13 June 2007
Today (and yesterday) were frustrating days! I sat with the electronics all day, and didnt really make any progress! Yes I learned more about using the multimeter for testing impedance, and I learned about the usefulness of terminal blocks, and I learned more about what wire goes where...but didnt really accomplish anything to speak of!
Patrick did a great job of modifying a "universal" mount for our "universal" stereo that didnt fit the mount at all - hes a genious..but then I became overwhelmed by that job and went back to the overwhelming job of the electronics. I got AIS to work through the multiplexer to my PC, but it still won't work through to the chartplotter. RayMarine's web site tonight gave some useful directions that were never found in the installation manual - so we will see if those work, or if they woul have been useless additions to the installation manual :) Information is everywhere...just cant find anything that helps me much. Probably an Id 10 T problem. I DID learn a trick regarding the GPS on the web site which should give me more success tommorow. If you add the green wire in with the red it tells the GPS that it should talk "SeaTalk" rather than "NMEA" talk. That sounds important....I have an electronics guy coming on Sunday to pick up where I can't continue. He is also helping Patrick install the AutoPilot- or should I say Patrick is HIS helper :)
The hours every day are ENDLESS on the boat now. It didnt help that today was about 55 degrees, and very windy..I shivered all day long.