ZO Rev. R with 2 Garmin pucks 2011 SN200 usually fails due just 3 satellites are received

[Frank_MA]

Regular (about twice a week) our ZO (2 Garmin puck Rev. R) 2011 SN 200 fails.

Usually we received 5-9 satellites but sometimes we suddenly have only 3 satellites and the system accelerate or decelerate uncoordinated and is useless for driving.

With other GPS devices checked we have always more than 8 Satellites, so it must be an issue of our ZO.

On the Diagnostic screen we just get the error message “Bad GPS Position” nothing else

Striking too that the clock time is right, but the date shows the year 1999 (GPS week rollover bug?)

After 20 Minutes or the next day it works again properly (5-9 satellites)

Is someone here who has the same problems or even a solution, it's hard to test out something because our 2011 SN apparently has a special wiring and we cannot find a plug for the pucks. Our boat is located in Germany.

 

 

[skibug]

We have a similar, but not as frequent issue, with our 2015 MC - 2 puck Rev R. Sometimes our satellite reception is only 4-5 when it always used to be 9-10. Now it seems to dip down to 4-5 sometimes. More often it is around 7-8, sometimes up to 9-10. Not sure what the issue is at this point. Hoping others will response....or Maybe ZO?

[addkerr]

I have the same issue at the moment. Always used to get 10d sats on both ZO boats I have, now down to 7 or 8d when it works. When it drops to 6 then the system goes crazy, over speeds and under speeds. Un-skiable. Luckily its not often but when it does all I can do is wait. Hard resets do nothing. On the worst boat I get correct date but no time. On the better boat I get bad date and time.

 

I have ordered the new ECI system as word is its way more reliable. Still not great dropping $600 inc shipping to try and fix a problem I am sure is with ZO and not our hardware.

 

Super expensive system and no support, this is happening more and more with older ZO systems and rev R, and in all fairness not even that old.

[thager]

Anyone reboot the system?

[Frank_MA]

Yep, we disconnected the Battery for 1 day, no change

[LeonL]

Do you suppose that there may have been changes made to satellites that the old pucks aren't really compatible with.

[Windsurfnut]

For what its worth, I'm seeing similar issues with Perfectpass, that share (or at least seem to be) the same Garmin puck.

 

We're getting inconsistent lock on times, speed ups and downs, GPS speed errors, even with an updated puck from Perfectpass.

[Jody_Seal]

I just installed a single puck update on a 08 196.

With the old dual deal the boat seemed to hunt for set speed. After the install and update the boat very nicely locked on and was precise.

[Frank_MA]

I was worried that the situation would be so, actually we wanted to buy a new boat for our club next year and not invest that much for our old boat, quite apart from the effort to install the new ECI puck when no connector is to be found between antennas and display.

[On_edge]

Per PerfectPass: The two puck ZO system and PP both use the same Garmin GPS18x-5Hz sensors, this year these pucks suffered from the WNRO GPS week count issue, this primarily affected the warm start delay but may affect new satellite detection. All these sensors with serial numbers beginning with 19P can be upgraded to Garmin internal software version 4.2 to overcome this issue. PP is upgrading any of their own pucks for free but I think they can do ZO pucks also or you could get the upgrade off the Garmin site and do it yourself.

[ALPJr]

Do any of the companies offer a stopwatch?

[Windsurfnut]

My Garnmin GPS18x was upgraded, worked good for a week and then I'm getting inconsistent lock times, speed variations and some odd GPS behavior.

[Frank_MA]

Is that really true that we have installed the Garmin 18x 15 Hz pucks and not the old 18 15Hz. It is written on the website of Garmin: The GPS 18x 5Hz is a highly sensitive GPS sensor that replaces the GPS 18 5Hz. On the ZO website however: The Zero Off GPS 18 5Hz is a small, highly accurate GPS Receiver.... That would explain why the updates do not work. I cant find ay picture or info about the old 18 5Hz pucks from Garmin.

[Jody_Seal]

 

 

Disected! Meh! Made in Taiwan!

 

[Frank_MA]

I would say that is a clear indication 18x and very interesting insights on top of that, thanks a lot. Dammed looks like we will not be around the new ECI puck and that will be expensive again.

[Frank_MA]

So finaly asked, do the current Garmin pucks with the new firmware patch, really no longer work properly with ZO even though Garmin still sells them? Or does it only affect certain batches/older antennas. Are there people here who have the latest Garmin Pucks and they still work well? Again we would like to replace our boat out soon anyway and 2 new Garmin OEM pucks will cost 180$ vs. 750$ for the ECI antenna upgrade with ECM cable.