Raymarine RL70 upgrade

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Joe

Raymarine RL70 upgrade

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Posts: 47

09/11/07 20:50:18

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Im really looking at getting my stock RL70CRC plotter/RADAR upgraded to the new E-Series display. The main reason is to get a second display at the Nav station for planning and easy access to the RADAR at night. The unit at the binnacle is usable and does most of what I want.

I also looked at getting a used RL70 from Ebay for around $1000 (they are no longer made) to be the slave at the nav station. I would also need an HSB2 cable to connect to the original display on the binnacle. I'm not convinced about this route as the new E-Series display is so much more detailed than the older RL display and its beginning to show its age.

On Monday I visited the boat show in Oakland and spoke with the Raymarine rep. With show discounts he estimated an upgrade of just my existing display to be around $7k assuming my RADOME is compatible (which it is). To get a second display at the nav station is going to push the price over $10k. And thats with the show discount!

I then today stumbled across another path which is to use the latest RayTech 6.0 PC software with my existing RL70 setup. I need a USB to HSB2 adaptor which is $700 and the Raytech 6.0 software which is another $600. I then get all the functions of the new E-Series display on a PC for a fraction of the cost (total around $1400 with HSB2 cable).

I'm really excited to try this as I have a great IBM laptop that I already use with my Garmin 276c and this will give me access to the RADAR, chart overlays, photo topo views etc.

Has anyone else done this or have any advice before I dive in?

Joe - 2004 C42 mk2 #872 3C/L - s/v Sea42 - sector San Francisco

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ajchan

#1

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Posts: 153

09/12/07 04:32:27

Hi Joe

You are almost correct about the PC emulating the E series, except that in your case the PC will emulate the RL70 with the C-map unless you also buy the navionics card reader and the appropriate navionics card.

I've not seen a mixed environment like you are suggesting, but I've used a PC connected to an RL70 before and it worked just fine. The downside is that underway, it was a little trickier to use a PC and mouse than it was to punch a big keypad.

Personally I think the Raytech software is way over priced, and if I were in your situation I would consider looking for another RL series perhaps even an RL 80 to use at the nav station. One minor annoyance with the new E and C series displays, and this is just me, is the landscape format, which I find less useful than the portrait format of the RL for head up navigation.

That said I prefer the detail of the navionics card, so now that I've stepped up, I wouldn't go back, but it took the purchase of a whole new boat to make me change!! I didn't mind the older displays at all and found them to work well.

Addison

Threepenny Opera
1999 C-42 MK II, 2CP Wing #640
http://the-voyages-of-threepenny-opera.blogspot.com/

Last Edited By: ajchan 09/12/07 04:37:04. Edited 1 time.

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safetyangels

#2

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Posts: 7

09/12/07 09:45:08

Joe,

We have the E80 on our C42 delivered in May 07 Hull 974. We saved a lot by not buying a repeater and instead by hooking up the system to our flat screen tv and using a Ray Marine Remote key board. It controls the system just fine. I can use it from many different positions, not just the nav station. It works great and total cost for Hardware for the keyboard was less than $700 if memory serves me correctly.. I didn't do the install, (the Catalina Rigger did). Using the TV also saved us the space the repeater would have taken.

Sandy Golden

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cqr35

#3

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Posts: 9

01/13/08 18:05:03

Joe,

I'm looking to upgrade our RL70 to the E series, but was told the radome was NOT compatible. Did you do the project? Was the radome compatible?

thanks

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pwinterfeld

Raymarine

#4

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Posts: 107

01/13/08 19:58:16

Thanks to some nice gentlemen that came to my boat at night I had the opportunity to replace all the instrumentation including the chartplotter that left with them. I had them install the Raymarine E system - very pricy - but the detail and wealth of information that is available is awesome. We purchased the E 120 chartploter and Radar, and found out that the old Radar (pre 2003) antenna is NOT compatible. There are two solutions: 1. buy a new antenna 2. ship the old antenna back to Raymarine and have them upgrade it. By the time you add removal, shipping and re installing - buy the new antenna. Total cost including new heads for autopilot, wind and knot meter - are you ready ................$15,300.
I remember my first boat - a piece of string on the shroud was the wind indicator, compass and a bungy cord was the autopilot and when the glass of wine started to slide on the hatch it was time to reef. Who cared where we were anyway - we were having fun.

Peter
C'est la Vie
Hull #746

Last Edited By: pwinterfeld 01/13/08 20:00:43. Edited 1 time.

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yorkrose

#5

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Posts: 261

01/13/08 20:05:01

cqr35,

The compatibility depends on the age of the radome. Some domes are not compatible, some can be updated, and some are already compatible. The transition period was about 5 years ago. Raymarine has full details on their website. Check in the "Customer Support" section, "Find Answers or Ask Raymarine". The information you need is given in Answer ID 964.

Regards,

Gene Fuller

Yorkshire Rose, C42 #870

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pwinterfeld

Compatibility

#6

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Posts: 107

01/14/08 09:52:28

Product	Production Year	Serial Number Date Range	Compatibility Notes
2 kW Radome	Prior to December 2002	Prior to 1220001	Not compatible with C or E-Series.
	December 2002 to mid-May 2003	From 1220001 to 0530167	Requires internal modification. Contact your local Raymarine Service agent or Technical Support for more information.
	Mid-May 2003 to present	From 0530158 and up	100% C and E-Series compatible.

4 kW Radome	Prior to December 2002	Prior to 1220001	Not compatible with C or E-Series.
	December 2002 to mid-May 2003	From 1220001 to 030246	Requires internal modification. Contact your local Raymarine Service agent or Technical Support for more information.
	Mid-May 2003 to present	From 0530246 and up	100% C and E-Series compatible.

4 kW Open Array	Prior to mid-December 2003	Prior to S/N 1230143	Requires internal upgrade. Contact your local Raymarine Service agent or Technical Support for more information.
	Mid-December 2003 to Present	From 1230143 and up	100% C and E-Series compatible. Interunit cable adapter required.

10 kW Open Array	Prior to April 2003	Prior to 0430001	Requires internal upgrade. Contact your local Raymarine Service agent or Technical Support for more information.
	April 2003 to present	From 0430001 and up	100% C and E-Series compatible. Interunit cable adapter required.

Above is the answer to the question about compatibility - obviously my radar dome was built before December of 2002 and NOT installed until 2005. It must have been in the dealers stock for sometime. That brings up another dilema - should you insist on the latest dated equipment.

Peter
C'est la Vie
Hull #746

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nelsoncw

Serial numbers

#7

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Posts: 51

01/14/08 13:13:50

Is there a way to find out the serial number of the Radome without going up the mast and opening it up?

Nelson & Christine Willis "Peter Cooper" Hull #683, Three Cabin Pullman, Marina Del Rey, CA

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pwinterfeld

Serial Number

#8

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Posts: 107

01/14/08 14:47:58

You not only need to go up - but also open up the case - the number is inside.

Peter
C'est la Vie
Hull #746

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do335

Array Serial Number

#9

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Posts: 252

01/14/08 22:07:12

On my pathfinder 2kw array the serial number and model number were imprinted on the outside of the top, see picture. I'm upgrading to a E80 and of course my array isn't compatible and can't be upgraded since it is a few months after the cut off date.

Steve 642-2f TESA

Last Edited By: do335 01/14/08 22:41:08. Edited 1 time.

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pwinterfeld

Out of Date

#10

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Posts: 107

01/15/08 07:23:41

One of the most important things I learned from this discussion is that, we as owners, should look at the manufacturing dates on the systems we are buying - as was in my case - even though I had the radar installed in the winter of 2004/2005 the radar dome was manufactured before the cut off date for even the upgrade option. I personally never thought to ask for serial numbers or date of manufacture. So the dealer that sold the system had the equipment (even though it was new and still in the box) for some time in stock. Expensive lesson learned and taken to heart.

Peter
C'est la Vie
Hull #746

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