Installation Issues

Calibration of CS4500 Ultrasonic Speed

2011-12-22T06:51:41Z

In a followup further question regarding the CS4500 ported into an NMEA2000 network, does anyone have any specific experience regarding it's calibration?

IO read DDW's comments from 2009 regarding their calibrating one through the Raymarine Speed Pod and an ST70, but I'm wondering if there's an absolute need to buy an ST70 to get menaingful speed readings?

We run Maretron DSM250 displays, and I don't really want to buy an ST70 just to calibrate the CS4500.

Maybe the CS4500 doesn't need in-situ calibration? Is it good enough off the shelf?

Anyone have any good advice?

Merry Christmas,

Paul.

Problems posting replies on forum topics

2011-12-20T03:08:58Z

Hi,

Sorry to use a post for this, but not sure how else to bring it up. I've posted 2 replies to the "PB200 question for Dan Corcoran" topic on the Installation forum. (1 was an attempted repeat when my first one seemingly wasn't posted).

On the Forum's main page, it shows that there are new replies, but when I go into the topic I can't actually see the replies.

Is this a problem just for me, or a general problem.

Anyway, I thought I should post it for Ben's attention. I've posted this to the same installation area, although it should probably have just been to general. Sorry if I've used the wrong process to bring this up.

Cheers,
Paul.

Blown VHF Receivers

2011-12-12T19:08:45Z

I have an ICOM 504 in the pilot house and a 604 on the flybridge. Both have command mikes to the other station. Each has it's own 6db antenna mounted on 8 ft extenders with about 12 feet horizontal separation. The 6dbs are above the bimini and radar transceiver. Great care is taken to be sure both radios are not on the same channel when one is transmitting.

In the past three years I have blown the receivers in both radios, the 504 once and the 604 twice. Sets were repaired at an ICOM service facility who could give me no incites as to why it happened. Neither has the licensed pro, who handled the install.

Any thoughts or suggestions as to possible cause of the blown receivers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Malcolm

PB200 question for Dan Corcoran

2011-12-08T03:18:11Z

Hi Dan,

Hopefully you'll see this and won't mind replying.

We installed a PB200 18 months ago, but I've only just installed other parts of the N2K network and started looking at really using the data properly. I've noted various comments by you and others about the GPS and heading data from the PB200 being less stable than the wind data, and that agrees with my observations.

Over the various posts and comments in both the blog and forum, I've seen you mention 2 things several times:

1) That the GPS output from the PB200 can be turned off (but that it turns itself back on after every powerup), and
2) There's a setting for the PB200 which automatically inhibits the GPS output if there's another source of GPS info on the N2K network.

I've worked my way through the Weathercaster s/w and all the documentation (I don't find their manuals that great), and I can't figure out how to do those 2 things.

Can you please help me with detailed info on how to enable these things?

Also, you mentioned in one blog that you had trouble when both the PB200 and another device were trying to calculate true wind, and I think you recommended disabling the true wind calc or output from the PB200 and going with the calculation from the other device. We are using Maretron DSM250 displays, and they are capable of calculating true wind - how do we disable the output from the PB200 for true wind? Or am I misunderstanding this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul.

using Maretron's N2K Analyzer s/w with non-Maretron USB interface

2011-12-04T07:04:27Z

Hi,

Searching through old posts I've found references to Maretron's N2K Analyzer software only being compatible with Maretron's USB100 USB interface.

Just wondering if anyone has any hard evidence if this has changed?

I have Airmar's U200 usb interface, which apparently is a re-badged Actisense unit. It works well with Airmar's Weathercaster s/w, and Actisense's NMEA Reader s/w, but I can't get it to work with Maretron's N2K Analyzer.

I understand that the Maretron s/w offers some good tools for NMEA2000 network setup (e.g. ability to change the "instance" of a device) which Actisense's NMEA Reader doesn't have, so it'd be useful to be able to access those.

Anyone have any comments or suggestions?

Also, apart for the Maretron & Actisense analysis software, is anyone aware of any others that are useful?

Thanks,
Paul.

Which site is the best to buy led lights from?

2011-11-28T09:23:35Z

Hi guys,
I wants to buy some led lights to renew my house.

I do a google search and find some websites:
http://www.superbrightleds.com
http://www.niceledlights.com
illuminex.co
www.colorkinetics.com
did you guys every bought from them? how are their quality?
Thanks

navnet3d to timezero

2011-11-06T16:51:09Z

Hi to all members of this interesting forum,i m trying to connect the mfd8 navnet 3 d with timezero explorer via the furuno hub101 with no luck,they work fine'' alone'' but when they are both connected a huge conflict with scary screen colors.
can anyone help this electronic dynosaurus to solve this problem.
Grazie from Italy

Helm Electronics

2011-11-03T05:42:31Z

We are trucking our 50 ft sloop to San Francisco Bay from Chicago. Plan on first exploring the Bay - and then perhaps go north in the summer of 2013 and south thereafter.

First: Are there any members of the Panbo crew who are around SF? We will be at Grand Marina on Alameda (near Oakland).

I am thinking of upgrading my n2k network - as I have typical helm instruments and have been encouraged to get chart/radar/ais and ?weather at the helm. My personal bent is to do it with computer - but the reality is I am not moving my household to SF and therefore the extended jiggering of a computer and network and wifi and displays may overwhelm me on my visits. So my easier alternative seems to be Simrad with their great Radar. Like to keep helm instruments limited (stare at LCD's all day anyway - why have a big one in front of your nose blocking the fresh air) - but safety, unfamiliar territory, lots of traffic, fog - and a wife - are all steering me to give in.

On the other hand if there is someone knowledgeable locally in SF....????

GH2183 (or G2183) under a fiberglass deck

2011-08-09T18:24:29Z

I'd like to mount an Airmar GH2183 combined compass+GPS under a fiberglass deck. The heading sensor isn't a problem as this would be replacing an H2183 which I mounted under the port setee.

Airmar says: The GH2183 eliminates the need to install a GPS receiver above deck and an electronic compass below deck. Only one, above-deck installation is required, saving installation time and money

My Garmin chartplotter has an onboard GPS and it is below deck. Is Airmar being overly conservative here?

Any wisdom or experience out there?

Setting up NMEA2000 Gauges

2011-07-05T17:31:07Z

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum and need some advice. I have a Raymarine C120W Multi Function display network and I'm contemplating using it for displaying engine data from TWIN Cummins 6BTA M3 (370hp) engines.

Given that the engines are 10 yrs old and are only supplying anologue data now, I plan to leave the anologue gauges in place and set up new senders for oil pressure and coolant temp as well as taking the engine revs from the alternators. That way I have completely separate feeds for dual redundancy. I'm only looking for these 3 measures from both engines.

My plan is to take the anologue engine data from the senders/alternator thru a Murphy MeCAN unit (which has these exact feeds) to convert to J1939 format, then into a Maretron J2K100 Gateway to convert into an NMEA 2000 format/backbone for the C120W display.

A Raymarine specialist says it should/will work, but I would appreciate any thoughts anyone has. (Ben, I actually asked the question of Ed, but he referred me to you/your site.) Is there anything I should be aware of that would be regarded as an issue or show stopper??

I'm aware of having to program one of the gateway units for the separate address for the starboard engine, and I'm asking Maretron how can I best accomplish this without buying a Maretron display. (any thoughts??)

The web dealers I've looked at are happy to sell me 2 Gateway units, but when I asked questions, I seem to be on my own. Assuming the first unit will work "out of the box", can anyone provide some comments if they have done something similar. All/any assistance is appreciated.

Many thanks.

Xantrex Battery Charge Problem

2011-06-13T01:17:29Z

Need some help troubleshooting a new Xantrex Charger. Hoping someone here may have had a similar problem and can offer some advice.

Charger is a Xantrex TrueCharge2 40A charger. Problem is it's flashing a High Charger Temperature warning light. Unit is in a well ventilated area and set at 80% output. With a full load (Fridge, cabin lights and instruments, warning light comes on after 20 mins or so,

Theres no obvious whirring sound indicating the fan is on. I'm wondering if the fan is the problem.

Anyone have any suggestions. Faulty unit or something else?

Simrad autopilot with NavNetvx2

2011-05-23T14:15:15Z

Gents.
I have just signed in this forum and I am whiling to get some help to make decisions regarding a boat I am building. I have had 3 boats so far and all were self built. Now, retirement is coming and I am building a 46' 25 ton disp. trawler in which I intend to live and cruise around the American Continent. My previous boast all had stand alone electronics, Garmin or Raytheon, for fishing purposes, nothing fancy, they were all, by the way, fishing vessels, the passion of the family. Now I am moving into a serious vessel and as there will be only 2 persons on board, I am looking into having the best and reliable help for navigation within a not generous budget. It is time to install cabling and equipment and I am begging for your help because my port of origin is in Northeast Brazil and there are very few sources for help, and the ones available are very unreliable.
In my local market research I came to the conclusion that Furuno is the best backed up brand, but not the new NavNet 3 models. The best options are still the old NavNetvx2 models. I already have a SIMRAD AP28 autopilot that I bought in advance due to an outstanding pricing opportunity. Can I use this autopilot integrated with the Furuno NavNet VX2 radar/chart/GPS/Fishfinder? I have two steering stations and intend to use a MU 120C up on the Fly reproducing all data from the main station down below. Will it be a reliable setup? Can I expect some incompatibility issues connecting both brands?
Thank you in advance to all who border to answer my topic.
Fernando Rodrigues

AirMar PB200 install question

2011-05-15T16:53:06Z

I have a small problem. At present I am unable to mount my PB200 on the mast. I have been thinking about mounting it above the bow pulpit on a 12" mast extension. I do not use a spinnaker so all my sails are aft of this area. The jib stay would be 16" aft. I am mainly using the PB200 to interface with my tillerpilot. I am thinking that the sensor should be in clear air for 320 degrees ( 0-160 and 200-360 )
Please comment and/or offer any advise. I am completely new at this.
Thanks,
John (WestWind)

SeaTalkHS and Moxa Ethernet2Serial server

2011-04-06T07:52:58Z

Hi guys,

I want to connect a Raymarine E80 MFD with my AIS-device via a Moxa ethernet server. The Raymarine SeaTalkHS system is a proprieteer network bus, but the Moxa server can establish a network-link to the MFD. Both devices have a unique IP in the same network, the link-LED of the Moxa-server flashes.

The informations I need are
- settings of Moxa (OP-mode, UDP or TCP, port)
- do the ais-information go through the network to the MFD?

Has anybody tried this before?

Best regards
Max

Help with Lowrance LCX & AIS VHF!

2011-03-23T16:21:02Z

I have a Lowrance LCX 37c sounder/chartplotter that I bought new 3 years ago. It is NMEA 18-2000 compliant and has 2 comm. ports. I recently bought a Standard Horizon Matric GX2100 AIS capable VHF radio.

I can't figure out how to connect all the tiny colored NMEA data wires togther to get the GPS to talk to the radio and the AIS to talk to the chartplotter. I have looked around for info on this and all I find is stuff on how to connect the newer Lowrance HDS units.

Does anyone know, or have info on howto connect these 2 units to get them to work with each other?