Standard Horizon chart plotter keeps re-booting itself

[Babylon]

For ages I've been flummoxed by the CP300 randomly re-booting itself. I replaced the switch unit at the main panel and double-rechecked all connections but it still kept happening - even when the boat was moored in absolutely calm conditions.

It was the last of the line which I bought in about 2013 at a discount just after SH had decided to stop developing their chart plotters and revert to their original focus on radio equipment. The reason I went for this unit was to interface with their 'Matrix' AIS VHF radio (the GX2100), so that it would display AIS targets on the chart plotter screen - much easier than trying to read the small monochrome screen on the radio itself - and I didn't want to spend loads of money on the then first generation touch-screen Garmins etc.

Finally today chatted with a super-helpful tech support guy at SH and have discovered the cause: the random-re-boot only ever happens when the VHF is also on. Esentially the now older technology of the chart plotter (processor? programming?) cannot cope with the greater diversity and perhaps volume of AIS signals it is receiving from the VHF, so it just re-boots itself. (I can alter the display range on the VHF screen from 0.5 to 15NM, but not sure if this will make any difference - it first happened a mile offshore the east coast of Alderney when there was nothing else in sight.)

It isn't a complete disaster as I like to use paper charts anyway, but is a bit of a nuisance, especially when I'm following a waypoint route (usually single-handed) and have to go below to re-set the route etc. I also don't want to get into the habit of leaving the VHF off.

Is there some solution to this? Can the AIS output from the VHF connect to a more modern plotter from another manufacturer (not that I feel like spending more money!)? Would the same problem occur if I fitted a separate AIS receiver to the plotter?

 

[Daverw]

I don’t see why another plotter would not display the AIS data, it’s not really manufacture dependant, assume the data output of the radio is NMEA 38400

 

[pvb]

Finally today chatted with a super-helpful tech support guy at SH and have discovered the cause: the random-re-boot only ever happens when the VHF is also on. Esentially the now older technology of the chart plotter (processor? programming?) cannot cope with the greater diversity and perhaps volume of AIS signals it is receiving from the VHF, so it just re-boots itself. (I can alter the display range on the VHF screen from 0.5 to 15NM, but not sure if this will make any difference - it first happened a mile offshore the east coast of Alderney when there was nothing else in sight.)

According to the GX2100 manual, you can also alter the activation range, which theoretically should reduce the number of targets which the radio is sending data about. This might help to reduce the processor load on the plotter.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Not a lot of help, but I have the same plotter and VHF with the AIS feeding the plotter ..... in 7 years I have never seen my plotter reset - but don't have the same volume of AIS traffic as the channel. If this behaviour is something new, try clearing out all the old stored routes and waypoints you don't need - it might just be running out of memory?

 

[Leighb]

Not a Standard Horizon, but I had a problem with my plotter randomly rebooting, and it turned out to be a poor connection on the negative busbar. Once that was sorted it has never happened again.

 

[LadyInBed]

According to the GX2100 manual, you can also alter the activation range, which theoretically should reduce the number of targets which the radio is sending data about. This might help to reduce the processor load on the plotter.

Yes, I think that should help.
On my SH I set the TTCPA alarm to 30 mins and the DTCPA to 5 nM. I've never had any issues.

 

[prv]

Can the AIS output from the VHF connect to a more modern plotter from another manufacturer (not that I feel like spending more money!)? Would the same problem occur if I fitted a separate AIS receiver to the plotter?

Yes and most likely yes.

Pete

 

[jwilson]

I have a smaller SH-180 at the chart table getting an NMEA0183 AIS feed from a B&G V50 AIS-receiving VHF (that is also connected to and displays targets on a B&G V7 plotter at the helm via NMEA2000). Never seen the SH plotter reboot, though never that many AIS targets around here - typically maybe 15-40 targets in range.

 

[MikeCC]

Not sure without checking manual but I think you can also reduce volume of data by minimising the NMEA sentences that the VHF outputs.

 

[Babylon]

Thanks for the feedback. It might be the volume of signals (although it first happened in a relatively empty sea) but according to the SH techie it could also be the increased types and sophistication of current AIS signals that weren't around when the firmware was originally developed and then last updated (before being discontinued) in around 2011.

The first instance (empty seas off the Alderney coast) was in relatively bumpy conditions which led me to suspect a wiring issue, but this has all been re-checked twice, and it has since repeatedly happened when tied up in absolute calm. Hence the suspicion now of ONLY either the VHF or the chart card (the original). BUT I wonder if there is perhaps some residiual issue of voltage drop due to a dicky connection (poor contact say in inline fuse or other junction) IN COMBINATION with the strain on the old processor/firmware when connected to the VHF?

If Baggy, Lady and Wilson have no problem with the same kit being fed my modern AIS signals (from SH or other sources), then I need to be careful to not rule out a voltage drop as a contributing factor. Currently plugged into shore-power with batts fully charged, so can continue tests today but with multi-meter taped to the inline fuse contacts.

I'm also now sometimes noticing very faint horizontal lines on the plotter screen (like on 1970s TV screens when the signal was poor), which would suggest something dodgy in the supply?

The nuclear option would be route a completely independent supply direct from the busbar and bypassing the old switch panel (1982 but maintained/refurbished).

Will report back...

 

[LadyInBed]

BUT I wonder if there is perhaps some residiual issue of voltage drop due to a dicky connection (poor contact say in inline fuse or other junction) IN COMBINATION with the strain on the old processor/firmware when connected to the VHF?

SH I/P voltage is 10 - 35v.
The only issue I have had is with poor connections on the 'Twist & Lock' plug. Unlocking and pumping the connector in and out sorts it for a year or so.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

This might be of interest ...

I noticed that I was loosing the extra Cartography information then there was a reset…. I removed the CMAP card and the unit functioned correctly. I assumed that the data on the card had been compromised somehow.

Again before sending the card back to the UK, I decided to have a little look at the unit. There is a mini ribbon cable coming from the back of the cards slot to the main board. There is a suppression ferrule fitted to this cable. As the suppression ferule is heavy it is glued to the main board. It had come apart and pulled the ribbon cable from the connector. I put this cable back in and have had no issues since.

https://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/threads/standard-horizon-cp300-beware.203802/

 

[Babylon]

That is a cracking line to explore, thanks Baggy!

I've just got home having put the boat away on her mooring late this afternoon, but should have first taken the CP300 off and brought it with me - this will have to wait until I'm down next. It is entirely feasible that there's a loose connection of this sort inside the unit (the very first instance of the problem having been in particularly bouncy seas off Alderney), which could also explain the vague horizontal lines now starting to shimmer over the chart screen (assuming the card isn't the culprit for this?) but it still doesn't explain why the random re-booting only happens when the VHF is on and feeding AIS data!

The other thing I tried via the chart-plotter menu screen was to limit displaying AIS data to vessels only within say 1NM, but it still showed vessels up to 12NM distant!.. which brings me back to the theory of the CP not being able to properly cope with the AIS data feed.

Time for a wee whiskey...!

 

[LadyInBed]

The other thing I tried via the chart-plotter menu screen was to limit displaying AIS data to vessels only within say 1NM, but it still showed vessels up to 12NM distant!.. which brings me back to the theory of the CP not being able to properly cope with the AIS data feed.

If you are talking about the AIS setup on the CP then the 'limit' is only for when the Time / Distance alarm flashes up, it will still display targets at longer range.

 

[Babylon]

Thanks Lady, I understand.

 

[wooslehunter]

I have a CP-180i that's been absolutely fine since I bought it a few years ago. First trip out this season, it started to reboot randomly. I did a memory reset & problem seems to have been fixed. See chapter 17 in the manual on how to do it.

Be careful though as resetting the memory will remove any waypoints, routes etc.

I had though that the GPS was not subject to the "Rollover" event that took place in April. But, if there are other units out there that were previously working fine & now exhibit the same fault, then it could possibly be the problem.

 

[Babylon]

I am a middle-aged male... I did not even think to check the manual!!

Thanks for the heads-up. Before anything else I'll do a full clear clear/re-set to default settings. I don't tend to store waypoints or routes so nothing personal to be lost... except perhaps my misplaced confidence that I'm fully competent! :nonchalance:

The problem started before this year, but what is this "Rollover" event of which you speak?

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I am a middle-aged male... I did not even think to check the manual!!

Thanks for the heads-up. Before anything else I'll do a full clear clear/re-set to default settings. I don't tend to store waypoints or routes so nothing personal to be lost... except perhaps my misplaced confidence that I'm fully competent! :nonchalance:

The problem started before this year, but what is this "Rollover" event of which you speak?

On your plotter, nothing to worry about - I have it on good authority the CP300 is fine - will check mine next weekend.

It's the way the date is encoded in the software of the GPS system. It counts up in weeks from a start date but there is a limit on how big the number can get, so it can only count for about 20 years before it runs out of binary digits and "rolls-over" back to zero - so it needs a new start date.

Full explanation here ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Week_Number_Rollover_2019

 

[Babylon]

Wow, from innocent pleasure boating straight to Einstein...

Since GPS satellites are travelling at a much faster speed in space relative to the GPS receivers on the ground, time travels slightly slower on satellites than on Earth per Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. Proper date on the GPS receivers allow accurate calculation of the time drift to render precise location. Otherwise, navigation data and location estimates may become corrupted.[4]

I don't think my CP300 was effected: it showed us bang on the mud in exactly the right place yesterday... allowing for the fact that the mud has since been dredged for a few walk-ashore pontoons.

Yes the card is five years old. But, as I've just got the Navionics Boating app on my iPad as a backup for 35 quid, I'm not going to spend another £250 for an up-to-date one.

 

[boatmike]

If all else fails you could disconnect the VHF feed to the plotter and let it run independently as an AIS transmit/receive device. Then buy a cheaper AIS receive only to connect to the plotter. One of the problems with fully integrated systems is that if one bit of kit goes wobbly it can KO the rest. Non integrated systems give you back up if something fails. I had this problem with a radar feeding in to the chart plotter. separated the two and all was well......