Garmin GPS 128 problem

[Cantata]

After donkey's years of faultless performance the Garmin 128 on my boat packed up today - wouldn't power-up after a brief switch-off over lunch.
Not had time to investigate, there are two simple possibilites, both behind the panel it's mounted on - either a blown fuse in the supply (why?) or the power plug has dropped out of the unit (unlikely).
Any ideas why else this might have packed up, please?

As a supplementary question...if it's died, what could I replace it with that won't cost an arm and a leg? I don't need a fancy unit, just need something to read off lat/long if I want it, include waypoints and routes, and feed data to Raymarine ST60's, a DSC radio, and a Yeoman Plotter.

 

[Pete7]

Couple of second hand ones on e bay. Would be an easy fix if yours is terminal.

Pete

 

[single]

Mines a 128 that came with the boat.Display light stopped working and Garmin were excellent and sent me a whole new unit.

 

[Billjratt]

If power is present and it still fails, you could try pressing and holding one of the buttons while powering on (I can't say which for that model, so try them all in turn) This can access the service menu which in turn may allow a general reset and some other tests.
Another prob may be goo coming from a ruptured internal battery, which requires a certain amount of skill with circuit boards to remedy.

 

[prv]

Mines a 128 that came with the boat.Display light stopped working and Garmin were excellent and sent me a whole new unit.

128 is long-since discontinued, so I doubt they'd send you one now. A pity, as it's a good bit of kit. If the next boat doesn't come with one, I'll probably be looking for a second-hand unit.

Pete

 

[Davy_S]

As a supplementary question...if it's died, what could I replace it with that won't cost an arm and a leg? I don't need a fancy unit, just need something to read off lat/long if I want it, include waypoints and routes, and feed data to Raymarine ST60's, a DSC radio, and a Yeoman Plotter.

I think its replacement was the Garmin 150 or 152, very similar but with a better resolution.

 

[prv]

I think its replacement was the Garmin 150 or 152, very similar

I remember reading the instruction manual for the 152, and deciding that it didn't really fulfil my needs. My 128 spends most of its time on this screen:

and the 152 doesn't have it or a close equivalent. They seem to have tried to make it work more like a plotter (more graphics, fewer numbers) but without a real map which makes the effort somewhat pointless.

but with a better resolution.

For a GPS (as opposed to a plotter), which works by giving you data rather than drawing you pictures, display resolution isn't all that important.

Pete

 

[lw395]

Could you use an NMEA gps receiver, i.e. a GPS without a screen and read the data via a repeater?
Possibly not cheaper, but might give the readouts you want in big digits.

 

[MoodySabre]

Could it be the internal battery that has died? Thread here.

 

[prv]

Could you use an NMEA gps receiver, i.e. a GPS without a screen and read the data via a repeater?
Possibly not cheaper, but might give the readouts you want in big digits.

If you're talking to me, then not really. None of the repeaters that I've seen have facilities to set and manage waypoints, they assume you'll do that on the main GPS at the chart table and have the helmsman follow the repeater on deck.

(If you know of one that does, do let me know.)

Pete

 

[Davy_S]

For a GPS (as opposed to a plotter), which works by giving you data rather than drawing you pictures, display resolution isn't all that important.

We will have to agree to differ on that one!
The old 65 was the first Garmin I used, then onto the 128, to me well into wreck fishing these sets worked well. I used decca to find the wrecks, and a lowrance paper sounder to highlite them, of course the lowrance sounder caused electrical interferance with the decca signals. Along came GPS ie Garmin 128, also differential GPS, now we are talking accuracy! The 128 was used as a plain waypoint map, wrecks could be marked on it, so could drift over wrecks, the 150/152 better resolution could show the (basic in its day) drift line far better! I know it means nothing in yacht navigation, but it did in wreck fishing.

 

[single]

128 is long-since discontinued, so I doubt they'd send you one now. A pity, as it's a good bit of kit. If the next boat doesn't come with one, I'll probably be looking for a second-hand unit.

Pete

Maybe thats why i got sent a new one, it was about 7 years ago.

 

[Cantata]

Thanks for all suggestions so far. I don't think the problem can be the internal battery as I think the thing would at least power up.
Investigatiing the cause tomorrow, and if it's dead a forumite has kindly offered me a second-hand 128 which would be the ideal solution for me.

 

[Cantata]

Well, turns out it must have been a dodgy connection after all that. Cleaned and reconnected both ends, it works. Thanks anyway!

 

[Slowtack]

I bought a 152 summer this summer when my 128 died. The 152 menus and screens are not at all as user friendly as on the old 128. While it is better than the old model in terms of satellite pickup, the 152 seems too sensitive for sailing. When sailing in a wavy sea state (even in f5 wind), particlularly downwind I have found the readout is overly affected by the boat motion. I tend to use it as a steering aid in poor visibility but in those seastate conditions course to steer to waypoint readout varies considerably, to the point where it can be almost useless. I have mounted the unit as low as possible to minimise the motion effect. Not sure if there is any way to adjust the sensitivity?