Garmin 4012 Plotter. Well it was working perfectly yesterday :(

[oldgit]

Seems to have lost its charts, no details , just fuzzy image of general area on the screen no matter how much you zoom in or out.
Diving into the menu to the "satellite" screen..... no satellites detected.
The "Mushroom" is functioning as another plotter and a radio also connected and also showing a Lat & Long.
Multimeter is detecting a voltage swing across the pair of wires from the GPS receiver to the plotter.

Suggestions as ever most welcome.
1.Two many bits of kit connected to the receiver / however it has been working OK in the past. ?
2 .Finger trouble . ?

 

[Refueler]

I think its always worth reducing down to just the one connected to the antenna ... process of elimination ...

 

[oldgit]

I think its always worth reducing down to just the one connected to the antenna ... process of elimination ...

Good idea and an easy job plus far more importantly will not involve the owner spending any money.
Will pop down to his boat in the morning and give it a try.

 

[Refueler]

The fuzzy screen doesn't sound good .... I would have expected a clear screen map displayed - just without data ..

 

[oldgit]

Screen displays the previous days track but with a general indistinct map in background.
Going to try card in another Garmin unit to see if chart card is faulty and connect plotter directly to mushroom.

 

[vas]

OG, could simply press and remove the SD card, check /clean the copper contacts underneath and push it back in.
When it fires up it gives you various info, among which is card type/date/etc. If these DONT appear, just the garmin logo and then off, then I'd expect the card to be dodgy.
Or could be the socket, mind these have two sdcard slots, remove, clean and fit on the other before venturing to other boats.
general ultra crude map means sdcard is not accessible.

 

[LittleSister]

I am sceptical that it is just a problem reading the map card, because apparently it can't find a satellite, either. Very unlikely indeed that the two's connections would go awol separately at the same moment. I suspect it is some glitch in the 'internal' workings' software or components

Tried factory reset? Will lose owner's stored data, I expect, but might overcome an internal glitch.

 

[oldgit]

Card tried in different 4012 works perfectly.
It is receiving GPS signals.
Did have look in the menu at various bits and pieces but nothing leaps out.....
Have tried undating software and factory reset.
Found a Garmin repair outfit and going to pop it in the post.
Garmin Repair - Express UK Mail-In Repair Solutions

 

[oldgit]

Card tried in different 4012 works perfectly.
It is receiving GPS signals.
Did have look in the menu at various bits and pieces but nothing leaps out.....
Have tried undating software and factory reset.
Found a Garmin repair outfit and going to pop it in the post.
Garmin Repair - Express UK Mail-In Repair Solutions

.....above mentioned company, did not bother to reply to email and when phoned said they do not undertake this type of chartplotter repair and further could not suggest anybody else in UK it could be sent to .
Glad now we do not have any older Garmin kit onboard.

 

[PaulRainbow]

.....above mentioned company, did not bother to reply to email and when phoned said they do not undertake this type of chartplotter repair and further could not suggest anybody else in UK it could be sent to .
Glad now we do not have any older Garmin kit onboard.

Not just Garmin, it's hard to think of many 15 year old consumer electronics that could be repaired.

If you have NMEA 2000 onboard i have a Garmin N2K GPS receiver you are welcome to borrow to eliminate the GPS being the problem.

Or do you know someone else who has an N2K network onboard, so you could connect to it to test it ? If not, you could send it to me and i can connect to N2K to check the GPS for you. No charge.

 

[Refueler]

Not just Garmin, it's hard to think of many 15 year old consumer electronics that could be repaired.

If you have NMEA 2000 onboard i have a Garmin N2K GPS receiver you are welcome to borrow to eliminate the GPS being the problem.

Or do you know someone else who has an N2K network onboard, so you could connect to it to test it ? If not, you could send it to me and i can connect to N2K to check the GPS for you. No charge.

Same with my Lowrance ... when I put on the counter of Service - they just smiled and said - sorry ... too old.

Today I called guys in Riga to reset the MMSI on my Cobra MR55 .... same response !!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Same with my Lowrance ... when I put on the counter of Service - they just smiled and said - sorry ... too old.

Today I called guys in Riga to reset the MMSI on my Cobra MR55 .... same response !!

The Lowrance is kind of understandable, but the VHF is odd, it's only a software reset.

 

[Refueler]

The Lowrance is kind of understandable, but the VHF is odd, it's only a software reset.

Arrrrr that's where the nub comes .....

The Lowrance - yes I agree .... but it decided to start working again on its own !! Its the usual Lowreance Globalmap fault of the screen flickering - its due to the way Eagle / Lowrance edge connect the screen.

The Cobra is not just a simple software reset .. I have the cable and the supposed hack ... but it doesn't work. I spoke to another dealer later and they replied the same, they no longer have the program to do it or the cable.
The radio is going in my latest acquisition - for river use .. so MMSI is not actually needed - just means if anyone hits the Red Button - it will give data of the other boat.

 

[Refueler]

deleted ... hit reply by mistake.

 

[oldgit]

"Or do you know someone else who has an N2K network onboard, so you could connect to it to test it ? If not, you could send it to me and i can connect to N2K to check the GPS for you. No charge."


Thanks Paul.
We did plug it into two other boats with identical plotters, still not working.
Found a company in London which usually only repairs Garmin car SatNavs prepared to at least have look .
Will report back on their conclusions.