Interesting Update copied by DK

[dkv]

Interesting upgrades
Any moment now at the Miami International Boat Show, NAVICO brands Lowrance, Simrad, and B&G will be revealing a new external GNSS receiver with a magnetic compass heading sensor incorporated in the same housing. The new device is expected to be priced at $200.
Official details are sketchy on the new device.

An update of the GNSS receiver was overdue. Lowrance had been selling the LGC-4000 for several years, but the specifications of its GNSS receiver were not particularly state-of-the-art.

The combination of a GNSS receiver and an electronic compass will give more accurate information about vessel heading. Deducing vessel heading from GNSS position solution has not been a good method when vessel speed is low or the vessel is not making forward propulsion. Obtaining vessel heading from a magnetic compass will improve the accuracy compared to deducing it from course-over-ground from successive position solutions.

An electronic heading sensor is nothing new. Simrad presently has three available, but the costs range between $470 and $2,400. Offering a heading sensor, combined with an improved GNSS receiver, for around $200 will be much more attractive.

Among the reasons for wanting to know vessel heading are two important tasks:

--orienting RADAR displays for overlay on a chart plotter

--controlling autopilot operation

Some initial comments indicate that the new GNSS and Compass device may not be suitable for these functions, with speculation that the accuracy of the heading sensor may not be sufficiently precise.

More information is needed on this new product.

The LOWRANCE version of this product is being called the POINT-1.


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From the Lowrance website comes information on the new GNSS sensor:
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Lowrance Point-1 GPS Antenna
Offering unparalleled accuracy around the world, the Lowrance Point-1 GPS/GLONASS antenna with integrated e-Compass/Gyro is a rugged precision positioning and heading sensor that ensures access to stable and smooth vessel orientation. In addition to reliable location information, when used with a compatible Lowrance HDS Gen2, HDS Gen2 Touch or Elite-7 series display, the Point-1 greatly enhances navigational information by providing accurate course over ground (COG) data at any speed and enabling radar overlay on charts. Delivering a configurable update rate — 1Hz, 5Hz or 10Hz — for smooth and precise location updates, the GPS features an advanced chipset that offers enhanced time-to-first-fix and supports multiple Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The high-precision antenna will also communicate with GPS, GLONASS and WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS. The Lowrance Point-1's compact size and NMEA 2000® compatibility enable ease of installation anywhere on a vessel, allowing boaters to select the ideal mounting site for optimal positioning and performance.

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The notable information:

--the new sensor appears to only be compatible with the newer devices, HDS Gen2, HDS Gen2 Touch, or ELITE-7 seriees

--RADAR chart overly is enabled, but no mention of auto-pilot

--position solution update rate is configurable to 1, 5, or 10-Hz

--GNSS receiver can use GLONASS, EGNOS, and MSAS satellites

The reluctance to endorse the Point-1 for use with an auto-pilot may be related to the anticipated mounting position. In order for the GNSS receiver to see the sky, the Point-1 will probably need to be mounted on deck, possibly in an elevated position. The elevated mounting will increase the velocity that the sensor will swing as the boat rolls or pitches. The typical magnetic heading sensor--without GNSS receiver in the same assembly--is usually recommend for mounting low in the boat and near the boat's fore and aft center on the boat centerline. This minimizes the motion of the sensor as the boat moves in seas.

The heading sensor should help give the chart plotter a better indication of vessel heading when moving slowly. For people who like to see the chart presentation in course-up mode, the heading sensor may improve that presentation.

This information is presently hosted on Lowrance's website at
News - LOWRANCE | Marine Electronics Lowrance-Debuts-New-Product-Additions/ Like Reply Reply With Quote This was copied from the Kansas site and originally posted by imajigger2. .