Topic: Unable to Export Sonar Data from Helix 5 SI KVD

[rbdavis3591]

I have been using my Helix 5 SI KVD for over a year now without any problems. but a break of little over a month before using it again.

When I finish fishing I save all tracks and sonar files and can see the files on the head unit. I then export these files to my micro SD card and get the message all files successfully exported.

When I view the micro SD card the track files are there but not the sonar files. Any ideas as to why the sonar files are not showing up on the micro SD card.

Thanks.

[sfw1960]

Sonar logs must be recorded with "start recording" and "stop recording" each and every session, shutting off the unit without saving the sonar data it is discarded (and/or corrupted) .

[rbdavis3591]

As stated I have been recording and exporting sonar logs for over a year starting the recording while on water, stopping the recording while on water, and exporting all files while on water.

The problem is that the sonar files are displaying on the head unit, the files indicate they have been exported to my micro SD card, but the files are not on the micro SD card.

The .HT files are being saved and exported without any problems but the .SON files are not showing up on the micro SD card.

[D S]

Are u using a zerolines card or regular sd card to record to?
you shouldn't have to export anything......... the REC file should be on the card;;;REC0001...Rec0002 etc
when u put your sd card in pc what files are there?
AC
ACDATA
REC
PROFILE
IMG
next are u opening in autocharts ??
if so change the dropdown on the bottom right of AC software to the kind of extension you are trying to import..ie .dat.son

[rbdavis3591]

I have a Helix 5 which has only one card slot. In the beginning I was using a regular micro SD card but lately I have been using the zero lines card. I only fish for 4-5 hours and when I finish for the day I stop the sonar recording and save the track. I then export all files to a micro SD card. Regardless of card has been used all files were being exported.

I was unable to use my Helix 5 SI for about 5 weeks and this week when I finished I exported all files as usual but only the .HT and .HWR files copied over but not the .DAT sonar file. There were no error messages displayed and head unit indicated all files were successfully exported.

I had some free time this morning so I exported only the .DAT sonar file to the same zero line card and it copied without any problems. My question remains why all files did not export.

[rnvinc]

The recording Sonar files are written directly to the inserted SD Card (regardless if it's the Zero Line card or a regular SD Card) ...They are not stored in the unit memory or cache in any form ...

Recording sonar logs must be manually started from the Xpress "Menu" (one "Menu" button press) with the Snapshot and Recording view visible on the display ... There is no other way to record Sonar logs in HB units ...

If there is no card in the unit (Zero Line Card or SD Card) when the recording is started from the above paragraph = there will be no recording - because the unit must have an inserted card to write the Recording Sonar logs to when the "Start Recording" command is initiated from the Snapshot and Recording view Xpress "Menu" ...

The Recording can be stopped from the Xpress "Menu" (one button press) with any view showing on the display ...

The Recording must be manually stopped or the recording will not be saved with the correct ending "finalizing" data  to make the recording usable in viewing software nor Autochart PC products ...

Rickie

[rbdavis3591]

Ok I am now officially confused.

I was out with the Helix 5 SI the day before and while on water started the sonar recording and stopped the sonar recording. After doing the export as usual I brought the card inside to the PC but no .DAT file was on the card but the .HT and .HWR files were on the card.

But the next morning, going back to the head unit, I was able to export to the zero line card only the .DAT file by selecting the R0xxxx file (but not the track files) and was able to view the .DAT file using HumViewer.

[rnvinc]

When you perform an "Export"'command in the Waypoint management "Menu" = you are only exporting Nav data (Waypoints, Saved Routes and Saved Tracks) ...
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When you start and stop a recording with a card in the unit (Zero Line card or SD Card) the recording writes directly to the card ... There is no other way a recording is created in the HB units (even ONIX and ION) ...

Immediately after performing the "Stop Recording" command, the recording will be available for viewing in the Snapshot and Recording view ... If you remove the card, the recording will immediately disappear from the Snapshot and Recording view = because the recording is on the card already and no longer available in the unit ...
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You can test the recording feature even with the Simulator running ... :

TEST 1 ...:
*Insert a card (Zero Line card or SD Card) ...
*Start the unit in Simulator ...
*Open the Snapshot and Recording view ...
*Press the "Menu" button 1 time to open the Xpress "Menu" ...
*Start the recording ...
*Stop the Recording from the Xpress "Menu" of any view ...
*Remove the SD Card ...Do not perform an Export Nav command ...
*Check the card for the SON and associated DAT files in the RECORD folder on the card ...

TEST 2 ...:

*Do not insert a card (Zero Line card or SD Card) ...
*Start the unit in Simulator ...
*Open the Snapshot and Recording view ...
*Press the "Menu" button 1 time to open the Xpress "Menu" ...
*Start the recording ...
*Stop the Recording from the Xpress "Menu" of any view ...
*Remove the SD Card ...Do not perform an Export Nav command ...
*Check the card for the SON and associated DAT files in the RECORD folder on the card ...

Once again do not perform an Export Nav data command because this command has nothing to do with the recording sonar logs feature ...

If a "Start Recording" command is performed, the only way a recording cannot be written directly to an inserted card (Zero Line card or SD Card) is if the manual lock on the card is engaged ... preventing the recording data from being written directly to the card ... Or if the card is not fully engaged into the SD Card slot (I've had this happen myself) ...

Rickie

[rbdavis3591]

I did the steps as outlined in TEST 1 and the recordings did appear in the RECORD folder of micro SD card. I think a step is missing out of TEST 2 since without a micro SD card inserted a track cannot record. As Rickie stated I have also had problems where the micro SD card was not fully inserted resulting in the error message.

Both days I was recording sonar those files were not written to the micro SD card but the tracks were. For TEST 1 recording created in the RECORD folder the R00143 recording.


I took the micro SD card back to the head unit and did the normal export routine. The two tracks and the one recording that were completed on Wednesday are shown as well as the test simulation recording that I did this morning.


After successfully exporting the data I took the micro SD card to the PC and the tracks were in the MATRIX folder on the card but the recording were not in the RECORD folder. I then went back to the head unit and successfully exported just recordings without any problems to the RECORD folder.


I have been doing the same export routine without any problems since July 2015. It has only been this week that the recordings are not being automatically written to my micro SD card. I guess next week when I go out again I will test by using the export multiple files and just exporting the tracks and not the recordings to see if the resolves the problem.

[rnvinc]

I think you are confused as to what you are seeing in the Nav list in the left pane of the Waypoint Management menu ..

When you start a recording (within the Snapshot and Recording view) - a waypoint is created at the boat position ... This waypoint is assigned a waypoint number as "R00xxx" ...  where "R" designates that waypoint was created when the recording was initiated and "00xxx" as the sequencial waypoint number created in your unit Nav library ... It has a "Reel to Reel" tape player looking icon next to it to help indicate that waypoint is associated with the start of a recording being initiated... (so when you see a "R00xxx" waypoint on your Chart view - you know that waypoint is where you started a previous recording) ...

This is not the sonar log recording itself you are seeing in the waypoint management Nav list ...but merely the waypoint created of the boat's position when you started the recording ....

If you create a Snapshot, you will get a similar waypoint in the Waypoint Management Nav list ...but with an assigned designation of "S00xxx" ...where "S" designates that waypoint was created when the snapshot was taken ...and "00xxx" being the sequencial waypoint number in your unit Nav library... It is not the Snapshot ...it is the waypoint created when you take the snapshot ... It will have a camera looking icon next to it to help indicate that it is a waypoint created with a snapshot ... (so when you see a "S00xxx" waypoint on your Chart view - you know that waypoint is where you captured a snapshot)...


If you Export your Nav data to a SD Card and open in HBPC and singly select your "R00141" or "R00143"  you will see it has date, latitude, longitude, depth, and icon assigned information associated with it = that is waypoint data - not recording data...

Once again your recordings (and snapshots) are written directly to an inserted card (Zero Line Card or SD Card) ...They are not stored in the unit memory or cache anywhere ...as soon as you remove the card (Zero Line card or SD Card) - the recording (or snapshot) is no longer available in the unit anywhere ...

The items you are seeing in the waypoint management Nav list are the waypoints created at the initiation of that commanded action (Snapshot or Recording start)...

Rickie