TZTouch2 + Icom M506 = big dissapointment

[Anonymous]

just installed a butt-simple system consisting of:

TZTouch2, 15", running latest 2.05 firmware
Transducer
Icom M506 VHF, N2K, but no AIS, running latest 1.004 firmware

The TZ2 and M506 are connected via N2K. It would be really hard to have a simpler system. But it doesn't work.

The TZ has a built in GPS, and it can send the GPS info out on the N2K bus to share with other devices like the VHF. That's nice and is something I was counting on, but it doesn't work. The TZ has a good GPS fix, but the VHF won't accept it.

Looking with an analyzer, the TZ is sending the GNSS PGN (129029) as it should, but the VHF isn't accepting it and continues to show no GPS data. Looking at the PGN contents, I see the "Position Date" and "Position Time" fields show "not available", and the "Integrity" field is zero. The actual lat/lon data is good and is updating as it should. If I hook up an external N2K GPS, the VHF accepts it fine. Interestingly, the PGN from the external GPS has the "Position Date", "Position Time", and "Integrity" fields filled in with valid data. Now of course the actual meaning of all these fields is super double top secret NMEA confidential information, but if I were a betting man, I'd say the TZTouch2 is sending an invalid GNSS PGN.

Having just spent about $5000 for this stuff, I am really, really pissed off that this most basic and simple thing doesn't work.

 

[Calico Jack]

Essentially, the Icom M506 issue stems from an NMEA2000 protocol problem that we are aware of and have made changes to the software. This issue would not allow the M506 to even be recognized at all by the TZtouch2. Our Furuno engineers wrote software corrections to compensate for this (Vr. 2.05) and it solved that particular issue. At this point, a second issue (the one you are experiencing) was identified and the Furuno engineers went to work writing new software to correct this. This new version is currently in Beta Testing and does work correctly. It should be available shortly, as soon as final testing is finished. We are sorry for the inconvenience, but assure you that this issue is being fixed.

 

[Anonymous]

Standing by....

 

[Ocean drifter]

Has this issue been resolved yet?

 

[Johnny Electron]

Which issue are you asking about? AIS or GPS?
The AIS has been fixed on two fronts. The GPS issue will be resolved in the next TZT2 version release, as previously stated. (Unless Icom changes the firmware to start using the normal Position PGN sooner than we fix our GNSS sentence)