[C320-list] Raymarine RL70CRC and C-Map NT+ Chip Failure

[Amirault Family]

Jeff et al:

With the C-MAP NT+ chip in place in the RL70CRC plotter I could move 
about on world map imbedded in the plotter and perform the 'find ship' 
function and it located my boat in Ottawa. Using the appropriate key to 
zoom in should automatically cause the plotter to look to see if there 
is any available chart information on the installed chips. The plotter 
did not zoom below 150 NM.

When I changed the settings to put the plotter into plotter mode I can 
zoom below 150 NM but only grey is displayed. The plotter mode is to 
allow zooming closer than the level of detail available on the chart 
being used. When not in plotter mode you CAN zoom below 150 NM if the 
available chart has such information.

That I cannot go below 150 NM when not in plotter mode suggest the 
detail on the available charts is 150 NM. If that is the case and 
everything is working correctly I have been scammed by C-MAP, as that 
level does not show the river I sail on. Everything I have read in the 
manual suggests that the plotter is not recognizing that there is a 
local chip installed.

When I wrote Raymarine about this on Friday the response was that if the 
plotter boots with the Raymarine name, then the chip should work in the 
hardware. If it boots with the Raytheon logo then the hardware is not at 
a level where it can use the NT+ chips and I either have to replace the 
chip with a local NT chip if C-MAP makes one, or send the unit to 
Raymarine where they will perform a hardware upgrade to make it 
compatible with the NT+ chips. The latter solution is an $800 US upgrade.

I am going to the boat now to do some work and will look into the 
hardware version. The weird bit is that the plotter came with two chips 
installed (neither for my area). One chip was NT and the other NT+. I 
would contact the previous owner about this, but he is currently with 
his spouse touring the UK by car with the proceeds from the sale of his 
boat.

After looking at my post history I feel that in my defense I need to 
state that I am not a whiner and I really do love Bear. I am merely 
suffering from some new owner familiarization teething troubles.

Regards;

Brian Amirault
797 Waltzing Bear, too