Chartplotter alarm
 

I have a SH 300i chartplotter with all the standard alarms, etc.
The audible alarm is the same beep as the keyboard input beeps so is
not loud. It is not adjustable and there is no remote alarm jacks. So,
with it mounted at the helm and you're at anchor and taking a nap below,
how do you hear the anchor drag alarm?

I thought of a baby monitor but most, if not all, require ac at the
xmitter which would be another pain.

So, any suggestions?

I'm trying to get a schematic for the alarm circuit from SH but I
doubt they will come through.
Gordon

Chartplotter alarm
 

Gordon,

Check the manual for an external alarm thru the NMEA wiring. My Furuno 7000
has such a function and I installed a Radio Shack alarm with a LED and a
shut off switch for the same purpose as you.

Chartplotter alarm
 

Gordon wrote:
I have a SH 300i chartplotter with all the standard alarms, etc.
The audible alarm is the same beep as the keyboard input beeps so is
not loud. It is not adjustable and there is no remote alarm jacks. So,
with it mounted at the helm and you're at anchor and taking a nap below,
how do you hear the anchor drag alarm?

I thought of a baby monitor but most, if not all, require ac at the
xmitter which would be another pain.

So, any suggestions?

I'm trying to get a schematic for the alarm circuit from SH but I
doubt they will come through.
Gordon
Gordon,

If you search, you can find baby monitors that run on low voltage DC
from a wallwort and that could be replaced by a small regulator on the
ship's power. The receivers are usually battery powered.

I had the same complaint form an owner that could not hear the alarms (I
think it was a 180) while at the helm and under sail.

We could not get any service information or assistance from SH. I could
not isolate the key beeps from the alarms.

We were able to crack the box open and tap the board at the speaker - it
is a micro speaker that gets fed a square wave - so the signal was about
1v at 300hz. That was enough to drive an switching circuit that could
fire a good old Sonalert. He can hear that.

Good Luck

Matt Colie

Chartplotter alarm
 

matt_colie wrote:
Gordon wrote:
I have a SH 300i chartplotter with all the standard alarms, etc.
The audible alarm is the same beep as the keyboard input beeps so is
not loud. It is not adjustable and there is no remote alarm jacks.
So, with it mounted at the helm and you're at anchor and taking a nap
below, how do you hear the anchor drag alarm?

I thought of a baby monitor but most, if not all, require ac at the
xmitter which would be another pain.

So, any suggestions?

I'm trying to get a schematic for the alarm circuit from SH but I
doubt they will come through.
Gordon
Gordon,

If you search, you can find baby monitors that run on low voltage DC
from a wallwort and that could be replaced by a small regulator on the
ship's power. The receivers are usually battery powered.

I had the same complaint form an owner that could not hear the alarms (I
think it was a 180) while at the helm and under sail.

We could not get any service information or assistance from SH. I could
not isolate the key beeps from the alarms.

We were able to crack the box open and tap the board at the speaker - it
is a micro speaker that gets fed a square wave - so the signal was about
1v at 300hz. That was enough to drive an switching circuit that could
fire a good old Sonalert. He can hear that.

Good Luck

Matt Colie

What does the switching circuit look like? And which Sonalert?
The 180 is the same machine as the 300 so this should work.
Thanks
Gordon
BTW, the SH tech is supposed to be snail mailing me a schematic.

Chartplotter alarm
 

Gordon wrote:
matt_colie wrote:
Gordon wrote:
I have a SH 300i chartplotter with all the standard alarms, etc.
The audible alarm is the same beep as the keyboard input beeps so is
not loud. It is not adjustable and there is no remote alarm jacks.
So, with it mounted at the helm and you're at anchor and taking a nap
below, how do you hear the anchor drag alarm?

I thought of a baby monitor but most, if not all, require ac at the
xmitter which would be another pain.

So, any suggestions?

I'm trying to get a schematic for the alarm circuit from SH but I
doubt they will come through.
Gordon
Gordon,

If you search, you can find baby monitors that run on low voltage DC
from a wallwort and that could be replaced by a small regulator on the
ship's power. The receivers are usually battery powered.

I had the same complaint form an owner that could not hear the alarms
(I think it was a 180) while at the helm and under sail.

We could not get any service information or assistance from SH. I
could not isolate the key beeps from the alarms.

We were able to crack the box open and tap the board at the speaker -
it is a micro speaker that gets fed a square wave - so the signal was
about 1v at 300hz. That was enough to drive an switching circuit that
could fire a good old Sonalert. He can hear that.

Good Luck

Matt Colie

What does the switching circuit look like? And which Sonalert?
The 180 is the same machine as the 300 so this should work.
Thanks
Gordon
BTW, the SH tech is supposed to be snail mailing me a schematic.

It seems like you got a more cooperative tech than I found. - Good

The Sonalert was just a typical 3~24VDc that I had in my junk box.

I tapped the power off the main on the board, but I am brain fading on
the switching circuit was simple, but I think I had to do it backwards
from what I wanted. The driver appeared to be an open collector so the
signal pull down and not a zero to high. So it used a diode and an RC
to the base of a small signal PNP (again from the junk box) to create a
zero to high to drive the Sonalert.

With an actual schematic, you can probably do better, but this made a
happy owner and that is what I want.

Matt

Chartplotter alarm
 

Gordon: Besides the alarm issue, how do you llike your 300i? I just
bought one with the intension of doing a "flush mount" on a piece of
King Starboard and then mounting that to the bimini frame. It appears
that with the internal GPS that may not be an option.

Chartplotter alarm
 

pirate wrote:
Gordon: Besides the alarm issue, how do you llike your 300i? I just
bought one with the intension of doing a "flush mount" on a piece of
King Starboard and then mounting that to the bimini frame. It appears
that with the internal GPS that may not be an option.

I wanted to be able to use all my old c map nt charts and this does it.
I wanted an AIS alarm setup and this does that, if only I could hear it!
Being very bright and daylight viewable doesn't detract either.
I've noticed the internal gps antenna seems to receive well, even
indoors, so I would do a mockup and try it if I were you.
Gordon

Chartplotter alarm
 

I too am hearing challenged. If you are able to solve the volume
issue, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.

Chartplotter alarm
 

I had a very pleasant conversation with a fellow at SH yesterday. I
explained what I wanted to do re. the flush mount and he said it would
work. He volunteered to send screws and template to me. I also told
him about the internet discussions about alarm volume. I told him
that like me, many "geezers" can't hear all that well and suggested a
jack for an external speaker be added or a louder alarm with a volume
adjustment. He thought is was a very good idea and was going to
forward the info to the manager of product development.

Chartplotter alarm
 

pirate wrote:
I had a very pleasant conversation with a fellow at SH yesterday. I
explained what I wanted to do re. the flush mount and he said it would
work. He volunteered to send screws and template to me. I also told
him about the internet discussions about alarm volume. I told him
that like me, many "geezers" can't hear all that well and suggested a
jack for an external speaker be added or a louder alarm with a volume
adjustment. He thought is was a very good idea and was going to
forward the info to the manager of product development.

Got the schematics from SH and guess what? There is an external alarm
driver that they didn't bother to bring out! It is pin 12 of p61 which
is the I/O connector on the mainboard. Appears to be a testpoint also
(TP61-12). This is an open collector of a driver transistor.
Hook a piezo buzzer to it and 12vdc to the other end of the piezo and
it should work!
Now to try it.
Gordon