Topic: Possible Interlink issue

[thehop]

I have a 998 on the bow and an 1197 on the console, connected with an interlink.   My problem started last year when I was travelling across the lake and suddenly my console unit turned off, like it lost power or something (998 was off already since trolling motor was stowed).  When I turned the 1197 back on, I had lost all my waypoints.   Later, when I turned both units on things re-synched and all data was there.  I thought this was pretty odd but I didn't have any more problems until this year.

I took both of my units to my dealer and had them update the software so I could learn how to do it.   The next week when I took my boat out, I was fishing around a waypoint and both units became sluggish, meaning the course data wasn't changing when the boat changed direction.  The course information changed several seconds later.  My buddy was watching the 1197 while I was at the bow watching the 998 and both behaved similarly.   Finally, the 998 relayed a message stating that "no GPS was connected" and it reverted back to a regular fish finder.  When I checked the connections it didn't think the GPS or interlink existed.    At this point the 1197 returned to normal.

I updated the software on both units again in my driveway to the absolute most current levels and the 998 seemed to be okay.   But this past weekend I was on Lake Cumberland and the same thing happened.  The 998 course information just froze and then the unit lost connection.  The 1197 was working perfectly, including GPS information.

My boat dealer says they have seen a lot of interlink units go bad after a software update.  They think the interlink unit needs to be replaced.   But a software update on a fishfinder, causing a physical device like an interlink to go bad doesn't make sense to me.

Anyone have any idea what might be going on?  I considering sending my 998 in for repair since I still have a few months under warranty, and also having the interlink replaced.   I would appreciate any information anyone can provide.   Thanks much.

[sonar2000]

Connections are everything.   Check all connections for tightness and good fit. Check power connection especially.  Strengthen all connections with secure tiewraps or suitable strengtheners..
Protect all water tight connections from influence.
I would suppose the interlink could also go bad..
Use your warrenty to have it checked...

Chuck

[Ddorriety]

I had a problem with one of my units freezing. I finally realized it happened occasionally when starting the motor.My unit is connected to the starting battery. The starting battery was weak so when starting my engine the voltage to the HB would drop below 10V.I replaced the battery and all is good.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Good point about the battery voltage/current there Ddorriety.

The InterLink going “bad” after a software update really has more to do with whether it actually got updated or not.  If you had the InterLink connected to both units when you updated them, or if you had some other accessory in the mix; than it could cause a problem with the InterLink getting programmed correctly or not.  The InterLink gets programmed from the unit connected to the Port 1 connector.

Try the following as it will reset the InterLink:

- Save the Nav Data (waypoints, tracks and routes) from both units.  Save the Nav data from each unit if it is different or just from one unit if both units share all Nav data.  This Nav data needs to be saved to your computer.  Before reinstalling this Nav data at the end of this procedure; you need to open it up in the HumminbirdPC program and re-save it to your computer as a *.gpx file.  We have seen where there has been corrupted Nav data that cause the InterLink not to work properly.
 - Delete the Nav Data off of the SD memory card so that it is blank.
 - Delete the Nav Data from both units and the InterLink.
 - Disconnect both units from the Interlink (and if you have them: WeatherSense, Nav Weather Receiver, Remote Sonar Link).
 - Perform a software update in both units.  Be sure that you only have one software update file on the SD card at a time; so if you are using only one SD memory card you will have to delete the software update file you used for the first unit before copying the software update file for the second unit to the SD memory card.  This may mean that you have to load an older version of software into your units first, and than come back and load the most recent version of software.  If this is what you have to do, look in the downloads section of this web site to grab an older version to do so.
 - Once the units have been again programmed with the current version software: rReconnect the unit that was plugged into the Port 1 connector on the InterLink, to the InterLink again.
 - Power this unit on and allow it to update the InterLink.  Be sure to set it to participate in the InterLink system the way you want it to.
 - Power this unit off and reconnect the second unit.
 - Power both units on and set the second unit to participate in the InterLink the way you want it to.  Both units should now be working and you should be getting GPS on both units.
 - Reload you Nav data but only after opening it in the HumminbirdPC program and uploading it to the SD memory card once again.

How is your GPS Receiver connected to the 998/1197/InterLink system that you have?