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Wavefinder?? Is it old technology that is past its use by date?
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Chris Paul
I am trying to eliminate any unnecessary navigation equipment & wiring in preparation for upgrading to N2K. I have a "Wavefinder" that is not working (see photos). The first photo is above the galley. The second photo shows the wavefinder screen in a prominent position in front of the helmsman Also there was an aerial on the push pit connected by a large coax cable. The internet tells me the Wavefinder is a radar that can find wave height & period. I am not really sure how to use it or if it can be fixed. I assume this technology has been superseded by windy & is not worth keeping. Do others have a Wavefinder? Is it useful or is it time for the rubbish bin? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.   Regards, Chris Paul SV GLAZIG SM 352 Whangarei, NZ |
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Bill Kinney
Chris,
I think you are very much up the wrong tree there with what you are looking at. It has nothing to do with ocean waves. I am (almost) sure what you have there was a crude way of detecting a distant ship's radar signal, and displaying an approximate bearing to it. It was a potentially useful tool in the dark ages long before AIS and reliable small boat radars when only large ships had radar. I am actually surprised to see it on a boat as new as yours. It can safely be disposed of, or donated to a local maritime museum. Not to mention mounting such a device RIGHT next to the ship's steering compass is more than a little bit of a bad idea... I have to say, it is a real treat to be old enough to be able to answer a question that the Mighty Google has no idea about! Bill Kinney SM160, Harmonie Great Inagua, Bahamas http://www.cruisingconsulting.com |
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Chris Paul
Thanks Bill, Appreciate your reply. Maybe it was a radar detector as it was connected to an alarm buzzer?? (finding "radar waves" rather than ocean waves!) Whatever it was, someone put a lot of effort installing it - large co-ax cable from push pit to Nav area, dedicated 12V cable running from Nav area to cockpit. I have dismantled it. I first checked that it was not connected to the auto pilot & somehow changed rate gyro parameters minimising rudder movements in rough seas. Thanks, Regards, Chris Paul SV GLAZIG SM 352 Whangarei, NZ
On Friday, 17 February 2023 at 01:46:25 pm NZDT, Bill Kinney <cruisingconsulting@...> wrote:
Chris, I think you are very much up the wrong tree there with what you are looking at. It has nothing to do with ocean waves. I am (almost) sure what you have there was a crude way of detecting a distant ship's radar signal, and displaying an approximate bearing to it. It was a potentially useful tool in the dark ages long before AIS and reliable small boat radars when only large ships had radar. I am actually surprised to see it on a boat as new as yours. It can safely be disposed of, or donated to a local maritime museum. Not to mention mounting such a device RIGHT next to the ship's steering compass is more than a little bit of a bad idea... I have to say, it is a real treat to be old enough to be able to answer a question that the Mighty Google has no idea about! Bill Kinney SM160, Harmonie Great Inagua, Bahamas http://www.cruisingconsulting.com |
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