Northstar GPS Problem

[Pete]

I own a good bit of boat stuff that is approaching 20 years old and problems are surfacing. Todays is a Northstar 941XD GPS, that for the second time in its life is having a problem with reliable differential reception.

To start, the boat and thus the 941XD are 7 NM from the New Bern, NC differential transmitter towers. So, one would expect great reception. Not so. When the unit is turned on from a 24 hour off condition, it will scan looking both for satellites and DPGS signals. The satellites lock in over the next 90 seconds or so and I get a fix. The dgps receiver takes maybe 3 of 4 minutes to slowly scan all the DGPS frequencies until it hits 294 KHz, New Bern and then proceeds to lock in. Not for long though, in another 4 or 5 minutes all the parameters such a signal strength, SNR, etc go crazy and the lock in is lost and it takes another 24 hours before it will repeat the routine.

Now, add to this the same 941XD had trouble with its DGPS receiver about 10 years ago, was sent into Northstar for service and came back with a new DGPS receiver card. So, maybe, just maybe, these cards expire after 10 years. But before I jump to that conclusion, anyone have similar experience with Northstar differential receivers? Could it be the antenna coupler? Add to that there is no where to send it for repair.

BTW, if I trash the unit, my biggest problem is filling the existing hole in the console with something close in size, and having looked at what is out there, I can only find one company that makes GPS's without plotters and charts, that being Furuno, and all their units are too small, and the commercial ones are too large.

Ideas?

Pete

 

[SeaEric]

There's an outfit on the outer banks, I think in Nags Head that knows Northstar. Call them and/ or send them the unit. They fixed a dinosaur for me a while back that saved a deal. Jim Rosenthal recommended them and picked the repaired unit up for me and delivered it back! Highly recommended.

 

[Pete]

How does "Marine Electronics of the Outer Banks " in Nags Head sound?

Thanks

Pete

 

[SeaEric]

How does "Marine Electronics of the Outer Banks " in Nags Head sound?

Thanks

Pete

Based upon a quick Google search, it looks like that's the place. I didn't recall the name when I typed my response.

 

[Cricket]

Marine Electronics of the OBX is a good outfit for repairs, they kept our junk Northstar 6000's and 962 going for a few years before I gave up on them.
Max Marine Electronics in Pompano has a big assortment of used/older stuff available.

Do yourself a favor and step into the modern world with some up to date electronics, the stuff is absolutely amazing. Why can't the new piece be a MFD with charts, etc?

 

[Pete]

First, my highest priority is to not create a cosmetic problem, so fit in the existing hole or with a workable modification is mandatory.

Second, the existing system is PC based using Nobeltec Admiral 9, the last version before they stopped supporting NOAA vector charts. The configuration uses the GPS only for LLT, SOG, XTE, etc type information. Admiral has all the routes and waypoints, drive an AP20 autopilot, interfaces with the Furuno radar, AIS, etc. So, all I need and want is good GPS 1083 sentences sent to the computer. NOAA charts and all other navigation information is displayed on a 15" OceanPC LCD panel in the pilothouse and a 12" sunlight viewable LCD on the flybridge.

Hope that explains why I prefer a working fundamental GPS and have little interest or room for something more elaborate. BTW, the room I have to work with is 10.5"W x 6.25"H. Can go as small as about 9"W x 5"H if something comes to mind as an alternative.

Pete

 

[Boatsb]

I'm sure modern gear would never be as efficient as your setup. Keep repairing the old crap until it lets you down at the wrong time and causes an accident.

 

[kelpy]

If you are using the old unit to only provide GPS data to the Nobeltec, just use a Garmin 18X plugged into the NAV computer and be done with it.

 

[Pete]

Now, that is a classic. An active HOF owner/operator of a 50 year old boat expressing concern that the repair and maintenance of vintage marine equipment elevates the potential for an nautical accident.

Pete

 

[Boatsb]

When the shit hust the fan and the old gear shits the bed your screwed.

Keeping our boats safe and seaworthy means we need to address things like that with common sense.

Our airforce flies old planes with updates and new electronics. Our coast guard and navy upgtade electronics on their vessels too. If the structure is sound take the time to upgrade the electronics.

You had it fixed once already. Isn't that a good indicator?

 

[Boatsb]

And the garmin is a 19xx 0183 reciever.

You can also put in any number of newer units with maps and even sounder modules and have an 0183 output available. Then when the old gear fails you have a backup.

 

[Pete]

I agree the Garmin 18X is a good idea. I have the version that attaches through the serial port on a PC as my backup, should it ever be needed. Also, keep a second identical laptop, ready to go, if that should be needed.

The Northstar does provide additional interesting information, and is a differential unit versus WAAS with the Garmin 18X. But yes, it is a viable alternative.

Pete

 

[Reefgeorge]

Let us know if you find something that has a decent fit in that Northstar hole because I have face the same issue. Considerable research years ago was a bust on that form factor. I also keep my older gear going with my own repairs. Max Marine as referenced above had an inverter board for my Furuno Navnet that got me back up for $125 and 20 minutes.

I started in boating before all of this modern nav equipment was even invented. It's great and I enjoy it but I also have back ups and the skill to get home without any of it which I have done a few times in 40 years. I also still have a slide rule if that interests anyone. It's cool, it's made out of Bamboo and we sent men to the moon using them.

I realize that old Northstars and slide rules won't generate any new business for gear installers and perhaps that is the frustration that I read here but hey good thing it's a free country. I once had a guy beat me from the championship tees with a rusty crappy seven iron against my entire bag of clubs. Thats the day that I realized that skill and adaptation can beat new equipment.



George

 

[Fanfare]

Over the years I have upgraded to a Northstar 952 on my lower steering station. It fits in the same hole as its predecessors and still works fine. Since I always run from the flybridge, where I have more advanced equipment, it is entirely satisfactory. Northstar was well ahead of its contemporaries in ease of use and it is a shame Simrad purchased and killed the brand. Someday I am going to need a complete overhaul of my electronics. Until then these old units are serving me well. After all, they are completely paid for.

I have had great service from Marine Electronics of the Outer Banks. Quick response with a fair price.

 

[Pete]

Talked to Marine Electronics of the Outer Banks this AM and he has several well burnt in beacon receivers that will fix up my Northstar 941XD. Plan to give my unit a ride over to them on Monday.

Thanks again to Eric for the pointer to some folks right in my backyard.

Pete

 

[MVCaprice]

While the Garmin 18x is a good option you could just use a simple USB GPS such a GlobalSat if you have a free usb port on that pc:

https://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU...e=UTF8&qid=1503512278&sr=8-3&keywords=usb+gps

I run one of these on our PC OpenCPN system and it works decently. Almost all of the cheap USB GPS's support the common NEMA 0183 output sentences so it should be just a matter of pointing the Admiral software at the right com port.

With a 18x you would either need a physical com port or a USB com port adapter as well.

 

[bobk]

Let us know if you find something that has a decent fit in that Northstar hole because I have face the same issue. Considerable research years ago was a bust on that form factor. I also keep my older gear going with my own repairs. Max Marine as referenced above had an inverter board for my Furuno Navnet that got me back up for $125 and 20 minutes.

I started in boating before all of this modern nav equipment was even invented. It's great and I enjoy it but I also have back ups and the skill to get home without any of it which I have done a few times in 40 years. I also still have a slide rule if that interests anyone. It's cool, it's made out of Bamboo and we sent men to the moon using them.

I realize that old Northstars and slide rules won't generate any new business for gear installers and perhaps that is the frustration that I read here but hey good thing it's a free country. I once had a guy beat me from the championship tees with a rusty crappy seven iron against my entire bag of clubs. Thats the day that I realized that skill and adaptation can beat new equipment.



George

George, you are a man after my own heart, but I gotcha beat on experience. I've been running boats since the mid '50s.... and I still keep a slide rule and pencil and paper onboard just in case. However, I was a plastics chemist so my rule is plastic.

When you are ready to plug that hole, you can make a nice trim piece from black acrylic etc and mount what you want on it.

Bobk

 

[Boatsb]

Garmin 742 Physical dimensions 8.8" x 5.6" x 2.1" (224.0mm x 142.5mm x 53.9mm)

 

[Cricket]

Just in case you decide to go the new route at some point the 7 inch Simrad evo2 and B&G Zeus 2 are 9.09 wide x 5.79 tall. The newer models of theses are evo3 and Zeus 3 are 9.4 wide x 5.9 tall. The main difference between the Simrad and B&G units are that B&G doesn't have a built in sounder. Defender is selling "refurbished " B&G Zeus 2 units, which are actually brand new, for what I think is a great deal, 12" $1350, 9" $849, 7" $489, and they come with a Cmap Max N + USA chart sd card. Bought 2 of the 12" back in June. You might need a remote gps antenna as the built in might not work well enough inside the boat.

 

[Reefgeorge]

BobK

I was an Electrical Engineer. If I would have known that I was getting into boating after school, I might have chosen a plastic rule as well. Either way us old dogs always know how to find our way home. My father was an officer in the Merchant Marine during WWII and a radio operator during the Korean War so he taught me semaphore, morse code and how to use a sextant all by the time I was ten. I probably also get the desire to fix everything from him as well. His generation wasted nothing.

George