Simrad RD68 - strange beeps

[chrisbrown]

My new Simrad RD68 DSC radio has been emitting 5 short beeps at uneven intervals (sometimes there is an hour between each set, sometimes only 5 seconds). It has been driving me up the wall!

I have just found out the cause & solution, and wanted to share it with other RD68 owners:

It turns out after speaking to Simrad that the problem may be the Automatic Identification System used by Harwich VTS. This system sends polling messages to ships, which reply automatically with their name, callsign, course, etc. This system used to work on some independent channel, but has now changed to work on CH70, which is also used for DSC messages. Apparently, when the Simrad unit receives an AIS message, it tries to decode it, fails, and beeps to indicate failure.

Simrad have now updated the software so that when it fails to decode a message it fails silently. My unit has software v1.0, which beeps. I don't know in which version they fixed the problem.

Simrad will update these radios as a free extended warranty upgrade, this involves sending the radio back to Simrad for a couple of weeks whilst they replace the faceplate. I'm going to wait until the end of the season.

Best regards,

Chris Brown

<hr width=100% size=1>Pandora 700, River Orwell

 

[tony_brighton]

Got contact details for Simrad - I think I may have the same problem.

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[chrisbrown]

Simrad's UK distributor (from www.simrad.com), is:

Simrad Ltd. Great Britain
Unit 810, Fareham Reach
166 Fareham Road, Gosport
PO13 0FW Hampshire
Tlf: +44 1329 245100
Fax: +44 1329 245111
simrad-bordon.sales@simrad.com

I spoke to a Mr. Sargent (not sure if this spelling is correct).

Chris Brown


<hr width=100% size=1>Pandora 700, River Orwell

 

[John7]

I had this with my set occasionally 2001 and much more in 2002. This was mainly in the Blackwater. I had contacted them a number of times and was always been told there wasn't a known problem! I sent the set back and they did a software (firmware) update (would you believe that involves replacing most of the hardware!). We haven't had the pips since so you can get rid of them.


Given this bug is so old I don’t see why sets were being sold in the last few years (my set dated in the first year of production) still have it is beyond me. I have always felt electronics like these sets which are basically computer programming should have a means of firmware updates that could be down loaded and installed by the user.

Its about time reviews such as in the current in the September PBO identified problems such as these. In this case this problem was posted by me over a year ago so is known off and clearly still has not been resolved by Simrad in the sense of withdrawing the faulty sets and issuing a recall for those sold for updating.

It would be useful if others could share there experiences of the different manufactures as I will be reluctant to buy one of there sets again as a result. But are the others any better?


<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by John7 on 11/08/2003 17:45 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[chrisbrown]

John,

I agree completely with you re: user installable software upgrades. I'm concerned about the longevity of my set if, for some reason, the DSC spec is 'upgraded' in a few years.

However, I should clarify what I meant by by set being 'new' - I purchased it in January 2003 from the boat show as an ex-display model, so it is possible that it is actually reasonably old, although it feels 'new' to me. I would hope that brand new models now are supplied with this firmware upgrade by default.

Chris Brown



<hr width=100% size=1>Pandora 700, River Orwell

 

[petery]

Thanks for the info - there was a post about a year ago on this.... but with no answer.

However, I only get it a few times a day so the annoyance was not knowing what caused them - not that they were there.

In the heirarchy of c**p you here on VHF they come close to the bottom of my list!

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[John7]

Automatic Identification System used by Harwich VTS must have some yery long range effects!

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[petery]

Surely the problem not limited to Harwich VTS?

I assume that the automatic identification system is not limited to vessels plying in and out of Harwich.

I understood that it is being implemented fairly widely and, as an international standard format, would effect the RD68 anywhere an interrogation signal was detected.

... but I could be wrong



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[John7]

Re: Surely the problem not limited to Harwich VTS?

If so its even worse the sets weren’t recalled to correct an error if the effect was more wide spread than just us East Coast users!

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[mikenda - delete]

Thank you for doing the research on this annoying signal. I shall approach Simrad at the Boat Show.

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