"Advance Sonar Source Not Found"

[Ralbertina]

I had, and continue to have this problem. I'm running and have networked 3 units (Helix 12 SI, Helix 12 DI, Helix 10 DI) and bow mounted 360. The Helix 12 SI and Helix 10 DI are console mounted and share the same transducer (Helix 12 SI transducer). I constantly get "lost sonar source" message on my Helix 10 DI unit and it asks me to switch to another sonar source. All Helix units are running the current software versions, but I'm not sure how to update the software on the 360 bow unit. Any thoughts on how to get these units to seamlessly work together would be welcomed. It is somewhat frustrating to have all new units and constantly having to trouble shoot networking issues. When you call Humminbird tech support, its the luck of the draw whether or not you get a person on the other end of the line that fully understands the technologies involved.

[toofy]

My problem returned and it's doing it again. I did the multiple "reset defaults" again as recommended in post #5 but nothing changed. Firmware is updated on all units. I'm starting to wonder if it's my ethernet box. Any thoughts?

[sfw1960]

Maybe your startup sequence?
I fire up my Ethernet switch 1st, then my primary unit, then each additional "slave" unit with about 1-2 minutes between each unit start.
I ran everything about 6 hours yesterday with no issues.
I only was sharing 2D chirp since the Mega was all chirp enabled, the 859DI was just using the HS GPS off the Mega and the 2 gen 1 Helix 12's were running 455 and 800.
I had some cross talk on the 859`s 200 KHz but kept that on full map or split DI map.

[toofy]

I have been starting up with 5-10 minutes between each unit turning on. This happens across all units where they lose the signal from other units. I think I might try a new ethernet box and see if that changes anything.

[ezfishn]

Are you using the AS ETH 5PXG Ethernet box?

[sfw1960]

I would call HB or email and reference this thread.

It could be a cable or the switch, but it's hard to say - can you disconnect all but 2 and see what you get & go from there?

Also swapping cable locations on the switch may indicate a gremlin's location.

[toofy]

Are you using the AS ETH 5PXG Ethernet box?

Yes. Is there another way to link them together?

[toofy]

I would call HB or email and reference this thread.

It could be a cable or the switch, but it's hard to say - can you disconnect all but 2 and see what you get & go from there?

Also swapping cable locations on the switch may indicate a gremlin's location.

I did swap the locations when I unplugged each cable from the ethernet box while resetting to factory defaults.

[sfw1960]

can you disconnect all but 2 and see what you get & go from there?

.

...

[toofy]

...

Sorry, I tried that also with only 2 connected. With 3 units, I even tried it with various combinations of which 2 units were on while I left the other one off.

[sfw1960]

The AS ETH 5PXG has a 1 year warranty - I would for sure contact HB and reference this thread.


I am sending you a PM ...

[Ralbertina]

I have the same issue with two helix 12 units and a Helix 10 unit networked together. It is very frustrating on the water to constantly clear this message. I've tried powering up each unit and waiting 1-3 minutes with no success. Let me know if you ever figure out what is causing this message, or a way around it.

[toofy]

I noticed my regular sonar and SI are what drops out, but not my DI. This is what it looks like for a minute when all is normal:





Then when it cuts out it looks like this:






It's strange that the DI doesn't get lost but the sonar and SI do. I installed a new Helix 12 SI (Gen 1) and it still does the same thing which makes me think it's something outside the Helix units. I've got a new ethernet box that I'm gonna swap out this week to see if that fixes things. Very frustrating.

[sfw1960]

I see only partially the sonar name is shown.

Try going in and renaming the units with NO spaces and do nt exceed what can be displayed...

Try just "Console" and "Bow" for names, disconnect and reset the network again (like post #5) & see if your results differ.

I know with way points and other user data the units do not "like" spaces and special characters, this maybe another undiscovered glitch also.

[toofy]

Good idea and I appreciate your thoughts. I showed the first photo to show what "normal" looks like. The first source is sonar and the 2nd is Advanced (DI) and the 3rd is Advanced (SI). So then the second photo shows how the sonar and SI are lost but the DI stays. Those are blacked out in the 2nd photo when they disconnect but you can still read them but its subtle.

I'll rename the units tonight and probably reset defaults also after that. If that doesn't work I have a new ethernet box to plug up and try.

I didn't mention this before, but I also have NMEA from my Evinrude G2 and also a Minn Kota Ulterra with iPilot Link. Those are both hooked into the ethernet also. I don't use the NMEA so I may just unplug it from the ethernet.

[sfw1960]

Reset the whole network & let us know!

[toofy]

I renamed the units and reset the defaults. I'll try it out on the water and see if it worked.

Here are the steps I used:
1. Rename each unit to a short single name with no spaces
2. Reset defaults
3. Unplug ethernet from all units
4. Reset defaults again
5. Turned off each unit and turned each unit on while still unplugged from ethernet
6. Reset defaults again on each unit and shut them off
7. Plugged back up the ethernet and turned each unit back on

[sfw1960]

Best of luck man....

#8. Getting really sick of trying to figure this out!

[toofy]

I sort of figured out a way to make it work. Changing the names and removing the spaces did not help. But I figured something else out. On my bow unit where I am trying to display the console sonar, I turned off the SI and DI (unchecking the boxes) and left on the sonar and temp. And the disconnect problem went away. I'm a little dismayed that I can't share DI and SI up front, but I really only use 2D sonar on the bow so I'll just take what I can get.

[sfw1960]

What happens if you select SI only?