Radar Stopped Working

Tug · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 12:48 pm Post subject: Radar Stopped Working

Guess it was about 5:15 AM this morning when i headed out from the dock. It was dark but i could see some of the city lights and some of the bouy lights and with the help of my GPS and radar the 30 minute run was not too difficult...so i thought. When i reached the first lighted bouy , the one i turn downriver on everything got pitch black and i mean black. I had came upon a solid wall of fog , hear is a picture i told out the cabin window. There was not enough light to produce an image.

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb355/Tug7/100_0804.jpg

As luck would have my radar died....just quite working.I think this is the darkest i have ever been out on the river. About half on the run..( crawl )..was in total darkness but when the sun started coming out i could see a little better but not a lot .It took me 90 minutes to get where i wanted to fish and when i came out of the fog bank it was clear. If you looked back it was like you had just came out of a dark wall. That was scary,,i never thought that fog plus darkness really combines to produce total darkness.

Anyone have any idea's why my radar just died..i tried it again at the dock..it warms up and produces the concentric circles but no radar imagines... Tug

journey on · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 1:49 pm Post subject:

Just out of curiosity, what brand of radar was it? How old? Check the power fuse? Is there a fuse in the antenna tower? Antenna rotate? Any symptoms? It it also a chart platter?

That would help in remotely troubleshooting.

Boris

Tug · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:04 pm Post subject:

The Radar is a 1985 Si-Tex Marine Radar Model T-100..The monitor is a 9" cathode ray tube..ancient..Went down to my boat with the operation manual and some 5 amp fuses.I went through the start up procedure and still no radar image. I went through every key/button and adjusted them to where i thought they should be according to the operational manual.When i started pressing the range keys i started to get a radar image.The digital output readings on the screen are blurry but i guess it is safe to say that if i keep pressing the 1/4 NM button on the left it should be reading 1/4 NM range eventually.What i figured what happened is that when i was out this morning..( playing in the fog ).. i reached for the wiper blade toggle switch to clear the windshield and somehow pressed the range key ..( both are close to each other )..and messed up the radar image.Well now it's working again but tomorrow i will take the boat..( good excuse )..out and test the radar....Thanks for the advice about the fuse, i would probably would not of went and messed around with it tonight.Tug

Captains Cat · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:19 pm Post subject:

Tug, you've put so much money, time and sweat into that boat, it may be time to start saving for something to replace a 27 year old radar that your life may depend on... Rolling Eyes

Just looked all 265 of your pictures....

Just sayin'... Laughing

Charlie

Tug · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:15 pm Post subject:

Defenders sells the 1715 for $ 1737.99 @ TheGPSStore.com sells it for $ 1595.00. I am not sure though if the GPSStore sells the unit complete ready to install or if you have to buy additional parts. Tug

hardee · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 10:03 pm Post subject:

Tug, That would be really disconcerting. I was out in THICK fog this weekend, and I would have been totally lost without the radar. The visibility was at times, less than 100 feet, and sometimes almost a 100 yards.

I actually trust the radar more than the GPS & plotter. That probably comes from running the radar every time I run the boat. Being able to pick out crab floats and buoys, and point the boat where I want to go and then let it take me, is becoming a comfortable feeling. (What is not comfortable is seeing the radar return dots approaching RAPIDLY and being directly headed at me.) So, when the Auto Fog horn quit, I did get concerned. I switched to the other radio for it's Auto Fog horn and got the same response. (The RayMarine 218 screen is saying there is no horn connected so it is between the switch and the horn.) Long story short, I was not willing to spend the next 2 hours hitting the horn every 2 minutes to continue the trip so turned around and snuck back into the bay and took a nap. Will get it sorted out.

Long story short, using the radar every time you are out gets you more comfortable with what you are seeing and how any adjustments affect what you see. If all else fails, a shut down and restart (re-boot) can often get you back to what you are used to.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

thataway · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 10:20 pm Post subject:

Might be an excuse to upgrade all of the electronics! Consider what it was like long before radar, chart plotters, Gps etc--just a compass, fog horn (mouthpower)!.

I don't have radar on the 22, and it is the first boat in a number of years without Radar. Some really great units available which will be far better than the Old Sitex. Also consider AIS for the big ships and commercial boats.

Tug · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:34 am Post subject:

It's 5:32 am...l'm off to chase salmon. If there is any fog like yesterday i will just drop anchor and sleep for an hour. Tug

mngrant · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:55 am Post subject:

Drifter,

Check the set screw on the drive belt pulley. If not tight it will spin and not turn the belt drive. That's an easy fix. The expensive one would to replace the mag.

Tug · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:47 am Post subject:

Tried my radar again this morning ..( fog again )..it worked good for awhile..

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb355/Tug7/100_0806.jpg

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb355/Tug7/100_0805.jpg

and than it just stopped displaying the radar images.

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb355/Tug7/100_0807.jpg

Good thing is that i put three good size salmon in the box..forgot to take pictures but remembered to snap a shot of the last one before cleaning it.

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb355/Tug7/100_0808.jpg

I can hear the radar turning, what do i do..remove the dome and see if any belts screws are loose. I guess i should wait a few hours before i do that...do the older radars emit radiation?? Tug

journey on · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:09 pm Post subject:

ALL radars emit radiation, that's how they work. However, it's not nuclear radiation and it stops when the power stops.If you can hear the antenna turning, it's probably an electronic problem. Jiggle all the connectors.

As to removing the radome, get a manual, or contact the factory to see what an overhaul costs. Then see about a new radar/chartplotter.

Boris

Tug · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:29 pm Post subject:

When you buy the Furuno 1715 LCD Radar package does it include everything that you need to install a functioning radar or do you have to buy any special connectors and adapters to connect it on your boat's power supply and GPS. Tug

Spike · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:08 pm Post subject:

Tug
The GPS store sells the furuno 1715 ready to install as far as no extra parts needed. You do have to hook up a wire or two and remove some packing under the dome cover. All very very easy stuff. Am real happy with mine.

Falco · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:03 pm Post subject:

Didnt have a chance to read this whole thread, but in case it's not been brought up, you might check the ground on the radar unit. I had a similar problem with my Raytheon set up several years ago. Reattaching (more completely) the ground on the terminal block took care of it.

Tug · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:46 am Post subject:

Falco... i will do that today, l'll go over the whole thing and tighten/reconnect everything that is possible.

No fishing today...i need radar just to find my way out of the driveway and to get to the marina...Tug