Point 1 compass problems while not underway...

[Johnnyred]

Guys, I am on my 3rd Point 1 on my new boat. It will not calibrate. It gives decent heading data while underway with either the outboard or the TM (so while moving) but no useful heading data while fishing and not underway.

I swear on all my other boats my Point 1 gave great heading data while not moving. Or maybe I have lost my mind?

Help guys... how is your Point 1 heading data while your boat is standing still?

[kennybryan]

Where is the Point one mounted.

Can you post a picture of the antenna for review.

[NoCAL]

Not sure what you mean by heading data? Do you mean when moving the icon is straight and pointing in the direction of travel and while not moving the icon is moving? Or the icon is straight but the map is spinning? Or when approaching a waypoint, you get close and suddenly it’s behind you? All can be symptoms of improper installation but more likely result from not correctly selecting the Point 1 to supply the correct data to each unit.

NoCAL

[LakeRatZ518]

What graphs are you running.

[LakeRatZ518]

What graphs are you running. I belive I know what your problem is

[Team Colibri]

Typically the problem is magnetic interference. Check for magnetic interference and re-locate the P1 to a better spot.

[Johnnyred]

Point_1_Install.jpg

You can see in the picture where my Point 1 is installed. It has no problem seeing the satellites as I use the Point 1 as the GPS source on my console-mounted Carbon 12 and my bow-mounted Carbon 9. My GPS position on my charts is fine never had a problem there.

This install location is pretty common.

The internal compass of the Point 1 is what provides heading data. The compass of course is a magnetic device no different than any other compass you are used to. As long as the placement of the antenna is not in a place that has magnetic interference (RFI, EMI) it will work. The compass does not require a view of the sky just that is is level and the "arrow" on the antenna is aligned forward when installed. I have the Point 1 selected as the data source for heading on both units. This is how all my previous boats were setup and they all worked as intended. This is also how Roy Barrow instructed to setup the Point 1 when I took his Lowrance class years ago... Roy is the man when it comes to Lowrance!

I have checked best I can for magnetic interference I use a handheld compass and cannot see any obvious interference.

To clarify: my heading (meaning which direction the chevron icon that represents the boat on a Lowrance chart is pointed) is correct and usable when the boat is in motion while powered by the outboard or TM. When I am fishing and neither the outboard nor TM are moving the boat, the boat icon on my chart does not point in the correct direction it can be 180 degrees out or 90 degrees out or 10 degrees out.

I have talked to Lowrance level 2 tech support twice now while on the water. They cannot find anything wrong with my software settings that would cause my problem. They are in the process of calibrating a new Point 1 before it ships to me. I will install their pre-calibrated unit and see if that fixes the heading issue.

Does anyone know what is causing lack of usable heading data while my boat is not in motion?

[Team Colibri]

Are you sure you are using the P1 as source for heading at all? Sounds like you are using GPS-calculated heading. That will be correct when the boat is moving, but not while stationary or drifting slowly.

[Marc Marcantonio]

Based on the info you are providing your settings are not optimized for your boat; and I agree with Team Colibri that it sounds like you are not setting heading under vessel to the Point-1. Check your settings against this article:

https://storage.westernbass.com/mag_...ge6/index.html

[R2Tracker]

If all settings are correct, 2 thoughts...

There are likely several wires (potential source of EMI) that lead to the console just under where you currently have the Point-1 (perhaps a common location, but not necessarily a good location).

Double check the screws used to secure the Point-1 are non magnetic stainless.

Also I would set your bow unit to use its internal GPS for position, but Point-1 for heading.

[Johnnyred]

Console_Settings.jpgBow_Settings.jpg

Yep, I already have the vessel heading setting set to Point 1 always have on all my boats. Learned this one a long time ago. I realize that on my bow unit I prolly should change the GPS source to the bow-mounted Carbon and will for waypoint accuracy. But the GPS source does not affect the heading data and that is the only thing I am having a problem with while the boat is stationary.

Again, the Point 1 will not calibrate on my boat. It times out immediately as soon as I touch the calibrate button. Lowrance is stumped and sending another unit that they have already calibrated.

Any ideas?

[Johnnyred]

... Marc, great article BTW in Western Bass. Having you advise on my Point 1 issue is greatly appreciated!

[Bill Reynolds]

If you have not done so, these two pics give a quick way to check for proper voltage and resistance on the N2K backbone.
I had similar problems after having my hull replaced and discovered that the shop rewired my N2K backbone and left off one of the termination resistors. It took me several weeks and a lot of frustration to sort it out.

[NoCAL]

To me the symptoms point to no heading data. Why does the Point 1 selected for heading data say Invalid? I think you are ready for a hard reset and NMEA 2000 device calibration.

NoCAL

[Johnnyred]

... if you look at picture in the Western Bass article written by Marc the Point 1 shows as "invalid" there, too. Not sure why it says "invalid" I pulled up the menus in my garage and snapped the photos.

[Johnnyred]

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?

[Johnnyred]

... does the Point 1 show invalid because it was inside my garage without a clear view of satellites? I believe the Point 1 does not show as invalid when I am on the water but I do not recall for sure.

[Marc Marcantonio]

... does the Point 1 show invalid because it was inside my garage without a clear view of satellites? I believe the Point 1 does not sow as invalid when I am on the water but I do not recall for sure.

Not having the Point-1 working when stationary or drifting with river current would seriously hurt my tournament success. Yes, you are correct; it will show invalid when it is not getting a fix on satellites. If it does show invalid on the water it will not be functioning. Sounds like you are doing the right things, but I would consider relocating your new Point-1 to the rear of your boat as close to your transducers as possible while avoiding engine interference. Use of duct tape to temporarily locate it and move it around is a good idea before drilling screw holes. As mentioned use non-magnetic screws (the ones that it comes with), and do not over tighten them which can bend the housing and impede its operation.

[Johnnyred]

Marc, yep on all my other boats I had the Point 1 on the transom above the transducer for accuracy. My new Ranger RT198P aluminum is foam filled and limits the places I can mount it with underside access to the cable. It would have to be on the carpeted deck above the battery box and that would put it in the way of co-anglers was my thought. I went with behind the drivers seat to get it out of the way knowing I would sacrifice some waypoint accuracy at the console.

Marc, just spit balling... any chance a soft or hard reset is needed to fix this? I have not because the GPS function of the Point 1 has always worked and a reset did not seem to be warranted.

I guess I have not thought to check that my rigger/dealer used the supplied screws and not ones that would be magnetic? Or that they warped it by securing it too tightly... although against a carpeted surface this seems less likely.

[Johnnyred]

... well, I thought I would go pull the screws used to secure the Point 1 down to the deck and ONE OF THE TWO WAS A MAGNETIC SCREW! Man, I cannot believe it... that is a simple thing for my dealer to check. I made sure the screw near it holding down the floor panel and the screws in the cup holder were non-magnetic and they were OK.

I replaced it with a non-magnetic screw. One of the ones that came with a Point 1. I had a couple.

I don't have time to go to the lake today to check on the water, but I did pull the boat out of the garage. When I went to calibrate the unit, it STILL times out immediately?

When I had the boat out of the garage in the open, in the data sources menu, the Point 1 showed as a valid source for GPS but still "invalid" for vessel heading.

This is driving me nuts!