Conference unifix::sailing

    You probably don't have the time to get the best price possible (in the 
    area) but maybe that's not important if the USA prices are so much
    better than France. Anyway...
    
    Buying in NH would save a 5% sales tax over MA but it's not likely that
    you could find anyone in NH with reasonable prices for the loran.
    Buying in MA and having the unit shipped to NH would save the tax but
    you probably can't risk waiting for it.
    
    In MA, stay away from chandleries, boat yards, marinas, electronics
    distributors, anything near the water, etc. You'll pay close to, if not,
    full list price.
    
    Best bet is the BOAT/US store in Waltham MA. It's roughly a 35-40 min
    ride from Nashua and reasonably convenient to get to. I don't have a
    catalog handy so I'm reluctant to post directions since route numbers
    and exit signs have changed. If no one adds directions today, I can do
    it when I get home tonight.(Anchor Electronics in Hingham MA, south of
    Boston, may be a little cheaper but they're very hard to drive to -
    not to mention deal with. The last thing you want is to handle a
    warranty problem with them from France.)
    
    What unit(s) are you interested in, so I can quote some prices?
    
    For sightseeing I'd recommend the Marblehead/Beverly/Gloucester area.
    Alan, how about posting directions and suggested sights.
    
    John_R
    

      I'm pretty sure these directions are correct.
    
       From Nashua N.H.; take RT. 3 south to RT. 128 south. Take the 
    Trapelo Rd. (sp?) exit. Go east on Trapelo Rd. Cross Lexington St.
    Take a right at the second set of lights, this is RT. 60 (i think).
    BOAT/US is about a half mile on your left.

     To get the discount price at BOAT/US, you will have to become a
    member. This will costs $12.50 at the store.

    Thanks for the very fast reply.
    I'm interested in the smallest (cheapest?) model of Apelco.
    I haven't the documentation here in the office, but could you explain
    to me what makes the difference between the different models.
    Are some functionnality gadgets that you pay for and dont really need?
    In our sailing area in South East of France, the conditions of
    navigation are the easiest that you can imagine: good visibility
    (fog is extremely rare), no tide, almost no stream, deep water,
     lots of harbor and anchorage. The only difficulty is the wind which
    can change suddenly from 5knots to 30, even 40 knots and in the
    opposite direction.
    In fact we need this LORAN only for a 230 miles sail race
    to Corsica, because the direct route is not the fastest, you have to
    find the wind where it is, and once you find it, you must know where
    you are. 
    So we need a basic model, very easy to use.
    
    Last question: at what time does close BOAT/US on monday?
    My plane is supposed to land the 24th at 15h30 in Boston airport,
    maybe I will have the time to pass before going to Nashua.
    
    Many thanks,
    Bernard

    Bernard, you didn't say if this is your first trip to Nashua or not.
    However here are the standard directions to Nashua with the additional
    pointers to BOAT/US (.2 is correct also). Note: TTB & ZKO are adjacent.
    
Directions from Logan Airport (Boston) to TTB:

  -  Follow signs from rental car agency at Logan to:
     "Downtown Boston - Sumner Tunnel".

  -  Take tunnel, (toll: 60 cents), stay in left lane thru tunnel, at the
     end go up the ramp marked "Route 3 North". This is the Expressway.
     Also should be marked "I-93 North".

  -  Stay in left on Expressway and follow I-93 North.

  -  Approx 8-10 miles from tunnel take Exit 37S off I-93 to I-95 South.
     (Old signs may still show this as: Exit 11S to Route 128 South.)

**-  From I-95 South, take Exit 32A/32B "Middlesex Turnpike/Nashua NH".
     This is a long ramp, take 2nd exit which is "Route 3 North".

  -  Continue on Route 3 North to NH border, take exit 1 (Spitbrook Rd).

  -  Turn left at end of ramp, continue to 3rd set of traffic lights,
     turn right, then right again at next lights towards Sheraton Tara
     parking lot, and TTB (Ten Tara Blvd) is 6 story bldg on left.
    
    ------------
    ** At this point if you didn't head north to Nashua, but continued
    south on I-95 (Rt 128) for roughly five miles, you be at the Trapelo Rd
    exit. BOAT/US is approximately 3.5 miles east of here.
    
    BOAT/US is open most evenings and some limited Sunday hours. Call
    617-899-2000 to be sure.
    
    Apelco Prices:
                List     Member     Description
    DXL 6300    $739      $395      2 line, ultra compact (4.75"x5.5"x2.6") 
    DXL 6500    $895      $525      on screen operator guide,user friendly
        6100   $1085      $649      4 line display, tactical info
        6600   $1545      $895      w/graphic chart display
    
    John_R

RE: -.1,

>>>  -  Take tunnel, (toll: 60 cents), stay in left lane thru tunnel, at the
>>>     end go up the ramp marked "Route 3 North". This is the Expressway.
>>>     Also should be marked "I-93 North".

John:  do you mean "Route 1 North" instead of Route 3?

J.

    Nope. Don't think so. Remember Rt 3 comes up into Boston from the Cape,
    disappears for a while, then reappears at 128 in Burlington. I wouldn't
    *guarantee* these directions but I've given them out about 20 times and
    nobody has complained about a bug - yet. (The sign's probably been 
    stolen by now anyway.)
    
    So that we don't confuse Bernard:
    
    When you exit the tunnel, BOTH lanes are going to make abrupt right
    turns. You want the 2nd right, which goes up a ramp, and this is
    easier if you're in the left lane in the tunnel. 
    
    John_R

>>>  -  Take tunnel, (toll: 60 cents), stay in left lane thru tunnel, at the
>>>     end go up the ramp marked "Route 3 North". This is the Expressway.
>>>     Also should be marked "I-93 North".

	Yes Route 3 North is correct, I-93 is more accurate.  This ramp will 
also get you to Route 1 North (via the Tobin Bridge).

	More advice:

	As soon as you get onto the expressway (top of the ramp) TRY to get 
into the middle lane.  The right lane goes over the Tobin Bridge (Route 1 
North).  It looks like a fork in the road.  Stay to the left and you will be
on Route 93 North.  

	This intersection, and its twin going south have been named as the 
worst in the country several times so it helps to be in the correct lane
when you enter them. 

bjm

    Many thanks to all navigators!
    I feel like a single-handed sailor in a transatlantic race helped by
    his router team on earth!
    I went once in Nashua, and we losed our way after the tunnel, probably
    at the difficult point where one must TRY to get the middle lane.
    This time, with a Boston map and your directions, I should find without
    problem.
    If anyone of you comes a day to Valbonne, I'll be very happy to help him
    as you did so much for me.
                                     
    Thanks again,                   
    Bernard
    
    
    
    
    
    
                   

    It's Bernard speaking on the Hal's terminal, here in ZKO-2
    
    I went monday evening at BOAT/US and as you said they were very helpful
    and friendly. I wanted to buy the Apelco 6300 but the only last device
    he got in stock was written:
    This device has been preset in factory for use only in
    X North America
      Europe
    
    Does somebody knows what kind of preset it is? In North America you
    have several LORAN chains haven't you? So you must be able to select
    a particular one, therefore why not the Mediterranean one?
    When we looked in the documentation, it sounded faisible.
      Has anybody eard about particular problem in Mediterranea sea?
    
    BOAT/US sould phone today to know about it, but if some guru knows
    the LORAN C in Mediterranee sea.
    
    thanks you,
    Bernard
    

    You may want to call Apelco directly at 813-877-9418
    Ask for Customer Service (or Technical Support?).

    This again Bernard Laforgue (the terminal squater) from Forrest's
    terminal.
      I just called Apelco and they said that in the 6300 and 6200 models
    there are preset noise filters that are preset for North America.
    The only moedels usable everywhere are the 6100 and 6600.
    
    So if somebody else wants to buy a LORAN in US because it is cheaper,
    be careful, make sure that it works in the area you are sailing.
    
    Apelco said to me that if I want to be a 6300 preset for Europe,
    I have to buy it in Europe from the danish subsidary.
    
    Thanks to .-1 for the Apelco phone number.
    Bernard

    While the notch filter may have some bearing on LORAN performance
    over varying geography, this is not the most likely reason for having
    different models to cover "other or all other" locations.
    
    Most current LORANs have data tables from which the unit can apply
    a correction factor to your present position. This correction is
    called ASF for Additional Secondary Factors. 
    
    The purpose of the correction is compensate for the different speed
    of the LORAN signals traveling over land verses water. In New England
    for example, off the south coast, it is possible for the signal
    path to be mainly over water and a short time later, change to mainly
    over land. The LORAN ASF tables "know" this and the corrected position
    is much improved.
    
    The point is that ASF tables are stored in ROM and have ASF data
    for every LORAN Chain, world-wide, would drive up the costs. So,
    the manufacturer simply plugs in the ROMs for the geography it to
    be used in and marks the box....North America or what-ever.
    
    The noise filter setting will help deal with locate interference
    and perhaps the Medi has some???
    
    Regards,
    Jerry
     

	The notch filters are set by the manufacturer??  The ones in the
LC90 are automatically set according to the interferance in the area.  I
guess thats one of the differences that justifies the difference in price.

	I have a feeling that even the 'factory' settings may not quite
hack it downeast near the most powerful and very low frequency transmitter
in Cutler.

	We'll see.

	Dave