Radar Cabling

[Bob S]

I installed a Raymarine RD218/C70 Classic MFD back in 07. I had to cut the radar cable because the connector is too large to fit through the pedestal guard and into a Navpod. It’s a 90° connector and it’s just too big. The radome is mounted on the mast. I used an extension cable up the mast which I step it each winter. I know they don’t recommend cutting but what else could you do? I used adhesive butt connectors for the power and soldered the others. Worked fine but last season I lost the screen twice, it went blank with vertical lines? It could be an electrical issue because the first time it happened I lost my alternator (pulley) and assumed I was getting voltage fluctuations. It happen one other time but seemed to worked fine after that. I recently decided to pull connections apart to inspect. I plan on using a Euro style terminal strip (separate post) instead of soldering the connections as I’ve heard this is where it would/could fail.
I checked continuity between each wire to it's female pin #'s in the connector body. They all checked good accept the Azimuth+ #12 violet. I cut the wire back a little and still no continuity. Is the connector defective? This is the 90° connector that attaches to the C70. Anyone know who makes these or are they proprietary?
I am not a connector expert but I don’t think this has anything to do with the screen issue but I think I should have continuity. These cables are obsolete.
Any thoughts? What is the function of the Azimuth?

 

[LloydB]

"I am not a connector expert but I don’t think this has anything to do with the screen issue but I think I should have continuity." *What is the screen issue at the moment? do other functions operate on the MFD or do you have only RADAR."

These cables are obsolete. *Many things are obsolete and still work fine(or enough)

Any thoughts? *the lost continuity is not well specified as each wire has two ends.

What is the function of the Azimuth? *for the moment it is used to test 10K ohms between the pins connected to purple & grey wires to the radome

 

[Bob S]

Loyd,

What is the screen issue at the moment? do other functions operate on the MFD or do you have only RADAR.

The screen went blank on me twice last season. It goes blank with vertical lines. I was browsing the Raymarine Forum and found a few posts with common issues. Some believe it's heat related and others think it could be faulty connections, power cords or cable connections. It's not a reoccurring problem for me although the forum search shows evidence it occurs in the C70 classic MFDs. Yes I have radar and charting and usually overlay them because the unit is to small to split the screen. Getting older :cry:. Everything works as it should. I'm just trying to troubleshoot any loose or faulty connections before I splash.

the lost continuity is not well specified as each wire has two ends

If there is no continuity between the wire end to the connector pin( other end) then I must have a break in the wire. The #12 Azimuth+ does not have continuity to it's related pin end to end. I'm not connected to the radome. The mast is stepped in storage. I was checking the soldered connections I made 6 years ago thinking this could be my problem.

 

[LloydB]

Didn't understand if you meant no continuity between MFD and wire at cut off obsolete fitting or between bottom of mast and radar or necessary extension wire. I thought you were mast up and having an existing problem that was morphing into more problems as you started checking connections. I can only believe that you need continuity between #12 Azimuth+ and the radome, BTW did you check to see if there is a short between #12 & any other pin? I don't know how your system works but can you power off the radome while leaving the chartplotter on when you lose the screen?

 

[kenn]

The screen went blank on me twice last season. It goes blank with vertical lines.

The following is based on some service experience from almost 20 years ago; I'm not familiar with your exact model. So I may be out to lunch, but here goes:

If there was a radome or cable fault, you'd still have a sensible image but poor or missing radar echoes. What you describe sounds like a display issue inside the MFD itself, independent of the radome or cable.

How does your MFD behave on other inputs (speed/depth/wind)?

Take your MFD to a Raymarine dealer/showroom with a radome simulator or known good radome, and test the MFD there. Tap/jostle the MFD to see if you can get it to misbehave again.

 

[Bob S]

What you describe sounds like a display issue inside the MFD itself, independent of the radome or cable.

I agree this is independent on the cable issue. There is a lot off good advice on the Raymarine Forum. I ordered a new cable and am installing it. i think the monitor on the MFD may have a loose connection internally. It;s intermittent, recreating it might be difficult.