GPS Status and date/time issue

[Anonymous]

I have a Furuno network with all Furuno equipment. This includes the MFD 14 3D, DFF1,DRS4,SC30, AIS 50 and MaxSea on my computer.

This was installed and setup in May of 2011. Up until just recently everything worked great. Steve came up last summer and helped me get radar and heading/COG setup properly. All of a sudden the date and time displayed on the MFD 14 reads January 1, 2003 and the time will be incorrect as well. From time to time it will display the date and time properly but most of the time no.

Time and date display correctly on MaxSea but I'm assuming that's because it's getting date and time from the computer versus the GPS. Don't know if this assumption is correct.

Another issue which happens is the "GPS Status" will display no satellite's. It's doing that right now for example. Yet my position on the chart is correct as the boat is located where moored. Even when the "GPS Status" shows satellite's the date and time will still be wrong.

MaxSea is setup to be the chart server for the system. All the other functions of the MFD work properly. I first noticed this problem as the date displayed wrong while the position displayed correct location on my ICOM 604. I thought it was a problem with the ICOM and pursued a fix there. The 604 gets data from Port 2 on the MFD. I pursued fixes on the ICOM but then realized the issue is with the MFD as it's outputting the proper lat/lon coordinate's but the wrong date and time.

Anyone have thoughts on this. I will repeat no other problem's have existed with the system.

 

[Johnny Electron]

I suspect you have the system using the position being provided by the FA50 AIS as your position source and not the SC30. I would recommend you run the setup wizard and setup your GLOBAL - DATA SOURCES to have the SC30 be your position source and not the FA50.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply Johnny. I've always had the SC 30 selected as date/time and position. I went out and checked based on your input.

When I got to Global - Data Sources I seen the autopilot GHP 10 providing position which it can't even do to the best of my knowledge. The GHP 10 is an autopilot by Garmin. That had to have happened when I was in data sources on Friday. The SC 30 was still selected for date/time.

I did the data sources over again and made sure the SC 30 is selected for position and date/time. I then hit save/exit and the MFD rebooted. GPS position is still correct but the date/time is still Jan. 1, 2003.

So my thoughts are that somehow the MFD is getting GPS from the FA 50 even though it's not selected. Is this even possible? It's either that or the SC 30 is outputting position data but not date/time.

Out of curiosity I then went back to the installation wizard and selected the FA 50 for AIS as it has been but added it as the source of position and date/time. After the re-boot position and date/time are correct.

Seems to me that the problem is with the SC 30. Is there a way for me to test if it's outputting to the NEMA 2000 network? There are no loose wires where the SC 30 connects via a Furuno hub to the backbone. All the other NEMA 2000 connections are outputting data. So I know
the NEMA 2000 network is functioning properly.

All advice is appreciated.

 

[Johnny Electron]

There are no loose wires where the SC 30 connects via a Furuno hub to the backbone.

What exactly is the hub you are using? The Furuno Hub101 is for Ethernet not NMEA 2000.

It does appear that your SC30 is not working properly. This is normally because of bad NMEA 2000 architecture or that the SC30 is mounted incorrectly. The SC30 should be the highest thing on the boat. Anything beside or above it can cause Multi-path issues. There is a NMEA 2000 port monitor in the NavNet 3D you can use, but it is real basic. It might require a dealer with the proper test cables to fully test for bad network or multi-path issues.

 

[Anonymous]

I have the FI5002 NEMA 2000 junction box for the 2000 network. This is what I was referring to, just said hub instead of j-box.

Every device and I have five other's are talking and doing what they're supposed to be doing. The SC 30 is the only one not communicating from what I have determined. Nothing is above the SC 30. There's a couple of VHF antenna's about 4 foot away on each side. This setup has worked flawlessly until about two months ago. Why would a multi path issue develop after two year's? I have looked at the port monitor for 2000 numerous time and it had always showed data it's transmitting. What specifically look for? Is it the PGN number for position? Should I take the SC 30 off the boat and send it down to Camas for evaluation?

Thanks for all your help it's appreciated.

 

[Johnny Electron]

If you are running (powering) that off one junction box, I would be concerned that your bus doesn't have enough power. The FI-5002 junction box only provides power for up to 1 amp. The SC50 would take most of that. If you have other items all running from the junction box, I would be very concerned about the power of the bus. If you have a real power T powering the bus, the I would recommend having the unit checked at the Service center. Even if they don't find anything wrong, they can update the firmware to the newest.

 

[Anonymous]

On the subject of date/time, my system seems to get confused as to when daylight savings time starts and stops. In the spring and fall it will get an hour off despite whether the auto daylight savings time box is selected in this portion of the menu. I have to intentionally select one time zone to the east or west to get the right time, then switch it back a few weeks later. I must really confuse it further as I typically cruise from EDT/EST to AST in the fall and AST does not use DST. In the US, the start and stop of DST has varied a bit in recent history, so perhaps the programmers have not kept up....

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for everything Johnny. I do have a a power T installed. I will contact the guys at tech support in Camas and arrange to send it in.