Chart plotter issues (Raymarine L1250)

[DRhoads]

Having a data issue w/ the L1250. I know old unit and NOT supported by Raymarine anymore. Raymarine Form is useless, manual same. Worked fine then turned it on and no data from anything, GPS, Depth, Wind, speed, etc. Uses older Seatalk interface (original not NG). All instruments working fine just not receiving data from them at chart plotter. All connections firm and no corrosion including those at the course computer no apparent breaks in the cables. Core unit appears to function, power good, all functions working, display, buttons, maps, etc. just no data.
Anyone seen this before? More importantly anyone have an idea what may be wrong or where I can get assistance.
Not really up for replacing the unit with the new Raymarine ones and rewiring all the Seatalk units for 2000 or Seatalk ng

 

[kappykaplan]

Assuming the unit is 14 years old, it doesn't owe you anything and is well past its planned support date. It's time for an upgrade. Raymarine sometimes has sales buy one, get one for 50% off. That's how I brought my boat into the 21st century. Good luck with determining how to resolve your issues with the L1250.

 

[shemandr]

Just note that those of you who want the latest and the greatest that works for maybe five years. Then do it all over again. Compass, charts, dividers, bearings and learned skills work forever. You can get off the merry go round. Instruments enhance safety but aren't a guarantee of safety.
Now there's Starlink (As per Sail Mag article) which has changed cruising I stll think you need the underlying skills as a backup. And you need to practice them. And it should be enjoyable.

 

[DRhoads]

Thanks for the comment's guys - just some personnel notes.

Kappykaplan - concur could use some upgrading but I am one of those that like to fix rather than replace, if possible. Not easy in this day and age when everything is (R & R) remove and replace. I still need to narrow down the actual problem, cables, course computer, chart plotter. Is a signal actually getting to the plotter? Ways to determine that? What should I be looking for with the voltmeter? etc. Still working the issue. don't want to R&R the wrong thing

Shemandr - Taught navigation to AF Academy cadets, dead reconning, sextant, NDB, Loran, etc. Well versed in the underlying skills and yes, it is enjoyable. Occasionally turn everything off and DR my way around taking bearing fixes, calculating speed, and sun shots. Knocks out the spider webs.
Never relay on the latest and greatest they fail ---- hence my post.

 

[capta]

In 2017, when I began having problems with my 2001 Garmin Gpsmap, once I'd identified the problem, the screen in this case, it took only a few minutes and not much money to locate and pay to have a new one on its way to me. It was plug and play, so installing it was a breeze.
However, just a thought from someone who's career has extended from a sextant, taffrail log, and timepiece, through LORAN, the Omega System, Satnav, and finally to GPS, I personally wouldn't install Raymarine equipment, even if it was free. It just wouldn't be worth my time installing it.
A number of the vessels I have been employed on had Raymarine equipment, which often failed at the most inopportune time.
Sorry.

 

[capta]

Shemandr - Taught navigation to AF Academy cadets, dead reconning, sextant, NDB, Loran, etc. Well versed in the underlying skills and yes, it is enjoyable. Occasionally turn everything off and DR my way around taking bearing fixes, calculating speed, and sun shots. Knocks out the spider webs.
Never relay on the latest and greatest they fail ---- hence my post.

Very interesting. You flyboys had it so easy! lol
Those of us constrained by gravity, such as it is at sea, had to spend days, even weeks, to get to the same destination that you did in hours. So what you could accomplish in a few minutes took me hours every single day, for days or even weeks.
GPS wasn't the great gift to improve my accuracy, its gift to me was sleep! All in all, it could take me between 4 and 6 hours each day to come up with an accurate fix. Others, it could take me 10 or more to not get a fix, or even an LOP!
As I said, you flyboys had it easy!

 

[shemandr]

Yeah but … can you imagine trying to use LOP’s at 400 knots? On my Dad’s boat, while I was in Junior High School, our LORAN was an aircraft model with the oscilloscope and dials. It took a minute to align the lines and then you had to go below to chart the LORAN lines on a chart which could take a few minutes. Meanwhile, on an airplane you would have moved maybe 10 miles. On a boat maybe a mile. I marveled at the skill aircraft navigators had in using that thing at speed. Much less sextants.
We got the unit because one time we came in to shore in fog and couldn’t tell if we were East or West of Shinnicock inlet. The shore looked the same from a mile or so out. Eventually we learned that a LORAN line ran amost through the inlet. So we would go one way or another to find that line and could hit the inlet. What happens after that was another story.
Speaking of old times I learned today that Frank Mundus died. We’ll see if anyone remembers him.

 

[jssailem]

Are you talking about Frank Mundus, the NY shark hunter who later became a shark conservationist?

According to the internet (I did not know the man), he passed in Sept 2008. Said to be the inspiration for Quint in the movie Jaws.

 

[shemandr]

That’s him.
I don’t know where I read about his death. But it was obviously wrong. 2008 seems much more likely.
Our family used to drive out to Montauk on some days that weren’t nice enough to use our boat. We would tour the fishing docks where captains would hang their recent shark catches. Mundus always had a show going.

 

[jssailem]

The report of his adventurous spirit and love of the sea is epic.