[TG] [TG11] Heading data lost on C70 Classic

[Palmask]

Sailing along a couple of days ago and suddenly got a "heading data unavailable" with the usual alarm. My set-up includes a ST6002 autopilot controller and heading is still displayed on its screen. My understanding (possibly incorrect!) is that the MFD receives the heading data via the ST6002 and/or course computer from the fluxgate compass. All connections seem to be OK. Any ideas out there?

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Palmask,

Yes, the heading data would have been coming from the autopilot, so that implies a problem with the Seatalk or NMEA0183 connection between the two (Seatalk would have been the simpler and more functional connection, but sometimes people used NMEA0183 because it could send more frequent updates of heading data, so-called fast heading.)

Do you have the NMEA0183 cable connected to the back of the C70? Can you trace that back to see where it goes if so?
If you look in Menu > System Diagnostics > External Interfaces > NMEA > Buffer > Start Buffer and set Direction to Rx, do you see any messages coming through?
If you look in External Interfaces > Seatalk > Devices, are any devices listed? If so, what ones? You may need to press Refresh a couple of times to see everything. If you look in the Seatalk Buffer (with Direction set to Rx and Start Buffer pressed), do you see any message traffic?
Is there any other missing data on the C70?
Can you see GPS-related data (e.g. COG/SOG, bearing-to-waypoint etc.) in the Data Pages on the ST6002?

These are all to find out what connections are and are not connected or working.

Regards,
Tom