Secrets of Raymarine

Grumpy · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:27 pm Post subject:

Barry,

You are not confused. The green line you are referring to is the course vector and it only changes in length with speed and the chosen setting of how many minutes you want.

The TIDE vector changes in thickness (and probably length) and I turned the damned thing off after the first try because there is only so much information you can usefully present on a small screen and this comes under the heading of "useless" because you can do nothing about it.

In fact, it is obvious even to my addled brain that the difference between your boat heading and the course vector should give you a clear indication of the combined effect of wind and tide, which is the only useful thing you need to know. In Puget Sound even that can vary every 200 yds !!

I agree with your previous comment about the range rings. I thought they were great until I realised that 1/2 the time you cannot figure out what their value is since the range numbers are lost in the plethora of magic and often meaningless "spot" values that appear on the chart.

Which brings up the subject of :- Has anyone figured out what some of these so-called "spot" readings mean?? If they are to be believed there are many (undetectable) very deep holes in very shallow water !!! That is something I do not need to know. The inverse I really do need !!

Merv (in a grumpy mood)

colobear · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

Raymarine has issued a software fix for the WAAS changes. I have copied their notification:

Dear Raymarine C-Series or E-Series Owner,

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently decommissioned two WAAS GPS satellites (PRN 122 and PRN 134), and the activated two replacement satellites (PRN 135 and PRN 138). The WAAS firmware in certain Raymarine products does not recognize satellites 135 or 138. All of the Raymarine products affected continue to receive the standard GPS signals and therefore are safe for navigation.Click here for additional information on this topic on Raymarine.com.

We are pleased to release a software update for Raymarine C-Series (C70, C80, C120) and E-Series (E80, E120) Multifunction Displays that restores the ability for their connected Raystar GPS sensors to detect, track and utilize the new WAAS PRN 135 and 138 satellites.

Step 1: Requirements for Upgrade
Raymarine C & E-Series displays are field upgradeable using a common CompactFlash (CF) memory card. For performing upgrades on Raymarine CF compatible products we strongly recommend using a SanDisk brand "Shoot & Store" or SanDisk brand standard grade CompactFlash card. Raymarine cannot guarantee other CompactFlash suppliers will offer the correct specification card for a successful software upgrade.

Step 2: Software Upgrade Procedure

Back up your existing waypoints, routes and tracks. Failure to create a back-up could result in the loss of this data from your multifunction display. For step-by-step instruction on how to perform a backup please consult your MFD Operating Guide, or read FAQ 1145: Backing Up Waypoints, Routes and Tracks on C & E-Series.

Please review the instruction for upgrading your Raymarine Multifunction Display software. Complete step-by-step instructions are available online in FAQ 1219: Upgrading the software in C70, C80, C120, E80 and E120 Displays

Step 3: Download the Software Upgrade
Specific software packages are available for C-Series and E-Series displays. Click on the appropriate link below get the correct software for your display.

C-Series Software Upgrades (C70, C80, C120)
Version 4.26, September 2007.

E-Series Software Upgrade (E80, E120)
Version 3.31, September 2007.

Please note, online registration of your Raymarine product is required to download software updates. If you have not already done so, you will be prompted to register your product before you can download the software.

Alternatively, you can obtain a preprogrammed CF card directly from Raymarine for a nominal reimbursable fee. For more information please contact Raymarine Product Support at (603) 881-5200, x2444 for details.

Kind Regards,

Raymarine Product Support

Grumpy · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject:

OK, Bin there done that and it all worked fine...
So sat for 20 minutes watching the GPS Status screen while it happily tracked all the usual satellites and kept cycling looking for 134, 122, 136 and 133 which is what it did before the upgrade.

Looking at this display the bottom left hand button said "Diff GPS:ON" so you would assume that it is looking for the WAAS satellites.

WRONG !

You need to press the second soft key from the right "OTHER" and you will get a series of options where the top one is "WAAS" : On/OFF

If you select WAAS:ON and go back to the GPS Status screen it will shortly thereafter go and find #136.

Intuitive, it is not.
Work, it does.

May the force be with you.

Merv

timflan · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:34 pm Post subject:

Merv, I hope you don't mind me quoting you over at Navagear.
http://www.navagear.com/2007/09/raymarine-releases-waas-software-fix/

If you'd rather I left you out, or you want me to include your last name, let me know and I'll fix it.

Grumpy · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject:

Tim,

Publish and be damned !! Cool

No Problem.

Merv

Byrdman · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:20 pm Post subject:

Neatest new gig on this system is the Raymarine AIS... Often, the barge traffic traveling the narrow Cumberland River would pop up way prior to them really being close. This allowed me to sort of pick where I wanted to be during the passing. Also found it very interesting that the barges were all owned by the same company,,...but only about 2/3rds of them were putting out the AIS data. But, for those vessels...the advance notice was really neat and surprises really reduced in the way twisted river.

Problem with holding the depth on the sonar. Would at random just loose the depth...which of course often happened when leaving the main channel and drifting towards the close banks as to give yeild to the barges...which is when you really most often needed to know the depth. Did not seem to be speed related due to loosing it at 6 knots as well as at 18-20 knots.. Had to shut down entire Raymarine system, and repower. Every time, after the new repower...POP... got depth figures again...but no telling how long...or short of period of time I would keep them. In hull transducer.

Byrdman

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:38 pm Post subject:

OK, Mac, files received, copied to CF card, C80 display software upgraded - mission accomplished, thanks! And thanks, Merv, for telling us what Raymarine "forgot" to tell us about what you have to do to make it work! Roger, yes the UI WOULD have you pretty pissed off!

Sneaks · Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject:

Breaking News

I ran an unscheduled environmental test on a Sandisk MMC card loaded with the latest Raymarine update.

The card WILL survive a trip through a complete washing machine cycle without damage. Dryer cycles were not attempted.

Embarassed

Don

SeaSpray · Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:43 pm Post subject:

On my recent 3 week trip I had a problem with my C80 the first 2 days. I would turn it on and get a seatalk error and no GPS information. I found that if I tweaked the fancy gel-filled connectors that Raymarine sent me with the new 125 GPS it would start working. After the second day it just started working every time.

These connectors are used to connect the wires from the GPS to the Display and I added the DSC wires from the VHF. So each connector connects 3 wires together. I was not sure if it was a problem with having all 3 connected together or if the connectors were just funky.

I also found that the radar works even if the seatalk is not working since it connects directly to the display and does not seem to use seatalk.

Steve

jlgray · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:34 am Post subject: C-80 Trip Log Question

This is a great thread and I have a question for you. Everything that I want on the C-80 works except for the log and trip feature. We did a 10 day trip and the log or trip showed nothing. As the boat moved, no distance was logged but all the other features work and (of course) the GPS is working fine.

Any ideas?

Island Ranger · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:13 am Post subject:

I'd have to run down to the boat to check, but I vaguely remember two different log/trip counters - one connected to the fathometer paddle wheel (which isn't installed on our boats) and one connected to the GPS (which is incredibly inaccurate on my boat and others).

The only way I found to view the GPS log/trip is to add it to the Data Bar. It is reset through the main menu - system.

I forget how I found the paddle wheel version

Mac

drjohn71a · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:23 pm Post subject:

John and Laurie,

the E-80 has 4 or 5 trip logs. the C-80 prob has more than one. The set/reset is as mentioned above, on the System menu about 2/3 of the way down the list.

John

chromer · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:03 pm Post subject:

I finally got around to Version 4.26 install today. Went smooth. If I go turn WAAS on, will I get more granular position information? Why is this 'off' by default?

Anyone? Grumpy?

Update:
Since I first posted this, I read TimFlan's article and became educated.

Grumpy · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

Chromer,
In reverse order,

I have no idea why the default is "off". I only found out by accident and blind, stubborn refusal to be beaten by software.

As for improving "granularity" not sure what you mean because in the first place, the chart you are being plotted on is only as good as the (paper) chart it was taken from and there are MANY errors on that. Fact is that most areas have not been surveyed in detail for many years.
So it comes down to how accurately you are being plotted on something that is anyway not guaranteed correct.

Apart from the obvious which starts with the disclaimer when you fire up your chartplotter "this is not intended for navigation" the only defense I know is to track your key routes in good weather. You will have surprises such as the entrace to John Wayne marina actually being some 60 ft or so away from where it is ont the chartplotter etc but at least in bad weather you can follow a proven route that you have executed safely.

Otherwise it is back to basics and that means you need to know where you are at all times without the damned electronics.

An accurate depth finder, a chart and a compass......

Merv

timflan · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:53 am Post subject:

Looks like Merv's got it covered. I agree, by the way, that "granularity" isn't quite the appropriate term. It's "accuracy", as Merv suggest.

Just to carry this semantic hair-splitting a bit further, please note that "precision" would also NOT be the correct term: The chartplotter always displays position data with tremendous precision, even if the accuracy is quite low. Although their meanings are completely distinct from another, these two terms are often confused. It's a pet peeve of mine.