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"Peter Bennett" wrote in message
news.com...
On 10 Jun 2004 15:40:53 -0700, (Donagh) wrote:

Hello, I have a 38ft (11.5m) sailing cruiser with a Raytheon ST5000+
autopilot, Raytheon radar/chart plotter with Wind, Depth, Speed, GPS,
fluxgate compass, etc.
The autopilot works only when travelning west. Attempting to calibrate
the system always fails at the "Turn Boat" phase with a "Too Fast"
error even thou I've done the turn dozens of times exactly by the
book. The ST5000+ compass heading is wildly inaccurate. As the boat
turns the ST5000+ compass display jumps in large increments rather
than smoothly as I would expect.
Tying the autopilot in any direction other than West results in a
change of direction or a "No Data" error.
Any ideas?

Many thanks, Donagh.

I had some very weird problems with an AutoHelm compass caused by the
compass sensor getting hung up on its wiring or gimbals (inside the
sensor housing). I opened the sensor housing and made sure the sensor
itself was correctly positioned and free to move - _then_ I was able
to do the calibration, and the pilot worked.

Hmm. I suspect the compass too or wiring to the computer core box. I once
put a caulking gun in a locker on the other side of the compass and the boat
would only turn starboard.

I too had an Autohelm 3000. Sometimes the fluxgate compass would heel over
and jam against the housing and stick throwing everything off.

--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

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