Talk to Garmin at the Bremerton Rendezvous

Bruce Moore

Bruce Moore

Staff member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,248
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Hull Identification Number
USFMLT4104I
Non-Fluid Motion Model
SSBN 658 Mariano G. Vallejo
Vessel Name
Soundtrack
MMSI Number
368096220
If you're coming to the Bremerton Rendezvous (it's not too late to sign up) you'll have the opportunity for the good folks from Garmin to stop by your boat and perform updates, troubleshoot, and answer questions. Reply to this thread if you're interested and I'll create a queue - not a schedule - and they'll visit boats in order.

Include what you'd like to have addressed when they visit, so they can come prepared.

Thanks,

Bruce
 
Hi Bruce. Put me down for an update please.

Dave & JoAnn
Seoul Survivor
 
Please place me in the Garmin queue.

Questions/concerns etc

1. Why does Chart Plotter heading differ from the Auto Pilot's heading in the Auto Pilot's Heading screen display? When travelling south they nearly always agree whereas when traveling north they will disagree by as much as 10ºM to 20ºM.

2. I typically will configured the Chart Plotter to calculate a safe course to a location by Name. While the Auto Pilot is engaged to follow this course I will at times press the Auto Pilot's STBY button to take manual control. Afterwards I select Menu button and select to return to the safe course navigation. I find at times the Auto Pilot does NOT follow the safe course but will simply follow the heading that the boat was at when I selected the Menu and return to follow the safe course. I end up having to recalculate the safe course and re-engage the Auto Pilot to follow this course.

3. There are times when Auto Pilot is engaged to follow a safe course that my boat's icon on the Chart Plotter is at an angle to the safe course track line. If I also have the Radar running and overlaying the Chart Plotter's navigation map I find that the orange radar blips are oriented with respect to the boats angle/heading and not the safe course track line. This can make it difficult at times to know where to look for objects the radar has found. My question is, is the boat's angle to the safe course track line expected, accurate and significant? That is, is the boat actually 'crabbing' along the safe course track line ? Of course there are many times when the boat's icon aligns perfectly with the safe course track line and find object found by the radar is easily performed. I have posted this issue in this forum at http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2928.

4. Once the Auto Pilot has been calibrated is there any reason it should be re-calibrated if the boat has been used without issues? Is there a recommended maintenance schedule for the Auto Pilot's CCU or any other component in the system ?

5. If the Auto Pilot is configured with a zero value for the boat's draft would this mean when computing a safe course or any other course to a waypoint the course line would traverse land ?

6. My wheel has 4.1 turns full port to full starboard. If the value of 4.0 is used for configuring the Auto Pilot in the Dockside wizard is there any real value in re-setting this value to 4.1 ? Just what is the affect of the value being wrong ?

7. There are times when the Auto Pilot is engaged in following a safe course an alarm with a screen message will appear indicating there's an object in front of the boat. This has happened several times and of course I look forward and see nothing to avoid. Even so, I take manual control and turn the boat one way or the other and end up scratching my head as I'm confused. Please refer to my posting about this issue in this forum at http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1308&p=9235&hilit=ahead#p9235

8. If one has registered online with Garmin is it possible for Garmin to send/push Email notice out when a new software update is being released for the 5212 ? I find that since installing v5.2 in Aug 2009 that now in Aug 2012 the version has gone to v7.4. It would have been nice for Garmin to have alerted its customer base about all the intervening software updates.

9. Garmin provides software update downloads but these downloads exclude the use of Apple Mac OS X computers. Can Garmin try to be computer hardware agnostic. This request is a long standing request for several years and nothing has been done about it. Please see posting related to this issue as of June 2010 at http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1170.

10. What is the useful life of the 5212's screen? Will it fade over time and eventually go black for example ?

11. How often, and is it necessary to have the the system checked for air in the steering hydraulics ? I had this service done in 2009 by a Garmin technician and he found considerable air in the line by virtue of seeing air bubbles flowing through in the clear plastic line. How can one determine there's air in the line(s) ? For more info on this issue please refer to my post at http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=556 posted back in August 2009.

Thanks...
 
I am most interested in attending any training and all updates available.

I am having challenges with adjusting my course en route among other things, so any and all tutorials will be helpful 🙂

Thanks,

Anne Cox
 
I would like the updates, also I have questions about adjusting and getting the most use out of the radar

Thanks,
Joe
Poco Allegro
 
I am bringing the latest update software 7.4 for our Garmin chartplotters with me to Bremerton. I will be glad to update anyone's system. Just let me know. I know the factory guys will have it also.
 
Sign me up also.
 
I'm guessing that some of the enquiries made here would benefit from the boat being under sail, so to speak.

Many things the Garmin Chart Plotter and Auto Pilot do and can accomplish are best shown with/on a moving boat.

I'm suggesting that a collection of like enquiries be assembled and for a volunteer boat with the appropriate Garmin equipment be used for a live tutorial to explain things for people.

Of course the larger the boat the better as more people can be accommodated. Maybe Ranger Tugs can offer up a R-31 for us to demo things. 🙂 If not, I'm happy to volunteer my R-25 that has 5212, radar and Auto Pilot.
 
Bruce,

Please put me down for an update for a 7215 and the AIS 600

Thanks
 
Please sign Wolf pack up for the Garmin updates as well.

Also Wolf Pack has some of the same issues noted by Baz, above (#'s 1,2,3,6,7,8 on Baz's list as well as some occasional radar overlay issues).

Wolf Pack (R-29) is very happy to volunteer to be the "guinnea pig" boat as suggested by Baz.

Wolf Pack has the Garmin 5215 with the GHP-10 auto pilot and the AIS 300.

Gene & Pam
Wolf Pack
 
I am interested in any updates for the 5212 as well as seeing how to adjust the heading sensor.
 
Please place us on the list-Blue Flu R25


Thanks!

April & Scott
 
Please put Blue Horizons R31 on the list.

Question

On Auto pilot - boat seems to yaw to right quite a bit when on a track, then settle back on track. This oscillation may be do an "incorrect" rudder ratio setting? I am sure the Garmin folks can figure it out.


PS Suggestion of a volutneer test boat good idea. Though . . . .

- some boat issues will be boat specific

- only so many can crowd around the screen at one time

thanks

Dawn-Marie and Frank
Blue Horizons R31
 
I'd like to be involved as well. Please list us Bryusce. Thank you
Bob & Kate (Bobkat)
 
Hi Bruce,
Please out PEREGRINO in for a Garmin update. On second thought, it is a 2012 hull, so is an update indicated.?
Thanks
Ted.
 
Base on my experience from the last time I updated my Garmin 5212 and Auto Pilot software it took me at least 10 mins to 15 mins to complete.
 
Please sign up Allotrope for an update for the GPS. I also have some questions about my autopilot remote. Thanks, Doug Jones.
 
Hi Bruce, Sand Dollar II is interested in any Garmin updates and also finding out more about our Garmin Weather modules (we have a Garmin Weather station & also XM Weather on our Garmin)

Cheers
 
Just updated my Garmin 5212 and GHC10 from v5.9 to v7.4 -- took about 18 minutes to complete. Thanks Herb.... 🙂

I do like some of the new 5212 screen displays

7.4.1.jpg


7.4.2.jpg


7.4.3.jpg


The field width for fuel on board has grown to 5 places... :lol:
 
Hi Bruce,
Nellie Too would like the update to the software.
Thanks,
Bob and Nita
 
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