Radar data

[pimhof]

I removed the Sirius Weather BBWX1 box and it's cabling because I was not using it nor intended to do so in the future. Today, when I turned the radar on to TX, I see one sweep on the screen and no data. Is the radar data somehow cabled thru the BBWX1 box? :jump

And if so, what do I do now?

 

[Johnny Electron]

No the BBWX1 is not related to the radar. I would expect that maybe the radar cable got bumped out of position or something when the BBWX1 was removed. The BBWX1 has no relationship to the radar other than they both use the Furuno Ethernet.

 

[pimhof]

this morning I turned the radar on to TX, it did one 360 degree circle and showed green ground clutter on a white background. The second 360 the background showed total red with no visible ground clutter. Can I change one of the settings to get it back to white or is that not anything to do with it?

 

[Johnny Electron]

The manual talks about how to change the colors. Is the radar working? When you have it to auto clutter and auto gain with manual zero rain; do you have target returns? Do you have the main bang ball of radar video in the middle of the screen?

 

[pimhof]

I will check that tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. I also removed and then re-secured all the cabling on the rear of the unit with no change in the radar data display.

In the meantime, I though I would do a software update, since it looks as though no one ever did one. The version that is there looks to be 1.06. I formatted a 2GB SD card Fat, and transferred the needed files to the SD card, ejected the card as instructed. With the power off I inserted the SD card, then powered on. It never does the update, just brings up the normal screen. I did this with 2 SD cards. Same results. Are there some SD cards that will not do the update?

 

[Johnny Electron]

1.06 is very old software and the software posted on our website for the public won't work. You would need to get direct with tech support of your Furuno distributor to get special conversion software that allows 1.06 to be updated to current.

 

[pimhof]

I was wrong. The version is 4.02. I was reading the 1.06 from another place on the screen.
Should I try a different SD card manufacturer?

Also back to the radar again. Occasionally, the first sweep will show target data, but then the 2nd and following sweeps show a solid red, or green (whatever color I have set it for) and no target data at all.

 

[Johnny Electron]

4.02 is good software but if C-map you can update to 4.03 with the software posted on the website. You must use a 2GB or less card. Sometimes the brand matters. We have seen a lot of problems with Kingston Memory and PNY so we normally try to avoid them. If you have troubles finding a blank card, you can order one from your dealer or the Vx2 software update kit already setup.

Regards to the radar it sounds like high gain with no filtering. If you can't turn down the returns then it almost sounds like water is inside the scanner or something and it might need to be evaluated for repair. If you can turn down the gain but get no targets then then MAG or MIC might be a problem. Magnetrons are wear devices like the tires on your car and replacements should be expected.

 

[pimhof]

thanks for the info...

Follow up to your question....
When you have it to auto clutter and auto gain with manual zero rain; do you have target returns? Do you have the main bang ball of radar video in the middle of the screen?

Answer..
In auto clutter and auto gain with manual zero rain - results are the same.

But when I select auto gain it defaults to auto moderate and the number in the box is 99.
And I can not change it, nor can I change the number 99 because I can not get it to select manual. Strange! There is also no main bang ball in the center of the screen. It's all just one solid color.

 

[Johnny Electron]

Can you post a photo of it? Makes me think you are not really talking to the radar at all.

 

[pimhof]

Yes and here they are. Seems you can only do 3 per post. I have 7 pics, so I'll add addition replies.
I wonder. Do I have a range setting problem?

I finally figured out that the the trackball allowed me to change the options within gain.

 

[pimhof]

3 more

 

[pimhof]

last 1

 

[Johnny Electron]

What settings that are used with the third photo (blue)? That photo looks more normal and there is a small amount of return in the middle of the screen. The others appear to show some display processing issue because the RED doesn't appear to be real high gain returns.

 

[pimhof]

Every once in a while a radar sweep looks normal, but goes right back to the red circle with no radar data. I've changed every setting I can think to change, but nothing gets me back for more than one sweep once in awhile. I'm at a loss here, and will probably get someone more knowledgeable than me to look at it. :jump

 

[Johnny Electron]

By the looks of it the video processing in the display may have a serious issue. Do you have another 10.4" on the boat or a friend with a 10.4" to try?

 

[pimhof]

no.

thanks for the help. Going up to W. VA. for a week of skiing. Will take this up later.

 

[pimhof]

The strangest thing happened this morning. I turned the unit on, when into TX mode. And Wa-La the radar showed targets. After having it on for awhile, I turned it off with no change in the settings, then back on a few minutes later. Wa-La, the red screen of death. I'm thinking maybe a low voltage problem. Maybe I need to replace my boat batteries with new!

 

[Johnny Electron]

Hopefully that does the trick. At least you know it isn't settings.

 

[pimhof]

Getting back to the radar for a bit, you said "No the BBWX1 is not related to the radar.... The BBWX1 has no relationship to the radar other than they both use the Furuno Ethernet." Well, when I disconnected the Sirius Weather unit I also disconnected its ethernet cable. How is the radar connected via the Furuno Ethernet?