Raystar 125 (again)

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Hi all, I'm a bit of a newbie to raymarine kit and I couldnt find this covered in all the Raystar 125 threads.

Our C120 plotter has started to be very slow in finding GPS position from the raystar 125 GPS unit when first switched on. Eventually it gets it and all works OK. However, the raymarine DSC VHF set also now fails to pick up lat long at all. Reading threads here, I thought the fix delay is down a duff battery in the raystar 125 unit, but would this also stop me getting a position on the VHF ? ... or are the 2 problems an unfortunarte coincidence? All the kit is 2009.

Thanks for any steers, Phil
 
Phil,

With a 2009 vintage set you will do no harm changing the battery (CR2032).
Check the led lamp on top of the GPS unit.
Check the date on the GPS Status page on the menu.

The real question is how does your VHF set receive GPS position?
If it is via SeaTalk or NMEA then it probably comes from the Raystar device.
 
If all else fails and you do need to replace the GPS receiver,there are plenty around £80-90 pounds as a perfectly good alternative to latest Raystar version at £250 (ish)
 
Sounds like the backup battery is failing. Very easy to replace - remove the Raystar unit from the rail, open it up (two screws) and the battery is a standard CR2032 with a slide-in fitting.

If you need a replacement Raystar unit, they do pop up on eBay. Beware, you cannot fit the latest models, as they do not speak Seatalk1, but older ones are available for around £130.

The VHF not getting GPS data after the plotter shows it sounds like a separate problem. The VHF is probably getting data via NMEA from another device, so check those wires.
 
I am on my second battery after 10 years. Similar symptoms to those reported.
More worryingly, on a recent trip (before a battery change) everything started well. Then after a couple of hours I lost position signal After 10 mins the position was reacquired BUT my boat was shown on the plotter as 2 miles east of its true position! Resetting the GPS and waiting 20 minutes for a new position fix and it worked again.
Since changing the battery it all seems OK now,
I had heard that if the battery was low, then any interruption in the GPS signals being received could mean the Raystar unit might take 15-20 minutes to reacquire the position?
 
DipperToo said:
I had heard that if the battery was low, then any interruption in the GPS signals being received could mean the Raystar unit might take 15-20 minutes to reacquire the position?
Click to expand...

I don't think that's quite right. My experience with my RS125 is that the battery is just used to help it to acquire a position quickly when it is switched on. Once it is running off the boat battery it does not seem to need the internal battery and it's behaviour should it lose signal should not be affected. In fact, I think the GPS would function normally even if the battery were removed but just take a lot longer to acquire a position after being switched off although I've never tried it.

Richard
 
My kit is 2009 vintage and I had to replace the battery in 2015. You can turn on the plotter's internal GPS to get a quick position, I did that a few times when leaving an anchorage and turned it off again soon after to avoid conflict when the Raystar GPS finally kicked in.

Symptoms exactly the same as you describe. My VHF got GPS from the Raystar, almost certain yours will be the same. If plotter is getting a position then VHF should see it as well as long as there isn't another problem. I can't remember if the internal plotter GPS broadcasts position to VHF but worth trying as a test. I think it does broadcast the internal GPS as spec. in manual says "GPS data bridged to NMEA 0183, SeaTalk and SeaTalkng outputs."

Battery change is easy enough. I undid thumbscrews holding GPS down, disconnected cable and undid 6 screws around edge to reach battery. I think the screws were Torx or similar, not slotted or Pozidrive.


Pictures of unit here:
http://www.mistroma.com\jeanneau42ds_images\jeanneau42ds_raystar125\RaystarBase.jpg
http://www.mistroma.com\jeanneau42ds_images\jeanneau42ds_raystar125\RaystarParts.jpg
http://www.mistroma.com\jeanneau42ds_images\jeanneau42ds_raystar125\RaystarBattery.jpg
 
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RichardS said:
I don't think that's quite right. My experience with my RS125 is that the battery is just used to help it to acquire a position quickly when it is switched on. Once it is running off the boat battery it does not seem to need the internal battery and it's behaviour should it lose signal should not be affected. In fact, I think the GPS would function normally even if the battery were removed but just take a lot longer to acquire a position after being switched off although I've never tried it.

Richard
Click to expand...

I believed that this was the case and only expected long startup delay. However, I do remember getting quite a few gaps when position lost for longish periods before replacing the battery. I noticed these gaps before getting long startup delay to first fix and was convinced GPS or plotter was failing. The startup delay made me think of the battery as I'd had the same symptom with other GPS systems. Problem solved as soon as the battery was replaced and the other GPS issue also vanished.

It doesn't make much sense. I wondered if there was a dodgy connection and that problem just went away because I cleaned the pins and used Contralube when replacing the battery.
 
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I had a similar issue a couple of years ago with a RS from 2002 - (not bad battery life)

As others say the internal battery supports the memory of last position, speeding up boot up time and first position fix.

The OP does not say how old the RS unit is

On my old RS, the battery was not a slide in slide out CR2032, but a soldered in fitting. My attempt to replace it was a failure and I finished up buying a Digital Yacht GPS aeriel, much cheaper than a replacement Raymarine one, and it's fine.
 
Bathdave said:
On my old RS, the battery was not a slide in slide out CR2032, but a soldered in fitting. My attempt to replace it was a failure and I finished up buying a Digital Yacht GPS aeriel, much cheaper than a replacement Raymarine one, and it's fine.
Click to expand...

I think that was the RS120 rather than the RS125. They both look the same but the 125 has the push fit battery and the 120 the soldered battery. There might well be other technical differences as well, of course.

Richard
 
Bathdave said:
I had a similar issue a couple of years ago with a RS from 2002 - (not bad battery life)

As others say the internal battery supports the memory of last position, speeding up boot up time and first position fix.

The OP does not say how old the RS unit is

On my old RS, the battery was not a slide in slide out CR2032, but a soldered in fitting. My attempt to replace it was a failure and I finished up buying a Digital Yacht GPS aeriel, much cheaper than a replacement Raymarine one, and it's fine.
Click to expand...

OP actually says "All the kit is 2009." same age as my Raymarine gear.
 
Thanks everybody for your input. Feedback to thread ... changed battery in raystar ( easy with Mistroma piccies) and plotter now gets fix again with minimal delay. Also chased down NMEA input to the VHF and found a bad connection on the output from the C120 via AIS to VHF. So 2 problems were unfortunate coincidence but all now sorted. Thanks again, Phil
 
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