Point 1 compass problems while not underway...

[Bill Reynolds]

Bill Reynolds, was your NMEA problem (or one of them) your Point 1 not providing proper heading data while the boat was stationary but good data while the boat was underway? And would your Point 1 antenna successfully calibrate on your boat?

mine was very erratic, sometimes it was ok and other times it would move to the left when on plane. A couple times when I was off plane it would be facing backwards and I would have to disconnect and reconnect it to make it work.
I had a couple times it went to sleep and I had to disconnect and reconnect.
There were a couple times it would not calibrate but most of the time it did.
This went on for weeks and was very confusing and frustrating. I found the problem by checking the resistance in the backbone.

[NoCAL]

Your Point 1 is not providing heading data at all, moving or stationary. GPS is capable of inferring heading as long as the boat is moving. Consider, the boat moves 10’ forward, the GPS infers your direction of travel and keeps the icon pointed in the correct heading. Now consider you are sitting still pointing north. You begin to drift south and the GPS infers that you are moving that direction. It spins the icon (or the map depending on settings) to face south. What you are seeing while moving is normal GPS inference of direction. The heading sensor tells the GPS the direction the bow is facing and keeps it there regardless of drift. Your Point 1 is not functioning at all, moving or sitting still. You can verify this by disconnecting the Point 1. The icon will point correctly as long as you are moving.

If the symptoms you see are map spinning or icon flipping direction, the heading sensor is nonfunctional and your GPS is inferring heading by movement. If the icon is simply pointing in a direction other than where the bow is facing, it can be magnetic interference or an issue with settings. Question, in the map settings do you have it set to Heading Up? Finally, the Point 1 could be bad, but I kind of doubt that.



NoCAL

[yupitsme]

Sounds like 1 of 2 possibilities. #1 - NMEA2K network is not functioning properly. #2 you keep getting Point One antennas that are not equipped with a heading sensor or defective heading sensor. If you can see the Point One antenna and select it as a GPS source that would rule out the non-functioning NMEA2K network possibility. That leaves #2 as the only real possibility. Might want to take your antenna and hook it up to a buddies boat/NMEA2K network and see if it functions in that environment.

[Johnnyred]

NoCal, my charts are set to Heads Up. Thanks for your reply and sticking with the thread.

Yupitsme, I can see and select my Point 1 in the device list.

[Johnnyred]

Unfortunately replacing the magnetic screw I found yesterday used to secure the antenna to the boat deck did not fix the heading data problem. Same as before on the water this morning.

Lowrance shares that they got the antenna from their warehouse yesterday, will calibrate it this evening, and ship it to me Friday. Should have it early next week.

[BarryFL]

I know I'm late to the show but I seem to remember that Lowrance sold some Point 1s without the heading sensor. Is it possible this is one of those units?

[Johnnyred]

... they do/did sell a Point 1 without a compass yes. As much as I have been in touch with Lowrance, and they have checked my serial number, I cannot imagine having the wrong unit. Anyway, new one is being calibrated by them so kinda hard to mix that up.

[twitch]

Keep us updated when you get your replacement and if that fixes your problem....

[Johnnyred]

... will do, Al

[Johnnyred]

So an update on my Point 1, NMEA problem:

I discovered that I had one or two bad T-connectors. One that I am almost certain was bad was the T-connector for the power node. I kept shrinking the size of the network, removing nodes until I could get that smaller network to work. I found that I could not get a network that consisted only of power, console HDS and Point 1 to work. When I changed the T-connector for the power, it started working.

My narrow definition of "NMEA network not working" was when the Point 1 would not provide accurate heading data. When the Point 1 was not working, it showed as "invalid" in the data source settings for "heading". It still would provide accurate GPS position and did NOT show as "invalid" at the same time for that GPS source setting. When I fixed the simple 3-node network mentioned above by replacing the T-connector to the power node, the Point 1 went from "invalid" to working properly, provided accurate heading data.

When I added the 2 nodes at the bow back into the NMEA network, the Point 1 started showing as "invalid" again... no heading data. I isolated it to the node for my Motorguide Tour Pro TM. I replaced that T-connector for the TM node and it started working in my garage. I thought the problem was solved.

Unfortunately when I went fishing yesterday and started using the TM, the Point 1 started showing as "invalid"... no heading data! Ugh! I removed the TM node from the network to confirm and yes that fixed the heading data for the rest of my trip.

I have tried 2 different new T-connectors on that TM node and neither fixed my issue. I am stumped. Any ideas?

When the TM is plugged into the NMEA network and working properly the user can control the TM via their HDS units. I am presently losing that functionality to maintain accurate heading data.

[BarryFL]

Same problem with MG Tour Pro 36. I just disconnected Tour Pro from NMEA network because, when it was powered, it took over primacy for heading input to network. Its a software issue with the MG Tour Pro and Lowrance interface, IMO. I never used my Carbons to control the TM anyway, so no lost functionality for me.

[Johnnyred]

Barry, wow interesting you have the same problem on your setup. I was kind of expecting crickets from the group.

While I am not glad you are also having a problem, at least this may mean there is a problem with Motorguide or Lowrance and not something unique to our install or setups.

So I use Carbon units, too. So I guess we cannot eliminate either the Carbons or the Tour Pro.

Have you reached out to tech support with this to either Lowrance or Motorguide? I know... not fun.

I am going to start new threads... one in "Lowrance Sonar/GPS" and one in "Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors" to see if there are others with the same issue and any with solutions.

[Marc Marcantonio]

As I mentioned in the other thread, this has been a source of contention between Lowrance and Motorguide, and ultimately is the reason Lowrance decided to manufacture the Ghost motor. Interface issues are the problem, and Lowrance cannot fix Motorguide's side of the equation, and ultimately designed the Ghost to solve all interface issues and keep Lowrance customers happy.

[Johnnyred]

Problem solved!!!

Lowrance technical support replied to my request for help:

"I hate to hear that you are still having some issues in regards to the Point 1. I reached out to some of my gurus and they seem to think that the trolling motor is messing with our PGN sentences. They recommended to try and change the instance for the Point 1 and then reboot everything. You can change the instance by going to your settings>network> device list >choose point 1 > configure and change the instance from 000 to 001."

This fixed my heading data issue when the Tour Pro was powered on and plugged into the NMEA network. When testing the failure, the TM has to be out in the open and must get a GPS lock. As soon as it GPS locks, it will start messing up the Point 1's heading data if there is a conflict with the instances of the devices.

It is not enough that the TM is powered on and deployed, it must have a GPS lock to cause failure. I learned this the hard way today while trying to re-create the heading data failure in my garage before changing the instance of the Point 1. I could not get it to fail when I realized the TM was not getting a GPS lock. Pushed the boat out of the garage, TM got GPS lock, and heading data from the Point 1 promptly failed.

Hope this long ordeal I have had to work through helps someone here.

[Basshopper]

Motor Guides Trolling Motors XI5 is the only model Lowrance Supports with its software built into the units, Some have gotten the XI3 to work but Lowrance says XI5 is the only model qualified.

[Johnnyred]

... I have had two Xi5 units in the past hooked to Lowrance HDS units and the control software worked fine. The Tour Pro works just as well. The control software has always worked with the Tour Pro and my two Carbon units even when I was having the above heading data issues with the Point 1. It did not affect the control of the Tor Pro from the Lowrance.

[Marc Marcantonio]

Glad you got it resolved. Instance issues is one of several reasons I do not recommend using more than one Point-1 on the same network as well.