Your impression of the tech support you are getting is at the opposite end of the spectrum from mine as I was getting to know my circa-2005 Furuno system in 2015-2019. I would call with some off-the-wall request like how to send and receive data from an ethernet connected laptop to my "elderly" system or to discuss the various methods of connecting compass data through my Furuno AP to my MFD. They would always take a minute to get my system simulated in front of them and then follow through with me pin by pin for the connections. If I was underway with the system operating and had a question, they were Johnny-on-the-spot to help me out with various settings or techniques. I almost always spoke to the same two guys. Maybe new people are there or training on this new generation stuff is lagging. Sorry to hear all this, because I have thought of Furuno as absolutely bulletproof from the gear on board to the tech support.
Rich Gano
Frolic (2005 Mainship 30 Pilot II)
Panama City area
Subject: T&T: Furuno wifi radar first impressions
I just received and installed a Furuno wifi-connected radar and thought I
would share my first impressions.
- The significant feature of this radar, according to Furuno ads, is that
you only have to run a 12V power cable plus ground, up the mast. No thick
Radar cables. That was my main reason for choosing this model. Well guess
what? The power cable included is a thick, stiff, cable about 0.4”
diameter. That is almost the same as the 11 wire cable I removed from my 30
year old furuno radar. It was not an improvement at all.
- The power cable connects to the radome at an external plug. BAD design.
Clearly this connection is going to corrode in the future and cause a
problem. I called Furuno and the tech said of "course it will corrode"
unless you: a. wrap it tightly with electrical tape. b. wrap the electrical
tape tightly with self amalgamating tape and then c. wrap a third layer of
electric tape. What BS. Of course there is noting about this method in the
installation manual.
- The power cord supplied does not use tinned wire. Just plain copper.
Furuno wants $135 for a replacement cable. I asked the tech if here is a
problem running my own cable. He said this would void the warrantee.
Further, he told me Furuno does not supply a connector by itself.
- When I operate the radar transmitter I can hear a groaning sound
emanating from the radome. This may be a bad bearing. I know what a healthy
radar antenna sounds like. I hope this does not give problems down the
road. Being in Mexico , as I am , it is not practical to send the radome
back to the factory for inspection and/or repair.
- When operating the radar from an iPad, I periodically get an error
message saying the sensor is not being deleted. Error “E0002” I called the
furuno tech and he told me 1. He never heard of these error messages and 2.
He was reluctant to have to go “look it up” . Later I found the error code
myself. This tech needs some training.
- There is a tone alarm that can be set to warn if any target comes within
a sector. Standard feature. However this tone is so quiet that it would not
heard over a typical diesel engine. The app should have been written to
access the very loud signals that an iPad capable of.
- Overall the Furuno techs, I spoke to 2 of them, were not particularly
well trained or helpful. Naturally their standard answer suggested that any
problems must be due to something I am doing wrong.
- Since I do all my navigation on iPads (I have two at the helm) this wifi
feature seems like an good choice for me. I will know more when we really
sea trial the radar in an upcoming night time crossing of the Sea of Cortez.
Richard
Your impression of the tech support you are getting is at the opposite end of the spectrum from mine as I was getting to know my circa-2005 Furuno system in 2015-2019. I would call with some off-the-wall request like how to send and receive data from an ethernet connected laptop to my "elderly" system or to discuss the various methods of connecting compass data through my Furuno AP to my MFD. They would always take a minute to get my system simulated in front of them and then follow through with me pin by pin for the connections. If I was underway with the system operating and had a question, they were Johnny-on-the-spot to help me out with various settings or techniques. I almost always spoke to the same two guys. Maybe new people are there or training on this new generation stuff is lagging. Sorry to hear all this, because I have thought of Furuno as absolutely bulletproof from the gear on board to the tech support.
Rich Gano
Frolic (2005 Mainship 30 Pilot II)
Panama City area
Subject: T&T: Furuno wifi radar first impressions
I just received and installed a Furuno wifi-connected radar and thought I
would share my first impressions.
1. The significant feature of this radar, according to Furuno ads, is that
you only have to run a 12V power cable plus ground, up the mast. No thick
Radar cables. That was my main reason for choosing this model. Well guess
what? The power cable included is a thick, stiff, cable about 0.4”
diameter. That is almost the same as the 11 wire cable I removed from my 30
year old furuno radar. It was not an improvement at all.
2. The power cable connects to the radome at an external plug. BAD design.
Clearly this connection is going to corrode in the future and cause a
problem. I called Furuno and the tech said of "course it will corrode"
unless you: a. wrap it tightly with electrical tape. b. wrap the electrical
tape tightly with self amalgamating tape and then c. wrap a third layer of
electric tape. What BS. Of course there is noting about this method in the
installation manual.
3. The power cord supplied does not use tinned wire. Just plain copper.
Furuno wants $135 for a replacement cable. I asked the tech if here is a
problem running my own cable. He said this would void the warrantee.
Further, he told me Furuno does not supply a connector by itself.
4. When I operate the radar transmitter I can hear a groaning sound
emanating from the radome. This may be a bad bearing. I know what a healthy
radar antenna sounds like. I hope this does not give problems down the
road. Being in Mexico , as I am , it is not practical to send the radome
back to the factory for inspection and/or repair.
5. When operating the radar from an iPad, I periodically get an error
message saying the sensor is not being deleted. Error “E0002” I called the
furuno tech and he told me 1. He never heard of these error messages and 2.
He was reluctant to have to go “look it up” . Later I found the error code
myself. This tech needs some training.
6. There is a tone alarm that can be set to warn if any target comes within
a sector. Standard feature. However this tone is so quiet that it would not
heard over a typical diesel engine. The app should have been written to
access the very loud signals that an iPad capable of.
7. Overall the Furuno techs, I spoke to 2 of them, were not particularly
well trained or helpful. Naturally their standard answer suggested that any
problems must be due to something I am doing wrong.
8. Since I do all my navigation on iPads (I have two at the helm) this wifi
feature seems like an good choice for me. I will know more when we really
sea trial the radar in an upcoming night time crossing of the Sea of Cortez.
Richard