Topic: 998c HD Si and I-Pilot Link

[ScottA]

Hi All, First Post to the Forum, I recently purchased a 998c HD SI and i have the terrova TM, My Question is will the I-Pilot Link connect wireless to my 998 or will i need to use a Ethernet Cable?

[promapper]

I had the Power drive and yes had to use the network cable IF you wanted it to interface with the Hummer 998 and use all of the features. 

I have since ordered the terrova because I can run the foot peddle and the Link at the same time.  That is something you can not do with the power drive.  while the link and power drive worked well together it was just too inconvenient to make course corrections while fishing as you didnt have a free hand.  It is just more natural to be able to have two hands on the rod and a foot to make adjustments when needed. 

however if you have it set to go to a waypoint or following a track while fishing just set it on cruise at minimum speed and fish and forget the trolling motor. 

Great for fishing alone.  I would recommend turning off the TM when you reach over the side of the boat to retrieve a fish.  It would be bad to fall in and watch the boat motor on to the end of the track without you. (nope, hasn't happened to me yet)

[ScottA]

Hi Promapper, Thanks for the info, I want to pull the trigger on the I-Pilot Link but routing the cables is what i was trying to avoid, But if that's what i have to do, i will just have to do it. I just got the 998 a couple of week ago and havent even used it yet. From what i have learned from this forum, the Firmware update is kinda scary, The process is easy enough but the results are kinda hit and miss. Some have no problems.....Lots of users have issues with the unit acting funny after the update. from what I have learned here, I will need to do the 6.680 update to use the I-Pilot...Correct?
If i understand correctly, I Reset the HB to Default settings, Unplug all the Accessory's before I do the Update.... then Hope for the Best....
I will Update the Results here after i get the I-Pilot. ( I sure Hope This Update goes Good) It would really s**K to screw up the HB before i have even had a chance to use it.

[ScottA]

Update 1, Got a Answer from HB , Yes an Ethernet Cable is Required to Link the I-Pilot to the 998 for full function, the 998c HD SI does not have wireless ability.

[ScottA]

Update 2, Installed the I-Pilot link on the Terrova, that was EASY, Routed the Ethernet Cable, Updated the Software to 6.680, Updated the I-Pilot and Remote, No problems
Put the boat in the water yesterday, Fired everything up and WOW everything works, Success…..
Spot Lock is SO….. Cool,
1 small issue, the Auto Pilot won’t maintain the heading (hopefully it’s just a setting I haven’t got right)
The 998 is delivering Clear Side Images, again SO….Cool , will play with the Screen Capture next time out and post some images.
Anyone have any suggestions on why the Auto Pilot wont maintain the heading
 

[LocDown]

Are you going fast enough for AutoPilot to maintain course? If there's some wind then you need to go fast enough or you'll be blown off course. If it's calm it wouldn't matter as much.

[ScottA]

We were traveling around one mph, it was windy, when I would engage the Auto Pilot the heading would be 10 degrees N and after a little while the boat and Trolling Motor would be pointing west. I can understand the Boat being blown around in the wind , but shouldn't the Trolling Motor still be pointing North?

[raricker]

Hi,
There is an update to the I-Pilot Link Controller that came out yesterday (Ver 1.160) that might (should) fix your Autopilot problem.

Here is a description:
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

i-Pilot Link Controller Update (Version 1.160)
Release Date: 06/12/2013

Description:
Version 1.160 IMPORTANT NOTE: This software update must be performed with the lastest Humminbird software updates of 6.640 or 6.680 (model dependent). This update includes the following: Enhancements to advanced autopilot for better tracking, Changes to cruise control to aid when sharp turns are encountered, Bug fixes for Spot-Lock to resolve an issue where the prop speed was ramping too aggressively, Fixed a bug that was causing some icons on the fishfinder to change to the wrong icon. Fixes an issue where if the footpedal is used for steering while in autopilot, i-Pilot may stop making automatic steering corrections.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Check it out,
Roger

[bobcoy]

Scott, even with a software update, the laws of physics still apply. If you have a crosswind of say 10 mph the motor is faced with a limit of 1 mph. without more forward power the boat and the trolling motor will be facing  the GPS track set up on advanced autopilot and have to point into the wind attempting to get back on that line of plot points. In order to get you going the direction you want you will need to use the legacy(compass) autopilot selection. Or make the speed fast enough to fight the wind. Bob

[ScottA]

Thanks raricker and bobcoy for the info.

I will update the software for sure, thanks for the heads up, I never even thought about checking for an update.
bobcoy,, your suggestions could very well be what was happening,

The Auto-Pilot set a track in a strait line from point A to Point B and when the Wind pushed me off track the motor facing west was trying to get the boat back to the line,

if it act's up after the update I will change the compass setting to the Legacy setting, ( I seen this in one of the dropdowns but didn't mess with it because I didn't know what it did)

Before I installed the I-Pilot link , the trolling motor Auto-Pilot would always face the heading I started on no matter what the orientation the boat was in.

 The Update that raricker showed us makes reference to the general problems I'm having, The last line in the description making reference to the Auto-pilot disengaging if the Foot Control was engaged.... Ya I was doin that. didn't even think about that.

Hay.... I want to thank you guys and this forum....you guys are Great.
I will post Update an let you know how it turn out,

[promapper]

ScottA,  in spot lock mode watch for the TM to continue to try to circle the actual coordinates thereby wrapping your cable around the shaft.  I noticed in one direction the TM would not continue to turn and continue to circle but in the other direction it would.  Just FYI

[ScottA]

Thanks for the Heads up on the Cabling getting wrapped up. The Spot Lock is super cool, We were in a Windy area and the Spot Lock held us right there.

I will keep an eye on the Cables.... Thanks Promapper

[ScottA]

Update: Downloaded the newest update to the I- Pilot link (6/12/13), Not much change in the way it act's, Still not holding course, Going out again tomorrow, will try the Legacy (Compass) see what happens. Fishin was good enough to keep my mind off the Autopilot not working.

[freezerfiller]

I've found that spot lock works great if you are pointed into the wind/current whichever is greatest at a very slow speed when you push the button.  Auto pilot works great when you have almost no wind, or have it set at a high enough speed to overcome the wind issue.

[short grub]

my Autopilot is doing the same thing it will track a north course for about 5 or 6 minutes and then its headed any direction other than what I set it at must be a software issue ........ I'm not sure what's going on, as soon as I put 6.61 in my 1198 the terrova went wild, it even did a 480 degree spin and about pulled the cables out of the head of the TM I'm going back to 6.4 till next year or when ever I hear that the software troubles have been worked out for sure 

[ScottA]

Update 2: Hi all, Figured out the Auto-Pilot problems I was having, as bobcoy suggested, I changed the I-Pilot controller to the Legacy setting, everything is working as it should. was able to use the cruse control with the auto-pilot (sooo.... cool)
Looking forward to trying out the Follow Contour Features. and Lake Master Chip in September at Cass Lake.