[CA] [CA11] a78 Atlantic Canada Maps

[ToTheLimit]

I just bought a new to me 1978 Marine trader and it was equipped with an a78 MFD with Radar and transponder at the lower helm but nothing on the upper help. I ordered a matching a78 MFD for the upper helm with a A80007 HS5 switch. I have connected everything together and to my disappointment it does not appear to share the charts from the Main unit. Please let me know if I'm missing anything? If I do have to buy charts for the upper helm to match how do I find out what charts (Brand/ area) is on the lower helm so I can match them? I need charts for Atlantic Canada including the Saint John River Valley. Any help would be very appreciated.

Thank you,

Bill

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Bill,

As you may know, cartography and radar resources are designed to be shared between compatible MFDs within a system when the MFDs have been interfaced to one another via an Ethernet network. Such resource sharing cannot be accomplished via a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 network. In this case each MFD should be interfaced to the HS5 RayNet Network Switch via an appropriate length of RayNet (F) to RayNet (F) Cable.

The most common causes for the reported symptom are:
- each MFD has not been updated with LightHouse II v19.03 software ... update the software within each MFD accordingly.
- the Chart application page/pane in which the cartography cannot be viewed has been configured (MENU->PRESENTATION->CHART SELECTION) to view the incorrect Chart source ... should the MFD only have one chart card, then the Chart Selection setting within the Chart application pages/panes of each MFD should be configured to use the chart card which is present within your system
- there is a fault within the Ethernet communications path between the MFDs ... this may easily be tested for by viewing the Select Devices List on the non-Data Master MFD. The Select Devices List should not only list the MFD on which the command has been executed, but also the other MFDs within the system as well as the radome or open array radar pedestal. Within the Network column of this list, "SeaTalkhs" should be listed for each of the system's MFDs and the radome or open array radar pedestal. If not, then these MFDs are not communicating properly with one another via Ethernet, potentially indicating a problem with the Ethernet cabling, HS5 RayNet Network Switch, or within the Ethernet communications circuitry of one of the MFDs.

[ToTheLimit]

Okay, I have updated the software on both units and now have them connected directly to each other via a short cord to iliminate the network switch being the issue. When I insert the Navionics card in EITHER unit it will not allow me to select anything but "Simple" under the Chart Display on the newer unit. This is even if the card is in the newer unit. The weird thing is that when the card is in the newer unit the older unit will display in "Extra Detailed". The Navionics card is about 4 years old and has not been updated, could this be the issue?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bill,

I provided information within my last response identifying how Ethernet (SeaTalkhs) communications between the two MFDs could be verified. If you have not already done so, it is recommended that you follow the directions within the referenced FAQ to display the Select Devices list and ensure that each of the MFDs is not only listed, but specifies SeaTalkhs within the Network column for the second MFD within the system. If not, then the fault may be caused by one of the following:
- not having properly interfaced the MFDs to one another via an Ethernet network. Should you have used an an appropriate length of RayNet (F) to RayNet (F) Cable (not a length of SeaTalkng Spur Cable) to perform the testing which you have indicated then it would be recommended that the MFDs be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.
- a faulty RayNet (F) to RayNet (F) Cable ... test with another cable
- a failure within the Ethernet communication circuitry of one of both of the MFDs. Should the system feature another compatible device having an Ethernet communications interface, then it would be recommended that each MFD be interfaced to the other device via Ethernet and that Ethernet communications be verified (via the Select Devices list) with the other device. Any MFD which is found to not communicate with the other device should be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center[/url] to be bench checked / serviced.

Should each of the MFDs is not only listed within the Select Devices List, and specify SeaTalkhs within the Network column, then it would be recommended the chart card's contents be updated. If the chart card is a Navionics Chart card, then this will be accomplished via a Navionics Freshest Data subscription (purchased via Navionics' website) and the Navionics Chart installer computer based application. C-Map has a similar program for C-Map chart. If the chart card has been populated with purchased LightHouse Charts, then the corresponding LightHouse Charts would need to be deleted, new LightHouse Charts for the corresponding area purchased, and then downloaded to the LightHouse chart card via Raymarine's LightHouse Manager program.

[ToTheLimit]

Hey Chuck, it worked!!! Thank you Sir!! Next question, I want to add an external GPS antenna. Which one should I order?

Thanks,

Bill

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bill,

If seeking an external GPS sensor for the system, then it would be recommended that a Raystar 150 GPS Sensor be installed. This device features a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 communications interface and like the system's Data Master MFD, it is designed to be interfaced as a spur to the system's powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. The Raystar 150 GPS Sensor cannot be adapted to be interfaced to an Ethernet Switch.

One last comment regarding systems featuring more than one MFD within an Ethernet network ... when powering the system ON (particularly if switching the system ON/OFF via a breaker / switch), it is very important to refrain from interacting with the system's MFDs until all MFDs have completed startup initialization. Failure to heed this requirement may prevent MFDs within the system from sharing data. This condition may be corrected by simply switching power to the system OFF, switching power to the system ON again, and then heeding the recommendation within the opening sentence of this paragraph.