Raymarine ST80 Upgrades

[O2addict]

I want to know if anyone knows how to update the software on the ST80s yourself. Also how to obtain the software. The units are no longer supported, so I doubt Raymarine will update them. Does anyone have any ideas?

[mandlmaunder]

I also have ST80 and am so unsatisfied with the performance and continual maintenance that I am looking to replace the entire system to something more reliable.
Probably ST70 or ST60, something less complicated but from comments made by users worth the down grade .

[bobelon]

We have an st7000 with st50 instruments. We have experienced reliability problems - it wants to go "walkabout" for no apparent reason. Cleaning and sealing all connections has not helped. We know there IS a reason but short of replacing very expensive parts one at a time???? Our thought is to replace it but with what??

[O2addict]

I actually love the ST80s. I believe the issues were with the active transducers and I use mine as repeaters in the cockpit and use transducers connected to ST40s at the chart table. The ST40s are great becasue they are so small and use the same transducers as the ST60s. I only want to upgrade the software to see if I gain any additional functionality.

bobelon:- what GPS is feeding the ST7000, and do you have Nav info on the nmea and seatalk buses?

[bobelon]

O2 ST50 inputs are control unit, compass, depth, speed and vmg. No Nav input from a GPS. Naturally there are also inputs from the fluxgate as well as rudder angle. Last sail the compass was reading about 40 degrees off and when I punched "auto" it went off in its own direction. Back at anchor I unplugged all connections, cleaned them and sealed with dielectric compound. It works normally now ( at anchor) but I don't trust it. I have read some pretty damning comments on this system and was ready to give up on it. Apologies for hijacking this thread.

[O2addict]

If you have an ST50 Compass and a ST7000 on the same Seatalk bus do you have 2 fluxgates, one for the ST50 and one for the ST7000?

[bobelon]

A very good question. Underneath the cpu is a hockey puck looking alot like a fluxgate compass and underneath the nav. station there is a fluxgate compass (the round ball type) One of the wiring harnesses to the 1st. compass has been cut but another cable to it is intact. I assumed it had been removed from service. I was not aware that they needed separate fluxgates. And by the by why do I need the ST50 compass anyway? Sorry but this is all quite confusing and the Autohelm booklet is pretty vague tho I am starting to grok it a bit.

[O2addict]

You only need one on the bus. I am no expert on this, but is the ST50 Compass set to a master or repeater? If you have 2 heading sensors giving differing headings (either faulty or not properly calibrated) then that can cause a problem. Even though the cable is cut I would remove teh ST50 compass from the bus then test it.

[bobelon]

Good suggestion. I will try removing it. It is hard to get to but appears to have two cables leading from it. One of them has been cut and the other i will trace to it's end and unplug. Thanks, Bobelon