GPS/ Raymarine help please

[smudge837]

Hi all, I have used the search function and just tied my self even more.


I am running a RM C70 (Radar fitted) and a RM A65.

The GPS receiver for the C70 seems to have given up the ghost. receiver connected via choc block into NMEA (5 pin) connector. There is no light showing on the mushroom.

The A65 has its own mushroom going into a dedicated (6 pin) socket. (This works fine)

The question for the collective.

Could I split the feed cable into the A65 onto a choc block. Then continue the cable into the GPS socket on the A65, but take a feed off into the NMEA socket on the C70?

Or am i stuffed and need to pay out £90 for a new dedicated feed for the C70?

cheers all

Smudge

 

[malcp]

If the A65's GPS is an NMEA type (not Seatalk 1) then you can split it's cable, insert a choc-block and connect to both the A65's and C70's NMEA inputs.

 

[Pete7]

Or you could take the C70 antenna apart and replace the watch batteries inside it. They seem good for about 5 or 6 years then fail. For £3 and 10 minutes with some small screw drivers its probably worth trying first.

Pete

 

[malcp]

It depends what the OP means by "given up the ghost". If the unit just takes a long while to obtain a fix then, I'd agree; it would be doing "search the sky" as it can't remember time, last position etc. But if it doesn't work at all the I doubt replacing the battery will help.

 

[smudge837]

Thanks for the replies

Yes sorry, by given up the ghost, I do mean it does nothing at all. No lights showing, I have taken it apart and will pick up a battery at weekend.

As an aside, I presume that i would only use 1 of the live feeds (i.e. A65)

I am thinking splice the receiver cable off to the SeaTalk lead on the C70 - yellow - yellow (SeaTalk) green - Red (SeaTalk) brown and shield/earth to sea talk earth.

I hope that makes sense.


cheers all

Smudge

 

[malcp]

I'm sorry I'm not completely clear about your system configuration. I understand the GPS connected to the A65 is an NMEA variant (because I don't think the A65 actually has a Seatalk1 bus; can't find the manual on the Raymarine www site). Is this correct? If so please do NOT connect any of its outputs to the C70 Seatalk. Seatalk and NMEA are not compatible and it won't work. Instead you must connect the GPS's NMEA output wires (you'll need the manual to determine which those are) and connect them to the C70's NMEA inputs (again you'll need the manual for this). BUT to do this there must be no other equipment outputs connected to those C70 NMEA inputs. (Only 1 output NMEA +/- pair may be connected to upto 4 NMEA input pairs).

If I'm wrong and your A65 has a Seatalk GPS connected to its Seatalk input, then it MAY be possible to common the Yellow Seatalk signal wires of the 2 plotters and the GPS, but be aware it is not officially supported to connect 2 plotters together via Seatalk1, although I know of one case where 2x C70 worked happily with this arrangement.

Hope this is clear.

 

[nigelmercier]

The GPS receiver for the C70 seems to have given up the ghost. receiver connected via choc block into NMEA (5 pin) connector. There is no light showing on the mushroom...

Chocolate blocks are the spawn of the devil. First thing to check is that the mushroom is getting power through it.

 

[smudge837]

many thanks

Cheers for the help guy's.

I replaced the internal battery, then re-wired onto the sea talk connections for the C70 and the mushroom came back to life.

So back to having seperate feeds and plotters. First timeI have seen radio and plotters all getting on.

Regards
Smudge

 

[jpthegp]

Raystar 120 battery

Just to say that some of this sounds familiar - I've spent a happy weekend mending my Raystar 120 GPS receiver for my C70 plotter.
It had started not remembering its fix when being turned on, and was taking up to 30min to find all its satellites and give a good fix.
Having read some of the threads, I opened her up (6 small screws round the case), found the CR2032 lithium battery as per photo in this thread, prized off the spot welds holding it to its contacts, and replaced it using a superglue to keep it in place.
Put back together > bingo - fix found when turned off in 30 secs to 1 minute.
Then - suddenly no satellites at all - and seatalk chaos with the instruments not talking properly. A bit of diagnostics and then wire tracing showed where the GPS sensor wire was squashed flat where it was trapped going through a hole in the bottom of the stanchion - almost certain short circuit.
I spent horrible hours rethreading a new wire, and soldered the strands to the PCB in the GPS sensor - and hey presto, perfect function! Except my ST80 MOB button is malfunctioning with a bleep every second and no action from button pressing - a job for next weekend but ?? fried by the seatalk short circuit - not sure yet. More investigation needed.
So - before shelling out > £200 for a Raystar 125 sensor change the battery and check the wiring.
Cheers Folks.
ps anybody got any clue on the MOB button?