Another crook week-end with electronics

[finga64]

just had a few days down Evans way and b-gger me if ALL the electronics that stuffed up over X-mas stuffed up again. >:(
Sounder had a seal let go in a rotory switch this time (last time was the power supply circuit)
It's supposed to be water proof. :-? It's out of warantee but BLA are fixing for free :)
27meg radio apparently had a no fault found the first time. Put back in and stuff me if it doesn't do exactly the same thing. It receives OK but transmit with all static. Put the old backup radio in and it's 5+5 from coast guard Evans Head. >:(
SWR is 1.2
GPS is still getting fixed. Over 12months old and never fired a shot in anger. Scott getting angry now >:(
What do you have to do to get electronics to stay working. Thought I was doing the right thing by upgrading but, in the long run, am still using the old original items.
I'm a bit cheesed off with the whole shooting match. Don't know whether to laugh or cry :'(

[2rods]

Mate all I can say is "you poor bugger" :'( :'(

I had a few problems a couple of years back when I use to leave all of the electronics in the boat while traveling (mainly on dirt). Nowdays they travel in a pelican case until we get to the ramp, then I fit them.

And touch wood I have not had any problems ;)

I did however get a shock when fitting the new colour sounder last year... I might need to do some rewiring soon as it is looking a bit sh#tty.

cheers

2rods

[finga64]

Mate, peeved isn't the word.
Boat was completely rebuilt late last year and everything rides in the car in a specially made padded box.
The radio mob tried to say the installer (that's me) didn't know what he's doing until I brought out the ticket saying I can wire any communications/computer system upto and including fibre optics and he (the repairer) didn't have one :-?
The gps is a software problem and the fishfinder is just a lemmon I think. It was broken from the word go. :'(

[MulletMan]

Bummer eh?

Re the static when transmitting, I would ditch the microphone and replace it - not an expensive item. Once the smallest amount of water gets inside, static will invariably happen.
You can pull the mike apart and give it a bit of a clean and squirt in some water displacing spray but most probably the damage is done by now.
If you are receiving OK then it is a fair bet that the antenna is working.

What brand of sounder and plotter do you have?

I operated a marine electronics shops for about five years once but I always get into deep s*it with the guys here when I tell them what brands we would never stock due the very high incidence of warranty and maintenance work required on them - so I will stay hushed up!

[ahoj]

The least of electronics one has the better IMHO this said i feel sorry for you Finga knowing that you are a sparky ----someone did the master with inferior sh--ts

cheer up and come fishing to Barumba--you can come on my cat and have a day out
Ahoj

[finga64]

Yep, know what you mean Ahoj but the radio and gps are purely for safety reasons. I need to know where i am if I (or somebody i come across) is broken down or in danger and I need to call VMR or Coast Guard (pending which state I'm in)
The sounder I can live without no worries at all. :)

Update with the electronics.

The radio:- Service from GME is absolutely pathetic in QLD. They have gone from 3 techs to 1. I just spoke to the dealer and he said they'll probably look at it next week. That's nearly a month to get something looked at, let alone repair.
For something as important as a radio that service is pathetic!!! Yep, you guessed it I'm really peeved. [smiley=angryfire.gif]

The GPS:- It's in WA at the moment and was informed it may have to go the Japan as ALL the units in Aussie (or world) do the same thing. A software problem that hasn't been picked up yet :-/ But the communication between the dealer (AMI Gold Coast) and me is fantasic.

The sounder:- As always the service from BLA up at Hemment is beyond reproach. Cannot and will not say a bad word about them. The thing was out of warantee (by 2 weeks) but it was repaired free as the problem shouldn't have occurred and they've given me another 6 months warantee. The sounder also couriered to me after repair..Excellent service and makes me wish I brought the radio from one of their agents. AND NOT GME!!!

[MulletMan]

GME are really sad - reckon they always have been!
In another life I used to send marine radios to them and wait weeks and weeks with the "look at it next week" routine.
I think they are also the agents for Garmin now ..................?
Trymax marine at Capalaba are very hard to go past for service and efficiency!

[finga64]

Another update from GME
They've found no fault again with the radio.
They say it could be the aerial. It's also a GME and they can't test them.
They want me to try the radio again. This is a radio that's been in 2 boats with 2 different aerials with two different aerial styles (1 folddown, 1 the el cheapo screw on whip type. Both GME). Same problem in both boats.
When this heap of useless plastic doesn't work right I bung in an old radio and it works just fine. (to me that rules out the aerial)
Somehow I don't think it's anything else but the radio >:(
I asked the service guy to get the manager to call me but he's not in and they don't expect him soon...go figure....

Ooh, TPP the mic is fine according to the test gear :)

[ahoj]

we are quickly becoming a throwaway society.. perhaps you will relax if you were to throw away all the nonworking sh--t and buy only where you can get a decent aftersales service... make sure you dispose of it so you cannot recoverit lol

you are sure tangled up.... cheers

Ahoj

[wayne_cook]

Iv,e had probs with gme but they are cheap.

Scott I,ve cosidered running my electronics from a 2nd battery whilst the other battery only runs the donk.

I blew the stator in a fairly new merc which stuffed my chartplotter and sounder. The cheap garmin gps was ok.
All battery terminals were tight I don,t know what went wrong.

I feel the seperate battery system is feasible also realise charging issues will exist.

i,ll either recharge with motor with no electronics on or when back home.

I also think removing electronics on road travel is a waste of time.If road bumps are the concern what about ocean travel imo
Interested in your comments
Cheers bear

[onerabbit]

With you there bear ,
How can it possibly handle the ocean if it cant handle the road??????

Just my warped mind,

Muzz

[MulletMan]

Geeez, this is a real ball of wool isn't it!

Some of the new GME's came out with a super sensitive "squelch" control that caused problems with the transmission but doubt that would be the trouble ................................ what now?

Guess you have tried the ISC button eh?

If it was me I would rip out the antenna, radio and run it off a seperate battery but as you say, other radios work fine so why is this mongrel causing trouble.

I have a friend who could make you a radio out of a paper clip and would locate the problem in a few minutes I am sure. Lives at Coorparoo and away on hols for another week but I am sure he would give you a hand on this one as he loves a challenge.

He used to teach at TAFE and is absolutely brilliant on this sort of stuff.

If you don't have any further luck, lemme know and maybe we can get it to him for a looksee!

[finga64]

Iv,e had probs with gme but they are cheap.

Scott I,ve cosidered running my electronics from a 2nd battery whilst the other battery only runs the donk.

I blew the stator in a fairly new merc which stuffed my chartplotter and sounder. The cheap garmin gps was ok.
All battery terminals were tight I don,t know what went wrong.

I feel the seperate battery system is feasible also realise charging issues will exist.

i,ll either recharge with motor with no electronics on or when back home.

I also think removing electronics on road travel is a waste of time.If road bumps are the concern what about ocean travel imo
Interested in your comments
Cheers bear

Sorry matey forgot to add some comments :-[
There is no real reason to have two batteries...one puely dedicated to electronics unless you really want to stop the possibilty of overvoltage damage. Interesting about the Garmin though. Maybe these units can have a floating voltage with a wider spread then the better units...don't know :-?
Your right about the travelling bit. I mainly put the things in the car to stop the thieves if we have to pull up somewhere and so they don't get damaged under the house by something dropping on them.
These things are made for boats so should be suitable for most boats in most conditions, on or off the trailer otherwise restrictions should be noted in the specs in BIG BLACK LETTERS to warn people before they buy.
Sorry to hear about the stator but things just blow up sometimes.
I was a sparky in another life and installed voltage protection gear all the time. Protection for both under voltage and over voltage. Maybe an auto sparky out there can tell us if systems for protection are available for boats??
Cheers and thanks for the comments
Scott

[wayne_cook]

Much appreciated scott.
I ended up going the second battery running the electronics with a battery change over switch if needed for starting probs.( I think ull understand what i mean)
A bit bodgy but i'm trying to get away from any spikes.(more common than I thought)If the company hadn't replaced my gear under warranty I would have been up for 4 grand

I'll check out volt protection gear
Thanks for ur imput
Cheers bear

[steveg1100]

You can never have too much protection but!!! THese units are made to run off a battery that is charged from a motor. THey should already be fitted with filtering and protection. Do you have a second battery in your car dedicated to the cd/radio and onboard computer. No its not needed.

Finga is the radio transmitting a weak signal or not transmitting at all for you???

[finga64]

You can never have too much protection but!!! THese units are made to run off a battery that is charged from a motor. THey should already be fitted with filtering and protection. Do you have a second battery in your car dedicated to the cd/radio and onboard computer. No its not needed.

Finga is the radio transmitting a weak signal or not transmitting at all for you???

Hear, hear steve1100!! Could agree more with you on that point about suitability

Was strong transmission signal but full of static. Excellent receiving signal.
Radio may be fixed as a faulty capacitor was found but the proof is in the pudding when I go fishing next. :) or should that be a :'(

[finga64]

Update:-

Been away for a tad and haven't had the boat in the water to test the radio or sounder. :'(

Radio has been fixed again and apparently a capacitor was a little crook :-/

GPS: AMI Sales down the Gold Coast and JMC marine Electronics would have to be the last people in the world that I would buy anything off or recommend to anyone, not even my enemies.
The GPS ended up with them for months on end. It went to Perth and nothing done about it. A service guy from the Gold Coast told me if I want a GPS that works to spend more money. I went off a tad [smiley=angryfire.gif]
I was told the Queensland manager for AMI sales would call me to sort the problem....still waiting after about 4 months.
Could not get anything out of anybody...- - - -holes..
Ended up with the Australian somebody or other who was going to investigate the reason why none of the GPS work, but never heard from him again.
Took a total of 18 months to try and sort the problem with stuff all done about the same problem that apparently all monochrome JMC GPS's have ie stop working within 100m of a way point.
Took a total of 3 months to get my money back (they also short changed me 2 cents...tight ----s).
Neither AMI Sales or JMC wanted to try and figure out the problem. I think their banking on that not many people actually use the electronics in their boats to full extent of their capabilities.

Got a Garmin GPS now...hope this bugger works....put it in today so have to get "Junior" into the briny stuff to test everything