Lowrance HDS Waypoint Synchronization Issue

[Talon]

The HDS system in my boat has been running flawlessly for over a year until earlier in the week when I suddenly began to have waypoint sharing issues between the units. The system consists of an HDS 10 and a HDS 7 on the bow and another HDS 10 and 7 on the console. All are linked with Ethernet and NEMA 2000. I am also running 2 Structure Scans (bow and transom), a LGC 4000 antenna, water temp probe, and a weather module. A NEP completes the Ethernet linkage. All are running Ver. 3.5 software.


Five days ago everything was working perfectly. I unhooked the locators, which I have done on several occasions over the last year, to take the boat in for engine repair. Thursday morning I reinstalled them, making sure each unit went back into its respective location. After power-up I asked the system to “Delete All” waypoints because I was going to load a different waypoint file. The waypoint deletion was very slow and did not complete correctly (this was a first). The waypoints from the HDS 10 on the bow where I requested the deletion were erased, but only portions were erased from the remaining locators. I requested another “Delete All” from the console HDS 10 and that command cleared the waypoints from the remaining units. I loaded the new waypoints from the console HDS 10, and they loaded on all the units in the expected time period.


While fishing, I added a new waypoint on the console HDS 7 and noticed that it did not appear on the bow HDS 10 or 7. It did appear on the console HDS 10. I added another…same thing. I added another from the bow HDS 7, and it appeared on all 4. Throughout the day I began adding and trying to delete waypoints from the system. The addition was random. Sometimes they would appear on all 4, sometimes on 2, sometimes on 3. Occasionally only the original unit would contain the waypoint. It did not matter which unit created the waypoint, the results were the same. ..random appearance across the network.


Deleting is also very random, and in general the system adds waypoints more universally than it deletes them. It absolutely will not delete a waypoint from all 4 units. Throughout this entire process I also noticed that the bow HDS 10 was running excruciatingly slow; pausing a significant amount of time for each command. This has never occurred before. The other 3 units were running typical speed without delay.

Another interesting note. Let’s say you create waypoint 001 and it appears on the other three units. Now you delete it from one unit. It will not delete from all, but maybe 2 of them. Now you go back to one of the other units and delete it there. Now it is gone from all 4. The next waypoint you create will be 002, rather than the expected 001. Exported files only show the visible waypoint numbers.


In order to troubleshoot the problem I first checked the NEMA sharing statements on all the units and they were activated to send and receive NEMA data. The backlight synchronization was working perfectly, as was the LGC 4000 and the water temp probe. Sonar and Structure Scan transducer sharing was working. In the ‘Device List” all components were recognized and valid. I did an Auto Configure, but nothing changed. The NEMA diagnostics indicated activity but showed an error, so I reset NEMA. Nothing changed. Powering off did not help.
Thinking the issue could be memory related; I cleared all the files (waypoints, screenshots, and logs) and then purged the memory on each unit. I removed all the mapping chips, and then repowered the units. Working with waypoint 001, the results were the same. A new waypoint randomly appears across the other 3 units, and it can never be deleted from a single unit. Even after deleting it on multiple units, the number remains active in the count log. The next waypoint will be 002. Even after clearing all memory data and removing the mapping chips, the bow HDS 10 continued to run very slow.


I have spoken with Lowrance Customer Service twice and been through their basic 20 question cookbook (same questions both times). No resolve. I have done everything I know to do, short of resetting factory defaults.


Has anyone ever encountered and corrected this issue?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Jason Gilstrap LOWRANCE]

1. how many wpts to u have in each unit?

2. if you have your current wpts back up on another sd card lets try this. If not make sure you back up your wpts. I also would back up my setting too just incase, but I haven't had any problems of them changing them.

3. go into your menu and go under system and go to restore defaults and press ent. on each unit.. and see if that work. Also double check your sonar setting making sure they didn't change. Like I stated above; I haven't had any problems them changing.

[Talon]

Jason,

Thanks for the quick reply!!!

When the issue began I had a file of 684 Wpts loaded. I deleted that file, purged the memory on each locator, and loaded 2 more files for a total 856 Wpts. The 684 Wpt file did not delete correctly with a "Delete All" command. It had to be deleted from 2 different locators before waypoints no longer appeared on all 4 locators. Both uploads populated all 4 locators from a single unit, but at a slower than typical rate.

All the waypoints are backed up, and I have saved Settings files for each locator. I was going to do a Factory Reset next if no other options were available. I just hate to do that because the Settings files do not work perfectly. They will restore most of the overlays and network settings, but not all of them and a few hours will be required to get each locator working again. I have been this route before on HDS systems in other boats.

I am not sure exactly which sonar settings you are referring to? Network sonar is not checked on any of the units. I am sharing sonar data between the units via network settings and overlay data. This is all working correctly. Only the waypoint addition and deletion is in error.

Knowing the HDS memory is a composite share between waypoints (small file size), screenshots, and logs, I cleared all of this data from all of the units and purged the memory of each individually. I removed all the map chips. Then I began running waypoint trials with the creation of Wpt 001. I could create a waypoint across all 4 units most of the time, but not every time. The system would never delete a waypoint on all 4 units...maybe 2 at best, even with an empty memory.

[Talon]

Jason,

Another question? When I do a factory reset on the units, should I do that with them connected to the Ethernet and NEMA network, or should I unhook them and reset each individually? What about the other devices on the system...Structure Scans, weather, LGC 4000, NEP? All of these seem to be functioning, but is there a reset procedure for them as well?

[Jason Gilstrap LOWRANCE]

You don't have to disconnect nothing. Are your units hook up by the nema system too?

[Talon]

Yes, the units are connected to NEMA 2000.

[Talon]

I actually solved the problem last night. When the boat shop installed a new water pressure gauge in the console, they accidently pulled the NEP power connector off. This created a disconnect in the Ethernet network. Unfortunately finding the problem was not as simple as the solution.


First I did a factory reset on all 4 units. Nothing changed. Next I began addressing the cables by assembling a duplicate NEMA network with new cables and hooked it up. Same problems.

It was common that the front two units and the rear two units would talk back and forth, but I could only add waypoints from front to back. Deletion never occurred between the console and bow units. Next I connected a new Ethernet cable from one of the front units to one on the console. The waypoint sync returned to normal between these two units telling me the issue was in the Ethernet system. Unfortunately I have 7 Ethernet cables in the boat, but I labeled all of them when I installed the system. This plus the power source labeling helped narrow the problem quickly.


The front 2 Ethernet cables go into one Structure Scan box, and the back 2 into a separate Structure Scan box. The 2 Structure Scans along with the Weather module are networked through the Network Expansion Port (NEP). The forward to backward communication issue was because the NEP was not powered and I figured a fuse had blown, but upon inspection I found the power wire had been disconnected. The NEP just sits silently and serves as an Ethernet hub so it is easy to overlook. Everything else in the boat that was visible worked perfectly, so how could there be a power issue?


Unfortunately I did not follow the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) rule very diligently, but at least I found the problem before I tore the boat apart to replace cables.

Couple of take away observations:

1. The NEMA network only adds waypoints. If the problem is deleting them, it is not a NEMA issue.
2. Ethernet adds, deletes, and syncs waypoints and has priority over NEMA in the presence of both. All of this is in the Manual but it means more when you witness it firsthand.
3. When device issues arise, always remember to check the power and status lights on each device first. (KISS) Never begin with the hardest assumption.