Raymarine ST60+ Wind - going around in circles

[RichardS]

Every couple of years my ST60+ wind indicator seems to go a bit wayward and I have to do that re-calibration thing where you drive the boat around in two tight circles and, according to the manual, the display should flash and give 3 bleeps to show that the re-calibration has been successful.

Although doing the re-cal seems to improve the accuracy of my indicator, I have never seen this "flashing display" or heard the 3 beeps.

It is out again this year and I must have done a dozen circles at various times today but the flashing and beeping still eludes me completely.

I assume that the instrument has to be set the either True Wind or Apparent Wind but does it matter which? I've tried both without any success. As I understand it, you don't have to push any buttons to tell the thing that you are about to start a re-cal procedure which always seems a bit strange.

Does anyone ever get the proper response and, if so, how tight are your circles and how quickly do you execute them?

Richard

 

[Kerenza]

I too tried the other day, once I got over being dizzy, I assumed I was still doing something wrong.

 

[Aja]

If I remember correctly, as I don't have the manuals to hand, that to calibrate the autopilot you go round in circles taking at least two minutes per revolution. As for the wind direction, you just motor head to wind in calibration mode and and press a couple of buttons to set indicator to '0'

No doubt someone will be along with an online procedure.

Donald

 

[Kerenza]

sorry, you dont remember correctly.

2. Slowly turn the vessel through two complete circles. This procedure automat-
ically linearizes the windvane. A successful linearization is indicated by the
digital display flashing and the buzzer sounding three beeps.

 

[RichardS]

sorry, you dont remember correctly.

2. Slowly turn the vessel through two complete circles. This procedure automat-
ically linearizes the windvane. A successful linearization is indicated by the
digital display flashing and the buzzer sounding three beeps.

That's what my manual says.

But how slowly is slowly and how large should the circle be? 1 minute to do the circle or 15 minutes .... and is it that important?

With a cat I can rotate on the spot as slowly or as quickly as I like .... but will the circle radius then be too small?

Let's hope that someone who has actually achieved this elusive flash/beep state of being comes along.

Richard

 

[malcp]

In order to re-do the linearisation process (motoring in circles) you will first need to perform a factory reset (Factory Defaults"), done via the dealer calibration menu. Here's the link to the manual https://raymarine.app.box.com/s/w7dp1h5hwi1f3fmda4x1/file/3273542429. Section 4.4 first to do the factory reset, and any other changes you want, then exit the dealer calibration menu. You should see the LCD flash "CAL" for 30 seconds. You can then do the motoring in circles (I'd say ~1 minute per revolution) after which the unit should do the bleeps. This process is supposed to be a one-shot event after first fitting from new, hence the need to reset it if you want to repeat it. You will also need to perform the alignment procedure in Section 4.2.

 

[RichardS]

In order to re-do the linearisation process (motoring in circles) you will first need to perform a factory reset (Factory Defaults"), done via the dealer calibration menu. Here's the link to the manual https://raymarine.app.box.com/s/w7dp1h5hwi1f3fmda4x1/file/3273542429. Section 4.4 first to do the factory reset, and any other changes you want, then exit the dealer calibration menu. You should see the LCD flash "CAL" for 30 seconds. You can then do the motoring in circles (I'd say ~1 minute per revolution) after which the unit should do the bleeps. This process is supposed to be a one-shot event after first fitting from new, hence the need to reset it if you want to repeat it. You will also need to perform the alignment procedure in Section 4.2.

Your link is to the same manual that I have .... but I simply can't read it in the way you seem to be.

Section 4.2 is all about linearising and calibrating and is part of the User Calibration procedure. This seems to me to be entirely independent of the Dealer Calibration process in 4.4 which is all about setting the update speed and accuracy of the digital read-outs.

I'd be happy to be proven wrong but please can you show anywhere in the Dealer Calibration section where it mentions motoring around in circles or achieving flash/bleepdom?

Richard

 

[Bathdave]

I had exactly this issue about 6 weeks ago

There is a thread on it

I had done all the things like trying to relinearise it ..the fact that yours is not responding as it should suggests to me a bigger issue.

I followed the advice on here that it was likely to be a bad connection at the masthead and climbed the mast ...disconnecting the MHU did not stop the needle on the unit spinning ....

So a tip ...first thing to do is disconnect the cables at the back of the display unit ...if it's still spinning (mine was) the unit is goosed and you need a new one (as I did)

 

[Kerenza]

I had exactly this issue about 6 weeks ago

There is a thread on it

I had done all the things like trying to relinearise it ..the fact that yours is not responding as it should suggests to me a bigger issue.

I followed the advice on here that it was likely to be a bad connection at the masthead and climbed the mast ...disconnecting the MHU did not stop the needle on the unit spinning ....

So a tip ...first thing to do is disconnect the cables at the back of the display unit ...if it's still spinning (mine was) the unit is goosed and you need a new one (as I did)

i think you misunderstand. No spinning or other fault, certainly in my case the instrument is working correctly, I simply want to check it is as accurate as possible.

 

[RichardS]

i think you misunderstand. No spinning or other fault, certainly in my case the instrument is working correctly, I simply want to check it is as accurate as possible.

Yes, same here. The unit appears to work but is not as accurate as it was last year. I've fiddled around with the manual trimming but I really want to start again from the beginning.

I suppose that the real question to be asked is "Has anyone on here ever seen the flashing and beeping upon completion of the two circles and, if you have, please give us a little bit of info about what you actually did?"

Edit .... I found this on the Raymarine support pages in reply to someone in the USA with exactly the same query:

Linearizing and aligning the wind transducer

------------------------------------------

This procedure ensures that the sensors in the wind vane transducer are correctly calibrated to record rotation of the wind vane, then compensates for any small errors which may exist in the alignment of the wind transducer.

To do this:

1. Power-up the ST60+ Wind instrument.

2. Perform a factory reset as shown on pages 32 & 33 under dealer calibration.

3. Immediately after performing the reset, slowly turn the vessel through two complete 3 to 5 minute circles. This procedure automatically linearizes the wind vane. A successful linearization is indicated by the digital display flashing three 888 and the buzzer sounding three beeps.

4. Immediately after seeing the three 888, enter user calibration by holding down the disp and true/app buttons for approximately 2 seconds. Once in user calibration then use the disp button to select the wind angle offset screen (see the User calibration flow diagram on page 30).

5. Sail directly into the wind and adjust the analog pointer to zero, using the vmg and tack buttons.

6. Once adjusted, hold down the disp and true/app buttons for 2 seconds to save your settings,

exit user calibration and resume normal operation.

I have attached the ST60+ Wind & Close Hauled Wind Instrument Owner’s Handbook to this thread.

Attachments:
ST60+ Wind and Close Hauled Wind Instrument Owners Handbook.pdf ST60+ Wind and Close Hauled Wind Instrument Owners Handbook.pdf, 1.5 MB

The ridiculous thing is that the attached handbook is exactly the same as the one I have and that does not mention stage 2 anywhere. Raymarine seem to have added this as an afterthought and just forgotten to mention it in any of the versions of the manual.

Just to emphasis the point, the Raymarine Technician adds: "Immediately prior to performing the linearization process you must first perform a factory reset."


What is the matter with these people?

Richard