Weird Problem: Heading Display Reversed on Chartplotter

[Whole in the Water]

I have a weird, frustrating problem and I am wondering if anyone here can shed some light on it.

I have a Lowrance HDS 8 (Gen. 1) display unit and I just installed a Lowrance 3G radar. To get the radar to display on the chartplotter I also installed a SIMRAD RC42 heading sensor.

The radar displays fine on the chartplotter. The problem is that when running the boat the black arrow position indicator now points to due south instead of north and all my movements are now plotted in complete reverse. The north arrow in the top right corner of the screen points to 180 degrees opposite of north - everything is displayed in reverse!

I have looked at all the various settings and they all seem fine and I can do nothing to fix this situation. It must be linked to the RC42 heading sensor as everything worked fine before it was installed.

Anybody have any ideas on what the problem could be?

 

[bigdogeh]

I'm not familiar with that system but isn't the heading sensor basically an electronic compass? if you were to turn the heading sensor 180 degrees would that make the difference? also most systems have a heading up and north up option. are you using north up rather than heading up?
fluxgate compass fluxed? maybe it needs recalibrating?

 

[Sr SQ]

Only think I can think of is what Bigd has mentioned already, try another compass recalibration?

 

[Whole in the Water]

Thanks for the advice. I have followed the heading sensor calibration process 3 times and it has not helped. The heading display is positionally correct, it is jut 180 degrees off.

 

[SpringFever552]

Only thing i can think of is...
heading sensor should have a molded arrow on it and should be pointed in the forward direction..sounds to me yours is mounted "backwards"

 

[Sharphooks]

I have a Furuno PG500 heading sensor. It has a "damping" button to adjust the heading line. It will swing 360 degrees if you damp it enough. If your sensor is mounted correctly (arrow pointed towards bow) , I'm sure there is some way to adjust the heading line

 

[fish brain]

Might be a dumb question, but have you checked that you are in the Heading up mode?
Menu- chart options- chart orientation- heads up

 

[Whole in the Water]

Yes I have checked that. Heading up, course up, north up, all these settings make no change.

 

[hydroman]

Any chance that the heading sensor was wired incorrectly at the factory and the wires are reversed?

jim

 

[Whole in the Water]

I checked and the heading sensor is installed backwards (i.e. cable end pointing towards the bow). I will fix this. Thanks for all the insight to what the problem is - much appreciated.

 

[bigdogeh]

I checked and the heading sensor is installed backwards (i.e. cable end pointing towards the bow). I will fix this. Thanks for all the insight to what the problem is - much appreciated.

hey good to hear, hehe. guess the boat thought you were going backwards all the time. makes sense....