Marine Electronics

Here's a letter and response we were going to run in Mailport this month, but we'll run it in this space instead: ----------As I...

In the course of running the scientific evaluation of the Tri-Lens radar reflector featured in Practical Sailor's August 15, 2001 issue, Dick Honey, former senior principal scientist at SRI, sent us the following thoughts on the nature of radar reflection and detection at sea.

The Motorola TalkAbout takes the top spot among seven sets of these close-range alternatives to VHF radios and cell phones.

Yes, it's again time to look at handheld GPS receivers, which have now officially become a consumer commodity. Sales of receivers to hikers,...

It's powerful, quiet, renewable, and sometimes even free. It doesn't pollute. How severe are the drawbacks? That depends on several of your thresholds.

West Marine's site has been carefully developed and tended for years, and it shows, across the board. The BoatU.S. site is also well-polished.

Quantum's odor- and mildew-destroying machines get a fresh evaluation.

Out of 11 models that went on the bench, Icom had three that shined. Standard also did well. Digitial Selective Calling still has a way to go.

Marine radar is of two types: X-band and S-band. The former is the type commonly carried aboard small boats.

For this review, Practical Sailor collected, from the hundreds available, 18 steering compasses. Included are binnacle, bulkhead and bracket models, plus several interesting ones shown only in photos. Except for the bronze Telltale compass shown on page 7, all have 12V lighting and gimbal systems.