AIS ICOM 506

[eowyn_2]

I installed my TZtouch2 this weekend and it's very nice. The only issue I had (with limited time to solve) was that I couldn't get the TZ to communicate with the ICOM M506 radio. Both devices indicated that they were connected to the network (TZ reported the ICOM and the ICOM could see the TZ) but the TZ didn't send position to the ICOM and the ICOM didn't send AIS data.

Any hints of what to look for when I get back to the boat?

Thanks!

 

[Johnny Electron]

You need to turn on the PGNs from the TZT2 that the radio requires.
Menu - Settings - Initial setup - PGN output

 

[eowyn_2]

Thanks, I thought I had turned on the appropriate PGN's, but maybe I missed something. Next time I get to the boat I'll check again. I was afraid it was some known communication issue with the ICOM radio.

 

[eowyn_2]

I've checked the PGN's and made sure the appropriate ones were on. Still no position information to the ICOM 506. Then I tried turning on all of the PGN's - still no position information to the ICOM.

I don't believe that the ICOM is the issue because earlier it communicated with a Furuno 1870F and displayed AIS.

However, the TZT2 communicates with a heading sensor that I have installed (right now that is the total of the sensors on the network - one heading sensor and one ICOM).

Any ideas what could be the issue?

Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

If you have access to another DSC equipped radio on a friend's boat, try sending a "position request" from the your Icom M506 to its MMSI and see if the reply from the other radio is displayed on your TZT 2 on the plotter and DSC list. Also send a "position report" from the other radio to your MMSI. Then you can see if the NMEA 2000 communication failure is in both directions. That might help narrow it down.

You can also try making a position report from your Icom 506 to the other radio but if it does not see the position data, I am not sure how it would handle it.

There has been a somewhat chequered history in the implementation of NMEA 2000 with both AIS transponders and DSC radios, which is one reason why it is only recently that we have started to see AIS and DSC devices that have NMEA 2000 ports. Even very big radio producers such as Standard Horizon to this day do not offer any VHF models with NMEA 2000 ports. Icom only has one product with NMEA 2000 as you know and all its other models including the top of range M604 are NMEA 0183.

So your original speculation that it may be some specific issue involving the implementation of NMEA 2000 on the TZT 2 and the M506 may yet prove to be the explanation. Worst case, you may have to buy an IF-NMEA2K converter that you can put on the NMEA 2000 network and then use NMEA 0183 to connect the VHF. Kind of defeats the point of the M506 but would likely work. I have a Standard Horizon GX5500 VHF interfaced to a TZT that way and the communications work fine in both directions. The radio sees the GPS data and the TZT sees the DSC messages.

 

[eowyn_2]

Thanks cc32,

Even though both NMEA 2000 certified devices (ICOM 506 and TZT2) indicate that the other is on the network, that seems to be the extent of the communication. The main display on the ICOM indicates "NO Position, No Time input) and even all the submenus having to do with position indicates no position. Right now I'm not around any friends with DSC radios to test it further.

As I previously mentioned, the AIS was working with the Furuno 1870F and I see this on the software history of that product.

GP1670/1870F Software History
April 2015: FUR-GP-5/7-X51-CE V2.0.4.60
Fixed: Tides
Fixed: Compatibility with Icom 506 VHF radio

So, I'm afraid that is the issue. I might have to go down the route with the NMEA 0183 converter unless Johnny has another idea.

Thanks again for the suggestions! Let me know if you have any additional. So far I'm really liking the TZT2. The speed and flexibility of the display is quite the step up from a Furuno RADAR I had on a previous boat from the early 90's! Of course, that RADAR was stand alone and only communicated with a heading sensor.

 

[Anonymous]

That software update history for the GP1870F is a bad omen, though it suggests that the nature of the conflict is known so perhaps it will get fixed quickly in an update to the TZT 2 software if that is indeed the issue.

Maybe the Furuno guys at Camus should get their hands on an M506 and replicate your system on the bench. If the TZT 2 is not able to interface with a major brand radio, customers (and the company) should know.

 

[Johnny Electron]

I will pass this to the product development folks. If anyone else has or doesn't have this problem with the Icom 506; please post here.

 

[Johnny Electron]

Please know that we tested a 506 with TZT2 and confirmed that this is indeed a problem. The normal TZT worked fine. Japan has been informed and it should be corrected with a software update.

 

[eowyn_2]

Thank you for the confirmation - I really appreciate the follow-up.

I don't suppose you know when the software is going to be updated?

 

[Johnny Electron]

Since it is just reported, it might not be in the next update but we can hope. Japan doesn't publish any planned software releases. Rest assured they will get it changed.

 

[Divedog]

I too have the Icom 506 Radio and the TZT2 would not read the AIS signal like (eowyn_2)

The good news is that yesterday I did the OS and App update and then loaded a C-Map chart unlock for my west coast area. Following the downloaded direction exactly I was pleasantly surprised that not only does the TZT2 now see my AIS targets coming from my ICOM 506 radio but I think the pages are refreshing faster now as well.

The only complaint I have, and its a very minor issue, is finding the damm software update on the Furuno website. It seems that there is only one way to get to it and that is by using the Quick Search box. After reading some of the forum posts on the topic to verify that they were on the website I had to call Furuno WA tec support and a super helpful tech guided me in.

 

[eowyn_2]

Thanks for the report Divedog - it's good to know they addressed it. I have downloaded the OS, but I haven't had a chance to update the TZT2 yet.

 

[Divedog]

Oops, looks like I spoke to soon. I just gat back from a couple days out at the channel islands doing a shake out of some of the work I had done to the boat and I found some not so good issues.

First problem - Radar - for no apparent reason, meaning I wasn't touching anything on the TZT2 at the time, would stop transmitting and I got a message that Radar signal has been lost. This happened 2 times and the first time it was very dark and I really needed it as there were kayak hoop netters in the area with out lights.

#2 The whole system froze up on me and I did notice it because I was on plotter only mode and did not notice it because it just froze the image and when I went to change a page nothing I pressed would do anything so I just held the power button until it shut down. When I turned it back on again the screen started jumping from page to page for about 3 seconds. Looked to me like it was catching up on all my failed attempts to get it out of the frozen mode it was in before I turned it off.

#4 My bad on saying the update made it faster because most of the time it took multiple presses to get the touch to even recognize my finger and when it did, usually because I used a touch stylus, the page took a long time to change. When I pressed home it kept giving me the sounder and sometimes when I tried to get somewhere else it would give me the home screen.

#5 I have a single FI70 installed and it was reading everything from the TZT2 except water temp and depth. The TZT was displaying the depth and temp ok except the depth reading on the tzt2 would go blank from time to time.

Other than that Furuno did fix the the past problem with the AIS coming from the ICOM 506 radio. I know these bugs will be fixed in the future its just a little agravating for me right now because when it worked it is a great system. Im not sure what I'm gonna do at this point other than call Furuno Tech support when I'm on the the boat with the unit in front of me.

 

[Johnny Electron]

You have a pile of complaints that we haven't been seeing with the new software. I would recommend you backup and factory clear the unit. After programming, the internal buffers need flushing. I personally recommend that units be factory cleared after programing. If you continue to have problems it sounds related to your network connection and I recommend you contact tech support.

 

[Lunderic]

I have a similar set up. I loaded the software and no luck with the Icom 506. I spent quite a bit of time with tech support to troubleshoot but no luck. The Icom is broadcasting the AIS info but is not receiving the GPS position from the NMEA 2000 network. The TZT2 is showing software 2.05 when starting up but if you check with the Wireless connection it shows 2.00. I will try to load again tomorrow. Just a note the software would not load if the FI-70 was powered on in case that helps anybody. Any other tips to get the Icom 506 AIS working?

I had the same exact issues as Divedog (old software) and a factory reset did resolve the issues.

 

[Divedog]

OK. I did a Factory Reset and coincidentally I did not have the FI70 powered on while doing this. Seems to work OK now but I have not had time to really use it out on the water so I don't know if the radar transmitting interruptions will still be issues or not. So far so good. :jump

But..after the reset I turned on all the PGN's and then checked with the FI70 to see if it was reading depth and water temp. The water temp is now showing but still no depth. for some reason even though the PGN is turned on on the TZT2 the screen on the FI70 that shows what PGN's it is sensing will not highlight for the water depth. This is obviously the problem but for the life of me I don't understand why the FI70 isn't seeing water depth when all of the TZT2's PGN's are turned on.

Any advice?

Quick questions hopefully some one can answer ...... There are three settings for the FI70, STAND ALONE, SLAVE, and MASTER. I have it set to SLAVE. Is this the correct setting to have it set at with the TZT2 and only having a single FI70?

Im also thinking that maybe it has something to do with how the sensor input list is set on the FI70. Just before I did the factory reset I messed with the input sensor list on the FI70 and got the depth and water temp to read but after the factor reset I forgot how I did it and now No Joy on the Depth reading with the FI70.

Thanks Johnny E for all the tech advice as it seems to be working better than before. I also have to say even though there are obviously some bugs to be worked out the communication and help from Furuno is the best I have ever seen from a large company. I have had Garmin products in the past and while most of there stuff is pretty good for auto's there tech support and communication is not even close to Furuno. I hate having to send stuff back that can usually be fixed by the user (Me) being educated on how to set the equipment up correctly.

 

[Divedog]

Lunderic, I forgot to add to my above post that I have see the same software 2.5 at start up but when I go into the TZT it shows 2.0

JE tell me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure its upgraded to the new 2.5 software and the 2.0 that I'm reading when I open the software version menu is just a correction that was missed in the up date?

 

[Lunderic]

Divedog- Do you happen to know what software version you have in the Icom 506? I have 1.00. It's really frustrating that I can't get the AIS working even with the update to 2.05. I'm hoping somebody has some ideas.
My depth displays correctly on the FI-70. I'll check if I have mine set as slave next time I'm on the boat.

 

[Divedog]

Lunderic - Im not sure on the Icom. Ill check next time I'm at the boat and get back to you on that. Probably tomorrow or Friday. I bought my Icom 506 about a year ago but I never check what software version it had. I have no idea why I'm getting the AIS to work and your not. Might be the same reason my depth doesn't show up but yours does.