Northstar GPS Problem

[Cricket]

Reef, think one of the big differences between yesteryear and today is so many products are designed with a life span engineered in, I call it marketing. Or, repairable the manufactures don't make parts available or the parts they did make available were limited to a small amount from the production run. It used to be that products were designed to last as long as could be figured out, now it's a throw away economy.

 

[Boatsb]

Reef, think one of the big differences between yesteryear and today is so many products are designed with a life span engineered in, I call it marketing. Or, repairable the manufactures don't make parts available or the parts they did make available were limited to a small amount from the production run. It used to be that products were designed to last as long as could be figured out, now it's a throw away economy.

From my 20+ years with electronics I can tell you thats not the truth.


1) parts for older units like that were phased out with ROHS and other tree hugger BS.

2) new parts need to be soldered at higher temps because the solder was changed to keep tree huggers happy. That means they can not use the old parts without risking damage installing them

3) parts today have a shorter lifespan of production as new and better replacements become available. No one makes more outdated parts because its not cost effective.

4) progress in electronics from computers to GPS to engine management systems and communications is so fast that processing increases by a factor of 10 every year or two.

5) the cost of electronics has dropped dramatically in the last 10 years. you can do so much more for so much less cost.

 

[Reefgeorge]

No doubt that stuff is not built as cast iron depression tough like it used to but I still keep all kinds of things going - electronics, appliances, refrigeration, etc. I like the challenge of figuring out why it's broken and finding workarounds if parts are not available. I buy donor machines for parts like getting inverter boards for my Northstar from junk Ebay units. It's a lifestyle choice. The skills that I have have mastered also ensure that I can get almost any boat home in a pinch, something I have done for people dozens of times from Junkers to $2M Vikings in the Bahamas. My point is that some like new and shiny and that's fine cuz it feeds the economy but I just love keeping old things going and finding a $15 solution to a $1K problem. I once started a guys broke down flybridge sport fisher with a butter knife so he could get home.

Also, any new complicated install has the potential for bugs and infant mortalities that have to be worked out so sure old systems have failures from the wear out mechanism but the bathtub curve always has the leading edge to deal with and stuff ain't getting built any tougher as pointed out above.

George

 

[MVCaprice]

My point is that some like new and shiny and that's fine cuz it feeds the economy but I just love keeping old things going and finding a $15 solution to a $1K problem.

This man! I agree for most everything. Electronics are tough though as you get so much more from newer nav packages. Networking capability, Chirp Sonar, Video and Audio integration etc. However, 10k for a 22" top of the line Garmin MFD is just insane!

 

[Pete]

Turns out yesterday was a great day for the Admiral, the dog and I to take a drive to Nags Head, for a visit to Kevin at MEOB. Anyone that has been to Sailorman in FTL, just imagine a smaller version of that, with marine electronics stacked everywhere. Up front is the new stuff, all the way through the stacks of experienced stuff, some complete, some in pieces, sits Kevin. Interesting visit.

As with likely any HOF member, I need to stay out of such places. When I went through the exit, I was carrying less money, but a NS941XD with all software updated, and a new to me NS952XD in perfect working order, and looking as close to new as you are likely to find. Also had a 2003 Nav-Chart 2003 vintage of NC. New charts are no longer available for this unit.

Not endorsing MEOB, there are other places with similar services, but for me it worked great, and I now have a local source for most all of my electronics servicing, Simrad, NS, Furuno, etc.

BTW, the NS952XD is plug compatible with the NS941XD, as well as the exact physical packaging. Solves my problem.

Pete

 

[jim rosenthal]

Nice. Those guys are terrific.

 

[Reefgeorge]

Nice work rehabilitating a classic.

George

 

[Pete]

Well, just when I thought it was time to check one off the list, it turned out to be premature. Put everything back together, now that the rain stopped, and turned my new to me Northstar 952 on, and no differential function. So, the search begins for another part. Please see my post in the Parts section.

Thanks

Pete