Problem with AIS Transponder rebooting

[VIRover]

I recently installed an AIS transponder. I connected it to a pc navigation system using the product's USB port. At random times sometimes minutes sometimes hours I would loose the connection with the pc. I have tried two different pcs using two different operating systems and different power sources for the AIS. Tech support felt that it was either the power supply, which I changed with no effect, or VHF antenna. With the antenna, tech support believes that when the unit was transmitting the power needs were too great rebooting the AIS unit and hanging up the USB port. The SWR is 1.3:1, which is exactly the manufacturer's spec. I turned off the transmit function and the unit still reboots. I'm assuming that turning off the transmit function would have eliminated the problem with the antenna install. I also have tried replacing the AIS unit and unless the manufacturer has a problem with their units rebooting something else is causing this problem. I've concluded that it's a manufacturer problem, but I'd appreciate any advice.

Any thoughts?
VIRover

[SailFastTri]

Check your PC power settings, and make sure the PC doesn't power off USB to save energy. You need to check settings for both "on battery" and plugged-in states.

Which PC operating system/version?

[s/v Jedi]

An AIS transponder powered over USB?! I thought I had heard it all

I can only recommend to return that unit and buy something decent without USB (USB just for updating firmware is okay of-course). Physical link should be NMEA and/or Ethernet, but nothing that requires installing drivers.

Recommend Vesper Marine , Simrad or comparable.

cheers,
Nick.

[VIRover]

Sailfast, I will take a look at the power saver settings on my new computer, which is a 12 volt computer running Windows 7 and Odyssey. I had it installed originally on my back up nav computer which is an AC desktop running XP and VNS 10.7 I know the desktop pc had all the power saving setting turned off, but it's worth a second look.

Jedi, the AIS unit is not powered by USB, hence my comment that I had tried changing the power supply as a means to diagnose the system. It uses USB as a communications port.

The USB however, I don't think is the issue. It just became the symptom of the unit rebooting. The unit also has NMEA0183, and NMEA2k. Using 0183, I receive data on Nobletec Odyssey perfectly, but their provided diagnostic software ProAIS2 receives corrupt data and will not connect through the com port that is receiving 0183 data.

ViRover

[DotDun]

Is it Em-Trak by chance?

I've witnessed mine locking up when the computer (OSX) the usb is connected to goes to sleep. A friend with the same unit is complaining about it locking up while running ProAIS2 on Win7.

I don't normally run a PC while underway so it hasn't been a problem for me. I assumed they would fix it in the next update, but if the issue is widespread and causing problems, we'll join forces and make more noise.

My unit has run for days with nothing connected to the usb port.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by VIRover

Using 0183, I receive data on Nobletec Odyssey perfectly, but their provided diagnostic software ProAIS2 receives corrupt data and will not connect through the com port that is receiving 0183 data.

Can you elaborate on that? The 0183 connection works good with Nobeltec but not with ProAIS2? Is that on the same computer using the same port, cable etc. ? Who is that ProAIS2 from?

cheers,
Nick.

[bcn]

ProAIS2 is the admin program from em-trak for their B-100

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Can you elaborate on that? The 0183 connection works good with Nobeltec but not with ProAIS2? Is that on the same computer using the same port, cable etc. ? Who is that ProAIS2 from?

cheers,
Nick.

If it is indeed Em-Trak, there are 4 ports on the unit, 0183, hs0183, n2k, and a usb port (which is also hs0183). The usb port is STM (STMicro???) hardware and acts strange. I haven't tried to run ProAiS2 against a 0183 port but haven't seen anything that would prevent it from working (with a generic usb/serial port).

[St. Elsewhere]

Originally Posted by VIRover

I receive data on Nobletec Odyssey perfectly, but their provided diagnostic software ProAIS2 receives corrupt data and will not connect through the com port that is receiving 0183 data.

ViRover

VI,

I don't mean to change the subject, but I am using Odyssey for the first time on this current trip, and have bumped into an issue with Active Captain. Have you tried using that feature? I downloaded over 8,000 ActiveCaptain Cruising Guide bits of data, but the POI buttons for turning on the display of the differrent features are grayed out and inactive. I am trying to get it to work, but have not found advice in the manual. Nobletec is not there over the weekend, but I have sent them a request for clarification. Do you have any experience with it?

[VIRover]

DotDun, Yes the unit is an Em-Trak B100. While you are connected to 0183, I would not assume that your B100 is not rebooting. The only way you can confirm this while connected to 0183 is by watching the led lights. The reboot only takes seconds and with the relatively slow updates of Class B it will never appear on your computer that anything is wrong. When the unit reboots, it locks up the USB port. This loss of the USB connection is the symptom of the bigger problem. The question is what is causing the unit to reboot?

Jedi, all of my recent diagnostics has been on one computer. Its a 64 bit Windows 7 machine. if I use 0183 through a 9 pin serial connection instead of the USB port and open up Nobeltec Odyssey, I receive good clean data. ProAIS2 is the configuration and diagnostic software that Em-Trak and about a dozen other AIS suppliers use. ProAIS is able to read data through the USB connection (until the reboot) but using 0183 through a 9 pin serial connection the data comes in corrupt and so ProAIS will not connect to the B100 using the serial port. I'm using the same serial connection. Em-Trak wants me to use an Actisense converter. This doesn't make sense to me given that the data comes in clean through Nobeltec.

St. Elsewhere
You have to go to the drop down menu under the "Nobeltec" in the top left corner, select Options and then Active Captain. You can complete the configuration here including entering your Active Captain account info. From what i know about Active Capt. you need an Internet connection during configuration. Thats the only thing I can think of that could be causing you grief.

VIRover

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by VIRover

DotDun, Yes the unit is an Em-Trak B100. While you are connected to 0183, I would not assume that your B100 is not rebooting. The only way you can confirm this while connected to 0183 is by watching the led lights. The reboot only takes seconds and with the relatively slow updates of Class B it will never appear on your computer that anything is wrong. When the unit reboots, it locks up the USB port. This loss of the USB connection is the symptom of the bigger problem. The question is what is causing the unit to reboot?

Interesting, I hadn't gone far enough to figure out the unit is rebooting then locking up the usb port. Not good.

Have you tried logging to the SD card slot? It's a long shot, but I'm wondering if there would be any log entry on the SD when a reboot happens.

[VIRover]

Yes, for me the SD card slot is useless for logging data. I used it to install an update. I then deleted the files for the SD card, but the B100 would not recognize the card, which was odd given that I just upgraded the software with it. So, I reformatted the card and tried again. The B100 created the .dat file and then went into an endless series of reboots. Needless to say the .dat file was empty. I haven't tried it with the second unit, but given it is behaving in the same manner I saw no point in wasting time on it.