Is there anywhere that has a good marine electronics training program ,
preferably in S Florida that covers the following type of topics

Dealing with NMEA strings- I/O setups, hardware, software settings
Integrating components from different manufacturers.
Setting up repeaters and autopilots
Servicing and setting up Radars.
"Networking" everything together.

I've taken AYBC electrical and NMEA installer certification courses and I'm
studying for my GROL and radar endorsement but would like to take a hands on
seminar type marine electronics tech course that goes into more depth than a
users course.

Thanks

Dennis

Mcfatter use to have a program but I think it was discontinued, they where
looking into starting it back up. Try NMEA.org and call them to see if they
have sponsored another one, otherwise start with a company and learn from the
techs. No school like going to a boat and figuring it out yourself.

BC

In article ,
pamdump (Den73740) wrote:

Is there anywhere that has a good marine electronics training program ,
preferably in S Florida that covers the following type of topics

Dealing with NMEA strings- I/O setups, hardware, software settings
Integrating components from different manufacturers.
Setting up repeaters and autopilots
Servicing and setting up Radars.
"Networking" everything together.

I've taken AYBC electrical and NMEA installer certification courses and I'm
studying for my GROL and radar endorsement but would like to take a hands on
seminar type marine electronics tech course that goes into more depth than a
users course.

Thanks

Dennis



These was a course being taught up in Seattle, at one of the Maritime
Schools for Marine Electronics Techs. When I lived in that area I did
Guest Lectures there. Was on the northeast side of the Ballard Bridge.
The best education in this field is by DOING, under the supervision of
an "Old Time Marine Electronics Tech" who has been in the business for
more than 15 years. I have never been east of the "Big River"
(Mississippi) so I can't advise you on your location. On the North
Pacific Coast, most of the best Techs came from Radar Electric,
Raytheon Marine, or Northern Radio Co. (All of these no longer Exist,
but they sure turned out a bunch of great radiomen) Seems to me there
was an Outfit with SMITH in it's name that was big down in your country.


Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Bruce in Alaska wrote:

These was a course being taught up in Seattle, at one of the Maritime
Schools for Marine Electronics Techs. When I lived in that area I did
Guest Lectures there. Was on the northeast side of the Ballard Bridge.

That program is no longer available but the school offers much more
nowadays.

http://www.seattlecentral.org/maritime/prog.php

I teach the steam classes and have taught the basic marine electricity
class in the past.

The best education in this field is by DOING, under the supervision of
an "Old Time Marine Electronics Tech" who has been in the business for
more than 15 years.

That just doesn't seem to happen anymore. Rare is the company that will
invest in an apprenticeship program of any sort. We used to carry two
electricians on ships but the second electrician is a thing of the past
now. On those ships which carry an electronics officer that berth is
usually filled by a former radio operator. Some of the union schools are
excellent but are not available to entry level personnel. My union
offers several courses with intensive practical lab and lecture classes
which include CET certification but they total many months of classes
and are only available to members who already hold unlimited CG licenses
and have an academic or practical background in the subject.

I wonder where the next generation of techs with a real marine
background will come from.

I am very curious about what ABYC is selling (for a very high price)
when a "graduate" says:

"I've taken AYBC electrical and NMEA installer certification courses ...
but would like to take a hands on seminar type marine electronics tech
course that goes into more depth than a users course."

What is that "certification" worth when the holder of the certificate
calls the training a "users course"?

Rick

Dennis, I'm very curious about your NMEA course.

How do they tell you to hook up non-compliant devices that have one
wire for NMEA output and one wire for NMEA input to the balanced NMEA
(+) and (-) network? Did anyone talk about why some manufacturers
cheap-out like this?



On 24 Nov 2003 03:28:41 GMT, pamdump (Den73740)
wrote:

Is there anywhere that has a good marine electronics training program ,
preferably in S Florida that covers the following type of topics

Dealing with NMEA strings- I/O setups, hardware, software settings
Integrating components from different manufacturers.
Setting up repeaters and autopilots
Servicing and setting up Radars.
"Networking" everything together.

I've taken AYBC electrical and NMEA installer certification courses and I'm
studying for my GROL and radar endorsement but would like to take a hands on
seminar type marine electronics tech course that goes into more depth than a
users course.

Thanks

Dennis



Larry W4CSC

NNNN

"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...
Dennis, I'm very curious about your NMEA course.

How do they tell you to hook up non-compliant devices that have one
wire for NMEA output and one wire for NMEA input to the balanced NMEA
(+) and (-) network? Did anyone talk about why some manufacturers
cheap-out like this?


I added a page to my website, which explains exactly this:
http://www.shipmodul.com/en/connections.html

Meindert

Subject: Marine electronics training
From: (Larry W4CSC)


Dennis, I'm very curious about your NMEA course.

How do they tell you to hook up non-compliant devices that have one
wire for NMEA output and one wire for NMEA input to the balanced NMEA
(+) and (-) network? Did anyone talk about why some manufacturers
cheap-out like this?


It was pretty much hardware oriented, wiring, cables, transducers, and
mounting. It was the installer certification. Interfacing data outputs wasn't
covered.

They have a technician certification test that covers what I'm interested in
learning but no course for it.

I agree that the best place to learn it is on the job but there are few
openings for entry level techs. Most companies want to hire someone with 5 yrs
experience that has done their mistakes and training at another company.

There was a vocational school that started a program down here, McFatter, but
they don't have the program anymore. It had an internship with a company as you
were training.

Dennis

Thanks for the reply. I was wondering how they handled the unstandard
NMEA mess the manufacturers have gotten us all into. An installer
course without the interfacing doesn't seem to fulfill a job
requirement except cable puller.

I got my on-the-job training at:

USN
Amex Systems
Tracor Applied Sciences, Electronic Systems Division
EIL Instruments
Charleston Naval Shipyard

They even paid me!....(c;

Wasn't much simple NMEA.....though.



On 26 Nov 2003 21:08:04 GMT, pamdump (Den73740)
wrote:

Subject: Marine electronics training
From: (Larry W4CSC)


Dennis, I'm very curious about your NMEA course.

How do they tell you to hook up non-compliant devices that have one
wire for NMEA output and one wire for NMEA input to the balanced NMEA
(+) and (-) network? Did anyone talk about why some manufacturers
cheap-out like this?


It was pretty much hardware oriented, wiring, cables, transducers, and
mounting. It was the installer certification. Interfacing data outputs wasn't
covered.

They have a technician certification test that covers what I'm interested in
learning but no course for it.

I agree that the best place to learn it is on the job but there are few
openings for entry level techs. Most companies want to hire someone with 5 yrs
experience that has done their mistakes and training at another company.

There was a vocational school that started a program down here, McFatter, but
they don't have the program anymore. It had an internship with a company as you
were training.

Dennis

Larry W4CSC

NNNN

Subject: Marine electronics training
From: (Larry W4CSC)
I got my on-the-job training at:

USN
Amex Systems
Tracor Applied Sciences, Electronic Systems Division
EIL Instruments
Charleston Naval Shipyard
They even paid me!....(c;



I learned a lot working for NOAA, I was an oceanographic tech for 25 years and
spent a lot of time hooking up instruments to a shipboard scientific computer
system that started out with DEC/VAX and over the years evolved into Win 2000.
There was a lot of trial and error.

I was hoping there was some school that could give me a good background in
setting up and interfacing all these different manufacturers of boating
electronics equipment, satellite gear setup, and GMDSS maintainer.


I'm still getting paid, just not as much :}

Dennis

On 27 Nov 2003 03:10:51 GMT, pamdump (Den73740)
wrote:


I learned a lot working for NOAA, I was an oceanographic tech for 25 years and
spent a lot of time hooking up instruments to a shipboard scientific computer
system that started out with DEC/VAX and over the years evolved into Win 2000.
There was a lot of trial and error.

Great job. While I worked for Tracor, the marine division brought
their SEACON sea construction barge into St Julien's Creek Annex, the
old Navy ammo dump, in Norfolk. Electronics Systems Division
installed an extensive alarm system for fire/flood/intrusion aboard
her, even with a 250W paging transmitter with antenna atop the mast to
alarm crew that was ashore in Diego Garcia resort island she was
headed for.

Your DEC/VAX reminded me of her station keeping system which had a
PDP-8 mini tending 4 sonar pingers shot into the bottom over her work
site. It was tape programmed, as I remembered. The barge had the
queerest propulsion system I ever saw consisting of three diesel
engines driving hydraulic pumps which, in turn, drove "egg beaters"
that rotated, two under her stern and one under her bow to keep her
going up to 6 knots in ANY direction. Most impressive when we took
her out for a little sea trial/company party before she left.

Wonder where she is now?....(c;

I was hoping there was some school that could give me a good background in
setting up and interfacing all these different manufacturers of boating
electronics equipment, satellite gear setup, and GMDSS maintainer.

I got an FCC 1st Phone with RADAR endorsement way back when you had to
WRITE the test to the satisfaction of the FCC engineer giving it to
you. The last one is still in its nice frame over my desk. The GROL,
a meaningless piece of paper they give away to almost anyone capable
of memorizing the test questions they also give away, is stashed in a
drawer to hide it.

I took the GMDSS operator and GMDSS maintainer tests this year. I
found the tests, as with all new FCC tests, a simple matter of rote
memorizing stupid questions about subjects and regulations you would
LOOK UP, not memorize, in the real world. It's almost as if they're
afraid not enough poorly educated public school students, unskilled in
math and science today, couldn't pass them. So, they make it a terms
and symantics test.....

I passed so now I can work on the same marine crap I've been working
on but now with GMDSS aboard. A volunteer examiner, who used to be
one of the most illegal CBers in South Carolina, administered the
test. You can download the test question bank from the FCC website:
http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/dm.html
That'll hook you to the maintainer's license. Click on the operator's
license on the left panel to go over there. Good luck with the tests.
It's not rocket science.

I'm still getting paid, just not as much :}


I get paid, occasionally, doing mostly installations and networking it
all together after someone has screwed it all up. For my boater
friends, of course, I don't. I get to go to sea with them.....which,
to me, is worth far more. I've just helped an English friend restore
and fit out an '85 Amel Sharki 41 ketch with all the electronic toys.
Plans are to leave in March for the Bahamas and stay, arriving in
Daytona Beach for the race from there to Charleston, our home port, on
May 25th. Then, we plan on doing the Charleston to Bermuda race.
From Bermuda, things get a little muddy. He just retired from a very
profitable job where he still is depended on for consulting work. He
keeps talking about sailing from Bermuda to England and home over the
Summer before returning to Charleston in the Fall. I may just close
my business if that happens. I'm semi-retired, myself, but not
financially secure like he is. We've really enjoyed working together
on "Lionheart" since last August.....(c; He refers to me as his
"Chief Engineer"....




Larry W4CSC

NNNN