Basic Electronics

AS 30A

SUBMITTED BY:
JOHN MIKO MORAL
TERSO JIMENEZ
FRANCIS JAY OREHUELA

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. JOCHELLE TUMULAK
Marine electronics refers to electronics devices designed and classed for use in
the marine environment on board ships and yachts where even small drops of salt water
will destroy electronics devices. Therefore, the majority of these types of devices are
either water resistant or waterproof.
Marine electronics devices include chartplotter, marine VHF radio, autopilot and self-
steering gear, fishfinder and sonar, marine radar, GPS, fibre optic
gyrocompass, satellite television, and marine fuel management.

GPS (Chart Plotter) / Depth Sounder

A GPS is another important piece of marine electronics for your boat. Having a
GPS/ Chart Plotter on your boat helps you to navigate using the latest marine chips. It
also helps you to mark your fishing spots. Nowadays a GPS system is usually linked to
a number of other systems that require sensors.  The most common one is a depth
sounder which will require you get a transducer installed on your boat.  
Advantages and disadvantage of GPS
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is developed and managed by US
Defence. It is only fully operational Global Navigation Satellite System in the globe. The
system has about 24 to 32 earth orbit satellites which transmit radio signals. These
signals help GPS receivers to determine location, time and velocity. The devices are
embedded with GPS receiver chip to have this functionality.
GPS satellites are usually located at the height of 20,000 Km above the earth and orbits
with speed of 14000 Km/Hr. Signals are transmitted at the speed of light by these GPS
satellites.
ADVANTAGES of GPS
Following are the advantages of GPS:
➨The GPS signal is available anywhere on the globe. Hence user will not deprive of
GPS facility anywhere.
➨There is no charge to utilize the GPS service as US Defence bears cost of GPS
system. It is maintained and upgraded by US Department of Defence. It is cheaper
compare to other navigational systems.
➨The GPS system gets calibrated by its own and hence it is easy to be used by
anyone. ➨It provides user with location based information. This will be helpful in various
applications such as mapping (used in cars), location (geocaching), performance
analysis (used in sports), GIS etc. Example: Google Earth Application.
➨GPS helps find retail outlets in new visitor location.
DISADVANTAGES of GPS
Following are the disadvantages of GPS:
➨GPS chip is power hungry which drains battery in 8 to 12 hours. This requires either
battery replacement or recharge.
➨GPS signal does not pierce through the solid walls or structures. Moreover it is
affected by large buildings or structures. Due to this, user will not be able to utilize GPS
service in indoors or under water or in dense tree regions or in underground stores or
places etc. ➨GPS accuracy depends on sufficient received signal quality. GPS signal
gets affected due to multipath, atmosphere (i.e. ionosphere), electromagnetic
interference etc. This leads to error of about 5 to 10 meters in GPS signal.
➨Though currently system is managed by US DoD and users are utilizing the system
free of cost, it is in the hand of US to allow or deny the GPS service at anytime.
➨It is better not to rely completely on GPS system. Backup travel maps with directions
will help in the event of GPS system failure.
GPS INNOVATION
As a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering student we also concern about
ship Navigation. I innovate the GPS system and I want to make it lighter and accessible
to use. I create a tablet design for GPS. The GPS equipment on most vessel are battery
operated and not rechargeable so I decided to make a tablet GPS because it is
conventional to use and can be easily charge.