FA50 Non-existent Silent Wiring

[Mariner62]

Hi,
i just upgraded the software on my FA50 to fix the GPS rollover problem.
After doing this upgrade the silent/normal mode can no longer be controlled from the user interface as it was before doing the upgrade.
It seems I now need to install a wired hardware switch to toggle between normal and silent.
HOWEVER ... there are no purple and grey wires on my FA50. (Every other colour described in the electrical schematic is present except the purple and grey).

I saw an old post from 2014 which suggested that older FA50 units did not have the purple and grey wiring and the only way to go silent was via the software controls. If that's true, then it seems my FA50 has been "upgraded" such that I can no longer go silent at all.

Surely not, how do I solve this ??

Thanks

 

[Magnetron]

Hi,
i just upgraded the software on my FA50 to fix the GPS rollover problem.
After doing this upgrade the silent/normal mode can no longer be controlled from the user interface as it was before doing the upgrade.
It seems I now need to install a wired hardware switch to toggle between normal and silent.
HOWEVER ... there are no purple and grey wires on my FA50. (Every other colour described in the electrical schematic is present except the purple and grey).

I saw an old post from 2014 which suggested that older FA50 units did not have the purple and grey wiring and the only way to go silent was via the software controls. If that's true, then it seems my FA50 has been "upgraded" such that I can no longer go silent at all.

Surely not, how do I solve this ??

Thanks

Silent mode was only introduced in later models (serial no. 3559-1475 and later) with the newer main & tx boards installed that supported the feature. Models prior to that could install the newer 1.04 software, but silent mode only was functional on models with the supported hardware.

Hope this helps, :sail

- Maggy

 

[Mariner62]

Hi Maggy,
I don’t believe that is entirely correct.

I have serial No 1029 and it was absolutely capable of going silent under software control prior to this latest upgrade which removed the software controls.
I know this is true because I tested it myself many times when fault-finding another FA50 issue that I had.

It seems way too convenient for Furuno to indicate that it couldn’t be controlled with software before this upgrade, implying it doesn’t really matter that they removed the software control.
Most people have no way of checking their claim, however I did a lot of looking at this previously and I know for sure that my system was capable of going silent under software control. So basically Furuno just removed the capability from my system (and 1400 odd others) and seem so be actively avoiding the problem. When I spoke with Furuno support about this directly, they did not deny that the capability had been removed, and their solution was for me to buy a new AIS unit. Of course!

Best,
Mariner62

 

[Johnny Electron]

Magnetron isn't mistaken. If you don't have the newer hardware, silent mode isn't a function of those very early models regardless of what you see inside the software. There isn't a way to provide functions for which wasn't designed at the time.

 

[Johnny Electron]

I talked with our service center. They said if you have the older hardware board, it would work by software switch only until the point the newer hardware boards and software came out wayyyy back when. To have the software switching work on the older hardware and newer software; it would require a hardware modification be done to the existing board. They said if you send it into our service center they can conduct a modification that would allow the software switching to work. It can be sent in for service at the following address:

Furuno Service
4400 NW Pacific Rim blvd
Camas WA 98607

 

[Mariner62]

Hi,
Thanks for the response JE. So putting all this together. My FA50 was likely running the original (pre 1.04) software which allowed silencing by software control until I installed the latest update a few weeks ago to solve the GPS rollover problem. I know for sure that the software silence function worked on my FA50 last year, I tested it repeatedly.

Thanks for the offer to update the hardware, that is very kind. Given the other problems I’ve had with my FA50 and the fact that I’m overseas cruising at the moment (currently in the Med), I’ll pass on the offer. I plan to replace my entire system next year so the problem will go away at that point. In the meantime, I’ll de-power the AIS when I want to go silent and rely on radar to track contacts. The need for silence doesn’t happen very often, but when it does it’s pretty important. Hopefully the bad guys are not localising radar transmissions these days!

Best
Mariner62