This is probably going to be my favorite department in the store, with an evolving mix of gizmological goodies that for whatever reason need to find new homes. In many cases, though I really should know better by now, I bought cool high-tech stuff and put it on the shelf, only to discover 3 years later that I need a newer version. In other cases, I bought the wrong gadget, extracted something useful from the boat, or simply changed my design. Whatever the case, this page is a collection point for random treasures new and used (with only one of each available unless otherwise noted).
Icom M602 Commercial Grade Marine VHF with CommandMic II,
new in box, never programmed – $450.00 → 
I bought this 3 years ago and have never turned it on (which is very important, since it can still be initially programmed with your MMSI number for DSC). I have been planning to use it, even though there is a newer model (the 604), but then discovered that I want one esoteric function that requires new firmware… direct hailing of AIS targets identified by my Vesper WatchMate 850. Otherwise, this is a fine radio that should have a long and happy life aboard somebody’s boat.
You can find the manual on the 602 here (PDF). I won’t fill this page with features and specs… if you’re contemplating such a thing, you already know what it is. At the moment (February 2012) I see prices in this approximate range for repacked or used units: $3-400 for the radio with standard mic, and $100-170 for the CommandMic II. I’m asking $450 for both, and they are brand new.
A mic cable is included; additional 20′ extension cables are available from Defender or elsewhere if you wish to extend the distance between base and remote units (and there is an intercom function between them, letting you chat between helm and nav station… or add another CommandMic for a third site).
The rig is 4″ tall, waterproof to JIS-7 specs, has NMEA on the back panel, full DSC, all US and Canadian channels plus weather, a host of scanning features, and more. It’s an amazing radio.
Icom CT-17 Transceiver Interface CI-V – $50.00 →
This device allows serial control of any Icom rig that uses the CI-V interface, including the 706mkIIG (which I have) along with pretty much all their radios of the past 20 years or so. I used it in the Microship system to control the Icom 725, hence the de-packaging… it’s been sitting in a drawer like this for a decade or more. Actually, the 802 on Nomadness is CI-V compatible, but I doubt that I’ll want to make my way from a USB-serial dongle to a DB-25 and thence to this 3.25″ x 2.25″ board. But for quick turn-key PC control of up to four rigs for satellite ops or digital modes, this should serve you well. I’ll repackage in the case before shipping; I don’t believe I have the AC adapter (9-15 VDC), but if it turns up, I’ll include it. These have recently sold on eBay from $56 to a crazy $125. There is a copy of the CT-17 manual here (PDF), thanks to the fine folks at qsl.net.
Sea-Dog 4-way 1″ Rail Fittings (293131) – $14.00 →
This one was an oopsie on my part… I was ordering all the rail fittings for the folding helm seat on my boat, and failed to notice that Sea-Dog doesn’t make a 7/8″ version of the 4-way corner fitting. I ended up changing the design, so now I have these two 1″ parts I will never use. Other than being removed from the original packaging before I noticed the wrong size (of course), they are completely new and looking for a boat to call home. I only have 2 units available. Note: this is currently also on eBay, if you’d prefer to buy it over there.
UV40/TF30 GPS on USB Eval Board – $70.00 →
I bought this from Sparkfun in 2005 for $139.95, and it was mounted in the Shacktopus system… but never powered up. As you can see from the photo, I have stacked the active antenna on the GPS module, and added stand-offs so the unit can mount just below a non-metallic surface. Power is drawn from USB, and it generates the 3.3V from there. A power LED indicates operation, and a coin cell holder (CR2032) allows the GPS to hot-start. The GPS itself is from Laipac, and is a very simple “plug and go” device that puts out 4800-baud sentences as soon as it’s powered up… I’m pretty sure the module here is the TF30. If you buy this, please remind me and I’ll email you the schematic and a documentation PDF about the USB eval board.
SR161 AIS Receiver by Smart Radio, New – $150.00 →
AIS is all the rage now, and if you want to be able to see ship activity at your helm, you need a receiver (if you want to be seen by them in turn, you need a transponder like my Vesper 850, but that’s in the thousand-dollar range). This unit is still being sold for $190-200 by various vendors, and uses a single receiver that scans between the two AIS frequencies at the high end of the Marine VHF band. It will talk to your PC via a serial interface (and works with a USB dongle), and requires only 12 volts (1.5 watts). You can share the VHF antenna with your marine radio using a splitter to simplify installation. This will work with all the standard PC and Mac nav packages that process the VDM sentence, including MacENC, Rose Point, Maptech, Nobeltec, Capn, Fugawi, and so on… and it will display all the available details about the AIS targets it hears. Essential stuff. I’m only selling it because I upgraded to a transponder before I ever got around to installing this (story of my life). These are popular and very well documented.
“Silent Station” MiniITX 12-volt system – $125.00 →
This thing is pretty cool, and I bought it back in 2004 or so with a 32-megabyte CF card containing a complete Squeak image with VM atop a lean Linux base. I don’t know where that card went, but the machine works beautifully; it has all the usual internal connectors for expansion since it’s a stock MiniITX in a power-optimized package. The hardware was built by SolarPC, and in addition to the CF adaptor (from IDE), it has Ethernet, 2 USB ports, RS232, printer, display, mouse, keyboard, video out and stereo sound in and out. The 533 MHz design is very low on power, and runs on 12 volts (an AC supply is also included). Need a little always-on fanless machine on your boat?
You may check out from any “add-to-cart” window, or with this gadget:
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