Raymarine chart plotter only getting GPS signal after reboot

DavidJ

DavidJ

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I've got a 10 year old Raymarine RL70C chart plotter and just this week I've had to reboot ( using menu - GPSsetup - reboot) to get a gps signal. It comes up a FIX in just a couple minutes each time but what has changed that it can't do it itself.
I know after 10 years it's a bit long in the tooth but until it dies I don't feel like replacing it.

Any ideas?
 
When my old PC had to be reminded each time I powered it up what the date/time was I found they had a small internal battery that provided enough power to store that information. Was an easy fix - I just replaced the internal battery - is it possible you have the same problem? One for the Raymarine tech forum perhaps?
 
hi David J,


I have th same raymarine and mine did exactly the same Sunday just gone. I had it working in the morning and switched off for 2 hours then lost fix and had to reboot GPS when switched on. has this happened to you only once or numerous times??

FYI GPS download base data of satellite position predictions at intervals so they know which satellites to expect when turned on. it is possible that if the data has not been received, ie turned off when data being transmitted or no been used and data has expires or as suggested above battery is dead it wil take longer to acquire a position.
 
I'm back now from Spain and the boat. It happened all three times I took the boat out last week. I was however surprised how quickly I got a FIX when rebooting, (only a couple of minutes). So it possibly didn't start from scratch which I would expect would take much longer.
On normal startup it seemed to 'see' one satellite only.
Interesting that we both had the same problem at about the same time......does tend to point at a little internel battery assuming it has one.
 
Replying to my own thread here, but after doing some digging, this is a common problem on Raystar 120 GPS antennas (maybe also 125's) after about 6 or 7 years (for me it showed after 10 years so I guess I'm lucky)
There is apparently a little battery inside the dome (maybe 2) which understandability fails after this time . Some say it's soldered in, some say it's welded, but nevertheless it doesn't sound too easy to replace.
Has anyone done it?
I've managed to find a picture from this forum from 2007

Looks like the battery (or batteries) are CR2032

BatterypictureRaystar120_zpsaf30d7c2.png
 
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Tricky but doable

You are right in all respects. The one in the photo is welded in place - you can see the 6 little spot weld marks. The skilled forumites have managed to cut through without too much damage and replace the battery although I wasn't able to do it without causing some bending of the contacts (I am famously ham fisted with electronics though). You are also correct that it is a standard cell and it is easy to get into the dome. The batteries have a service life of about 10 years and I guess Raymarine thought everyone would have upgraded by now. I was lucky in the end and found an unused second hand 120 to replace my old one but fitting the latest versions is just a matter of connecting the wires to the old loom if you can't do the battery replacement bit. The new receivers aren't cheap though AFAIK

DavidJ said:
Replying to my own thread here, but after doing some digging, this is a common problem on Raystar 120 GPS antennas (maybe also 125's) after about 6 or 7 years (for me it showed after 10 years so I guess I'm lucky)
There is apparently a little battery inside the dome (maybe 2) which understandability fails after this time . Some say it's soldered in, some say it's welded, but nevertheless it doesn't sound too easy to replace.
Has anyone done it?
I've managed to find a picture from this forum from 2007

Looks like the battery (or batteries) are CR2032

BatterypictureRaystar120_zpsaf30d7c2.png
Click to expand...
 
I think the latest ones (Raystar 130's) use a different protocol Seatalk NG so would need Seatalk to Seatalk NG converter so an expensive option. I was thinking of going to a third party dome using NMEA. My Chartplotter will handle NMEA it but I also the Seatalk protocol to give me speed indication on my Raymarine "speedo" Not sure if the instrument will handle NMEA or how to "wire" it.
Any advice.
 
The one in the picture was borrowed and had was welded in but mine was a plastic watch battery type holder so easy enough to change out. Sorry about the creases in the picture, but it was in my pocket for a couple of weeks before I could take it into work and scan the picture in to turn it back into a digital image I could post.

The original fault occurred to several members over on Ribnet. By swopping components we discovered it was the antenna. Next taking one apart we were astonished (as were the techies at Raymarine) that there is a battery in it.

You need some small screwdrivers but its a 15 minute job to change it. Guess mine probably needs doing again shortly as been a while now.

Pete
 
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Had to replace my GPS receiver earlier in the year, went with a Garmin receiver instead of the Raystar 130 and works perfectly fine. FWIW if I had gone for the Raystar 130 I would have had to fit a Back bone to convert to NMEA 2000 which had money been available would have been my preferred option.
Either way very easy to replace GPS reciever
 
Our old Raymarine SL70C had lost the GPS signal a couple of times, wondered what the problem was, had been told that the GPS "mushroom" wear out!

Then I stumbled across this thread.................

Anyway, today new battery fitted, took about half an hour and all fixed! Proper sea trial over the weekend.
 
CaptainMike1970 said:
Our old Raymarine SL70C had lost the GPS signal a couple of times, wondered what the problem was, had been told that the GPS "mushroom" wear out!

Then I stumbled across this thread.................

Anyway, today new battery fitted, took about half an hour and all fixed! Proper sea trial over the weekend.
Click to expand...

I'm pleased that you found the thread useful, as did I. Is your 'mushroom' a 120 or 125. The 125 has a little indicator light on the top.
 
This thread is spooky!

We have just started to have trouble with our RL5??CRC not getting a fix when turned on.

How do I open the GPS receiver? Does it simply unscrew? Ours is rail mounted on the pushpit.

Thanks.
 
DavidJ said:
I'm pleased that you found the thread useful, as did I. Is your 'mushroom' a 120 or 125. The 125 has a little indicator light on the top.
Click to expand...

Not sure which one, I'll try to get a look t it next time I'm on the boat, I didn't ask he guy who sorted it for me which one was up on he radar arch.
 
DavidJ said:
I'm pleased that you found the thread useful, as did I. Is your 'mushroom' a 120 or 125. The 125 has a little indicator light on the top.
Click to expand...

As mine doesnt have a light on top, I assume its a 120. Anyone know how to take it apart, please?
 
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