Raymarine Axiom 12 maps

Liberty44140

Our boat came with a Raymarine Axiom 12 touchscreen plotter with open array and auto pilot. It was all installed brand new in April 2019 so it’s very new. The chart that it is using on the chart plotter is a NOAA chart which I learned cruising over the last week is a problem. It doesn’t show me correctly where I am or where I am heading! I can be headed to the top of a 3 mile Long Island and it shows me heading for the middle. I’ll be in a channel and it shows me way outside the channel. We stopped at a marina that was blown out and re done 15 years ago and it still has the old marina layout. 

So, I am thinking the PO did not pay for any charts and is just using some crappy free version and I need to pay for some real charts, right?

1- anyone familiar with Raymarine a brand new lighthouse charts? I can’t tell if they are even out yet?
2- where is the disc drive? On the back of the unit?
3- should I just go navionics?
4- do I need to buy a disc or can I download?

thanks!

Aqua_Aura

I would highly recommend using Navionics. The UI is very easy and it is widely used so you have lots of user info in the charts if you choose to use it. 

I think  the unit has and SD card that you can put in the computer to load the charts.

reneechris14

I thought there was a door in the lower right  corner  like the 9  and the 9 has 2 slots for SD card. I would stay with navionics this way you can share between phone and tablet 

Ian

My buddy with a Simrad (older unit) couldn’t get maps for it but found it would take Navionics. Grabbed my SD card, dropped it in to test and it asked if we wanted to use that instead and it worked so he’s going that route. Maybe see if that is an option?

reneechris14

seems its on the back off the unit unless you buy a remote card reader.

reneechris14

Page 22 of the manual online at raymarine 

Ian

That would be a reason I’d NOT buy such a unit - rear access for updates? What usability expert decided on that?

RiverRat232

I just bought a Raymarine 7hv which also uses the Lighthouse operating system. I haven't gotten it yet but it said it had Navionics and Us/ Canada charts on it. Now I am wondering if it's the full version or will I have to buy something else.

Ian

The SD is likely loaded with current full maps of the area you are in but you can update via a subscription service with Navionics. I know mine had east/north east loaded and have updated since.

Liberty44140

The rear access for the card isn’t that big of a deal, 4 philips screws and I am there, just wanted to confirm there is not some hidden side slot that I can’t see. Thanks Renee on that.

My dock mate and I started playing with it and we realized that the current position lat/long was wrong. Had me 1000 or more feet from where I really was. I did a software update earlier this year and maybe I did something wrong because when I did a system reset yesterday, it had me back to correct on the map. I still need to go run it to see if it’s good now, but would be great if that’s all it was. Simple and cheap!

from what I am gathering some sellers/dealers may preload with navionics for you. After playing with mine I seem to have all of North America Raymarine Lighthouse charts with NOAA detail so it’s not just a cheap freebie. Again still need to go out and test.

i May buy a navionics disc anyway...

Aqua_Aura

If the access is in the back don't you have to remove the unit to access it since its mounted in your panel? 

Navionics have government chart overlays as well. There are a few different ones but I prefer their sonar chart and the satellite overlay for the land. 

Liberty44140

Yes but mine is mounted in a panel held on with 4 screws so very easy to pull and access.

Aqua_Aura

Just looked it up out of curiosity, seems like axiom can connect to WiFi and update. Not sure if it would update the navionics stuff but maybe. 

Liberty44140

So after re start my position on map problem is not fixed. Will still show me headed in the "wrong" direction. Funny though as I get closer to the right direction it trues itself up, but still has me 10 degrees off of where I am heading. I am using the internal GPS antenna, not an external one. From what I read even though I am a hard top and glass the internal GPS should be fine, its the guys with metal tops or metal towers that cant use internal. I am open to buying Navionics but want to make sure that will solve this. Any one familiar with the Axiom?

davidbrooks

This thread makes me feel better.  Good to know other brands have their issues also.  I just tossed a SIMRAD unit in the trash because it kept locking up on me.  It was my second one.  I know this is a new unit so i would be on the phone with them to get it recorded as an issue.  Let them document the problem before it goes out of warranty.  

Liberty44140

Since I am the second owner (original owner bought the Axiom in April 2019 and then sold me the boat in March 2020) I dont know if I really have any warranty coverage but honestly I dont think this is a warranty issue. My gut tells me that either it is a maps issue, an antenna issue (like I need external) or just some other setting. I am working on getting on the Raymarine forum to ask more questions there...

Aqua_Aura

Have you looked in the settings or in the manual to see if you can calibrate the GPS? I know on a phone for instance occasionally you can move your phone in a figure 8 to calibrate the accelerometers. 

Liberty44140

I do plan to get out the books and have a closer look

LaRea

Do you have an auto-pilot with a heading sensor?  If so, you need to keep large metal objects and electric motors away from the heading sensor.  That could be hosing things up.  Cordless drill, spare parts or the like.  

LaRea

Liberty44140 said:

... Will still show me headed in the "wrong" direction. Funny though as I get closer to the right direction it trues itself up, but still has me 10 degrees off of where I am heading. 

I just re-read this part.  It really sounds like a heading sensor that is suffering from magnetic interference.  If it was a GPS receiver issue, you wouldn't get a satellite fix at all.

You might have an EV1 that looks like this.  Find it and look for anything steel or electrical nearby:  anchor, power tools, speaker, charger etc.

Liberty44140

Ahh LaRae you are on to something! I just got a response from Raymarine that a heading sensor will trump COG so I need to see what it is using for heading (most likely the fluxgate compass that is for the autopilot) and make sure to properly calibrate. 

I don’t think I have a strong satellite fix since it takes over 5 min to get a fix using the internal gps and over the axiom are my Volvo digital tachs and a compass, but I sent a pic of the setup to Raymarine and they are more focused on the fluxgate

yes I will find the fluxgate and be sure that it is not near anything magnet/steel, but I know the autopilot heading is off from my cog so this is hopefully the right path.

on the gps topic though my boat has an RS130 antenna on the hardtop so if the plug is back behind the MFD I may plug that in to see if it works better than the internal antenna

LaRea

A GPS receiver inside the helm will never be as reliable as something on the hardtop pointed directly at the sky.  Five minutes to get a fix ... no, it should be 15 seconds, maybe a minute at worst.  

My RS130 has been bulletproof. 

LaRea

Here's how I labeled my sensor under the helm seat:

Liberty44140

Love it. Now I just need to find it should be the EV1 According to my literature, I know where the brain box is so I can trace from there. 

And yea the RS130 should work great as long as the plug is still back there. Also looks like there is a software update out there for the 130 to take it from 1hz to 5hz. Have you done that?

LaRea

I had some early issues because my older MFD couldn't talk to the newer components, but I updated everything when I got the new MFD.  Even the network hubs have firmware that needs to be kept current.  

Liberty44140

Got it, will do update with the SD. I am thinking that perhaps the location of the EV1 is ok, but perhaps I need to calibrate the auto pilot to give the axiom the right heading. Boat moved from Chicago to Cleveland so magnetic field is different. 

LaRea

The MFD compensates for location changes.  It would have to be something very strong and very close ... within, say, 2-3 feet.  It might be on the other side of a bulkhead or other partition.  

For an example, try holding a cordless drill near your compass at the helm.  

I hope that's it ... such an easy fix.  

Liberty44140

The only other thing is that the first weekend I had the boat in the water I attempted to switch to navionics maps which did not exist. I then couldn’t find the lighthouse maps due to being panicked because my family was on the way down for a cruise. In that panic I decided to do a factory reset, which didn’t help with the map, and a software update, also didn’t help. Finally found the lighthouse map that I had in the first place and all was well with the maps.... but did the factory reset and software update goof up the heading settings? I don’t know. I did have to tell the mfd to re find the depth sensor and auto pilot. 

Liberty44140

LaRae, first, my ev1 is 20 degrees off of real heading so I’ll be heading out to recalibrate, it is using the EV1 for heading and I’m still trying to find it to be sure that there is no interference.

pulled the axiom and found this loose wire coming from the hard top. No connector. Could this be coming from the RS130?

LaRea

No, the RS130 has a SeaTalk cable.  Even the older RS125 (NMEA-0183) has a 5-conductor cable.  

Liberty44140

Thanks, must have been old power from something. I found the EV1 and guess what, it is mounted to a wall and and on the other wide of that wall was my cordless drill!! Moved the drill and it’s a lot closer to being right. Not spot on but we are getting better