mount, just GPS, no
potter) and come up with the Furuno GP32.

It has external antenna, NMEA and RS232 ports and the ability to upload and
download routes and way points.. (comprehensive configuration menu/options)

Another feature I have found with the Furuno line of equipment, is the
prices of options, spare or replacement items. ($75 for antenna, $5 for pair
of knobs, extra mount, cable assemblies, etc. are all very reasonable and
available.)

I'm looking for any experience or feed back on this model..

Thanks,

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 13:05:16 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't
need a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my
needs at the nav station because of the deck hardware above.

I figure if I'm going to install an antenna, I might as well go with fixed
mount and retain my handhelds for a back up system..

I have compared features on a number of models (fixed mount, just GPS, no
potter) and come up with the Furuno GP32.

It has external antenna, NMEA and RS232 ports and the ability to upload and
download routes and way points.. (comprehensive configuration menu/options)

Another feature I have found with the Furuno line of equipment, is the
prices of options, spare or replacement items. ($75 for antenna, $5 for pair
of knobs, extra mount, cable assemblies, etc. are all very reasonable and
available.)

I'm looking for any experience or feed back on this model..

Thanks,

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

FWIW, I had the same situation and came to the same conclusion. Got a
GP-32 from Defender and had a little bit of trouble installing it. The
computer interface was tricky because the connector and cable they
provide are not well designed. You need to combine 4 NEMA signal wires
and 2 DC power wires into one cable and it's a solder job to do it
right. The cable they provided was not long enough to get to the
computer so I had to buy and disassemble a serial cable. Not really
that hard but it could have been designed better. Separate plugs for
power and signal would be handier.

Question for people: I had an old Furuno antenna on the stern of the
boat on a pole. I plugged the new Furuno into it and it operates but
doesn't pick up WAAS. I'm dreading pulling the new cable through the
boat. I could use the old cable with the new antenna but I would have
to cut it and put in a connector. The instructions say not to do that,
but how serious a problem does it create? Probably loses a few dB?

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 13:05:16 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't
need a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my
needs at the nav station because of the deck hardware above.

I figure if I'm going to install an antenna, I might as well go with fixed
mount and retain my handhelds for a back up system..

I have compared features on a number of models (fixed mount, just GPS, no
potter) and come up with the Furuno GP32.

It has external antenna, NMEA and RS232 ports and the ability to upload and
download routes and way points.. (comprehensive configuration menu/options)

Another feature I have found with the Furuno line of equipment, is the
prices of options, spare or replacement items. ($75 for antenna, $5 for pair
of knobs, extra mount, cable assemblies, etc. are all very reasonable and
available.)

I'm looking for any experience or feed back on this model..

Thanks,

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

FWIW, I had the same situation and came to the same conclusion. Got a
GP-32 from Defender and had a little bit of trouble installing it. The
computer interface was tricky because the connector and cable they
provide are not well designed. You need to combine 4 NEMA signal wires
and 2 DC power wires into one cable and it's a solder job to do it
right. The cable they provided was not long enough to get to the
computer so I had to buy and disassemble a serial cable. Not really
that hard but it could have been designed better. Separate plugs for
power and signal would be handier.

Question for people: I had an old Furuno antenna on the stern of the
boat on a pole. I plugged the new Furuno into it and it operates but
doesn't pick up WAAS. I'm dreading pulling the new cable through the
boat. I could use the old cable with the new antenna but I would have
to cut it and put in a connector. The instructions say not to do that,
but how serious a problem does it create? Probably loses a few dB?

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 13:05:16 +0000, Steve wrote:

I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't need
a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my needs at
the nav station because of the deck hardware above.


I have the GP31 and I think it's great.

I love the big display that can be seen from all over the cockpit, and it seems
very well made and reliable. I didn't want a charting system since the "charts"
for the GPSs that I looked at for the West Coast of Canada were unreliable,
expensive, and just plain wrong (I still use paper charts). The Furuno filled
the bill for a good-quality non-graphic GPS.

After 3+ years exposed to the weather (the GP31 doesn't have a cover) the
display is starting to get lines in it. The GP32 apparently has a cover, so no
worries!

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 13:05:16 +0000, Steve wrote:

I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't need
a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my needs at
the nav station because of the deck hardware above.


I have the GP31 and I think it's great.

I love the big display that can be seen from all over the cockpit, and it seems
very well made and reliable. I didn't want a charting system since the "charts"
for the GPSs that I looked at for the West Coast of Canada were unreliable,
expensive, and just plain wrong (I still use paper charts). The Furuno filled
the bill for a good-quality non-graphic GPS.

After 3+ years exposed to the weather (the GP31 doesn't have a cover) the
display is starting to get lines in it. The GP32 apparently has a cover, so no
worries!

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

Thanks Dick.. I figured I would have to build a cable anyway since the GPS
will be about 10 ft from my laptop.

The manual says not to shorten the antenna cable but does tell you how to
remove the connector to get it through a small hole.

On my old Trimble, there was no warning about shorting it but then it didn't
have WAAS.

If I were you, I would swap the antennas and keep the same cable and see if
there is any problem with either the WAAS or the GPS

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Thanks Dick.. I figured I would have to build a cable anyway since the GPS
will be about 10 ft from my laptop.

The manual says not to shorten the antenna cable but does tell you how to
remove the connector to get it through a small hole.

On my old Trimble, there was no warning about shorting it but then it didn't
have WAAS.

If I were you, I would swap the antennas and keep the same cable and see if
there is any problem with either the WAAS or the GPS

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Why not just go with the Garmin 17N OEM receiver? You give it 12 volts;
it tells you where you are. You don't need to clutter up your nav
station with another box, if you've already got a laptop there. Just
feed it in directly. Street price about $175.00.

Joe Wood

Steve wrote:
I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't
need a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my
needs at the nav station because of the deck hardware above.

I figure if I'm going to install an antenna, I might as well go with fixed
mount and retain my handhelds for a back up system..

I have compared features on a number of models (fixed mount, just GPS, no
potter) and come up with the Furuno GP32.

It has external antenna, NMEA and RS232 ports and the ability to upload and
download routes and way points.. (comprehensive configuration menu/options)

Another feature I have found with the Furuno line of equipment, is the
prices of options, spare or replacement items. ($75 for antenna, $5 for pair
of knobs, extra mount, cable assemblies, etc. are all very reasonable and
available.)

I'm looking for any experience or feed back on this model..

Thanks,

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Why not just go with the Garmin 17N OEM receiver? You give it 12 volts;
it tells you where you are. You don't need to clutter up your nav
station with another box, if you've already got a laptop there. Just
feed it in directly. Street price about $175.00.

Joe Wood

Steve wrote:
I'm considering a Furuno GP-32 fixed mount GPS for my nav station.. I don't
need a plotter since i use the laptop.. Handhelds have fallen short of my
needs at the nav station because of the deck hardware above.

I figure if I'm going to install an antenna, I might as well go with fixed
mount and retain my handhelds for a back up system..

I have compared features on a number of models (fixed mount, just GPS, no
potter) and come up with the Furuno GP32.

It has external antenna, NMEA and RS232 ports and the ability to upload and
download routes and way points.. (comprehensive configuration menu/options)

Another feature I have found with the Furuno line of equipment, is the
prices of options, spare or replacement items. ($75 for antenna, $5 for pair
of knobs, extra mount, cable assemblies, etc. are all very reasonable and
available.)

I'm looking for any experience or feed back on this model..

Thanks,

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve, why not get an integrated GPS receiver with great WAAS built
right into the antenna like the Raymarine Raystar 120 NMEA?
http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/P...oduct _id=147

Just plug it right into your laptop's serial port. No need to pay for
all the extra displays and gadgets you don't use.

Stretch out both arms horizontally. Double the distance you see from
fingertip to fingertip. That's how far the fix strays away from the
receiver's position at Lionheart's berth over a 24 hour period.

You can use any cabling you like because the dome, itself, puts out
NMEA statements into the cable. There's no RF antenna separate from a
display unit with coax cabling with IF interconnects to worry about.
The whole thing, WAAS receiver and all, 12-channels, is built right
into the little dome.

It's also compatible with EGNOS in Europe and MSAS in Asia for true
worldwide compatibility.

Lionheart's is mounted on the left side of the helm under the
fiberglass hardtop so people don't use it as a handle knob. Comes
with a standard mount like the kind you'd screw a marine fiberglass
antenna to. 9-18VDC at 1.5W powers it right up the same cable. It
comes with a long cable already attached to it. Unfortunately, I'd
rather it had a sealed PLUG on the antenna in case it needed a
replacement cable, but it doesn't have it.

VERY sensitive receiver. -130dbm.....hot!



On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 14:03:39 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

Thanks Dick.. I figured I would have to build a cable anyway since the GPS
will be about 10 ft from my laptop.

The manual says not to shorten the antenna cable but does tell you how to
remove the connector to get it through a small hole.

On my old Trimble, there was no warning about shorting it but then it didn't
have WAAS.

If I were you, I would swap the antennas and keep the same cable and see if
there is any problem with either the WAAS or the GPS

Steve
s/v Good Intentions



Larry W4CSC

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