[Rhodes22-list] Solar Cells, Batteries, and GPS

[Peter Thorn]

This winter I've been racing on a boat that has an external GPS antenna
mounted on the sternrail (pushpit?).  It's a Garmin, looks like a 2-3"
mushroom and skip tells me it improved GPS performance quite a bit.

PT

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "daniel snyder" <danielsnyder at adelphia.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Solar Cells, Batteries, and GPS


> Mark, I have exactly the same question on the GPS antenna.  I'm purchasing
> the Lowrance 337 which is out just this month with an internal
> antenna....same price for the external antenna model.  I don't know which
> one to get for the same reasons you mentioned.  I was leaning towards the
> external antenna so that I might have a bit more flexibility in where to
> mount the unit itself.  Hope someone on the list can help.
>
> Dan Snyder
> New London, NH
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <mputnam1 at aol.com>
> To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 4:07 PM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Solar Cells, Batteries, and GPS
>
>
> > As I've mentioned before, I'll be receiving my recycled R22 from Stan in
> > the next month or so ... and I have a question about battery power and
> > solar cells.
> >
> > As some background: The 1990 R22 that I'm purchasing has one solar cell
> > and one battery (although Stan is checking to be sure there's not
another
> > battery hidden somewhere on board).
> >
> > After much agonizing over cost, I went ahead and purchased a GPS system
> > and a separate depth sounder.  I mainly want the GPS in the event of an
> > emergency, if I'm sailing in unfamiliar waters in the Chesapeake, and in
> > the event I anchor overnight.  I understand the GPS alarm can
(hopefully)
> > wake me up if my boat drifts from its anchorage overnight.
> >
> > I mainly got the depth sounder for anchoring.  I'm not thrilled with
> > cutting another hole in the side of the cockpit, but I didn't want to
have
> > the GPS screen be split between the GPS display and the depth sounder
> > display.
> >
> > Anyway, here are my two questions:
> >
> > 1) Will one solar cell be enough if its to power the GPS overnight, in
> > addition to other power drains on the battery?  Should I spend the money
> > to have Stan put on another solar cell (and another battery, assuming
> > there's only one on board) in order to have a dedicated battery for the
> > GPS (with the other battery dedicated to the radio, depth sounder, and
any
> > other electrical needs)?  I have no idea if a GPS can drain a battery
> > overnight.
> >
> > 2) I purchased a GPS with an internal antenna.  My plan was to mount it
on
> > a bracket that could swing into the opening of the cabin and, thus, have
a
> > clear view of the sky.  I didn't want to mount yet another instrument on
> > the cockpit wall (there's already a compass mounted there).  But now
that
> > I think about it, if I want to rely on the GPS while anchoring
overnight,
> > should I have gotten a GPS with a separate antenna so that it could be
> > mounted somewhere on the roof of the cabin?  That way, I can close the
> > cabin door at night and not worry about obstructing the GPS's view of
the
> > sky.  If so, where would you mount the GPS antenna?
> >
> > This is all new to me, so I appreciate any and all advice on these two
> > points.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > -Mark
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
>
>
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