Furuno Wireless Radar - Pacific NW Boater TESTED
Вставка
- Опубліковано 14 лип 2024
- As part of our transition to wireless navigation, we replaced our 31-year old radar with the Furuno 1st Watch Wireless Radar. The DSR4W only requires 12-volt power and will wirelessly transmit to two iOS devices simultaneously. Intuitive and easy to use, great features include a Guard Zone with alarm, night mode, and Off Center for looking further ahead. Plus, it will seamlessly overlay on the TZ iBoat navigation/chart app in realtime in 3D - with satellite image!
The Furuno 1st Watch Wireless Radar is available in our online store at www.pacificnwboatertested.com/
For more information on the Furuno 1st watch Wireless Radar: www.furunousa.com/en/products...
For more information on the TZ iBoat app: mytimezero.com/tz-iboat
For more information on Seaview products: www.seaviewglobal.com/
For more Pacific NW Boater TESTED videos on marine products, visit our store at www.pacificnwboatertested.com/
Very informative. I tossed my 35 yr old Furuno radar. This wireless feature is a gift when installing the dome. Power cable only.
Thank-you for this video. I am renovating my 35 foot trawler boat to use modern technologies. And one of the new techniques is to make it wifi, and network ready. Meaning no more old stuff, which costs a fortune and brings no added value. I liked your camera idea, as I have the same problem when trying to dock.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am converting away from a similar ancient Furuno radar and GPS system and have been trying to find a reputable review on this product. I know it's been almost two years since your video. I hope you are still equally as pleased with your "new" Furuno. Again, excellent review. Thanks again!
Eric Anderson Thank you, Eric. Glad you appreciated the video. Yes, we are still very happy with the DRS4W, and even more so when using the Timezero navigation app with it. You can still get the Furuno Wireless Radar in our store for $995. www.pacificnwboatertested.com
@@pacificNWboater I understand that with current updates you can overlay the radar onto the charts directly on your furuno unit without an ipad & timezero is that correct?
@@fishwhistle9612 Yes, there are two Furuno displays that the DRS4W will overlay: The 1971F (www.pacificnwboatertested.com/products/furuno-gp-1971f-gps-waas-chartplotter) and the 1871F.
I don't own any kind of boat and i'm not really interested in boats but this was somehow really pleasant to watch
Great video thank you
I have used this model on a sailboat for three years, the last two with the TZ charting app. I sail in Maine and the Canadian Maritimes, so fog, scores of lobster boats, and a rocky coastline are the norm. The FW radar replaced a 2005 vintage Raymarine radar that probably had more technical features and capabilities available for use. That being said, I am more than happy with the FW system. First, the system is dead simple to install and dead simple to use. Power requirements for the FW are a small fraction of what my older system demanded. The critical Wi-Fi link is solid and reliable and signal quality is more than adequate for my needs. I would like to be able to better detect a storm front would be a very useful capability. The capability to integrate with an iPad system is a huge plus. I know chart plotters keep getting more like iPads and tablets, but they still can't integrate the capabilities of new sailing apps on an almost weekly basis. TZ with FW and AIS connected is an excellent navigation and safety system. Lastly, the cost savings over traditional radars are significant. The criticism that you have to buy an iPad for the FW, thus driving up the entry cost is a bit misleading. I personally think anyone looking at the FW is already well invested in the iPad/iOs as their primary marine navigation platform. I would be hard pressed to believe anyone is buying the FW and then looking to buy an iPad. All this being said, the effort Furuno devotes to upgrading and sustaining this product is frustratingly negligible. The company likely realizes any upgrade in features would simply lead to a loss of sales for more expensive systems. Furuno is happy to market the FW as a niche product and no more. Bottom line, if the FW meets your specific limited needs you'll be happy with the purchase. If you like a lot of technical features, features we can argue all day about when it comes to whether they are a necessity, then the FW is definitely not for you.
Do you know if it is possible to use cellular data to browse the internet/weather.com/online AIS while you are connected to the radar's wifi? or does that wifi network take all of the iPads traffic and you have to disconect from it to get online? Thanks! It would be nice if they would update this thing... looks like it came out 7 years ago... but i bet you are right: they know it would cut into the sales of their expensive products
Thanks for the review!
Thanks for sharing your experience Jeffery! My wife and I are looking for a new radar set up for sailing in the same area. Are you still happy with your Furuno wifeless radar? Do you overlay AIS targets on your TZ iboat charts while the radar is running? I would like to be able to display AIS targets and radar at the same time, but I am wondering if this is possible since the AIS data is on one wifi signal and the radar is using a different wifi signal. Thanks for any update or feedback you can provide.
I've loved following you guys and watching your videos over the years. This is a great video. I'm new to radar. I am going to put radar on our Bayliner 305 asap. I'm so overwhelmed trying to research what radar to purchase, and what else I need to go along with it. Picture a head spinning emoji here LOL.
Thanks for the kind words, Sean! If you end up deciding on the Furuno DRS4W, we do have them in our store at $995 with the WIRELESS100 coupon code (and all you’ll need to have wireless radar is an iPad or iPhone): www.pacificnwboatertested.com/products/furuno-1st-watch-wireless-radar-drs4w
@@pacificNWboater That's great, thank you.
Would you recommend this a new person to the world of radar? We'll just be traveling the Puget Sound and San Juans. We'll be planning a Inside Passage trip in the near future. No plans to boat at night. Basically want it for protection from the fog that mysteriously rolls in on ya, and on those occasions we may get stuck in the dark, and of course to monitor traffic while cruising. I like the protection zone that it has. I like the chart app that you recommend also. I've just read up so much that it's mind numbing LOL. It seems to fit the bill. Thanks a bunch.
Hi Sean, yes we absolutely recommend this system for even new boaters. Number one, it’s very simple to install. Number two, it provides all that you need to cruise the PNW safely in fog or at night. And the TZ iBoat navigation app with the radar overlay is awesome!
Thank you for explaining this, May I know if there is a way to read the ais from this ?
Great review, I’ll be getting one too.
Also, what camera are you using for the backup? Thanks
Hi, Nice video. Can I use the Furuno as a gps atena for the ipad if i download the TZ App witgh thge radar
so I dont have to get the I pad with with 5G in it
Thanks
Hi Michael - Sorry for the delayed response! I didn't get a notice from UA-cam about your comment. Just came across it. You may already have found an answer, but the Furuno itself does not have GPS. In order for the TZ navigation app to function properly, you will need an iPad with GPS. That being said, if you have another navigation source and you just want to use radar, the Furuno app itself does not need an iPad with GPS, just wifi capability.
Hello! Great video. What type of backup camera did you have? does that work with your iPad
Great Video. I am in process of upgrading our electronics and looking at iPad solution. Looking at ways to get info from AIS on TZ iboat while connected to furor wireless radar. have you done this?
Hi Pam - We have yet to incorporate AIS in our system. My basic understanding is that we need to purchase either a bluetooth or wifi AIS unit, which will then work with the optional AIS module on TZ iBoat. Just haven't spent the money yet! But when we do, we will get a hold of our friends at Sea-Tech Systems. They are experts at this sort of thing and will point us in the right direction. If you have questions, we recommend asking them: seatech.systems/
How far away can you guys detect other boats or oil rigs with the new radar?
Hi David - the range on the DRS4W is from 0.125 to 24 nautical miles.
Hello-I recently read a review of this radar setup on the cruiserforum.com. A sailor was really complaining that there is not an EBL function to track ships, etc (he said that the EBL appears for a few seconds then disappears) ....basically, his experience was that this radar wasn't good for collision avoidance and weather, two of the basic uses of radar in (in his opinion). Any comments on your experience with tracking weather and or possible collision traffic? Thank you!!
Hi Ken - I can't necessarily argue with his take on the DRS4W, but don't fully agree with it, either. This wireless unit replaced a 30+ year old Furuno which had the old, green monochromatic display. That radar (which was the same vintage we had on our previous sailboat for 6 years) had no bells and whistles. Those old models gave radar signatures, and nothing else. So we are quite used to reading the radar display and inferring our own collision probabilities. It would be nice to have the radar do that for us, but it's not necessary to navigate safely. Yes, the EBL data will go away after 5 seconds, and I too wish that it would stay on screen longer if the target was within a half-mile or so. But in 5,000+ miles of cruising our Pacific NW region in all sorts of weather and fog, we have not even had any real "close calls", because we are very careful in those situations. As to weather, I don't have any real time experience in using any radar for that (though we could see a summer squall on the display that passed us by a couple miles last year).
Also, we are primarily coastal cruisers. The biggest bodies of water we contend with are the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Georgia, and Queen Charlotte Sound. We have zero concerns about navigating with our wireless radar in this region. For anyone doing open ocean navigation, some of the newer features that more expensive radars have would be good to have onboard.
pacificNWboater - Thx for your response. I’m a SFO Bay Area and coastal sailor for the most part as well. I really like the simplicity and the functionality even though it’s basic radar. What’s cool is the interface with TZ chart plotting app. I’m not looking for a bunch of bells and whistle’s and I actually prefer a stand alone radar. That being said I do appreciate the time zero app that you introduced me to when I was looking at your radar review. It’s a great app and I’ll be moving a boat up from Ventura California to the bay area hopefully in the next few weeks and plan on using it. Thanks again I appreciate your product reviews !
Thank you for the video. What's the name of the wireless cam in your vid??
You're welcome! That is an old (about 5 years old) Logitech Circle camera. They now make the Circle 2 camera.
@@pacificNWboater thanks for the quick response.
We passed you out there this weekend. So excited to see yall! Let me know if you need zincs. based out of Oak harbor/La Connar. www.islanddiveservice.com
Does the First Watch create its own wireless zone? There must need to be a wireless provider involved somehow right?
sammyjbray - Yes, the DRS4W creates its own WiFi network. Once you enter the password and connect the unit to your device(s) it becomes a “Legacy Access” point and you don’t have to enter the password again. Ours connects automatically when the Radar is powered up.
pacificNWboater that’s great! So no wireless network provider needed for the radar or the chart plotter app? I can only imagine what my data usage would be through AT&T if I had to rely on that to get all of this to work. Great video btw.
sammyjbray It’s a pretty neat set up. The device you use for the TimeZero navigation app just needs to be GPS-enabled as it doesn’t rely on cellular or a WiFi signal. So it’ll work anywhere.
@@pacificNWboater Can you connect it to an access point that you create on the boat?
After a year of use any additional thoughts? Has the limited close in range been an issue?
Hi Brad - Still very pleased with it. I really much appreciate taking my iPhone up onto the flybridge and keeping radar with me! The range has not been an issue. And considering it replaced our 35-yr old radar, it has plenty of features for us.
pacificNWboater Thank you for the replay. 1 more question if you have time to answer. Regarding the iPad - does it limit its use for anything else? Such as using the GPS function as a chart plotter while being connected via wi-if to the Furuno unit? My IPad can do split screen - so running chart plotter software on half and radar on the other half would be ideal if possible. Any experience with that?
@@bradsmith5131 Like with other apps, you can close the Furuno, open anything other app, then reopen Furuno. But regarding using the GPS as a chartplotter, we use the Timezero navigation app which allows the Furuno to overlay the radar. Works simultaneously, the radar using wifi and the nav app using GPS. We used to use Navionics, but quickly got used to Timezero and now prefer it. It really is a fully featured nav app.
unfortunately Timezero is limited to coastal waters and we are inland rivers most of the time. But that answers my question - I think!
The App store says TZ iBoat is not available for my iPone 8, only iPad. How did you get to run it on your wife's iPhone?
The Furuno radar app is what runs on all our iPhones and iPads. The TZ iBoat app is only on our iPad Pro.
Does the radar pick up weather? Thx
Hi Greg - That's a good question. We don't have any experience in weather while using the radar, just fog and smoke. Try asking on the Furuno Radar Forum: www.furunousaforum.com/viewforum.php?f=5 You might find an answer there. And let us know what you find out!
can this be tuned to find birds?
That's a good question. Sorry we don't know the answer. However, the techs at Furuno likely would.
Nice job! I think you might consider making UA-cam videos...
Thanks! I might give it a whirl!
I want this
cas 3330 - If you buy from us be sure to use the promo code WIRELESS100 to get an extra $100 off: www.pacificnwboatertested.com/products/furuno-1st-watch-wireless-radar-drs4w
dam yo raymarine has wireless with the quantom or quantom 2 to mfd axiom i use pro full radar wireless or wired marpa arpa with a fast heading sensor and u can control the radar with an app to and it has drone control full radar color its kinda bleeding edge tec so you kinda gotta know how to config the axiom but its easy i would even come and help u free i love setting this stuff up VHF monitor vhf long range 16 or 72 vhf short range 9 72 16 tri if u in south call me anytime rock and reel you got a friend in Florida port everglades give me a call if u around i mon the radios anytime i am on the boat
Ok, I understand now. it is not about selling the Radar. It is all about selling Apple computer's and Iphones. because this radar can not work any other way. Well, Apple is junk in my eyes, so looks like I will never be getting this.. Thanks for the info, I would had never knew that if it wasn't for this vid. I give you a like for honesty. You did not hide the specific systems needed to make it work.
great if you own a crap apple device I guess.
Yes.. Indeed it is!
Shame William it seems like you are the cab apple with that attitude
@@michaelmcilrath3420 you commented on a year old post?