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Random Quote: I've upped my standards...............so up yours
My brand new GMR 18 HD (which is freakin' awesome once it is setup right in manual mode - I don't run ANY RADAR in auto) will say "Radar service has been lost" and cycle on off and do the warm up a few time when I first turn it on. After it's been on and off a few times it will come on and stay on all day.
Why is it doing this?
Only thing maybe is I cut off the fuse holder and went straight to the fuse block (it's some kind of weird fuse).
Like I said once it does this a couple of time it works awesome and it is a great RADAR, just annoying at first.
Oh and I have the latest updates as of 2 weeks ago on everything (3210, GSD 22, GDL 30A, GMR 18HD).
It sounds like a ground issue or some other sort of intermittant connection. Have you guys opened your domes up to check for any loose connections?? If it were me and I had already checked the cables and power connections between the dome and the the chart, I would open the dome up. I would then inspect the cable connections as well as grounds under the cover. Not sure whats on the inside of the garmin dome, but other domes that I have seen inside of use flat cables that are snapped into a header. These cables dont have plugs on them and the contact pads are built in to the flat cable. There is usually some sort of clip on the female socket that these plug into to. If it has those type of flat cables, I would remove them and take an eraser to the contact pads to insure they are clean and debris/corrosion free. If these cables are not inserted perfectly straight into the female socket, the result can be an intermittant connection. I would also check the boards under the cover to make sure that the screws that hold the boards in place are properly fastened.
This is intermittent only at startup for like 5 minutes, then it is fine indefintiely (as long as I'm out fishing which is usually 12 hrs or more).
If it was a ground issue I don't think it would go away after a few minutes?
Hopefully I can figure it out.
It's not a huge deal just slightly annoying first thing in the morning while I'm waiting for the coffee to kick in!
-Tob
I would still check the connections under the lid. When you power up your chart up, does the dome always go through its spin up or initialization warm up process?
Any idea if opening the dome will violate warranty?
It will happen to me at random times. Some days it doesn't happen at all, other days it happens repeatedly.
It would be simply annoying unless it decides to happen while I'm returning up river in zero/zero conditions. Waiting 70 seconds for the radar to warm up would be dangerous in that case.
Like rh above, I often go out for extended trips, sometimes well in excess of 24 hours without turning off the unit.
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
Any idea if opening the dome will violate warranty?
It will happen to me at random times. Some days it doesn't happen at all, other days it happens repeatedly.
It would be simply annoying unless it decides to happen while I'm returning up river in zero/zero conditions. Waiting 70 seconds for the radar to warm up would be dangerous in that case.
Like rh above, I often go out for extended trips, sometimes well in excess of 24 hours without turning off the unit.
There are no warranty seals on the dome thus, Garmin wouldn't even know if the cover was removed. Just make sure there is no colored glue over the screws on the bottom of the dome. If there isn't, removing the cover will not be noticable.
Looks like yall are gonna have to play the Garmin Tech support game.GL let us know if you figure it out. Personally I would not open the radome wouldnt give Garmin any reason not to stand behind it as warranty
Looks like yall are gonna have to play the Garmin Tech support game.GL let us know if you figure it out. Personally I would not open the radome wouldnt give Garmin any reason not to stand behind it as warranty
You must not have installed a Furuno or Ray Dome.. My last Furuno dome and the previous Ray you had to remove the cover to plug the cable in. You even had to screw down the ground connection. I was pleasently surprised to see the nice plugs outside the dome when I installed my Garmin electronics. I had a screw driver ready to rip into it! Of course I understand where you come from.. Im just not the "faint of heart" type and wouldn't be the least bit worried about my ability to dig a bit further without compromising a thing let alone the warranty.. Fortunately, I have no issues with mine so its a non issue.
No Slief I have dealt with furuno and raymarine and no issues opening them up.Just rying to save some b!tching issues down the rode for everybody with Garmin. If they say dont do it dont...note to consumers out there manufactures are not real willing to pay for warranty claims but yall know best....open it up and fiddle away instead of calling support....Next Thread Garmin wouldnt do this for me
No Slief I have dealt with furuno and raymarine and no issues opening them up.Just rying to save some b!tching issues down the rode for everybody with Garmin. If they say dont do it dont...note to consumers out there manufactures are not real willing to pay for warranty claims but yall know best....open it up and fiddle away instead of calling support....Next Thread Garmin wouldnt do this for me
Fair enough...
To the OP and the others with the same issue,
Did any of you cut the network cable and install the (included) RJ-45 style plug? I ask that as cutting the cables is an option for installation if its difficult to run the cable with the connector in place. Network cables can be problematic if not crimped properly or if the wires are not all the way in when crimped. I have seen many intermittent computer network issues as a result of a crappy cat 5 or cat 6 cable.
You don't want to know how many cat5 cables I've crimped in my day......... And yes, I checked it.
Also, if it were the network cable, I wouldn't expect it to power cycle itself. I've unplugged and replugged the net cable while running and it didn't restart.
It will do the full 70 second countdown when it happens. That looks like a power issue to me.
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
I've seen this once before and it was damage to the network cable end from running it through the tower. It didnt look like much damage but that was the problem...for what its worth
I guess you have to appreciate furuno and ray with their pia inside connections. Maybe that is the way it needs to be? The Garmin network cable looks iffy to me.
Garmin GMR 18 HD intermittent at start up 
