Raymarine C70 AIS "Fault"

[alan]

Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

I have a Raymarine C70 which is being fed from an Easy AIS receiver. This has been working OK for nearly a year untill I switched it on at the weekend and I get the legend "No AIS" in the top right of the C70 display and do not receive any AIS messages. I have done a few checks this morning:
(1.) Connected my PC (with SOB chart s/w) to the same physical interface of the AIS receiver. AIS messages being received OK.
(2.) Checked the connection between the common physical interface point and the C70 NMEA input. All seem OK.
(3.) Checked the set-up in the C70 menus and all OK. (NMEA port set to 38.4 Kb/s e.t.c)
(4.) C70 diagnostic function shows messages being received (with no errors) on the NMEA interface. (So pretty sure that AIS data is arriving there.)

Still get the "No AIS" message on the C70 display and no AIS being received.
I am going to put the question to Raymarine techy help, but in the meantime has anybody else come across this?? and found the cure!

Alan.

 

[alan]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Also checked the NMEA Rx Buffer (a useful Raymarine feature) and I can see the AIS sntences there, with the format: "!AIV ..... etc ....".

So, the AIS data is arriving at the NMEA receive buffer in the correct NMEA protocol format but the C70 still shows no AIS and there are no AIS messages logged !!!

 

[Alyssa]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Probably unlikely to be the answer....but just a thought....

I believe you can turn off the AIS overlay on the screen. Could this have been done inadvertently??? Unfortunately my manual is on the boat at present so cannot check how you do this.

 

[alan]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Thanks for that; you're quite correct, but already checked that!!

Ta,
Alan.

 

[PembrokeshirePromise]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Again - can't remember the detail - but have you checked that you have AIS alarm on - without that you get an icon (there's one for no signal and theres one for having the alarm switched off I think ....)

 

[alan]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Again thanks, but it's not that either!!

 

[alan]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Last word on this problem (as its boring everyone!): switched on plotter and AIS today and working again; receiveing a ship that passed about 6 miles away; error on transducer icon cleared and 'green'.
Now, the other day on the PC at least one of the targets was a fixed AIS transmitter inland (airfield??) but I wasnt receiving it on the C70 and also today couldn't see this permanent target.
Question: do Raymarine filter out some types of AIS messages, whilst my SOB PC software was displaying all messages??? This is about the only explanation that I have at present. Note for other C/E users the AIS Icon will show "No AIS" and a red cross when there are no AIS messages being received ........ it is not an interface status as such!!!

(I'll also ask Raymarine the question)

 

[pvb]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

I'd have expected the "No AIS" icon to disappear as soon as AIS data was being sent to the C80, even if the C80 subsequently filtered out some messages.

The latest C-series software version (4.29) adds support for AIS message 24, which is a Class B message.

 

[alan]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

I agree with you, PVB, if I was writing the s/w I'd use the Icon to indicate that the interface was working; but it depends at which point in their algorithm they decide if the data is "good" or not; it could be that they decide after the message type check. I have asked Raymarine the question about filtering.

I am running version 4.29.

 

[alan]

Re: Raymarine C70 AIS \"Fault\"

Just posting the answer from Raymarine regarding the "problem" I was having in case it is of interest to anyone else:

"Our displays only display ship AIS targets. We do not display any other AIS targets such as Landbased ones... Yes I know. I'm trying to get this resolved in a software release... "

So, that explains why I was seeing AIS sentences at the C70 NMEA buffer but no targets were being displayed. Have to say I have had two helpfull responses from Raymarine helpdesk in two days ......... very good customer interface.

Alan.