How to install chartplotter?

[TomW]

Hi, I have a Standard Horizon CP180i chartplotter that came with the boat just purchased.
There are two plugs on it, one for power and other for gps antenna. There’s a power lead in the cockpit by the mount but no antenna lead to be seen. I’m not very computer literate but hoped it would just have been a matter of plug in and go. I’ve connected the power lead and screen illuminates with various menus.
Needless to say I can’t get the plotter to function.

Do I need
1. A gps antenna lead connected to the plotter too or is the gps already built into the plotter?
2. Do I need a transducer sited by the keel or is this unnecessary if there’s gps already in the plotter picking up the depth?
Many thanks

 

[[70521]]

Hi, I have a Standard Horizon CP180i chartplotter that came with the boat just purchased.
There are two plugs on it, one for power and other for gps antenna. There’s a power lead in the cockpit by the mount but no antenna lead to be seen. I’m not very computer literate but hoped it would just have been a matter of plug in and go. I’ve connected the power lead and screen illuminates with various menus.
Needless to say I can’t get the plotter to function.

Do I need
1. A gps antenna lead connected to the plotter too or is the gps already built into the plotter?
2. Do I need a transducer sited by the keel or is this unnecessary if there’s gps already in the plotter picking up the depth?
Many thanks

Is there a manual for the plotter? If not do you have the skills to Google for one. GPS will not work out depth only position and height above some reference point.

 

[Yngmar]

Hi, I have a Standard Horizon CP180i chartplotter that came with the boat just purchased.
There are two plugs on it, one for power and other for gps antenna. There’s a power lead in the cockpit by the mount but no antenna lead to be seen. I’m not very computer literate but hoped it would just have been a matter of plug in and go. I’ve connected the power lead and screen illuminates with various menus.
Needless to say I can’t get the plotter to function.

Do I need
1. A gps antenna lead connected to the plotter too or is the gps already built into the plotter?
2. Do I need a transducer sited by the keel or is this unnecessary if there’s gps already in the plotter picking up the depth?
Many thanks

A quick search tells you that the "i" in CP180i means it has an internal GPS sensor, so you will not need the external GPS antenna, which is probably why you can't find it.

If you're getting menus, I'm not sure what you mean by not getting the plotter to function. Please be more detailed. You can probably find the manual for the thing online, which might help.

GPS has nothing to do with depth. GPS picks up satellite signals (from wondrous machines in the sky) and can derive from these signals the receivers position, including, if needed, altitude (which isn't very useful on boats).

Depth data comes from a depth transducer (sounder), which is mounted in the hull looking down into the water (can be done without hull penetration in GRP boats), sending an ultrasound signal downwards and listening for an echo. From the delay in the echo it calculates the depth. So yes, if you want depth soundings, you need such a depth transducer.

 

[jwilson]

A CP-180i has an integral GPS - it should be giving a position. A plain CP-180 needs an external GPS "mushroom" or similar active aeriel.

Whichever you have you also need a C-map chart cartridge - if there is not one in the plotter all you will get is a crude blocky rough chart display - the "base map". Prepare to be surprised at the cost if you have to buy one. If you need both a GPS aerial and a chart cartridge you are getting close to the price of a new plotter with built-in charting.

On it's own neither chartplotter nor any GPS will show depth. The CHART may show depths but that's only very very rarely the water's actual depth. To see actual depth you need an echo sounder (or a leadline). An echo sounder can be connected to a chartplotter to display actual water depth.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The i in 180i stands for "internal", relating to the GPS, the GPS connection is for those installations (steel hull etc) where the internal GPS won't work.

You cannot get depth information from the GPS, if you want depth you need a transducer.

 

[Norman_E]

PDF versions of the manual are easy to find online. The internal GPS model is intended for cockpit use and the GPS signal may not be received if it is mounted below decks if there is metalwork above it. If menus are shown but no chart the OP needs to check that there is a chart card installed. From memory the SH plotters used C-map charts on the old C-card, not the SD cards used now.

 

[tillergirl]

I have the 180 (and the manual for both). Both can receive 0183 NMEA from an echo sounder that exports 0183 NMEA. A transducer will not be enough. It needs a sounder export the NMEA string. I am planning to add an i40 Raymarine Bidata that can export the depth string. But it is talking 2000 so it needs a converter to change 2000 to 0183. My goal is to have the depth data on the bus. To see the depth data needs to call up the NMEA page on the plotter (which can be bespoke to show three data items). SH had a sonar box to provide fish finder as an extra but they are not available anymore. I am very impressed by the functionality of the 180 (I hate plotters) but it is small!

Yes +1 they use C Cards

 

[TomW]

Thanks everyone. I’ve now got it working. It’ll still take a while to get the most out of it like any tech stuff.