Garmin 7512xsv Chartplotter Gurus

Any ideas how to get the Garmin 7612xsv chartplotter to send nav data to the Simrad AP28 autopilot when the chartplotter is displaying a route created by Auto Guidance?

Both are connected to the NMEA 2000 backbone and can see each other. The AP28 has been set to use the chartplotter data for position and navigation.

If you select or set a waypoint on the chartplotter and then select Go To, the Garmin draws a straight line to the waypoint, the AP28 sees the data, and will start navigating. However, it wants to navigate in a straight line, through land or whatever.

If you select Auto Guidance, the Garmin will draw a route to get there, based on the details specified about your boat, but the AP28 says no Nav data input.

Anyone know how to set up the Garmin to output data during Auto Guidance that the AP28 can consume?

Thanks.

John

John,

I researched this subject a year ago. I had installed a Garmin GPSMAP 7212 with BlueChart g2 Vision and wanted to install an AP28 that I had previously purchased for another project. I was told by both Garmin and Simrad that the Garmin Auto Guidance feature was proprietary and only worked with networked Garmin autopilots. So, I now have a Garmin Reactor autopilot and sold the AP28.

Here is what Garmin has to say about it:

Auto Guidance route and autopilot compatibility
Compatible Garmin chartplotters with an installed BlueChart g2 Vision/HD or LakeVü HD Ultra card will have access to a feature called Auto Guidance. Auto Guidance will provide a path to the desired destination that will avoid shallow and unnavigable waters. After the Auto Guidance route has been calculated, a suggested route will appear on the screen.

Please note, Auto Guidance will only suggest routes around known obstacles provided by the BlueChart g2 Vision chart, and not any other types of debris, vessels, etc. Sonar data is not taken into consideration for this route, nor any other live information.

The following Garmin autopilots will follow the Auto Guidance route when connected to the chartplotter via NMEA 2000:

GHP 10
GHP 10V
GHP 12*
GHP 20
GHP Reactor
GHP Reactor 40

Non-Garmin autopilots will not support this feature.

FWIW, I really preferred the AP28, but ultimately wanted the tighter integration.

LarryM said:

I researched this subject a year ago...

Click to expand...

Thanks, Larry. After some consideration, I still have the option of selecting a specific waypoint, selecting GoTo, and that will send more generic signals that can be read by the Simrad autopilot. That's fine. That'll work. Select a waypoint over open water for a spot in the Keys or across the Gulf to the panhandle or from Ft Lauderdale to Bimini, press GoTo, and then on the AP28 autopilot, press the Nav button. The autopilot should keep us on course and, I believe, compensate for any cross-track errors. Should be good to go.

Appreciate your insight and knowledge.

John

CaptJohnEasley said:

Thanks, Larry. After some consideration, I still have the option of selecting a specific waypoint, selecting GoTo, and that will send more generic signals that can be read by the Simrad autopilot. That's fine. That'll work. Select a waypoint over open water for a spot in the Keys or across the Gulf to the panhandle or from Ft Lauderdale to Bimini, press GoTo, and then on the AP28 autopilot, press the Nav button. The autopilot should keep us on course and, I believe, compensate for any cross-track errors. Should be good to go.

Appreciate your insight and knowledge.

John

Click to expand...

John,

In addition to waypoint navigation, the AP28 will perfectly follow any Saved Route that you have created and stored in the Garmin. I routinely used this feature on my prior boat to have the Simrad autopilot successfully follow some pretty complex routes.

On the Garmin, select Where To?, Routes?, select a Route, select Navigate To, select Forward or Backward and a magenta line will appear on the chart for you to follow. On the AP28, select Nav to engage and it will follow the selected route. A word of caution though, large course changes will require a confirming touch of the Nav button on the A/P. This setting (Nav Change Limit) is adjustable up to 30° IIRC on the AP28.

Finally, Simrad's name for crosstrack corrected steering is No Drift mode. The Owner's Manual has a description of what it is and how to engage it.

Good luck

LarryM said:

John,

In addition to waypoint navigation, the AP28 will perfectly follow any Saved Route that you have created and stored in the Garmin. I routinely used this feature on my prior boat to have the Simrad autopilot successfully follow some pretty complex routes.

On the Garmin, select Where To?, Routes?, select a Route, select Navigate To, select Forward or Backward and a magenta line will appear on the chart for you to follow. On the AP28, select Nav to engage and it will follow the selected route. A word of caution though, large course changes will require a confirming touch of the Nav button on the A/P. This setting (Nav Change Limit) is adjustable up to 30° IIRC on the AP28.

Finally, Simrad's name for crosstrack corrected steering is No Drift mode. The Owner's Manual has a description of what it is and how to engage it.

Good luck

Click to expand...

Perfect! I’d rather manually create routes and upload than to trust algorithmically-created auto guidance any day. Can’t wait to give this a try this weekend.

John

I have a 7612xsv but went with the GHP reactor. The auto guidance feature is nice and works well. Make sure to set your minimum depth and check your route especially near shallow water. It works so well that you may get too comfortable and miss something hard and immobile.

I would think you could save an auto generated route. Once saved and then selected it should act as a manually generated route. For example theoretically I can auto generate a route on the IPad Navionics app and send to my Raymarine MFD. I haven’t tried it, but it supposedly is something that works.

Tom

tpbrady said:

I would think you could save an auto generated route. Once saved and then selected it should act as a manually generated route. For example theoretically I can auto generate a route on the IPad Navionics app and send to my Raymarine MFD. I haven’t tried it, but it supposedly is something that works.

Tom

Click to expand...

Thanks, Tom. I’ll give that a try, too.

John

Resurrecting this thread.

LarryM said:

In addition to waypoint navigation, the AP28 will perfectly follow any Saved Route that you have created and stored in the Garmin. I routinely used this feature on my prior boat to have the Simrad autopilot successfully follow some pretty complex routes.

Click to expand...

Finally had a chance to try auto navigation of a pre-planned route. Didn't quite work out like expected. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

The Garmin 7612 chartplotter has been upgraded to the latest software version, 15.0. It can see and communicate with the Simrad AP28. The AP28 works correctly and accurately in Auto mode and the turn buttons and the knob work correctly. Also, it has been set up to receive Nav data from the chartplotter.

A course was plotted and stored on the chartplotter. The course was selected and Navigate To was selected. The course showed up on the chartplotter screen as a magenta line and a nifty, curved yellow line appeared showing the course to navigate to get on the displayed route.

On the AP28, I pressed the Auto button and then the Nav button. When the Nav button was pressed, the screen had a popup panel display that showed the waypoint number and the course change information. After a couple of seconds, that popup disappeared and the boat did not change directions. Several times, I was approaching a waypoint where a turn would be required. I again pressed the Nav button and the waypoint/course change screen would appear for a few seconds but then disappear and the boat would continue straight without making the waypoint turn.

Any ideas what i did wrong?

After rereading this section of the owner's manual on the AP28, it appears there may have been a soft-key change when the small Nav screen appeared. The manual indicates when the Nav screen is displayed, there are two soft-keys displayed, one with a checkmark to accept the course change and one with an X to cancel. I did not notice these but may have simply overlooked them, paying more attention to the surroundings and the course change info. Is that all that was wrong; I didn't press the chackmark to accept the course change quickly enough?

Thanks,

John

John,

Yes, It sounds like that's the issue. You must confirm when you engage NAV mode.

With the AP in STBY mode, I would select a saved route on the Garmin and steer toward the first or next waypoint indicated by the magenta line. I would then engage the NAV mode and acknowledge a course change to begin. Subsequent course changes over 10° (or greater if you have adjusted the Nav Change Limit) do require a confirmation.

Every automatic course change is also accompanied by an on-screen warning and an audible alarm, even if a confirmation isn't required.

If you are actually following a route and miss the course change confirmation, the system will continue on the original course of the last leg and switch from NAV mode to AUTO mode. You will then need to place the AP back to STBY mode, hand steer back toward the route, re-engage NAV mode and confirm any course change to continue.

This is actually a safety feature to prevent unexpected violent turns when a large course change is required at higher speeds. It can be a PITA if you miss the alarm and confirmation though.

LarryM said:

John,

Yes, It sounds like that's the issue. You must confirm when you engage NAV mode.

With the AP in STBY mode, I would select a saved route on the Garmin and steer toward the first or next waypoint indicated by the magenta line. I would then engage the NAV mode and acknowledge a course change to begin. Subsequent course changes over 10° (or greater if you have adjusted the Nav Change Limit) do require a confirmation.

Every automatic course change is also accompanied by an on-screen warning and an audible alarm, even if a confirmation isn't required.

If you are actually following a route and miss the course change confirmation, the system will continue on the original course of the last leg and switch from NAV mode to AUTO mode. You will then need to place the AP back to STBY mode, hand steer back toward the route, re-engage NAV mode and confirm any course change to continue.

This is actually a safety feature to prevent unexpected violent turns when a large course change is required at higher speeds. It can be a PITA if you miss the alarm and confirmation though.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Larry. I can't wait to try it out this weekend.

LarryM said:

John,

Yes, It sounds like that's the issue. You must confirm when you engage NAV mode.

With the AP in STBY mode, I would select a saved route on the Garmin and steer toward the first or next waypoint indicated by the magenta line. I would then engage the NAV mode and acknowledge a course change to begin. Subsequent course changes over 10° (or greater if you have adjusted the Nav Change Limit) do require a confirmation.

Every automatic course change is also accompanied by an on-screen warning and an audible alarm, even if a confirmation isn't required.

If you are actually following a route and miss the course change confirmation, the system will continue on the original course of the last leg and switch from NAV mode to AUTO mode. You will then need to place the AP back to STBY mode, hand steer back toward the route, re-engage NAV mode and confirm any course change to continue.

This is actually a safety feature to prevent unexpected violent turns when a large course change is required at higher speeds. It can be a PITA if you miss the alarm and confirmation though.

Click to expand...

Larry,

Yeah, it was total user error. Display the route on the Garmin, press Auto and Nav on the AP28... and then remember to press the confirm button! Ha! Worked as expected after that. Thanks for the guidance.

John