Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

+x

 

pete.holt - 28 Oct 2022

Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

Hi Pete,
In my usage, Airmar products have given good service.
I would do good research and try to find field reports from users.
When I re-instrumented, now a decade+ ago, I researched this product (or its design precursor) and decided against for reasons that now escape me.
If using an n2k backbone, I would also wonder whether instruments using input data, say determining true wind which needs data from a number of sensors, might be unable to use data from a weather station and need data from dedicated wind instruments (and I believe Maretron makes one that looks like a GPS mushroom as well and which may be made by Airmar).
Let us know what you find out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

+x

 

Dick - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 28 Oct 2022

Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

Hi Pete,
In my usage, Airmar products have given good service.
I would do good research and try to find field reports from users.
When I re-instrumented, now a decade+ ago, I researched this product (or its design precursor) and decided against for reasons that now escape me.
If using an n2k backbone, I would also wonder whether instruments using input data, say determining true wind which needs data from a number of sensors, might be unable to use data from a weather station and need data from dedicated wind instruments (and I believe Maretron makes one that looks like a GPS mushroom as well and which may be made by Airmar).
Let us know what you find out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks Dick.
They output nmea 2000 so I would imagine that the wind data is sent using the standard PGN, but yes definitely worth checking that one. It's strange that theres so little talk of them on sailboats, even the manufactures advertise them as being for 'boaters'. I get the feeling I'm missing something. Perhaps they're just unnecessarily expensive compared to a normal wind instrument.

+x

 

pete.holt - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

Dick - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 28 Oct 2022

Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

Hi Pete,
In my usage, Airmar products have given good service.
I would do good research and try to find field reports from users.
When I re-instrumented, now a decade+ ago, I researched this product (or its design precursor) and decided against for reasons that now escape me.
If using an n2k backbone, I would also wonder whether instruments using input data, say determining true wind which needs data from a number of sensors, might be unable to use data from a weather station and need data from dedicated wind instruments (and I believe Maretron makes one that looks like a GPS mushroom as well and which may be made by Airmar).
Let us know what you find out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks Dick.
They output nmea 2000 so I would imagine that the wind data is sent using the standard PGN, but yes definitely worth checking that one. It's strange that theres so little talk of them on sailboats, even the manufactures advertise them as being for 'boaters'. I get the feeling I'm missing something. Perhaps they're just unnecessarily expensive compared to a normal wind instrument.

Hi Pete, You remind me: one concern was that I could find no field reports that were not from power boats and they seemed marketed to that market. Also, run a messenger line when you do the install and you will be able to do the work mast-in the next time. Dick

+x

 

Dick - 31 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

Dick - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 28 Oct 2022

Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

Hi Pete,
In my usage, Airmar products have given good service.
I would do good research and try to find field reports from users.
When I re-instrumented, now a decade+ ago, I researched this product (or its design precursor) and decided against for reasons that now escape me.
If using an n2k backbone, I would also wonder whether instruments using input data, say determining true wind which needs data from a number of sensors, might be unable to use data from a weather station and need data from dedicated wind instruments (and I believe Maretron makes one that looks like a GPS mushroom as well and which may be made by Airmar).
Let us know what you find out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks Dick.
They output nmea 2000 so I would imagine that the wind data is sent using the standard PGN, but yes definitely worth checking that one. It's strange that theres so little talk of them on sailboats, even the manufactures advertise them as being for 'boaters'. I get the feeling I'm missing something. Perhaps they're just unnecessarily expensive compared to a normal wind instrument.

Hi Pete, You remind me: one concern was that I could find no field reports that were not from power boats and they seemed marketed to that market. Also, run a messenger line when you do the install and you will be able to do the work mast-in the next time. Dick

Hi Pete, Please note, a Maretron masthead sensor just won an 2022 NEMA award. Dick

+x

 

Dick - 3 Nov 2022

+x

 

Dick - 31 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

Dick - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 28 Oct 2022

Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

Hi Pete,
In my usage, Airmar products have given good service.
I would do good research and try to find field reports from users.
When I re-instrumented, now a decade+ ago, I researched this product (or its design precursor) and decided against for reasons that now escape me.
If using an n2k backbone, I would also wonder whether instruments using input data, say determining true wind which needs data from a number of sensors, might be unable to use data from a weather station and need data from dedicated wind instruments (and I believe Maretron makes one that looks like a GPS mushroom as well and which may be made by Airmar).
Let us know what you find out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks Dick.
They output nmea 2000 so I would imagine that the wind data is sent using the standard PGN, but yes definitely worth checking that one. It's strange that theres so little talk of them on sailboats, even the manufactures advertise them as being for 'boaters'. I get the feeling I'm missing something. Perhaps they're just unnecessarily expensive compared to a normal wind instrument.

Hi Pete, You remind me: one concern was that I could find no field reports that were not from power boats and they seemed marketed to that market. Also, run a messenger line when you do the install and you will be able to do the work mast-in the next time. Dick

Hi Pete, Please note, a Maretron masthead sensor just won an 2022 NEMA award. Dick

I'm a big fan of Maretron, I used their cables and connectors exclusively to build my network. With regards to the wind instrument, I decided to commit the cardinal sin and cut the connectors off the new cable and join them to the old cable running down the mast, connected in a waterproof junction box at the mast head. Not ideal but It'll have to do until the next time I pull the mast. €2500 for the mast in and out just to run a cable was a bit hard to justify. Anyway for now I'm enjoying the luxurious novelty of a wind reading, something I've been without for some time :)

+x

 

pete.holt - 3 Nov 2022

+x

 

Dick - 3 Nov 2022

+x

 

Dick - 31 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

Dick - 29 Oct 2022

+x

 

pete.holt - 28 Oct 2022

Does anyone have any experience with an airmar weather station like the 220WX or similar. The little white things that look a bit like GPS antennas. I'm wondering if i can use one in lieu of a masthead wind instrument.
It's a long story but essentially the mast needs to come out for me to fit a new wind sensor and run the cable, I'm thinking one of these little airmar gizmos mounted on the pushpit or the stern antenna pole might be a quicker, easier and slightly cheaper solution. When the mast head unit does eventually get installed the airmar would potentially serve as a useful backup.

Any thoughts appreciated.

cheers

Pete

Hi Pete,
In my usage, Airmar products have given good service.
I would do good research and try to find field reports from users.
When I re-instrumented, now a decade+ ago, I researched this product (or its design precursor) and decided against for reasons that now escape me.
If using an n2k backbone, I would also wonder whether instruments using input data, say determining true wind which needs data from a number of sensors, might be unable to use data from a weather station and need data from dedicated wind instruments (and I believe Maretron makes one that looks like a GPS mushroom as well and which may be made by Airmar).
Let us know what you find out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks Dick.
They output nmea 2000 so I would imagine that the wind data is sent using the standard PGN, but yes definitely worth checking that one. It's strange that theres so little talk of them on sailboats, even the manufactures advertise them as being for 'boaters'. I get the feeling I'm missing something. Perhaps they're just unnecessarily expensive compared to a normal wind instrument.

Hi Pete, You remind me: one concern was that I could find no field reports that were not from power boats and they seemed marketed to that market. Also, run a messenger line when you do the install and you will be able to do the work mast-in the next time. Dick

Hi Pete, Please note, a Maretron masthead sensor just won an 2022 NEMA award. Dick

I'm a big fan of Maretron, I used their cables and connectors exclusively to build my network. With regards to the wind instrument, I decided to commit the cardinal sin and cut the connectors off the new cable and join them to the old cable running down the mast, connected in a waterproof junction box at the mast head. Not ideal but It'll have to do until the next time I pull the mast. €2500 for the mast in and out just to run a cable was a bit hard to justify. Anyway for now I'm enjoying the luxurious novelty of a wind reading, something I've been without for some time :)

Hi Pete,
What good news. I too have a Maretron backbone to my instruments and have been very happy. And I have done a few splices and field terminals and they have all worked out.
Tell me, does the new wind sensor talk with the other instruments: for ex, does the AW speed and angle from the sensor work with boat speed from your other instruments (either GPS or boat speed paddle) to get you TW speed and direction?
My best, Dick

So I just installed the standard/conventional B&G wind instrument that has been on board for a while awaiting installation.
I imagine you’re enquiring about the weather station, which I didn’t go for in the end, so can’t shed any light on that I’m afraid.

I eventually decided to throw caution to the wind, if you’ll pardon the pun, and joined wires up the mast (old analogue B&G to new NMEA B&G) to save investing in a weather station.

+x

 

pete.holt - 4 Nov 2022

So I just installed the standard/conventional B&G wind instrument that has been on board for a while awaiting installation.I imagine you’re enquiring about the weather station, which I didn’t go for in the end, so can’t shed any light on that I’m afraid.I eventually decided to throw caution to the wind, if you’ll pardon the pun, and joined wires up the mast (old analogue B&G to new NMEA B&G) to save investing in a weather station.

Pete, Understood. Good luck with it all. Dick