SERVING ALL MARINE ELECTRONICS PROFESSIONALS IN THIS ISSUE

Why 48 volts?
What you need
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March/April 2022
Volume 32, No. 2
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 SERVING ALL MARINE ELECTRONICS PROFESSIONALS
March/April 2022, Volume 32, No. 2

FEATURES
24 The Pro Gig
Win-win for both equipment makers
and anglers

32 Crazy World
of Conductor Sizing
When politics trump science

38 VDES
The next generation of AIS

42 Max Marine Electronics

Reviving old electronics
powers a thriving business

46 Worker Shortage
Some simple fixes to consider

24

42

38
24

COLUMNS DEPARTMENTS
14 Standards Update 6 NMEA Business
OneNet Radar messages in beta testing
Editorial • Board Members • New Members
16 RTCM Report 8 Mail Bag
SC104: a major player in GNSS accuracy 18 Industry News
28 Ed’s Electro-Tech Tips 48 Advertisers Index
Why 48 volts? What you need to know
36 Tech Talk COVER PHOTO
Getting grounded—properly Courtesy of Capt. Jack Carlson, Two Conchs Sportfishing

4 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

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NMEA Business
EDITORIAL New for spring 2022
ADVISORY BOARD
The staff of Marine Regional Marine Electronics Technician) certification. Dealers, be
Electronics Journal greatly meetings RETURN! sure to have your top installer/tech take this experience-
appreciates the time and We are bringing back based 150-question NMET exam, which can be taken
effort contributed by regional meetings for 2022! Our online and proctored by NMEA staff. As a NMEA dealer
the following NMEA first of three will be in Seattle, member benefit, the test is FREE to take, and you’ll
WA, on Tuesday evening, April be very close to these additional benefits exclusively
members to maintaining
19, at the Doubletree South for Master Dealers: Four FREE trainings per year, four
the magazine’s high Center, 16500 Southcenter FREE training renewals, two FREE NMEA conference
editorial standards. Parkway. Join us for dinner registrations, and two 5% manufacturer discount coupons
and drinks on NMEA from (per participating manufacturer) that can be used on up
Mark 5 to 7 pm. All marine trades
Tim Conroy to two orders ($5000 maximum per order). There is also
Reedenauer people are invited to this
ComMar Sales Inc. President & a Master Dealer promotional ad in each issue of MEJ. The
Annapolis, MD Executive Director networking event and NMEA cost difference between your dealer renewal and Master
membership is not required. Dealer renewal is only $75, and the benefits far outweigh
Ken Englert The next regional meeting will be in Ft. Lauderdale, the additional cost.
Maritime Communications FL, on Tuesday evening, June 15, at the Marriott North
Marina del Rey, CA Send us your installation photos
Hotel from 5 to 7 pm. The final regional meeting will NMEA is ramping up social media posts and presence
Kevin Sherburne be in Annapolis, MD, at ABYC headquarters on Tuesday and we want your best installation pictures! Email your
HWH Electronics evening, Dec. 13, from 5 to 7 pm. All three of these photos to info@nmea.org Thanks!!
St. Pete Beach, FL regional meetings will coincide with four-day NMEA
installer training events at the same locations. Employing veterans
Steve Burdett NMEA is working on two avenues to assist member
Coast Marine Marketing Insurance companies by getting veterans into the marine electronics
Dana Point, CA Get the best marine insurance in the business by industry:
talking with ANM Maritime, NMEA’s insurance partner. NMEA trainings are now VA/GI Bill approved! This
Ralph Sponar Alycia McGlone can offer great rates and most importantly allows veterans to take NMEA installer certification classes
United Radio Service the coverages member companies need as they work on
Baltimore, MD at the non-member rate and get reimbursed through
vessels in various settings from boatyards to marinas to their VA benefits. NMEA will be promoting this hard
backyards. ANM Maritime is licensed in many member
Gordon West in 2022 through several veteran marketing avenues. VA
Gordon West’s Radio School states in the USA. For more information email us at info@ License and Certification is a reimbursement process, and
Costa Mesa, CA nmea.org therefore the veteran or beneficiary will need to pay out
Dealers: Become a Master Dealer! of pocket up front. The veteran will need to complete an
Ben Ellison Your NMEA has made it easier for dealer members to application to the VA with proof of payment. The VA will
Marine Journalist
Camden, ME take the step to become a Master Dealer in 2022. Master look to see if the organization and test/exam are approved
Dealers are NMEA dealers with a storefront/showroom and then submit payment to the veteran. What does
Jules Rutstein and a facility for troubleshooting and repairing marine this mean for members?—quality, trained veterans with
Rockledge, FL electronics. Master Dealers should have a basic inventory excellent work ethics entering the industry.
of necessary parts available to facilitate quick installation NMEA is partnering with Veterans Florida as a liaison
or repair when possible. Master Dealers must have at least for NMEA member companies to become a “SkillBridge
one CMET or NMET on staff and meet requirements for Employer,” which crafts internships or apprenticeships
technical education. Master Dealers must buy direct from to meet their specific workforce needs. Veterans Florida
at least four NMEA manufacturer member companies, assists members in that state to match those needs to the
which includes navigation and/or communications skills and abilities of highly motivated service members
equipment. Additional requirements are detailed in the at no cost to a member company. The US Department
Master Dealer application. NMEA staff will guide you of Defense pays the service member’s salary and benefits
through this process. while the service member participates in SkillBridge at
New this year—the NMET (National Marine your company. What does this mean for members?—a
Electronics Technician) certification now qualifies for potential new employee at no cost to you during their
Master Dealer eligibility along with CMET (Certified transition period from service to civilian.

6 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

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Mail Bag
Spring clamp terminals
compliance issues
While I am not currently in the marine
electronics industry, I am a master electrician and
have spent most of my career in the machinery
automation industry. Many things are similar
between these two industries, including wire
termination technologies and methods.
Some time ago, I took the Marine Electronics
Installer course with a plan to get into the
industry, and was a NMEA member for a short
period (which is why I still get the Journal). I am
a sailor and regularly tinker with boats.
A few comments regarding your recent article
“Making the Connection” in the Nov/Dec 2021
issue (page 39):
You may have wanted to clarify that DIN
provides standardization for a great many things
besides DIN rail and that there are multiple DIN
rail profiles that are covered by DIN standards:
TS35, TS32, TS15; with TS35 being likely the
most common and what your readers are most
likely to encounter with respect to terminals,
circuit breakers, etc.
In your graphic of the cage-clamp type
terminal, the spring is not in fact the current-
carrying link in the terminal. The spring merely
pushes the conductor against the metal bus bar in
the terminal, which is the conducting component.
I’m not saying that all cage-clamp style terminals
Cybersecurity “warrants further exploration”
I read with interest your cybersecurity article
in the November/December 2021 (page 46)
edition of MEJ and some of the issues this
raises. However, there were several areas where
I felt there was perhaps a simplification that
warrants further exploration. For background,
we at Intrinsic Group are the developers of LINK,
a remote monitoring solution for smart vessels.
We have also identified the need for increased
awareness of cyber risks in the maritime sector
through this. In addition to this, I am also in
the late stages of completing my MSc in cyber
security, focusing on risks facing organizations
and users through compromised operational
technology systems.
For example, in the section Integrated
Systems = Vulnerability (I believe this section
possibly warrants a question mark after the title,
but that’s a further discussion!), you quote Naval
Dome as “simply deleting targets off the screen.”
Has Naval Dome credibly and responsibly
8 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
are like that, but the ones that are would likely be
compliant with the E-11 standard.
There are many set screw-type terminals
that would be compliant in that the set screw
bears on the pressure plate with the clamp
pulling the conductor up to the opposite side.
Weidmuller, Weiland, and Phoenix Contact are
such brands that have these types in many sizes
and configurations.
Regardless of the terminal type, I would
always recommend the use of proper ferrules for
terminations. A couple of manufacturers make
proper ferrules in AWG and mm wire sizes as
well as the proper tools for crimping them. Any
electrical wholesaler should be able to source
these ferrules, again from Weidmuller, Wieland,
Pheonix Contact, etc. The use of homemade brass
sleeves should not be necessary or advisable. Even
Amazon offers ferrules and crimpers, although
the brands may not be as recognized as the others
I mentioned.
Keep the interesting articles coming!
Richard den Bak
 with this article.
Northwind Technical Services Inc.
documented this vulnerability and the processes
involved? I find the use of the word “simply” here
somewhat misleading, verging on sensational, as
such an attack would require knowledge of the
systems involved. While this is not necessarily out
of the realm of possibility for a targeted attack,
we do have to question the likelihood of a chance
attacker understanding the importance of such
systems on the operation of a vessel (or even if
such a bad actor would even be aware they were
onboard a vessel).
Moving through the article, there are some
excellent examples of the human risk to vessel
security. However, these examples aren’t exactly
built on. For example, there’s no mention of
how AAA (Authentication, Authorization and
Accounting) procedures and protocols can
be used to mitigate and manage the risks to
operations and the SSID example presented, by
itself, would do little to nothing to prevent an
attack without further upstream management and
Ed Sherman Responds:
Thanks so much for responding to my
MEJ article. I think most readers will realize
that DIN is responsible for many standards
based on the brief background I provided,
and yes I’m also quite aware of the different
rail mounts available as well as the various
terminal attachment configurations.
As for my use of brass “homemade”
ferrules, I’m going back several decades here.
The premade units were not as readily available
as they are today, at least not here in the
Northeast US where I was working at the
time. This is not much of a problem today with
product availability much improved, although
even today not as readily available to the
marine industry field technicians as would be
desirable. The type of connections described
in the article are widely used on products built
outside of the US and Canada, which is a part
of the availability problem I’m sure.
As for the illustration used in the article, I
may be looking at it incorrectly, but it appears
to me that the spring mechanism is in fact
connected directly to the conducting metal on
the left side of the picture. The problem with
these types of terminal connections is that this
mechanism is hidden inside the fixture and
can’t be seen in a field situation to determine
compliance with either US or ISO standards.
Further to that, in spite of availability
of products that comply, I have personally
inspected hundreds of boats, all imported into
the US from Europe, Asia and South Africa,
that do not comply with current standards.
No ferrules and no crimp on pin connectors.
Are these boats having electrical problems as
a result? That is really the question I’m asking
segregation of guest services, standard vessel IT/
OT and mission-critical IT/OT.
On page 48, the OneNet segment does
an excellent job at highlighting some of the
functions and features of the OneNet protocol
(something we are currently in the process of
implementing, pending availability of solutions
from other manufacturers for compatibility
testing). However, we must also remember that
adoption of OneNet will (a) take time and (b)
OneNet does not 'fix' the issues in maritime
cyberspace. It is merely a tool for manufacturers
and integrators, in much the same way as HTTPS
does not fix internet security, it merely provides a
method to secure communications. However, if a
user’s device is compromised, it can still use that
secure channel to send an email or transfer funds
out of a bank account.
I find the Furuno comments interesting,
primarily as studies and proof of concepts exist
(Continued on page 50)
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 NMEA
Board Members 2022
CHAIRPERSON Kevin Boughton Johnny Lindstrom
Steven Katz Midcoast Marine Omnisense Systems USA
Steve’s Marine Service Electronics Port Angeles, WA
Stevensville, MD Rockland, ME Phone: (410) 975-9425 March/April 2022
Phone: (410) 231-3191 Phone: (207) 691-3986 Email: jelindstrom@ Volume 32, No. 2
Email: steve@ Email: kbofme@gmail.com omnisense-systems.com Publisher
stevesmarineservice.com NMEA
Peter Braffitt 1ST PAST 846 Ritchie Highway, L4
VICE CHAIRPERSON Gemeco CHAIRPERSON Severna Park, MD 21146
Lake City, SC Mike Spyros (410) 975-9425, Fax (410) 975-9450
Brian Kane info@nmea.org www.nmea.org
GOST Phone: 803-693-0777 Electronics Unlimited
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Email: pbraffitt@ Ft. Lauderdale, FL Editor
Phone: (954) 868-2714 gemeco.com Phone: (954) 467-2695 James W. Fullilove
Email: bkane@ Email: m.spyros@ 617 Pineneedle Lane
gostglobal.com
Paul Comyns comcast.net
Englewood, FL 34223
Mobile (207) 542-9511
Intellian Technologies jim@mejbiz.com
TREASURER Everett, WA
Richard Baker Phone: (949) 727-4498 NMEA Design
Garmin ext. 1301 NATIONAL OFFICE Kelly Williams
Kelly Designs
Glendale AZ Fax: (949) 271-4183 846 Ritchie Highway, L4 37 Lord Road
Phone: (714) 642-3517 Cell: (425) 879-3823 Severna Park, MD 21146 Hope, ME 04847
Email: paul.comyns@ (207) 763-4572, kelly@tidewater.net
Email: richard.baker@ Phone: (410) 975-9425
garmin.com intelliantech.com Fax: (410) 975-9450
Email: info@nmea.org Advertising Sales Office
SECRETARY Sean Hatherley Bruce J. Cole
Marine Electronics Journal Inc.
Jason Young Navico President & P.O. Box 418
Vesper Marine Merrimack, NH Executive Director Rockport, ME 04856-0418
Mark Reedenauer Office (207) 706-9121, Mobile (207) 691-4893
West Creek, NJ Phone: (603) 493-8662
bcole@mcnabbmr.com
Phone: (609) 246-5067 Email: sean.hatherley@ Email: mreedenauer@
Email: jason@ navico.com nmea.org Marine Electronics Journal, Inc.
vespermarine.com Director
Ken Englert, President
Brian Swanke maritime@maritimecomm.com
DIRECTORS CWR Electronics of Standards Tim Conroy, Vice President
John Barry Bayville, NJ Mark Oslund tim@commar.com

Technical Marine Phone: 800-527-3306 Email: moslund@nmea.org Steve Burdett, Treasurer

Support, Inc.
Pleasant Prairie, WI
Phone: (847) 746-0100
Email: john@
technicalmarine.com
steve@coastmarinemarketing.com
Email: brians@ Office Manager Cindy Ensley, Secretary
cwrdistribution.com Cindy Love cindy@ensley.com
Email: clove@nmea.org
Todd Tally Marine Electronics Journal is published six times a year by the Marine
Electronics Journal, Inc. Marine Electronics is a trademark of the
Atlantic Marine Electronics Office Assistant National Marine Electronics Association
New Gretna, NJ Laura Chester
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ARTICLES: While feature articles are reviewed by members of our
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take responsibility for individual views or attitudes expressed by
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Reproduction of material in whole or in part without permission
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10 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

New Members
Website: http://www.lunbar Pier 33
marine.com/ Tighe Curran
Safe Harbor Hawthorne 3000 Lakeview Ave.
Cove Marina St. Joseph, MI 49085
Peter Russell Phone: 269-983-3333
10 White St., Salem, MA 01970 Email: tc@pier33.com
Phone: 978-740-9890 Website: www.pier33.com
Email: prussell@shmarinas.com Avalanche Motorsports
Website: www.shmarinas.com Shane Boutchyard
Offshore Marine Redwood City, CA 94061 Hullux Marine Electrical 2287 W 5th St., Washington, NC 27889
DEALER Electronics, LLC Phone: 415-847-8829 Justin Hullinger Phone: 252-946-0920
Matthew Becht Email: doug.traeger@ 3614 12th Ave. West, Ste. B Email: sboutchyard@
Fish-Lectronics 217 E 16th Ave., Gulf Shores, AL 36542 blueoceangear.com Seattle, WA 98119 avalanche-motors.com
Matt Nelson Phone: 251-368-4443 Website: www.blueoceangear.com Phone: 206-488-5311 Website: www.avalanche-motors.com
13748 Bluewing Dr., Rogers, MN 55374 Email: matt@offshoremarineal.com Email: justin@hulluxmarine.com Digital Design Group
Phone: 218-340-8195 Website: www.offshoremarineal.com Website: https://www.hulluxmarine.com Benny Carino
Email: matt@fishlectronics,.com BOAT BUILDER YCS Yacht Care Systems Inc. 1558 Global Ct., Sarasota, FL 34240
Website: https://fishlectronics.com/ Brian Renix Phone: 941-552-8789
Marintel LLC MANUFACTURER Composite Builders LLC #3-5 Senator Rd. Email: benny@goddg.com
Bekhruz Suleymanov Pam Lubbers Website: www.goddg.com
North Vancouver, BC V7P3H9
Badamdar 111 430 West 18th St., Ste. 200
nke Marine Electronics Holland, MI 49423
Phone: 604-218-9125 Western Canada Marine
Sabail d., Baku Azerbaijan, AZ1004 Pascal Merien Email: brian@yachtcaresystems.com Response Corp.
Phone: +994 50 214 21 87 Phone: 616-377-7767
6 rue Gutenberg–ZI de Kerandre Website: www.yachtcaresystems.com Andrew Martin
Email: beka@marintel.com Website: www.compositebuilders.com
56700 Hennebont Revolution Yacht 206-3500 Gilmore Way
Website: www.marintel.com France Platinum Marine Group Experience Ltd. Burnaby, BC Canada V5G 0B8
Blue Ocean Systems Phone: +33 297 36 1012 Julie Baksics Phone: 251-504-0534
Alex Bailey
Jon Knudel Email: pmerien@nke.fr 11580 Mitchell Rd. Email: andrewm@wcmrc.com
485 Broughton St.
2620 N Harbor Loop Dr., Ste. 10 Website: https:// Richmond, BC V6V1T7 Website: www.wcmrc.com
Vancouver, BC V6G 3E8
Bellingham, WA 98225 nke-marine-electronics.fr/ Phone: 604-325-6920
Email: Julie@platinummarine.ca
Phone: 604-235-1010 Cape Charles Marine Services
Phone: 360-544-2704 Honda Electronics Email: alex@ryexperience.com Nicole Jacques
Email: admin@blueoceansystems.org Website: www.platinummarine.ca
Kazuki Higuchi North Florida Sonar, LLC 1011 Bayshore Rd.
Website: www.blueoceansystems.org 20 Oyamazuka Oiwa-cho Cooper Lockamy Cape Charles, VA 23310
Trophy Marine LLC Toyohashi, Aichi Japan 441-3193 TRADE 9315 North Holland Rd. Phone: 207-450-9943
Elmer Barnett Phone: 0532412528 Southport, FL 32409 Email: Nicole@capecharlesmarine.com
25410 Canal Rd., Ste. 0-296 Email: khiguchi@honda-el-.co.jp Epic Yacht Management Phone: 850-348-0431 Website: www.ccyachtcenter.com
Orange Beach, AL 36561 Website: https://www.honda-el.net/ Edana Long Email: nfssonar@gmail.com Al’s Mobile Marine
Phone: 251-504-0534 Raritan Engineering Co., Inc. 730 Coho Way, Bellingham, WA 98225 Website: www.northfloridasonar.com Dale Pisacano
Email: trophymarine@hotmail.com Patrick McNeal Phone: 360-366-8929 Manatee Technical College 131 Atlantic Ave.
Battlecat Productions Inc. 530 Orange St., Millville, NJ 08332 Email: edana@epicyacht Kimberly Breslich West Soyville, NY 11796
James Halstead Phone: 856-825-4900 management.com 6305 SR 70 E, Bradenton, FL 34203 Phone: 631-244-0253
801 Tarpon Dr., Wilmington, NC 28409 Email: patrickm@raritaneng.com Phone: 941-751-7900 Email: dpisacano22@gmail.com
Yacht Gurus, Inc.
Phone: 910-726-6471 Website: www.raritaneng.com Email: mtcaccounting@ Website: www.alsmobilemarine.net
Addison Sammet
Email: jim.battlecat@gmail.com Blue Ocean Gear Inc. 104 SW 23rd St., #13 manateeschools.net New England Bow Thruster
Website: www.battlecatmarine.com Douglas Traeger Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 Website: www.manateetech.edu/ Bill Jennings
914 Edgecliff Way Phone: 954-348-4894 Wood Marine LLC PO Box 159, Mystic, CT 06388
Email: addison@ Craig Wood Phone: 860-625-1365
yachtgurus.us 1033 Cooper Dr., Ashland, OH 44805 Email: bill@newenglandbowthruster.com
Website: www.yachtgurus.us Phone: 419-685-3046 Website: www.newengland
Email: craigwd@aol.com bowthruster.com
ProTeam Guides, LLC,
dba/ PTG Outdoors Moose Landing Marina
Patsy Upchurch Will Monson ASSOCIATE
649 Lakeview Dr. 32 Moose Landing Trail
Grenada, MS 38901 Naples, ME 04055 Michel Mayedo
Phone: 662-459-9311 Phone: 207-693-6264 4425 SW 50th St.
Email: patsy@ Email: will@mooselandingmarina.com Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314
proteamguides.com Website: www.mooselanding Phone: 954-952-3626
Website www. marina.com Email: michaelmayedo1@gmail.com
ptgoutdoors.com Seprofei Marine Craig Mundie
Reliable Marine Jesus Antonio Torres 834 36th Ave. E
Dave Vollmer Plaza Marina Estudio 218 cp Seattle, WA 98112
45335 Clarks Mill Rd. Puerto Vallarta Jalisco, Mexico 48335 Phone: 206-669-4656
Hollywood, MD 20636 Phone: 755-127-1070 Email: craig_Mundie@mundie.org
Phone: 240-298-3700 Email: jesusant81@hotmail.com
Email: dvmipax@yahoo.com Mark Crowley
Atlantic Boat Rental & Repair 10 Alcott Way
TYM–Technology Ron Cribbie Succasunna, NJ 07876
Yacht Management 210 S Meadow Rd. Phone: 973-219-0702
Nicola Ruggeri Plymouth, MA 02360 Email: mark.crowley@outlook.com
999 Birckell Ave., Ste. 1002 Phone: 508-944-2490
Miami, FL 33131 Email: rcribbie@aol.com John Kohler
Phone: 786-803-1105 Website: www.atlanticboatrepair.com 4821 Lookout Ave.
Email: nruggeri@tym-fl.com Bellingham, WA 98229
Legacy Marine Group LLC Phone: 360-319-7124
Guthman Electronics Christopher Biello Email: ekohler227@gmail.com
Greg Guthman 90 N Bryan Rd., Dania Beach, FL 33004
10816 Town Center Blvd., Phone: 954-744-4797 Bursil Daxon
#222 Email: chris@legacymarine.com PO Box SB50990
Dunkirk, MD 20754 Website: www.legacymarine.com Nassau, Bahamas
Phone: 443-992-4046 Phone: 242-544-0547
Electronautics Email: daxon242@gmail.com
Email: greg@guthman Jacob Loeber
electronics.com 1417 Eutaw Battalion Dr. Siegefred Wilson
Captain’s Boat Wiring Charleston, SC 29412 Bernard Rd.
David Miller Phone: 843-990-1746 Monastery Heights
5409 Overseas Hwy., Email: electronauticsllc@gmail.com Nassau, Bahamas N9473
Ste. 311 Phone: 1-242-376-6343
Motion Marine Service Email: marinetechbahamas@gmail.com
Marathon, FL 33050-2710 Mark Bischoff
Phone: 847-456-3133 56 South Ave., Smithtown, NY 11787 Mark Doyle
Email: captainsboatwiring@ Phone: 631-972-4168 6710 35th Ave. W
gmail.com Email: mark@emotionmarineservice.com Bradenton, FL 34209
Lunbar Marine LLC Phone: 941-730-1412
Clayton’s Garage Email: msdoyle1965@yahoo.com
Peter Lunde Kerri Clayton
1214 Sterling Circle PO Box 237, Eureka, UT 84628
Annapolis, MD 21403 Phone: 904-710-7078
Phone: 410-990-0970 Email: clayton.kerri@gmail.com
Email: info@
lunbarmarine.com

12 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

Standards Update From Director of Standards Mark Oslund

OneNet Radar messages in beta testing

N
MEA 2000®, and the most recent release of Version 3.000,
clearly show the extreme growth in the standard over two
decades. In the year 2000, relatively few products were
certified. Today the list includes more than 1000. In the spirit
of expanding this capability to all marine data, OneNet® adds
increased benefits—it’s far faster, has more capacity and is easier to install.
Importantly, with the emergence of OneNet, NMEA 2000 data will become
a viable option for large vessels, which have ethernet throughout and can
securely utilize our developed NMEA 2000 data messages.
With the startup of third-party testing of the certification tool through
the University of New Hampshire’s Interoperability Laboratory, the OneNet
Standard has reached another milestone. Nate Karstens, OneNet Committee
Chairperson, has again been instrumental in leading NMEA’s certification tool
program, providing manufacturers with a tool to aid in their development
of OneNet-certified products. This effort required that all issues within
the standard discovered during certification development be raised to the
committee and quickly resolved in order to expedite the availability of this
tool. Manufacturers can rest assured that their first OneNet devices will be
ready for self-certification and third-party interoperability testing this year.
Radar PGNs for Automated Radar Position Fixing (ARPF) and to report status of
One category under continued development is OneNet Radar messages, configuration changes when an ARPF Track is created or deleted.
presently in the initial stages of beta testing. We must look past the idea of ARPF Position Fix. Provides own vessel’s position fix resolved from the
manufacturer A’s dome or open array sharing its data with manufacturer B’s radar’s track of the ARPF objects, including distance and bearing (line of
MFD. Instead, look to the future of PC-based radars, shore-based radars, and position) information used in the determination/resolution.
sharing radar information ship to ship with vessels nearby for safety purposes
and in the event that a nearby vessel loses their radar. OneNet can unlock Radar Zones Range-Bearing Reference–Expanded. Used with the
these possibilities, and these Radar messages underwent several iterations to Command Group Function (PGN 126208) to configure Radar Zones that are
become essential and also satisfy the needs of broadband radar component range and bearing referenced and to report status of configuration changes
sets. Interestingly, two of 12 messages are engineered to be forward when a Zone is created, modified or deleted.
compatible for use in future marine applications. One application currently Radar Zones Latitude-Longitude–Expanded. Used with the Command
in our future planning objectives is the Sonar messaging application. The Group Function (PGN 126208) to configure Radar Zones that are latitude
current Radar PGNs in beta testing are as follows: and longitude referenced and to report status of configuration changes when
Tracked Target Data Expanded. Used to send tracked target data, and is a Zone is created, modified or deleted.
transmitted for every tracked target at least once per antenna revolution. Radar Zones Basic. Used with the Command Group Function (PGN
Tracked Target Data Detail. Used to send detailed tracked target data. Adds 126208) to configure Radar Zones that are range and bearing referenced and
detail to the Tracked Target Data Expanded PGN including Altitude (for to report status of configuration changes when a Zone is created, modified
example Search and Rescue aircraft). or deleted.
Tracked Target Standard Error Data. Provides standard error-related Zone ID List. Reports a list of Zone IDs for all Radar Zones that are currently
information to the Tracked Target and may be transmitted once per antenna defined and is only sent upon request.
rotation (radar dependent) per Target and upon request. Radar Spoke Video. Provides video amplitude data for the spokes of the
Tracked Target Full Error Data. Provides positional and velocity error radar image, where a spoke consists of video amplitude data for a series of
information to the Tracked Target Data Expanded PGN. It is only sent out range cells.
along with a Tracked Target Data Expanded PGN. Currently, there are no plans to incorporate these Radar messages into
NMEA 2000 data messages. However, specific Radar alarm codes can be
Radar Track Control. Used to configure Radar Tracks and to report status made for use in the NMEA 2000 Alert PGN. These codes may make their
of configuration changes when any of the track control functions are way into NMEA 2000 network instrumentation to provide the potential to
performed. The term Target and Track in this PGN are synonymous. increase ships systems awareness. We will see what the Radar working group
ARPF Object. Used to configure Radar Tracks for a conspicuous object comes up with for our future systems. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

 
14 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
 RTCM Report
SC104: a major player in GNSS accuracy
RTCM Special Committee 104 Differential GNSS Services is the largest and arguably the best
known of all RTCM committees. Below is a primer of its far-ranging and important work.
R
TCM Special Committee 104
(SC104) was established in 1983 to
develop standards for a Differential
Global Positioning System (DGPS),
wherein corrections for the errors
inherent in the system are generated by a
reference station and transmitted to a receiver,
thus increasing its positional accuracy. In 1983 the
accuracy of Standard Positioning Service of GPS
was specified at 100 meters (95% probability)
with Selective Availability (SA) on. The goal of
DGPS was to achieve an accuracy of 1 meter
using pseudorange corrections. The US Coast
Guard was the primary motivating force in the
development of DGPS, and the initial Version 1
of the SC104 DGPS standard was essential to the
creation of the US Coast Guard’s DGPS network
for improving navigation accuracy in coastal and
inland waterways.
This international standards body is an
exemplary public/private partnership where
new positioning techniques are envisioned,
developed and standardized by both industry
and government participants. Members of SC104
are drawn from a global pool of interested
commercial and governmental organizations,
including receiver manufacturers and GNSS
(Global Navigation Satellite System) systems
operators.
Today, SC104 maintains the following RTCM
standards on Differential Global Navigation
Satellite Systems (DGNSS), ensuring compatibility
SC104 Standards
Standard Title Year
Number Published
10401.2 Differential NAVSTAR 2006
GPS Reference Stations techniques and higher-bandwidth datalinks such
and Integrity Monitors
(RSIM)
10402.3 Recommended Standards 2001
for DGNSS Service
10403.3 Differential GNSS 2020
Services – Version 3
10410.1 Networked Transport of 2021
RTCM via Internet In addition to liaising with IALA, GNSS
Protocol (NTRIP) –
Version 2.0.
16 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
By Robert W. Snow, SC104 Chair
between GNSS receivers of most manufacturers:
GNSS systems standardized by SC104 include
the United States’ GPS, Russian Global Navigation
Satellite System (GLONASS), European Galileo,
Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS),
Navigation Indian Constellation (NavIC), Chinese
BeiDou, and various Space-Based Augmentation
Systems (SBAS).
Version 2: a worldwide standard
SC104 developed Version 2 of the SC104
standard to include both GPS and GLONASS,
thus making it a GNSS specification. Version
2 proved to be very popular and is today the
standard used worldwide for numerous countries’ Artist’s impression of a GPS-IIRM satellite in
orbit. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
DGNSS networks. The current version of that
standard is RTCM 10402.3 plus amendment 1,
and it provides codephase correction standards
used primarily for Safety of Life at Sea. The
standard was developed to use low-bandwidth communications between marine electronics, as
well as with International GNSS Service (IGS)
(25-300 bps) MF/LF communication links,
and it is considered a legacy standard that is on the development of the Receiver Independent
Exchange format (RINEX). The committee is
not able to make use of all the current GNSS
systems and signals. SC104 continues to liaise also closely tied to RTCM SC134, which is
developing standardized integrity messages for
with the International Association of Lighthouse
Authorities (IALA) and is ready to update this autonomous applications. SC134 started out as a
Working Group (WG) of SC104, but the amount
standard if IALA determines a version 2.4 is
necessary. The Version 2.4 currently envisioned of work involved necessitated the formation of a
standalone committee.
would contain generic messages that could be
used for multiple GNSS systems as well as VHF There are many aspects to GNSS that occupy
SC104. There are 13 active WGs working on the
Ranging Mode and integrity support. SC104
also publishes a companion legacy standard for following topics: the BeiDou system, Coordinate
Transformations, Differential GNSS (Version 2),
Reference Station Integrity Monitoring (RSIM)
Version 1.2. the Galileo system, the GLONASS system, the
NavIC system, Network RTK, NTRIP, the QZSS
Because of the limitations imposed by
maintaining backward compatibility with existing system, RINEX, various SBAS systems, State
DGNSS infrastructure, SC104 developed a new Space Representation (SSR), and DGNSS Version
Version 3.0 that took advantage of progress in 3. These WGs are working on the evolutions
the development of Real-time Kinematic (RTK) of their different areas of specialty such as new
signals in space and positioning techniques.
as VHF radios and cellular internet connections. The NTRIP WG has just completed work on
Amendment 2 to Version 2 of the NTRIP standard.
The current version of the standard is RTCM
10403.3 plus amendment 1. Over the past NTRIP is a simple ‘publish and subscribe’ method
two years, SC104 has standardized messages to connect one or more Base Stations to one
for NavIC L5 and BeiDou, and these are now or more Rover Devices typically using cellular
incorporated in Version 3.3. phone technology. The new amendment fixed
HTTP protocol violations in the original Version
Working with NMEA 0183 1 standard and made other minor improvements.
Future work will focus on better support of https/
experts on SC104 also work closely with the SLS/STLS security, support for providing error
NMEA 0183 Standard Committee defining (Continued on page 50)

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Industry News
Garmin wins National Boating
Industry Safety Award
G
armin was awarded a 2021 National Boating
Industry Safety Award from the Sea Tow Founda-
tion, honoring its commitment to boating safety
through product innovations and dedicated pro-
motion efforts.
The award was presented in December in cooperation with the
Boating Safety Advisory Council during the Marine Retailers Associ-
ation of the Americas national Dealer Week. It seeks to recognize for-profit companies in
the recreational boating industry that successfully promote safe and responsible boating.
Garmin received top honors in the Gear and Equipment Manufacturer category for its
work aligned with National Safe Boating Week 2021. The company was complimented for
utilizing its social channels to drive heightened awareness for the resources, programming
and training opportunities available to boaters by the National Safe Boating Council, US
Coast Guard and Sea Tow. In addition to social amplification, the award citation noted that
Garmin helped influence safe boating education and promotion through purposeful media
outreach, informative blog posts and a marine webinar emphasizing ways that boaters can
stay prepared and vigilant while on the water.
“This award represents our dedication to not only creating products that can support
safe and responsible boating for customers, but to help shed light on an important conver-
sation within industry,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales.
“Whether for the seasoned skipper or a brand-new boater, our goal is to provide products
and resources needed for a stronger and smarter community of boaters. The National Boat-
ing Industry Safety Award is evidence that we are already making a difference within that
community, and we thank the Sea Tow Foundation for this great honor.”
CED Marine Dealer Event:
product info, education—and fun
C
ED Marine held its first annual Dealer Event at the end of January,
drawing 39 vendors and 100 or so dealers to Florida’s Orlando Hyatt
Regency Grand Cypress Resort. Spread over two days, the agenda
included show floor exhibits, on-water product demonstrations, man-
ufacturer seminars and a pair of sports tournaments.
“We introduced new products and vendors to our dealers and helped to educate the
dealers through various seminars and on-water demonstrations. We also offered dealers some
early discounts,” said Paul Michele, Senior VP-Sales & Marketing.
Day one’s agenda focused on products and technical education, capped by a reception and
dinner. On-water demos gave dealers a hands-on look at audio, GPS and sonar equipment
among other electronics. Dealers had 14 half-hour seminars to choose from that provided
information on new products and installation topics.
That evening attendees could sign up for an after-dark golf tournament with a twist. Night
vision equipment manufacturers set up their wares at the facility for participants to use—and
perhaps get a glimpse of how the competition was doing.
Day two offered a morning bass tournament on the well-stocked lakes at the nearby Dis-
ney World complex. The winner caught and released an impressive total of 399 inches of bass.
“The feedback we got was that vendors were ecstatic and that dealers were very apprecia-
tive and left excited and more confident in their product knowledge,” said Michele. “Everyone
had a great time as well. It set the bar for what we’ll try to beat next year.”
18 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
Johnson Outdoors
reports record sales
and earnings in 2021
J
ohnson Outdoors Inc., parent company
of Humminbird and other marine brands,
reported record sales and earnings for the fis-
cal year ending Oct. 1, 2021. Continued high
demand for products in their Fishing, Camp-
ing and Watercraft Recreation units propelled a 26%
increase in sales as operating profit grew 56.6% and net
income rose 51% over the prior fiscal year. Fourth quar-
ter net sales rose slightly above the prior year quarter’s
unprecedented results.
“Johnson Outdoors had an exceptional year, driven
by people’s continued interest in spending time out-
doors. Fishing, Camping and Watercraft Recreation
saw strong sales during all four quarters, with Diving
beginning to recover in the third and fourth fiscal quar-
ters. While ongoing global supply chain disruptions
remain challenging, we’re pleased with our results and
our employees’ hard work to continue to meet demand
and deliver the best outdoor experiences possible,” said
Helen Johnson-Leipold, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer.
“Looking ahead, we remain focused on our key
strategic drivers—understanding our consumers, sus-
taining innovation leadership, identifying new sources
and paths of growth in our markets, and continually
optimizing our digital consumer experience—to ensure
our portfolio of market-leading brands is well-positioned
for success.”
Total company revenue grew 26% percent to $751.7
million versus fiscal 2020 revenue of $594.2 million.
Key factors included a 23% increase in fishing revenue
due to continued demand across all product lines. Total
operating profit was $111.3 million in fiscal 2021, which
compared favorably to operating profit of $71.1 million
in the prior fiscal year. Despite higher raw material and
freight costs, gross margins only dipped slightly due
to volume efficiencies and favorable product mix. Net
income for the fiscal year improved to $83.4 million, a
51% improvement versus $55.2 million in fiscal 2020.
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Industry News Garmin and
Vesper Marine

O
ACQUISITIONS ANNOUNCED n Jan. 3, Garmin announced its acquisition
of Vesper Marine, which is expected to
Yamaha and Siren Marine

S
iren Marine is now part of Yamaha Marine Systems Co., Inc., a subsid-
iary of Yamaha Motor Corp., USA. Siren Marine products will retain
their brand name and the company will continue to support current
customers from its Newport, RI, headquarters. The terms of the pur-
chase will not be disclosed.
Yamaha US Marine Business Unit President Ben Speciale said at a press confer-
ence in mid-January, “Together we plan to develop a fully connected vessel that has
integrated systems, including two-way communications with our outboard systems
that can be upgraded with new features as we continue to advance.” He said that
while the total integration package is not yet fully mapped, they see it becoming
standard on many boats in the future. Yamaha and Siren Marine plan to roll out
expand product features over the next 12-24 months.
Speciale explained that the acquisition and development of new connected
products are in line with Yamaha’s CASE Strategy. CASE is an acronym for Con-
nected, Autonomous, Shared/Service and Electrification, and describes the focus
areas of deploying the technology in an effort to make boating easier. CASE is Yama-
ha’s directional theme for future product development, and is also being integrated
into current Yamaha products as the company continues to evolve.
The Marine Business Unit President said Yamaha’s focus has always been to “lead
the industry in reliability, a high level of customer service, greater convenience and
peace of mind for our boater and angler customers.” He added that Siren Marine
shares that philosophy.
Asked if Siren Marine products will only be available for Yamaha-branded sys-
tems, Speciale said the strategy is to build a connectivity backbone on boats that will
accommodate a variety of products. He said they will not exclude any product or
customer and “expects the platform to be very open” while maintaining the security
of Yamaha’s engine command and control system.
Siren Marine General Manager Jeffrey Pool said, “We are extremely excited to
be part of the Yamaha family. We remain committed to our original philosophy of
giving every boater what they want—peace of mind—same as Yamaha.” He pointed
out that people are used to connectivity in other aspects of their lives and that they
see connectivity on boats as an extension of that.
bolster Garmin’s lineup of marine prod-
ucts and technology designed to provide
peace of mind and enhanced situational
awareness for boaters. Financial terms were not released.
With almost 15 years of experience, Vesper has devel-
oped a suite of communication products and solutions for
power, sail and workboats, including the award-winning
Cortex system. Cortex combines a state-of-the-art VHF
radio with Vesper’s unique smartAIS transponder and
remote vessel monitoring technology. Vesper’s smartAIS
transponders incorporate built-in alarms to alert mariners
of potential collisions, dragging anchors and man over-
board situations. The company also offers mobile apps to
monitor, view and manage a Cortex system or smartAIS
transponder for iOS and Android devices.
“Vesper has pioneered a number of innovations in the
marine communications space, with recognition across
the industry for its emphasis on user-friendly and intu-
itive interfaces that make it easier to communicate on
the water,” said Jarrod Seymour, Garmin Vice President,
Marine Segment Leader. “Together with the Vesper team,
we look forward to providing an unmatched portfolio of
integrated marine communications products and services
to our customers.”
“We are excited to have the support from a marine
technology leader like Garmin,” said Carl Omundsen,
Vesper Marine co-founder. “This combination will allow
Vesper to expand its capabilities and integration into the
marine communication market to make an even greater
impact in the boating industry.”
Vesper Marine is headquartered in Auckland, New
Zealand, and will join Garmin’s existing team and facility
located in Auckland.

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20 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

The Pro Gig
Professional anglers have strong
relationships with electronics man-
ufacturers, and the arrangement is
a winning combination for everyone
involved, including the end user. We
wanted to know more about how all
of this works, so we asked a veteran
marine journalist who spends a lot
of time wetting hooks and writing
about fishing to make some calls.
Here’s what he told us:
BY LENNY RUDOW
Brand ambassadors like Capt. Mark
Henderson of the Liquid Fire Fishing
Team above deliver a lot more than
promotion for their sponsors, although
those affiliations are important to
manufacturers and service providers
of all sorts. Most pro anglers represent
multiple equipment makers, as
evidenced by the display of logos
on the boat’s topside.
Photo courtesy of Capt. Mark Henderson
24 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
A win-win for equipment makers
and anglers of all stripes
Y
ou’ve seen them at the fishing tournaments, boat shows, and new product demos—
big, flashy new boats with eye-grabbing wraps, powered to the absolute max and
being run by guys and gals with big, toothy grins. And no wonder they’re grinning.
Who wouldn’t be totally stoked to live the life of a professional angler?
One of the lynchpins of modern marketing in the world of marine electronics is
having your own pros. They’re splashed across the pages of magazines, popping up on Facebook, and
flooding the Instagram feeds at any given moment. But in truth the manufacturer-pro relationship
goes well beyond mere marketing. Sure, these tournament anglers, charter captains, and guides
are “brand ambassadors,” but they also do a lot more for the electronics companies—and for the
everyday anglers who own their own fishing boats as well.
Gathering intel
A role that all of the pros we talked with pointed to as critically important was testing new gear
and new systems, then providing feedback to the manufacturer. In many cases, it’s also a part of the
relationship that the manufacturers talk about first and foremost.
“Working alongside our brand ambassadors is a great way to get real-world feedback on products
and features that make boating and fishing easier and more productive,” says Jeff Kauzlaric,
Advertising and Communications Manager for Furuno USA. “Most of our brand ambassadors are
on the water over 200 days a year, so who better to talk to about how Furuno products and features
will make life on the water better for anyone using them? We value their thoughts and input on how
we can continue to be innovative.”
When we spoke to Furuno pro Captain Jack Carlson of Two Conchs Sportfishing (twoconchs.
com), he made it clear that this aspect of the relationship was part of what convinced him that he
wanted to fly the Furuno banner.
“I love their gear, I’ve been using it for a long time and that’s what brought me to Furuno in the
first place,” Carlson says. “But they don’t just ask for feedback, they work aggressively to use it in
improving their products. I know my time and effort are actually accomplishing something, and I
know they’re putting in the time and effort
on their end to make it pay off.”
As an example, Carlson points to
Furuno’s new Fish It and Drift It feature
for the NavNet TZtouch3 system. First, an
angler creates a Fish It waypoint where they
want to fish by tapping on the MFD screen.
Then when the angler activates Drift It, the
unit calculates a starting point for three,
five, or up to 20-minute drifts that will
take them to the waypoint. That eliminates
all the guesswork usually associated with
positioning your boat upwind and/or up
current of a hotspot, then hoping you’ll drift
across it. And it’s not anything that Furuno
asked for—it’s something that Carlson
realized would be helpful to anglers, and
Furuno adopted his suggestion.
“Now my system tells me exactly where
to go to set up for a drift,” Carlson says.
“I know how long it will take me to get
to drift to the wreck or structure, so I also
know how long I have to get a kite spread
set up or get all my baits right. Or if I want
to anchor it tells me just where to position
the boat, so I only have to drop the anchor
once. And all this takes just a couple of taps
on the screen.”
Tim Gray, Captain of the Beeracuda
Fishing Team (BeeracudaFishingTeam on
Facebook) and a Garmin ambassador,
says that like many pros he works with
boat manufacturers as well as electronics
companies and constantly updates his boats.
This automatically means regularly updating
to the latest electronics. Yet even with the
rapid turnover, he says he’s seen similarly
fast and direct responses to his input.
“When Garmin first came out with
BlueChart g3 is a great example,” he says.
“Coverage in our specific area was light.
When we told them that, they quickly
expanded it.”
Garmin’s Senior Director of Marine Sales,
Dave Dunn, sees things the same way. “Our
pros are just like professionals in any sport
or industry,” he says. “They’re experts in
their craft, and have the firsthand experience
using our technology for countless hours
on the water. Their feedback is a crucial
part of our product innovation and ongoing
improvements and we’re incredibly grateful
to have their knowledge and opinions to
assist refining our technology for anglers of
every kind.”
Raymarine pro Mike Deto of Daybreaker
Offshore Charters (daybreakercharterfishing.
com) says that Raymarine has an entire
process established for generating feedback
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 25
and then using it to improve their electronics.
“Every week I get an email,” he says. “It tells
me what the latest software updates are,
goes over what’s being tested and what
needs to be tested, and gives me a link to
provide feedback. I might be using multiple
products all at the same time. I submit my
reports for them, and a week later I’ll find
out about tweaks and little changes they’ve
made. Then the next week I get a new
email.”
But this direct input is only part of the
ongoing process. “We have Zoom meetings,
too,” Deto says. “We’ll all bounce around new
ideas for different products, ways to improve
existing products, and discuss what’s already
been implemented. That’s one of the things
I really enjoy. I like the Raymarine people. I
enjoy working with them and establishing
relationships. Most customers never get to
talk with these people. They might call tech
support and that’s it, but I get to work with
the staff in house and that’s a real pleasure.”
Gordon Sprouse, Simrad’s Marketing
Director of the Americas, points out that
many of their relationships with pros date
back for years and some of the charter
captains they work with know the gear
intimately. “Many started years ago with the
Lowrance and Simrad brands before Navico
was formed,” he says. “Those relationships
are critical to product development and
awareness. With strict confidence as part
of the arrangement, many charter captains
Henderson shows off one of the benefits of his job, which includes tournament and charter fishing
in addition to sponsorships with Simrad, FLIR, SiriusXM and others. He often personally advises
anglers who contact him about which equipment to buy. Photos courtesy of Capt. Mark Henderson
serve as validators for products in the
development phase before they are released
to the public.
“We find the typical use-case among
charter captains in the Americas fully
evaluates a marine electronics system with all
the networking options, including sounder
module, autopilot, radar, AIS, SiriusXM
weather and radio, digital switching, engine
integration and more. Of course, charter
captains are also critical for a successful
product launch—not only for their role as
early adopters and opinion leaders, but also
to support important ongoing lifestyle and
how-to videos that create greater levels of
awareness and instructional content.”
Hands-on gear
Gathering on-the-water intel is great,
but, of course, everyone already knows that
the main reason electronics manufacturers
have pros and ambassadors is for marketing
purposes... right? Even here, there’s more to
the relationship than meets the eye.
Carlson’s Two Conchs Sportfishing outfit
is an excellent example. The organization
runs over 20 boats and takes out 500
charters a month in the busy season. That’s
a lot of amateur angler eyeballs, all seeing
Furuno’s gear in action.
“The customers notice,” Carlson says,
“and on top of that we have fishing schools
where part of what we teach is how to use
things like the bird mode for radar. We have

Like other brand ambassadors, Capt. Jack
Carlson of Two Conchs Sportfishing (at left with
son Capt. Austin Carlson) tests new equipment
for their sponsors and supplies them with real-
world feedback. Furuno’s Jeff Kauzlaric says pros
they work with, like Carlson, spend nearly half
the year on the water: “We value their thoughts
and input on how we can continue to
be innovative.” Photo courtesy of Capt. Jack Carlson
Daybreaker Offshore Charters pro Mike Deto
operates the boat at right. He says sponsor
Raymarine contacts him weekly about electronics
to be tested and arranges Zoom meetings to
discuss new products and how to improve
existing devices. Photo courtesy of Capt. Mike Deto
a bottom fishing day, and we show them
how to read the bottom machine. By the end
of the school they’ve all gotten to use our
Furuno gear and become familiar with how
the systems work.”
Captain Mark Henderson of the Liquid
Fire Fishing Team (liquidfiresportfishing.
com), which has both tournament angling
and charter service components and is
integrated with Simrad, sees the same sort of
benefit all the time.
“One of the opportunities we get is when
a Simrad owner or someone thinking about
buying a Simrad reaches out to me via social
media, text, or a phone call,” Henderson
says. “They’re often looking for confirmation
on something in which they’re about to
invest their hard-earned money. Or, they
may be needing some insight into how to
do a very specific action on their unit—I
26 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
generally turn that over to my sons Joshua
or Crockett, as they’re way smarter than me.
But on the whole I see this as part of our
relationship with Simrad, even though they
may not know some of these conversations
are going on behind the scenes. The way I
see it, it’s part of our job and our appreciation
for allowing us to be part of a special team.”
Two-way street
It would seem at first blush as though the
electronics manufacturers are the big winners
in these relationships. Pros and ambassadors
are helping them sell their gear in a myriad
of ways, and at the same time showing them
how to improve their products. In the long
run, this should boost customer satisfaction
as well as sales. Of course, there is a quid pro
quo. In some cases payment is involved, but
this is usually related to personal appearances
and time spent working at events. Of course
there are exceptions, but most commonly
the pro or ambassador gets his or her gear
at either a drastically reduced discount or
for free. However, that’s not the only benefit
they derive from the arrangement. Not by a
longshot.
“There’s some similarity in modern
electronics across the board, but I’m confident
with Garmin gear,” says tournament angler
Gray. “And on top of that they’re responsive.
From a support standpoint, which is a key
factor as a pro, I know that within 24 hours
I’ll get a response from Garmin. Through
all the supply chain shortages we’ve had
lately they’ve still been great about us getting
gear, certainly better than most. And I just
love working with Garmin because the gear
itself is so easy to use. If you can operate an
iPhone you can use it, and they’re constantly
making it better. There’s no company I’d
rather be working with.”
Plus, looking at the financial perspective,
many of these pros are saving money not only
on electronics but on their entire angling
package. In fact, it’s rare to find a pro who’s
only on one company’s list. Two Conchs, for
example, has relationships beyond Furuno
with a dozen or so companies including the
likes of Yellowfin Yachts, Mercury Marine,
and Shimano. On top of working with
Simrad and SiriusXM, the Liquid Fire Fishing
Team also works with JL Audio, FLIR and
others. Most pros have a web of relationships
with a number of manufacturers who don’t
compete directly, but often may work hand
in hand in certain ways.
“The relationships combine with other
partners and help to establish a cohesiveness
between companies,” Henderson says.
“We’re partnered with Simrad but we’re also
partnered with SiriusXM. The crossover in
the hardware and software between these
two companies is a very good match, and
we’ve used our relationships to help develop
cool new technology that’s then introduced to
the masses. When the WM-4 was introduced
so that SiriusXM Fish Mapping could be
used on Simrad units, the two companies
made sure we got some of the first units
so we could test both together. We were
able to provide feedback, and the products
were really dialed in before their release to
recreational anglers.”
Across the board, the fishing pros
consider these aspects of the relationship just
as important as any part of the financial cost-
benefit calculation they may make. Sure,
when you put all the gear and discounts
together, the benefit to the pros can add up.
(Continued on page 50)
 
C A L L U S 321- 639 - 7128
OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE
WWW.CEDMARINE.COM






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CALL US FOR TOP SELLING
FRESH WATER PRODUCTS
ED’S ELECTRO-TECH TIPS
ALL THINGS ELECTRICAL
Why 48 volts?
Coming to a boat near you—what you need to know
BY ED SHERMAN In my last installment of Ed’s Electro-Tech Tips entitled “I’m Feeling Electrified,” one of the areas I observed during my
annual Cruising World magazine Boat of the Year contest inspections was the emerging use of partial 48-volt DC systems.
All of these boats except two were built overseas, but I do believe that US builders will jump on this bandwagon within the next five years. One of
those two US entries was powered by a Torqueedo 48-volt electric drive setup. It just makes too much sense from a technical perspective.
T
his issue, I’d like to delve a bit
deeper into this topic. The excuse
I’ve received from US builders
over the years when I lobbied
for 24-volt DC systems was that
the accessories needed were hard to come
by here in the US. That’s simply not a valid
excuse anymore. We now have equipment
ready to go for managing these systems.
Battery chargers, DC to AC inverters, engine-
driven generators and 48-volt to 12-volt or
24-volt converters are available to provide for
mixing and matching DC voltages as needed
on board.
Understand that higher voltage designs
allow for improved power generation. The
system’s battery is also more efficient. 48-volt
configurations conveniently allow for the
use of four 12-volt batteries of the system
designer’s choice, series connected to get our
48-volts.
Nothing really new
Using DC voltages higher than the familiar
12-volts is really nothing new. 24-volt
systems have been popular in Europe since
the early 2000s. Around that time, there was
some talk of employing 42-volt systems in
the automotive sector. It just couldn’t gain
any acceptance due to cost and the lack of
practicality at that point in history.
Today, with the increased interest and
adoption of electric vehicles, higher voltage
DC systems are rapidly gaining acceptance.
Traditional US marine equipment suppliers
like Blue Sea Systems, Guest, and Professional
Mariner have all been bought and sold several
times and merged with companies outside
the US. Heart Interface, a US-based startup,
was brought under the Xantrex banner,
which in turn is now part of Mission Critical
28 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
Electronics. Mastervolt, a Dutch startup, was
bought by Power Products, an investment
group that absorbed companies like ANCOR,
Blue Sea Systems, BEP, and Guest to name
several. That group was recently acquired by
Brunswick Corp., which also owns entities
like Mercury Marine, Sea Ray, Navico and
others.
As this increasing consolidation continues,
its natural, and I believe a given, that some
technical “cross pollination,” as I like to
think of it, is going to occur. So, the product
line offered by Mastervolt, which has been
playing in this higher-than-12-volt world in
the global market for some time, will trickle
over into product offerings from some of
the US companies that will see the need to
compete globally. I’m convinced we’re going
to see 48-volt DC systems on US-built boats
soon. Consider that well-known US builders
like Four Winns and Wellcraft are now
owned by Group Beneteau. Foreign influence
will creep in sooner or later. I think sooner.
What field technicians need to know
As with so many things that are based
on various industry standards, what I
call “acronym soup” is part of the needed
knowledge. With higher voltages, one
important acronym has a rather interesting
back story. The term “SELV” gets thrown
around a bit in the higher-than-12-volt DC
world and what I find particularly interesting
about this one is that depending upon who’s
information you are studying it has two
accepted meanings. One is defined as “safety
extra low voltage.” A british standard defines
SELV as “separated extra-low voltage,”
i.e. separated from earth. Both definitions
have significance for the field installer or
troubleshooter.
UNIVERSAL WIRE SIZING
Wire Size Area mm2 Copper
AWG VDI Ampacity
16 1.31 1 10
14 2.08 2 15
12 3.31 3 20
10 5.26 5 30
8 8.37 8 55
6 13.3 12 75
4 21.1 20 95
2 33.6 31 130
0 53.5 49 170
00 67.4 62 195
000 85 78 225
0000 107 99 260
Author Ed Sherman was surprised that he
couldn’t find wire sizing tables similar to those
in ABYC E-11. He did locate the universal sizing
chart above, which he says will help tremendously
until US standards can catch up.
The standards body IEC (International
Electrotechnical Commission) defines a
SELV system as “an electrical system in
which the voltage cannot exceed ELV (extra
low voltage) under normal conditions, and
under single fault conditions, including earth
faults in other circuits.” What’s important to
the technician is the definition of the “ELV”
acronym. Extra-low voltage is defined as
60-volts DC and goes on to define acceptable
AC fault parameters. The 60-volt DC value
is the important one here.
So, SELV can mean “separated extra-
low voltage” or “safety extra-low voltage”
depending upon who’s information you
happen to be looking at. In the end, what
really matters is the voltage limits at 60-volts
DC. This explains why ABYC and NMEA,
which basically reference the ABYC E-11
Standard as it refers to DC power supply
to electronic equipment, changed their DC
standards from a maximum of 50-volts to
60-volts several years back. SELV circuitry
can be further defined by the following key
points:
A SELV circuit must have:
• Electrical protective separation such as
double insulation, reinforced insulation
or protective screening from all other
onboard circuits that might carry higher
voltages (think 120 or 230-VAC).
• Simple separation from other SELV
systems and from earth ground.
The safety of a SELV circuit is
provided by:
• Low voltage.
• Low risk of accidental contact with a
higher voltage.
• Lack of a return path through ground
that current could take in the event of
contact with a human body.
The design of SELV circuits often involves
using an isolating transformer, minimum
distances between conductors and insulating
barriers. Electrical connections in these
circuits should be designed so that they
cannot mate with connections used in non-
SELV circuitry. In my study of some of these
circuits this past fall, the use of 48-volt to
12 or 24-volt converters (transformers in
effect) all met these requirements. That
said, understand that neither ABYC nor
NMEA have specifically addressed 48-volt
DC circuitry at this writing.
Wire and cable sizing
One of the primary advantages to
using higher voltages is that a wire of a
given size can carry four times as much
power at 48-volts as a 12-volt system. The
weight saving on mid-to large-sized boats
is significant! Also, copper wire prices are
considerable, so potentially cost savings may
be a factor. When considering voltage drop
issues due to electrical resistance, the issue
becomes far less significant.
Knowing that 48-volt systems have been
popular in the solar power sector for some
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 29
time, I thought it would be easy to find some
useful wire sizing tables similar to those
found in ABYC E-11. Not true. Currently,
none of the traditional vendors to the US
boat building sector provide any insight
on wire gauge sizing. I suspect that 48-volt
equipment vendors provide guidance in
their installation instructions, but currently
field technicians and marine surveyors are
going to need to do some searching for
answers on this topic.
I did, however, find one universal wire
sizing chart that will help tremendously
until US marine standards can catch up. I
have requested that this topic be brought
up as new business at the ABYC Electrical
Project Technical Committee meeting
scheduled for January 2022. I planned to
attend that meeting and hope to get the
ball rolling toward development of a quick
reference chart similar to those found in
E-11 Standard now.
The surest bet here is to follow the
equipment manufacturer’s wire sizing
recommendations to the letter to minimize
any potential liability. Beware, I did find
several wire sizer apps online; however
they were explicitly defined for 12-24 or
32-volt use. 32-volt systems are pretty
much antiquated at this point in marine
applications. I haven’t seen one for at least
20 years and even then it was on an antique
boat. That said, California-based Newmar
still offers a 32-volt battery charger in
their catalog. Interestingly they have no
48-volt offerings in their marine catalog.
Since they supply the telecom industry
in a separate catalog, they have 48-volt
equipment available, so when this transition
begins to really take off, I predict they will
be able to make a pretty easy transition into
the 48-volt marine space.
As for the chart I found (see facing page),
a term that is new to me appeared. More
acronym soup: VDI or voltage drop index.
This is a number based on the inherent
resistance of wire. Understand that the chart
provided includes information covering
large gauge aluminum wire, which is never
allowed in marine applications and so we
are not including that information here.
So, to use this chart you will need to
know the amperage draw for the electrical
device you are going to wire up at 48-volts.
Then, the basic formula looks like this:
VDI= (Amps x Feet) / (%Voltage Drop x
Voltage)
Feet in this instance is a wire run distance
in one direction. For those of you that are
BEST 48-VOLT INFO SOURCES
To learn more about 48-volt systems
and some of the equipment available
I recommend a trip to the following
websites:
• www.integrelsolutions.com
• www.mastervolt.com
• www.victronenergy.com
• www.torqueedo.com
• www.mgenergysystems.eu
• www.magnum-dimensions.com
I’m sure there are sources I’ve missed,
particularly in the solar/alternative
energy sector, but the links shown are
companies that I have either dealt with
personally or inspected their products
and installations on boats.
metric oriented 1 meter equals 3.28 feet. Also
% voltage drop is a whole number. Based on
current standards this would be either 3 or
10. Since with these 48-volt systems the
48 volts is going to be considered a power
supply, I’m going to recommend that we use
3% or 3 as the formula entry here. Once
you arrive at your VDI number, match to the
closest number on the chart to determine
the appropriate AWG or metric wire gauge
size. Also, ampacity rating of wire size must
be at least 125% of the continuous current
passing through it.
What about the
National Electrical Code?
Telecom and wireless network systems
typically operate at 48-volts DC, so one
would expect that the National Electrical
Code (NEC) would weigh in on all of
this. The NFPA (National Fire Protection
Association) is the foundation for the NEC,
and indeed it does offer guidance for these
systems. The key element here is still the
matter of what is considered low voltage,
which they define as 60-volts DC. Beyond
that their code goes on to discuss matters
of system polarity (some of these systems
operate as positive ground systems) and
component isolation wire color coding and
such—but that’s far beyond the scope of
this article and not all applicable to marine
applications.
The Crazy World
In his Electro-Tech Tips column on
p. 28, Ed Sherman talks about the
difficulty of finding useful wire sizing
tables for higher voltage systems. As
it turns out, making conductors of
different diameters has a colorful,
if complicated, history. For those
who’d like to take a deep dive into the
arcane twists and turns of this ancient
technology—read on.
BY NIGEL CALDER
32 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
Throughout history politics
often trumped science
C
onductor sizing is critical to the performance and safety of electrical systems.
Undersized conductors create excessive resistance, which results in voltage losses
from one end of the conductor to the other (voltage drop) and, in extreme cases,
temperatures high enough to melt insulation and start fires (most notably if the
circuit does not have adequate overcurrent protection—circuit breakers and fuses).
In the boat world we have various tables that help us determine an appropriate conductor
size for any application. In the USA the best known are the tables developed by the American
Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and found in the E-11 standard (AC and DC Electrical Systems
on Boats). In Europe, we have the tables developed by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) and found in the 13297 standard (Small Craft – Electrical Systems –
Alternating and Direct Current Installations).
A quick perusal of the standards will reveal conductor sizing that is variously referenced
in terms of American Wire Gauge (AWG), diameter, Circular Mils (CM), and Cross-Sectional
Area (CSA), with additional references to Society of Engineers (SAE) sizing. Imperial (inches)
and metric (millimeters) units are both used. It can be confusing, especially given that some of
these sizing methodologies are counter intuitive, notably the AWG and SAE systems in which
the smaller a conductor the larger its ‘gauge’ number.
Dies and draw plates
Let’s unpack these various sizing methods, starting with American Wire Gauge.
To create a conductor of a given diameter, a larger rod is drawn through a ‘die’ with a conical
mouth that tapers down to an exit hole of a given size. If the process of thinning and
elongating the rod is too aggressive, the rod will break: i.e. there is only
so much of a diameter reduction that can be achieved by
drawing the rod through a single die. For smaller
diameter conductors the rod must be drawn
through a succession of ever smaller dies.
Before the introduction of machinery,
the thinning and elongation was done
by hand, pulling the rod through a draw
plate containing the various tapered holes.
There is evidence that this technique was
used to make gold ornaments in ancient
times; wire as fine as 32 gauge in modern
terms has been found in Roman jewelry.
The draw plate technique was described in
detail in the Medieval era.
Through trial and error it was found
that an approximate 11% reduction in
rod diameter when passing through each
successive die allows for a margin to protect
against breakage. Over time, manufacturers
developed sets of similar (but by no means
identical) dies for making different wire
sizes, accompanied by a ‘gauge plate’ used
to show customers the available diameters.
In the various gauge systems, a gauge
number (e.g. 18) describes the number of
dies through which the conductor has been
of Conductor
Sizing
pulled in order to reduce it down to
a given diameter.
In the 1830s a British mechanical
engineer developed an instrument capable
of measuring diameters to a millionth of
an inch. These new instruments created
the possibility for standardizing gauges. In
the UK this resulted in the British Standard
Wire Gauge (B&S, still in use in the UK
and in some of its former colonies). In the
USA the resulting American Wire Gauge
(AWG) is based on a set of dies developed
in 1855 by the Brown and Sharpe company
(AWG is also sometimes known as B&S).
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
has its own set of die sizes which, for a
given gauge number, typically result in a
somewhat smaller conductor diameter than
in the AWG system. I have been unable
to determine the historical origins of this
system.
Where zeroes ought to count
In the early days the original rod (i.e.
before passing through any dies) was
specified as #1. Ideally this would be the
starting point for any system but by the time
things began to be standardized there were
mechanisms—first water power and then
steam power—that enabled ever larger rods
to be drawn through dies, resulting in sizes
larger than #1. These were accommodated
by going first to zero (‘0’) and from
there stacking zeros for each increase in
diameter—e.g. 0000. These multiple zero
sizes can also be described as 1/0, 2/0,
3/0, 4/0 etc., with the zero pronounced
as ‘ought’—e.g. 00 or 2/0 is pronounced
‘two ought.’ In the AWG system there are
40 gradations from 4/0 down to #36, with
4/0 being 0.46 inches in diameter and #36
being 0.005 inches in diameter. The British
system begins at 7/0, with a diameter of
0.5 inches, and runs down to #50, with a
diameter of 0.001 inches.
If, using the AWG system, you divide
0.005 inch (the smallest conductor size)
into 0.46 inch (the largest conductor size)
you get 92—i.e. the ratio of the smallest
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 33
wire gauge to the largest is 1:92. There
are 39 steps (changes in die size) between
4/0 and 36-gauge conductors. Based
on these numbers, the AWG standard
(now ASTM B258-02) defines the ratio
between successive sizes to be the 39th
root of 92, or 1.1229318. Moving up
in conductor size you multiply a given
diameter by this to find the next gauge
size diameter. Going the other way, any
given gauge diameter is multiplied by the
reciprocal (0.890526) to find the next lower
diameter. I was pretty good at high school
math, but this is nuts! Why do we have to
make simple things so complicated?
There are a couple of useful rules of
thumb that came out of this:
• For every three ‘step’ changes (e.g. #16
to #13) the cross-sectional area of a
conductor doubles or halves (depending
on which way you go). Put another way,
two 16-gauge conductors have about
the same cross-sectional area (and hence
amp-carrying capability) as a single
13-gauge conductor (if you can find a
13-gauge conductor; standard sizes tend
to go in even numbers until we get to
large conductors).
• If the diameter of a conductor is doubled
or halved, the gauge number will change
COMPARISON OF AWG AND METRIC CONDUCTOR PROPERTIES
Table lists common AWG and metric conductor sizes and provides the CSA, in mm², for all of them,
enabling a direct comparison to be made.
by 6 (e.g. #10 is about twice the diameter
of #16), with a quadruple impact on
the cross sectional area and as such
resistance and ampacity.
Because of the air spaces between
strands, and because the gauge size is
based on the copper in the conductor,
stranded conductors of a given gauge size
always have a larger diameter than solid
conductors, with the increase depending
on the number of strands.
Stranded wires are specified with
three numbers:
1. The gauge size of the conductor
(how much copper is in it)
2. The number of strands
3. The gauge size of a strand.
For example, a 16 AWG 26/30 stranded
conductor is a 16 AWG conductor with
26 strands of 30 AWG wire.
The ABYC has three classes of stranding,
Type 1, 2 and 3, with Type 1 being solid
conductors, Type 2 limited stranding, and
Type 3 fine stranding. The ISO has two
classes, Type A and B, which correlate with
the ABYC’s Type 2 and 3. This is one of the
few areas where the standards are more-or-
less identical.
There are a dozen or more ways of
making stranded conductors depending on
 Creating a conductor of a specific diameter involves drawing a wire through a series of conical dies of increasingly
smaller openings. Using the AWG system of measurement, there are 39 different dies needed in the production
process between 4/0 and 36-gauge conductors.
the lay of the strands (one catalog I looked
at had 16 different variations of stranded
conductors for most conductor sizes).
Neither the ABYC nor ISO take a position
on this although the minimum stranding
requirements do effectively result in specific
construction methods which vary with the
size of the conductor.
Phew! Let’s try something a little
simpler. Or maybe not . . .
Given that the amp-carrying capability of
a conductor, its ‘ampacity,’ is directly related
to its cross-sectional area, a more useful way
to specify conductor sizes would seem to be
a system based on cross-sectional area. The
formula for this is the one we learned in
high school, πr² where π = 22/7 (= ~3.14)
and r² is the radius (half the diameter)
multiplied by itself. Let’s say we have a 1/0
AWG conductor which, by definition, has a
diameter of 0.3249 inches. The radius is half
the diameter, i.e. 0.3249/2 = 0.16245 inches.
If we multiply this by itself, we get 0.02639
square inches. If we now multiply by π
we get (0.02639 x 22)/7 = 0.08294 square
inches. We can see immediately that these are
not easy numbers with which to work!
The first step to simplifying things is
to convert diameters into thousands of
an inch, or ‘mils’, rather than inches. Our
starting point diameter, multiplied by 1,000,
becomes 324.9 mils and our ending point
area becomes 82,940 square mils (note that
because we have squared the radius this
ending point number is 1,000 x 1,000 =
1,000,000 times higher than our CSA in
square inches). So far so good, but now we
do something else that’s also a bit nutty!
Somewhere in the historical process I
guess the assumption was made that
electricians were not competent to determine
a radius from a diameter (i.e. divide by 2)
34 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
and to then square the radius and apply π
to it. The conventional formula for cross
sectional area was ditched and instead the
diameter is simply squared (multiplied by
itself) to arrive at something known as
‘circular mils.’ In our case the 1/0 diameter
of 324.9 mils multiplied by itself becomes
105,560 circular mils. The practical effect of
this is to arrive at 4 circular mils for every
3.14 square mils—i.e. wire sizing in circular
mils always modestly exaggerates the CSA
(by ~13%).
As early as the 1600s a French clergyman
proposed a universal system of measurement
based on the decimal system (multiples
of 10). We owe its adoption to the French
Revolution of 1789 and a 1790 request
from the National Assembly to the French
Academy of Sciences. The core unit was to
be a measurement of distance equal to one
ten millionth of the distance from the north
pole to the equator on the line of longitude
running through Paris. This was defined as
a metre (meter in the U.S.; from the Greek
word for measure). All other measures of
volume and weight were to be derived from
the metre.
Taking the measure of a meter: a long,
strange trip
It took years to measure a long enough
arc (from Barcelona to Dunkirk) to determine
the length of a meter, and there were errors in
the measurement of the earth’s circumference
(the surveyors did not understand the
flattening of the poles), but to this day the
length they came up with is the length of
a meter. The metric system was officially
adopted by the French government in 1795.
It had its ups and downs, and was at one
point banned by Napoleon, but gradually
won widespread recognition, becoming the
basis for the International System of Units
(SI units) now used by much of the world.
The British considered metrifying wire sizing
in the late 1800s but decided not to, at least
in part because the system was developed by
the French!
One of the benefits of measuring in
meters is the meter is already subdivided
into 1,000 millimeters so we don’t need to
go through the mils exercise (multiplying
inches by 1,000) to arrive at easily grasped
numbers. An AWG 6 conductor, for example,
with a diameter of 0.162 inches (162 mils)
has a diameter of 4.11 mm.
In the metric wire sizing system, the
diameter is divided by 2 to find the radius,
and the full πr² formula is applied to arrive
at the CSA. If we want to derive an exact
equivalence between AWG and metric
conductor sizes, we have to go back to
the defining conductor diameters in the
AWG standard, which are not published
in most conductor sizing tables (including
those in ABYC E-11 and ISO 13297), convert
these to millimeters, divide by 2 to get the
radius, and then apply the πr² formula. This
gives us the CSA of the AWG conductor in
mm². In the case of our AWG 6 conductor
with a diameter of 4.11mm, the radius is
2.055mm which, if squared and multiplied
by, becomes 13.27mm². Unlike the AWG
circular mils number, this is the actual CSA
of the conductor.
Unfortunately, if we go through this
exercise of converting AWG conductor sizes
to metric we discover there is neither a good
match with many standard metric conductor
sizes, nor any kind of a universal ‘factor’ we
can apply to correct for this. We discover that
for many tables in which metric equivalences
are given for ABYC conductor sizes, the CSA
can vary by as much as 21%. In general,
but not always, in these tables the metric
conductors have more copper, in which case
the metric cable has a greater ampacity, but
for some commonly published correlations
the metric conductor has up to 9% less
copper, which could, for example, make
a substantial negative difference to system
performance if a system is being designed to
accept up to a 10% voltage drop. The table
on page 33 lists common AWG and metric
conductor sizes and provides the CSA, in
mm², for all of them, enabling a direct
comparison to be made.
Sizing busbars
A recent addition to the ABYC’s E-11
standard, describing a mechanism for sizing
custom busbars, tacitly recognizes that the
metric system of calculating an accurate CSA
makes more sense for sizing conductors. The
process described in Appendix 3 of E-11
(Continued on page 48)
 NMEA INSTALLER
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Available courses:
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 TECH TALK
T A L E S & T I P S F R O M T H E B I LG E
Getting grounded—properly
TO EQUIPMENT TO DC TO AC SAFETY
We continue our push into the updated 0400 Installation Standard CHASSIS LOADS GROUND
Version 5.0 with a discussion of Section 4—Grounding. The chapter
focuses on Electrical Equipment Grounding, AC Bonding, RF Ground-
ing, Ground Interconnections and Lightning Grounds.

Y
our boat being grounded means your draft definitely
exceeds your depth. Your electronics being grounded DC NEGATIVE YELLOW
means low noise, higher performance plus better safety OR BLACK WIRE

and reliability. Grounding on boats is quite different

than grounding on land! RF GROUND AC SAFETY
GREEN WIRE
Sometimes we are tied to the dock with COMMON
GROUND GREEN
WIRE
BY JOHN BARRY a connection to shore power, sometimes we GROUNDING
POINT
CMET & NMEA Instructor
are underway and there is no connection to
shore. Sometimes we are powering 12VDC GROUND
PLATE
equipment, sometimes we are running 110VAC equipment. All of the
systems have grounding requirements and the interaction of various
grounds on vessels is why land-based electricians often struggle with Schematic shows interconnection of DC Negative, AC Safety and RF grounds
some of the concepts. Last issue we looked at AC/DC power and via a single conductor to the Common Grounding Point. This ensures there is
distribution. This time we will discuss grounds. no voltage potential difference between the grounds.
The terminology used for grounds is diverse. Different industries
use different terminology. Last time we showed the difference between
ABYC and NMEA terminology for grounds. Although you can call it
by a different name, the function of grounds falls into three categories:
Neutral (white) carry the current for the device. For AC equipment,
Reference, Safety and Performance. A Reference ground carries
the metal chassis has a connection to the AC Safety ground. As the
current, like the negative battery supply (black or yellow wire). A
name implies, this is a required connection to most AC-operated
Safety ground is for safety, like the AC Safety ground (green wire). A
equipment. We size this wire for the current used by the Hot and
Performance ground is used to increase performance of a device like a
Neutral conductors. Sometimes it is one size down since it is rated
radio (copper strap). We need all these grounds. Understanding what
for intermittent rather than continuous duty.
they do helps.
Common grounding point
DC equipment grounding
When interconnecting grounds, the first rule is to know what you
First, let’s look at equipment grounding. DC-operated electronics
are doing. Grounding everything for no reason usually ends badly. If
are the bulk of what most marine electronics installers are doing.
all grounds are hooked together, multiple ground loops are formed.
DC devices have three conductors connected: Positive, Negative
With so many parallel paths for energy, noise becomes a problem.
and Ground. The positive and negative conductors from the battery
The DC negative and the AC Safety ground must be held at the same
provide the current to operate the device. The DC negative is the
voltage potential as the water. We accomplish this by connecting
Reference ground. The chassis, often a wing nut, is connected to
them to the RF ground, which touches the water. The interconnection
RF ground. The RF ground is used for a noise drain to increase
of these three grounds is done at a Common Grounding Point. By
performance of installed equipment. For DC-operated equipment, the
connecting these grounds, stray current corrosion is eliminated
connection to RF ground from the chassis should be a copper strap or
in theory and minimized in practice. Ground loops that form are
minimally a #8 AWG wire (#10 AWG is allowed for runs less than 3
minimized by interconnecting these three grounds with a single
feet). This conductor is sized to be a low impedance path to earth for
conductor to the Common ground.
unwanted noise. The RF ground is a Performance ground.
When current flows through a conductor, there is a voltage
AC equipment grounding potential difference, which causes the current flow. With Safety and
For AC-operated equipment, like DC, we have three wires Performance grounds normally there should be no current flow. The
connected: Positive, Neutral and Ground. The Positive (black) and Common Grounding Point is used to force all grounds to be at the

36 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

same voltage potential, eliminating stray
current corrosion. Only the RF, DC Negative
and AC Safety grounds are connected to
the Common Grounding Point. The DC
Negative is connected to the water by virtue
of the motor. The AC Neutral is bonded at
the source and is not connected directly to
the Common Grounding Point.
Floating grounds
Some systems use a floating ground,
which occasionally is found on metal boats
and vessels with multiple voltages. It is
imperative that floating grounds not be
connected to the Common Grounding
Point. In floating ground systems, the
Reference ground connected to the load
is isolated from the rest of the grounds
on the boat. Equipment operates on the
difference between the positive and negative
conductors. If the negative ground is at 30
VDC and the positive ground is at 42 VDC,
the difference is 12 VDC and equipment
will operate in a vacuum. In the real world,
a boat is a complex interconnection of
systems. The batteries in particular represent
a difficult case because they are connected to
both DC and AC via the battery charger.
This is just one of the scenarios that make
proper grounding difficult to achieve.
AC bonding
NMEA and ABYC refer to the AC Neutral
conductor as a ground, but neutral is not a
true ground; it acts as the Reference ground
(current carrying) for AC. So, the neutral
white wire in AC has special grounding
requirements. The AC Safety Ground (green
wire) is a true ground. We get this ground
from the land supply when plugged in to
shore power, a copper spike driven into
the “ground” at the marina breaker panel.
Since the AC Safety ground references the
land’s voltage potential, a galvanic isolator
is required to block DC current in the
AC Safety ground conductor. Isolation
transformers eliminate the need for galvanic
isolation since ground is established at the
core of the transformer. To establish polarity
and enable ground fault sensing, the AC
Neutral and the AC Safety ground are
bonded together at the source of power.
AC bonding is not to be confused
with the “bonding system” of the boat.
Bonded vessels have all of their thru-hulls
connected together with low impedance
(fat) conductors. This is not AC bonding.
AC bonding refers to connecting the white
and green wires, AC Neutral to AC Safety
ground. The rule here is that we only
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 37
bond AC at the source of power. So the
marina breaker panel is bonded, the white
and green are connected. The problem
comes in when other sources of power are
introduced, like a generator or inverter. The
AC is bonded at these sources of power also.
Easy enough, but when we operate the
same loads from either source, problems can
occur. Switching the wires from ship to shore
transfers power, but unless you unbond the
generator with the shore selector switch
(extra wafer on selector switch for green
wire) you will inadvertently bond the boat
with the generator while the shore power
is applied. This defeats all GFCI outlets and
represents a hazard. Inverters that “auto-
switch” the AC power distribution circuit in
the boat must be bonded while generating
power onboard and unbounded when
passing through shore power.
Lighting: no sure protection
ABYC publishes standards for grounding,
including galvanic isolators and impressed
cathode protection systems that interact
with the vessels grounds. ABYC E-11
covers galvanic isolation and isolation
transformers. Standards are difficult to set
around grounding since so many systems
are used and almost all require grounds. For
lightning protection, ABYC says, “NOTE:
There is no sure protection from any
lightning strike.” This points to the difficulty
of grounds. In a way, they are simple, but
when working with complex, mixed power
and load scenarios, things can get a little
complex. There are good standards to follow
for safety, but if noise problems occur, the
installer needs to understand the grounds.
In practice we rarely see all the theoretical
grounds that can exist. For instance, the RF
Matrix includes seven grounds: Lightning and SSB grounds stand alone while the other five are
interconnected. Reference grounds carry current. Performance grounds are to increase performance of
electronics. Safety grounds are obviously for safety.
Ground is the hull in the case of a metal
boat. This is also the Common ground and
the bonding system; it is all one system
functionally and non-existent as a separate
system. On fiberglass boats, there is debate
as to whether to bond all thru-hull fittings
or not. Sometimes there are multiple
grounding plates for RF ground, SSB ground
and bonded thru-hulls. On a boat, the water
is ground and we use the connection to the
water to drain noise.
When the boat generates power or
brings power in from shore, slight voltage
differences may exist. Stray currents can
corrode onboard metals. The AC Safety
ground, unlike the RF ground, is required
for safety, since AC power represents an
electrocution hazard. Use of GFCI outlets
and implementation of the AC Safety ground
is regulated by the NEC (National Electrical
Code). We use the hot and common (black
and white) to carry current for our device.
The AC Safety ground is for the case of a
failure that makes the chassis hot. Without
an ungrounded chassis, dangerous AC
voltage may flow through a human body
to ground.
0400 requires that “AC devices shall be
connected with a separate AC Neutral and
AC Safety ground conductors. Internally
bonded devices must be connected with
proper polarity to prevent electric shock
hazard.” The white and green wires are not
connected at the load. I have seen electrical
equipment such as a kitchen appliance that
is bonded when new and must be unbonded
when installed on boats. Pay attention to
metal devices on metal boats—they should
be internally isolated (white and green not
connected to each other). (Continued on page 48)

AIS—Automatic Identification
System—has exceeded almost
everyone’s expectations. Established
in 1998, its mission was: collision
avoidance, littoral state monitoring,
and vessel traffic management. US
Coast Guard AIS expert Lee Luft
reported in our November/December
2019 issue that the success of the
technology was driving consider-
ation of new applications, including
support for unmanned autonomous
vessels, markers for floating objects
such as fishing nets and contraband,
ocean-based wind farms, icebergs,
weather buoys, oil spills as
well as oceanographic and
meterological systems.
38 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
VDES
The next generation of AIS
W
hile much of the development work has been delayed in large part due to
the continuing pandemic, initial efforts are underway to create the next
generation of AIS. It’s called VDES—VHF Data Exchange System. AIS will
become a component of the new system, which is aimed at expanding
electronic information delivered to mariners. Below we asked LCDR John
Forster, Deputy Branch Chief, IT & Networks, USCG Research and Development Center, to
fill us in.
What is the overall goal of VDES? What needs in the marine/maritime environment are driving
the development of VDES? Is it targeted primarily at recreational boaters rather than commercial
operators or is the information agnostic?
Legacy AIS has been a great success in improving safety of navigation globally. VDES hopes
to build on that success, and potentially provide more capability. Currently, the VHF channels
that AIS uses are often becoming saturated with transmissions from all of the mariners using
the system. This is most impactful in areas where vessel traffic is the busiest and is where we
need our navigation systems to be the most effective. VDES hopes to expand the amount of
channels available compared to AIS, which has the potential to relieve some of this congestion
and improve safety of navigation. With these added channels, there are many potential benefits
that could be developed by industries and governments for a variety of purposes. As the VDES
standards are finalized, we may begin to see some innovative uses of this novel technology.
What is the current status of VDES development in light of work that must be done involving
performance standards, command sentences, interface requirements, frequency issues, etc.?
Although the VDES standards have not been finalized, and likely will not be until 2025 or
so, several industry leaders have already begun developing software-defined VDES equipment.
Because VDES is being designed to be forward and backward compatible with AIS, it will allow
for an iterative deployment of this new technology. As new players in the maritime arena want
to adopt the new technology for one reason or another, they will be able to do so as their own
business cases dictate.

There will likely be different approaches
for how different countries will implement
VDES based on their own needs, resources,
and potentially frequency licensing. Here
in the United States, for example, I know
of at least one company that currently has
rights over some of the VDES frequencies.
Although this is something to consider,
these rights are not permanent and must be
renewed periodically.
VDES is still a work in progress and its final
form and what it will offer boaters and
mariners are still under discussion. We’ve
heard that the new standard must define
“what a VDES box is supposed to do.” At this
point what types of information is VDES likely
to deliver?
Exactly where this new technology will
lead us is hard to say. There are companies
already developing VDES-capable satellites.
These satellites could be a game changer in
providing weather and safety information
directly to shipboard navigation systems.
Although this type of service might be a few
years out, this level of investment in VDES
could make the transmission and sharing of
other data a very likely possibility.
What groups are involved in VDES
development and what are their respective
roles, including the Coast Guard?
There are definitely a lot of parties
involved in standards development. The
ITU (International Telecommunications
Union), IALA (International Association
of Marine Aids to Navigation and
Lighthouse Authorities, IEC (International
Electrotechnical Commission), RTCM (Radio
Technical Commission for Maritime Services)
and NMEA are all involved at different levels
and with different aspects of VDES. The
ITU develops the technical specifications
for how the VDES standard will operate.
IALA is more involved in the operations
and application of this technology. IEC will
develop testing standards for how a VDES
unit will receive a certification. Because
VDES (like legacy AIS) will incorporate
navigation systems, NMEA is involved to
understand the implications of integrating
VDES technology with existing navigation
technology. Likewise, RTCM has some
involvement, and has special committees
that are looking at aspects of VDES and its
implications.
The Coast Guard is heavily involved
with the ITU and the technical standards
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 39
VDES Technology Roadmap
The Coast Guard R&D Center released a comprehensive report on VDES in early 2021
(https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1135170.pdf ). Here’s the abstract:
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a ship-to-ship collision avoidance system
that allows for communication of position, speed, and other ship data via a Very High
Frequency VHF data link network. The volume of marine vessels using AIS has been steadily
increasing and is resulting in overload of the two channels that carry the AIS transmissions.
The next generation AIS called the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) is under development.
VDES preserves the original function of AIS and provides four additional channels for
communication. The primary benefits of transitioning from AIS to VDES are:
• Increased capacity for data communications with VDE-Terrestrial up to 32 times the
capacity of AIS.
• Increased coverage area provided by VDE-Satellite, including the Arctic.
• Ability to layer in cyber-security.
• Provides a backup Positioning Navigation and Timing or Global Navigation Satellite
System-denied environments and the ability to de-spoof AIS.
This report summarizes the VDES technology, standards, timeline for completion, and
provides example use cases of how VDES will benefit and improve safety of navigation for
the United States Coast Guard and other mariners. It also describes the state of equipment
development, field-testing both previous and that planned by the USCG, and challenges to
implementation.
Beyond the abstract
The Roadmap goes on to report that challenges include frequency availability, adjacent
channel concerns, and the required shore infrastructure (processes, procedures, and
information infrastructure) that will be needed to effectively use VDES.
A next step is to conduct field tests of VDES. Two tests are planned: one test to assess the
feasibility and benefits of transitioning USCG messaging from AIS to the ASM (Application
Specific Message) channels, and a second test to assess the performance of VDES and to
identify issues that need to be resolved for potential operational implementation.
Jorge Arroyo
Program & Management Analyst
USCG Office of Navigation Systems
Excerpts from a conversation with Mr. Arroyo:
IMO is in the process of defining performance standards for VDES while IEC is working
on equipment test standards. We have all the radio spectrum needed to deploy the
system—14 additional VHF channels, but there’s no agreement yet on VDES content.
When in operation, VDES will provide greater bandwidth and speed, thus can deliver more
information than traditional AIS—32x more—and in greater graphical form than text. It will
be like going from 2G to 4G smartphones.
One of the primary drivers of VDES is to relieve AIS channels of non-ship-to-ship
transmissions. Thus, ultimately, AtoN (Aids to Navigation) and Application Specific Messages
(i.e., met-hydro reports) will be migrated to VDES channels. The information contained in
Coast Guard broadcasts and Notices to Mariners will be the same but mariners will not
only get it quicker, it will be possible to provide it directly to their navigation systems. For
example, currently if an AtoN is out of service mariners have to be diligent about obtaining
that notice, which now goes out via broadcasts and Notices to Mariners. With VDES,
electronics charts will be updated automatically when they’re turned on.
development of VDES. There are offices & Development Center is seeking to shed
at Coast Guard headquarters that have a light on some of the technical aspects and
history of involvement in safety of navigation implications of VDES as the standard is still
technology development. We want to being finalized. This will allow our offices to
continue and build upon the success that make better and more informed decisions
we have seen with AIS. To further this regarding infrastructure and investment.
understanding, the Coast Guard’s Research
 Coast Guard LCDR John Forster says although
the VDES standards will probably not be
finalized until 2025, several manufacturers
AIS has grown so popular with mariners that its two channels are becoming overloaded with transmissions.
are already developing software-defined VDES
VDES will add four more channels and increased capacity for data communications along with other
equipment. The new technology will be forward
benefits. Ultimately, AtoN and Application Specific Messages will be migrated to VDES channels.
and backward compatible with AIS.

VDES has been described as AIS on
steroids, but AIS is just a component of VDES.
Describe the components such as AIS and
Application Specific Messages and others that
eventually will comprise VDES. How will AIS
and VDES work together?
To remain forward and backward
compatible, VDES preserves the original
functions of AIS, while providing four
additional channels for communications.
This includes two channels for Application
Specific Messages (ASM), and also higher
speed VDE Terrestrial and VDE Satellite
channels. The additional bandwidth being
made for VDES as compared to legacy AIS
has the potential for huge benefits to both
mariners and the maritime industry. Exactly
how this bandwidth will be utilized, and
who will provide those services has yet to
be determined.
For greater insights into this question,
reference the Coast Guard’s Research &
Development Center’s VDES Technology
Roadmap that was released in early 2021
and is available to the general public (see
sidebar on p. 39).
Describe any technical and/or regulatory
challenges that must be overcome before
VDES can come to full fruition?
[See the response from question two
regarding frequency allocation.] There will
undoubtedly be technical challenges that will
need to be sorted out between the standards
organizations. There are still several aspects
to the VDES standard that need to be figured
out, which is why we are several years from
a finalized standard. One such technical
aspect that comes to mind is that of channel
management (currently being referred to as
the “Bulletin Board”). This is a new challenge
that is not something we have had to face
with AIS.
Additionally, there will likely need to
be deconflicting done at the international
level, especially for countries sharing a
maritime border. It is for this reason that
the Coast Guard has engaged with our
Canadian counterparts to understand how
implementations of VDES may vary, and
how we can work to ensure an effective
navigation system for mariners.

At least two marine electronics man-

Brian Tetreault ufacturers are developing equipment to
Navigation Systems Specialist accommodate VDES, even though a full rollout
US Army Corps of Engineers of VDES isn’t expected for a few years.

Excerpts from a conversation with Mr. Tetreault: I am aware of three companies: CML/
Stone, Saab, and Kongsberg. We are in
The Corps of Engineers and the US and Canadian Coast Guards plan VDES tests for varying stages of working with each of these
mid-2022. Much of the technical background has been done and the work is now mostly companies. MEJ
focused on operational use. We’ll see how it works with the existing AIS system and
infrastructure. VDES will augment AIS—they will operate on different frequencies. About LCDR Forster
VDES will usher in a broader sharing of electronic information. Currently the Corps has Lieutenant Commander John Forster is a graduate
a lot of information for distribution that isn’t conducive for digital communications. Notices of the Coast Guard Academy, where he studied
to Navigation Interests are basically PDF documents. VDES will have more bandwidth, which Operations Research and Computer Analysis. He
gives us the opportunity to develop clearly defined information products that are delivered holds a Masters Degrees in IT Management from
electronically. Government agencies are committed to using VDES for navigation information Ohio University and an MBA from the Naval
products. There are a lot of digitization efforts underway and gaining momentum. Postgraduate School. He is currently a C5I officer and
While VDES has a lot more capabilities than AIS, we don’t know yet how we’ll use it project manager at the Coast Guard’s Research and
beyond the basics. Development Center, and he has over seven years of
afloat experience.

40 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

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Max Marine Ele
Reviving old electronics powers a
thriving business
BY JIM FULLILOVE, MEJ EDITOR Stick around the marine electronics industry long enough and you realize how diverse it is—in
terms of the products and services companies offer and how they operate. They vary in size and location and a few may deal only
with recreational or commercial vessels. I had the opportunity at the 2021 NMEA Conference & Expo to interview Max Stein—
who created and runs one of those unique businesses. In fact, if you attended that event you may have seen NMEA’s new travelling
“museum” of legacy electronics, much of it donated by Stein’s company. Here’s his story:

Max Stein’s entry into the world of

refurbishing and selling legacy electronics
stems from an old Apelco fishfinder that he
put on eBay and sold for “an insane amount
of money.” The avid fisherman says that’s
when “a lightbulb went off in my head”
and he created Max Marine Electronics.
The 37-year-old CEO will soon move his
20-person team into a new Florida facility
that is under construction.

37-year-old company founder and CEO.

He abandoned his pursuit of a business
degree at college, rented space in south
Florida, and incorporated his new company,
which focused on buying and selling older
electronics.
Today, a decade later, MME describes
itself as the “world’s largest supplier of
legacy marine electronics.” It has a staff of
over 20 full-time employees, some dealing

A
nyone who has walked Electronics (MME) in 2011, inspired by
the aisles of boat shows sales of equipment like an Apelco fishfinder
in recent years knows that he bought cheap at a garage sale and
how innovative new sold on eBay for “an insane amount of
electronics can draw money.” Stein asked the buyer, a dealer,
a big crowd. Talk to why he’d pay $250 for a used fishfinder
manufacturers and you’ll hear that useful when he could buy a new replacement
new functions and features drive sales. And brand for half the cost. Simple, said the
yet one company is thriving, expanding and dealer, his customer didn’t want the hassle
building a much larger facility, all financed of recutting the dash or installing a new
from the sales of older, often used marine transducer along with paying for some
electronics. additional electrical work. “That’s when a
Julian “Max” Stein launched Max Marine lightbulb went off in my head,” says the
with the core function of equipment sales,
others refurbishing electronics purchased
from various sources and a five-person team
tasked with logistics such as warehouse
organization, shipments, insurance issues
that may arise and so forth. Most equipment
shipments are to buyers in the US, but some
go to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Stein mentions an internet buyer in the
United Arab Emirates that ordered a bunch
of refurbished Garmin Echomap units—10
at a time—and another in Morocco that
purchases vintage Simrad Fisheries units
regularly.

42 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022

ctronics
“My business is all about relationships.
It has grown organically and not because of
any master plan,” says Stein. “We started by
finding products on Craigslist and forums
like The Hull Truth. Once the marine
electronics world found out this guy was
buying old equipment they started seeking
me out and not the other way around.
Business evolved naturally and on the fly.”
MME has escaped serious damage from
the pandemic, and in fact has benefitted
from Covid-caused supply shortages. When
some buyers of new electronics found they
could not take delivery for six months or
so, they turned to legacy equipment that
was on the shelf at MME and ready to ship.
Where the electronics come from
Most of the equipment MME buys
comes from refits performed by dealers
and installers. Among the most common
electronics MME takes in and sells are
MFDs, radars and sounder modules. The
dealers that sell to MME often apply the
trade-in value to offset and lower install
costs to their customers. Some equipment is
sourced from dealerships that are shutting
down. They also regularly purchase obsolete
equipment from manufacturers, distributors
and individuals, sometimes entire lots.
Stein says the major manufacturers often
sell older or factory-refurbished equipment
directly to distributors, and that MME
makes a point of not getting between
manufacturers and distributors in that
relationship. If they wind up with more old
inventory than they want, distributors and
smaller OEMs will contact us.
Among the legacy electronics that arrive
are new old stock items, some still in boxes.
Overall, the ‘sweet spot’ age for legacy
electronics they sell is 10-20 years—the
oldest they get in with any regularity is from
the 1980s. Brands like Datamarine, Cetrek,
and Interphase still come in often. Stein
remembers a time a retiring dealer sold
them a bunch of Wesmar searchlight sonars
from that era. “We fired up the CRT and
smoke came out. We listed it to our store
[as a parts-only product]—and someone
bought it,” says Stein.
For electronics that need repairs, MME
spends a lot of time sourcing parts that
typically go bad. Aside from the normal
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 43
Architectural rendering of the new Max Marine Electronics
building, which will provide 14,000 square feet of office and
warehouse space when it’s completed in early 2022. While most
of the old equipment that comes in needs only minor work,
sometimes “you open it up and half a cup of water pours out
or the screen has gone bad,” says Technical Sales Director Zack
Vogel (center).
components that can be purchased from the the material after a decade or more. MME
large semiconductor supply houses, MME reproduces the cables using a combination
sources LCD screens for several units from of 3D printing, soldering, and assembly. This
suppliers around the world. 3D printing has spawned a new department
As for bench-top servicing that the MME at MME, which produces everything from
team continues to do in-house, Stein says the alignment coins for mounting brackets
they do some component-level repairs but to the Robnet2 bushings found on Simrad
not a lot of it. “Most of the electronics we autopilots. All prototyping, design, and
get are working but need something minor. production work is done in-house.
The number one thing that takes marine Another specialty is transducers—MME
electronics out is moisture intrusion. receives Airmar, Radarsonics, and even
Most pathways for water intrusion can be Hondex units that are decades old and often
mitigated with processes we have developed without any identification. MME tests them
over the years. When we get a unit in, and calculates frequency and impedance in
we look for weak points we know are order to specify the correct element.
common—fix them and proof them from Equipment that’s beyond repair or not
future damage.” fit for sale is dismantled for parts that are
Sometimes equipment needs more than used to service other devices in house.
a little attention. “The seller says it worked MME steers away from selling parts on
ok when he removed it from the boat,” says the internet to avoid what the CEO calls
Technical Sales Director Zack Vogel, who “going down the used parts rabbit hole.”
joined us for the interview. “You open it up He explains that a buyer will call and
and half a cup of water pours out. Or the request a printed circuit board, but when it
screen has gone bad.” arrives and it turns out the PCB is not the
One problem they often see is worn problem, the buyer returns it and asks for
VHF mic cables due to deterioration of another part. MME has to test the returned

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44 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
Electronics from the 1980s are about the
oldest equipment that arrives regularly to be
refurbished and resold, while 10 to 20-year-old
products are considered the ‘sweet spot.’ For
electronics that are beyond repair, MME parts
out salvageable components and lists them for
sale on the company’s website.
part, put it back on the shelf and ship the
next component. “We can go back-and-forth
trying different parts when we could have
sold them a complete unit that saves them
and us hours of labor.”
A concern Stein had years ago when
electronics moved away from dedicated
units toward networked MFDs and modules
was the impact it would have on the demand
for separate devices. Fortunately for MME
the demand for legacy equipment continues
strong—and, in fact, is growing. That’s what
is fueling construction of the company’s new
14,000-square-foot office and warehouse
building.
Who are the buyers?
Buyers break down equally into two
main camps—end users and installers—
with recreational boaters far exceeding
commercial buyers. Most of the installers
tend to be employed by smaller dealerships,
although some equipment goes to larger
shops that may be trying to help a customer
out of a jam. Either way, MME tests all
equipment before they ship it and provides
a 90-day warranty.
Practicality is the principal motive for
purchases, says Stein. Commercial buyers—
Gulf shrimpers for instance—want to
replace malfunctioning equipment with the
same gizmo they know and like. “There are
guys who want an original Furuno Navnet
system. They have no desire to explore
anything newer.”
Among the recreational buyers are
customers who like their old Northstar
GPS’s or other legendary brands and are
determined to stay loyal. Stein describes a
customer who has two Northstar 6000i units
and a complete radar in his closet that are
ready to go if the matching equipment on
his boat goes bad.
Another customer had a 1995
vintage Raymarine X-series radar with a
malfunctioning CRT display. MME didn’t
have a Raymarine replacement but had an
(Continued on page 48)
4/28/21 1:53 PM
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Worker
shortage
A shortage of quality, motivated
workers continues to vex most indus-
tries, from food service and transpor-
tation to retail and marine electronics.
The Bank of America recently estimated
that 4.6 million workers exited the labor
force during the pandemic—but only
half are expected to rejoin.
BY MARK E. BATTERSBY
46 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
Some simple fixes to consider
F
inding and keeping qualified workers remains a challenge. Many small businesses
are offering higher pay and more benefits to staff up and take advantage of the
much-anticipated improving economy. Unfortunately, they are competing locally
with a slew of big businesses across country that have been hiking wages and
offering enticing bonuses.
How to coax those badly needed workers off the sidelines? Consider just a
few of the strategies in play as businesses search for workers and keep current workers from
quitting. The most successful options could well be the ones that cost the least.
Offering a reward to employees who bring a job candidate onboard can be effective.
These recruiting bonuses, also known as employee referral programs, foster a sense of trust
in existing employees to refer good people that they will work well with.
In order for these bonuses to be most effective, there should be some requirements for
determining the success of the referred worker before the bonus is paid. The requirements
for many of these programs often include working a set length of time, meeting certain
standards, sustaining growth over a certain period and others.
So-called “signing bonuses,” just like those we’re familiar with in professional sports,
are becoming more common in industry. Depending on the local labor market, a company
may have to offer a signing bonus to attract employees and convince them to accept a job.
While that bonus is usually in addition to the employee’s salary, benefits and other bonus or
commission opportunities, it shouldn’t be
paid all up front. If the worker quits early,
recovering the money will be difficult.
While thousands of available jobs
go unfilled, many experts say that low
wages, specifically the minimum wage, are
the problem. Senate Budget Committee
Chairman Bernie Sanders has a simple
solution to the problem of hiring low-
wage workers: Raise wages and pay decent
benefits. Although the minimum wage
doesn’t usually impact skilled workers,
higher-paid employees use the minimum
wage, already increased this year by 21
states, as a springboard to higher wages.
Money isn’t everything
Survey after survey show that it is not
money alone that attracts new workers
and keeps existing employees on the job.
It’s the benefits. Employees are looking for
a sense of security in the form of benefits
and, in many cases, retirement packages
(a 401(k) plan is the most common).
Helping employees maintain their health
and build toward a stable retirement show
job applicants and existing workers that the
business values them.
Also desired by job seekers and employees
are flexibility and the opportunity to
balance work with other life responsibilities,
interests and issues. Job training, educational
assistance, and employer-provided vehicles
used for business are among the popular
and often necessary fringe benefits offered.
Attracting workers from outside the
industry usually means job training, and
many employers are finding ways to use
a jobseeker’s previous job experience to
place them in new careers. On-the-job
training provided by an employer is a tax-
free hiring incentive as well as an invaluable
perk for current employees. Educational
assistance and tuition reimbursement are
also welcome fringe beneefits.
A business with a formal, written
educational assistance plan isn’t required
to immediately fund the plan, only to
reimburse an employee’s educational
expenses—up to $5,250 per employee, per
year and tax-free. Educational assistance
doesn’t just include tuition assistance,
but also payments for books, equipment
and other expenses related to continuing
education.
Tax-free bennies
For employers, it’s important to ensure
your pay scale is competitive and includes
fringe benefits such as help with health
March/April 2022 Marine Electronics Journal 47
insurance, flexible hours, occasional parties,
help with child care, etc. Although clearly
not a one size fits all, the operation must
tailor the solution to its situation. The first
step may be finding what the employees
want.
With some workers quiting and saying
they won’t return to the industry and others
refusing to work for any amount of money,
employers need to approach this challenge "...it is not money alone that
with creativity and open ears. Many attracts new workers and keeps
experts believe the future of the workplace, existing employees on the job."
any workplace, involves “personalized
employment,” providing targeted incentives
and greater flexibility to attract workers.
Among the more common, tax-free
In addition, there is a special tax credit,
employee fringe benefits are these:
a direct reduction of the business’s tax bill
• Flexible working hours and, if possible,
rather than a deduction from the income that
location
tax bill is based on, for hiring youths aged
• Career growth opportunities and options
16 or 17 who reside in an empowerment
for continuing education and training
zone or enterprise community during the
• An increased focus on quality of life,
summer. This credit equals 40% for the first
including adequate holiday time, family
$3,000 of wages paid between May 1 and
involvement and, in some cases, help
Sept. 15, up to a maximum of $1,200 for
with childcare logistics
each qualified worker.
• Good working conditions
Providing many of the benefits described
• Sensitivity to mental and physical health
above can be difficult for small businesses
concerns, including burnout, exhaustion
and businesses that rely on hourly and/or
and increased risk of exposure to Covid-
in-person employees. On the other hand,
19 or one of its variants
small businesses have the advantage of being
Obviously, employers cannot meet every able to provide flexibility and personalization
need or anticipate each unique situation. more quickly than larger employers. For
What they can do is focus on results. businesses where benefits like working
Tax credit for ‘target’ group hires remotely is not an option, the focus can
Despite a tight labor market and the need be on creating short-term incentives and
for seasonal and/or year-round workers, improving the overall satisfaction of a given
the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) position.
for employing workers from one of several
Automation may be an option
“target” groups may help. There is even Some businesses are dealing with the
a special version of the credit for hiring
tough labor market by stepping up the
certain disadvantaged young people to work automation of their operations, aided
during the summer.
by federal tax law that offers a first-year
The WOTC is a federal tax credit expensing option for amounts spent for
available to employers for hiring individuals
new (or used) equipment to be entirely
from groups that have traditionally faced written off or deducted immediately.
significant barriers to employment. These
So-called “bonus” depreciation is another
include qualified veterans, ex-felons, option for an immediate deduction of 100%
summer youth employees, long-term family
of expenditures. Another alternative is the
assistance and long-term unemployment tried-and-true depreciation deduction.
compensation recipients and Supplemental
Depreciation creates a write off for a portion
Security Income recipients among others. of those costs annually when a business
Available until Dec. 31, 2025, the credit
needs income reduction. MEJ
ranges from $2,400 to $9,600 depending
on the targeted group and qualified wage About the author
paid to the new employee. Generally, the Mark Battersby has reported on news and
credit is 40% of qualified first-year wages for developments within the tax and financial arenas for
individuals who work 400+ hours in their over 25 years. His articles regularly appear in many
first year of employment. publications, including MEJ.
TECH TALK
(Continued from page 37)
On two-pronged AC devices, we see
polarized plugs (one large prong) and non-
polarized plugs (both prongs the same).
Reversing the polarity by defeating the
oversized ground terminal or using older
non-polarized two-prong plug equipment
can electrocute nearby swimmers—don’t do
it! The AC Safety ground is an alternative
path to earth in the event of a neutral failure.
The ground is sized for the current in the
circuit. All AC devices are required to have a
connection to AC Safety ground if they have
a metal chassis. Low-power plastic devices
still have two-prong plugs which are non-
polarized and can be reversed. To properly
understand the entire AC power distribution
system, and all its manifestations on boats,
take the ABYC Electrical program.
Next issue we will examine Sections 5 and 6:
Batteries and Battery Chargers. More and more
batteries are showing up in smaller and smaller
boats. These days, trailered boats are running
24 and 36 VDC systems for the trolling motor,
as well as the 12 VDC normally seen. Dedicated
battery systems for inverters and thrusters are
more commonplace. Charging sources such as
wind and solar are gaining popularity. Even
lithium batteries are showing up onboard. Stay
tuned—next issue will be supercharged.
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Airmar Technology 3, 44
Consolidated 22-23, 27
Electronic
Distributors justify spending $20,000 to $30,000 on
CWR Electronics 17
Furuno USA 7
Garmin 51
Gemeco 9, 19
ICOM America 52
Intellian 13
KVH Industries 2
Maretron 15
(CarlingTechnologies) MME moved beyond eBay as their primary marketing tool several years ago. “We realized
Nauticomp 11
Pivotel 21
R.M. Young 12
SeaWide Distribution 30-31
Simrad Yachting 5
48 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
Wire sizing (Continued from page 34)
starts by calculating the cross-sectional area standardization is a recent phenomenon and
of the busbar in square millimeters (mm² all too often it proceeded by canonizing a
= length x height in mm for rectangular local convention as opposed to developing
busbars). Adjustments are then made for any an optimized methodology. For example,
fastener holes in the conducting path with the British scientists were well aware when the
final ampacity determined by several factors British Standard Wire Gauge was set in stone
we have not addressed here such as the that the metric approach made more sense,
lowest temperature rating of the insulation but not for the first or last time, politics
of attached conductors and whether or not trumped science! MEJ
these conductors pass through an engine
room. About the author
Nigel Calder is the author of Boatowner’s Mechanical
The sizing process gets complicated for
and Electrical Manual and other marine titles. He is
busbars with a CSA that exceeds 107mm²
a member of the American Boat and Yacht Council’s
(ABYC 4/0). There is a somewhat convoluted
Electrical Project Technical Committee. He recently
process to enable the existing ABYC ampacity
teamed up with OceanPlanet Energy to continue
tables to be used in order to calculate a pursuing his passion for improving the efficiency of
busbar’s ampacity. boat energy systems, and became one of the co-founders
These various conductor and busbar of BoatHowTo (www.BoatHowTo.com), a platform for
sizing complications are a result of the accurate online marine electrical education.
fact that, from a historical perspective,
Max Marine Electronics (Continued from page 44)
older Furuno CRT radar on the shelf. The
customer wanted a green screen. Out it
went to the customer, who loved it. “It
just blows me away there’s someone out
there who wants an old radar,” says Stein
with a smile.
The majority of people who become
MME customers are simply reluctant
to pay big prices for new electronics,
Stein says practicality is why most buyers purchase especially if they replace their boats every
from MME. Some commercial buyers want to replace few years. Stein says it’s hard for them to
malfunctioning equipment with the “same gizmo they
know and like.” new electronics for a boat that may not
be worth much more than that. Also, if
a radar that’s no longer supported by the
manufacturer needs to be replaced, a boater may balk at buying a new MFD that will support
his new radar. Then there’s the rare customer like the one who is having a new boat built
and had MME outfit the boat with a full ensemble of Raymarine E-Series classic displays and
peripherals.
As MME’s website points out, “Some timeless units have remained popular among buyers
including the Furuno Navnet Series, Raymarine C/E Series Classic, Simrad autopilots,
Garmin’s 2000/3000 series, and even the Northstar 951/952.”
it was not going to be the solution so we invested a lot of time creating an e-commerce
website. More than half of our revenue comes from that,” says Stein. If a prospective customer
Googles a piece of electronics, they will likely find the website or an old eBay listing and get
in touch with MME.
Stein sums up his business this way: “Most everything has a value. A unit hit by lightning
may have its guts fried, but its plastic bezel has value. We believe that everything we sell
will last a good long time. The process is designed to put that unit back in the field for the
foreseeable future,” he says. If you’re a dealer or anyone else who has aging electronics on the
shelf or in the ‘boneyard’—Max Stein wants to hear from you. MEJ
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RTCM Report
(Continued from page 16)
messages to rover devices, and revisions and
improvements of the SOURCETABLE.
The State Space Representation WG has
been considering standardization of messages
since 2007. The SSR concept proposes using
model parameters to correct for the various error
sources in GNSS rather than using reference
station measurements to create corrections (or
Observation Space Representation, OSR). The
advantage of SSR compared with OSR is the ability
to support an unlimited number of users and
GNSS signals for a large variety of applications.
The error sources to be modeled in SSR
include total electron content of the ionosphere,
tropospheric errors, as well as space vehicle orbit,
clock, code and phase biases. The work is to be
done in four phases with:
1. Satellite orbit, satellite clock and satellite code
bias messages to enable code-based Real-Time
(RT)-Precise Point Positioning (PPP) for dual-
frequency receivers
2. Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC)
ionospheric message to enable code-based
RT-PPP for single-frequency receivers and
satellite phase bias messages to enable phase-
based RT-PPP
3. Ionospheric slant TEC (STEC) and tropo-
spheric messages to enable PPP-Real-time-
Kinematic (RTK)
Mail Bag
(Continued from page 8)
for spoofing both AIS and GPS. Still, I feel
Eric’s later comment, “Theoretically, someone
might be able to break in, but it would take a
major undertaking,” echoes my earlier comments
around the Naval Dome radar attack—a specialist
knowledge would be required with some of these
systems.
In conclusion, this was an interesting article
to begin exploring the world of maritime
cybersecurity; however, some more substance
would be welcome regarding mitigations and
further examples of attacks. Is this a topic the
MEJ will be covering in more detail through
technical articles down the line? If it’s of interest,
we would be open to contributing if such an
opportunity arose—for example, exploring how
good infrastructure planning can be used to
mitigate risk.
Dave McCulloch
Senior Software Engineer
Intrinsic Group
50 Marine Electronics Journal March/April 2022
4. Compression to reduce bandwidth SSR
standardization
Draft SSR messages were developed and have
been used by both the IGS and QZSS to provide
PPP services. The Galileo program has expressed
interest in using RTCM SSR messages for their
upcoming High Accuracy Service. In addition,
many companies have been offering services
that use proprietary SSR messages to achieve
centimeter-level positioning, but standardization
of SSR has been elusive. Standardization of all
SSR messages is an extremely complex and
difficult task as indicated by the slow rate of
progress of the WG. Receiver manufacturers have
noted that it is difficult to support a large set
of SSR messages. But the market is demanding
standardized SSR, and the WG is motivated
to complete the standardization. In September
2021 the WG established a Task Force that meets
bi-weekly to more quickly finalize the messages
with a goal of completing the work by September
2022.
Over the long arc of developing techniques
to increase the accuracy of GNSS receivers,
SC104 has continued their work to standardize
GNSS messages to meet these goals. Beginning
with differential, meter-level precisions, evolving
into centimeter-level RTK techniques and now
working on SSR model corrections, SC104
ensures that the developed standards deliver
GNSS messages that are completely interoperable
between various equipment manufacturers and
thereby improving the experience of the end user
MEJ responds:
Our purpose in running the cybersecurity
article was to encourage the marine industry
to push beyond the “let’s study the problem”
stance that is all too common. As indicated
in the article, the comment about “simply
deleting targets from the screen” was a direct
quote from Asaf Shefi, Chief Technology Officer
of respected Israeli cybersecurity consultant
Naval Dome. MEJ is committed to continuing
to report on cybersecurity issues impacting
vessels of all types with the emphasis on
identifying defensive solutions.
from the professional mariner to the commercial
fisherman to the recreational boater. For further
information on RTCM in general or SC104 in
particular, contact info@rtcm.org.
About the author
Robert Snow, PhD, is Chair of RTCM Special
Committee SC104. Following a career in
neurophysiology, he joined the GPS industry with
Interstate Electronics Corp. in Anaheim, CA, in 1985,
where he worked on the development of GPS-based
range safety tracking systems for the Trident D5
program and GPS-based tracking Test & Evaluation
systems for the joint-service GPS Range Applications
Program. He worked for 24 years in the GNSS
industry, defining systems for precise applications
such as navigation, timing, geodesy, surveying, and
mapping.
The Pro Gig
(Continued from page 26)
It may not be a make-or-break factor, but it
certainly helps defray some costs for both
tournament anglers and charter boat captains.
Still, it doesn’t seem to be the financial
issues that dominate the relationship. In fact,
the intangible rewards can be even more
significant.
“You know, as I reflect on the opportunities
we’ve had, it really is cool,” says Henderson.
“Everyone at Simrad has made us feel like
part of their work family and team. Being
included in these joint activities is something
I never really envisioned, but it’s a true honor
to be part of the process. As a fisherperson
and boat owner, who wouldn’t want to
feel like they’re part of the development of
something that will be on thousands of boats
worldwide?”
‘It’s a joy every time I start the boat,” adds
Deto. “Every time I see all those machines
light up, I’m impressed. I think about all the
tiny advantages they add up to, and how
fortunate I am to enjoy them.”
Carlson boils it down to the simple basics.
“It’s fun to test out new stuff, and what’s even
more fun is to see your work, your input,
come to life.” MEJ
About the author
Lenny Rudow has been a boating writer for more
than 20 years. He writes regularly for several marine
publications and websites, including BoatUS, Texas Fish
& Game, and boats.com. Lenny owns Marine Editorial
Services and FishTalkMag.com based in Edgewater,
MD, and is past president and a current board member
of Boating Writers International.
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