I am not sure why or how, but the GPS ship icon is being displayed backwards on my Raymarine MFD. It is all connected via seatalk, so the plotter is receiving its heading information from the ST6002 (no so) Smart Controller which is also out from the Magnetic compass, both by exactly 180?.
It seems obvious to me that the ST6002 needs re-calibrating. But how? Any of you learned Sailors have any ideas?
TIA
That's a big way out, but you may be able to just re-calibrate it. Download the smart pilot commissioning guide. It details how to align the compass. You basically go out and swing the compass to ensure correct deviation, and then align it.
m.box.com/shared_item/https%3A%2F%2Fraymarine.box.com%2Fs%2Frvhycb6x1brzo64921k5tsqwv2ica3j6/browse/1232418507
I had a simular problem on a high speed charter vessel I skipper, was a Garmin GPS chart plotter and eventually reset the heads up/north up and d the speed parameter.
Some times there's a speed parameter setting and at certain low speeds it will only give you heads up icon after reaching a certain speed.
If it's connected to autopilot this could also be playing issue usaly the fluxgate compass has a forward arrow on the top of the unit I wonder if your new set up is reversed and maybe worth hand alighning it at see if this changes the icon?
P.S I like the name Icon 
Select to expand quoteFreeRadical said..
That's a big way out
I know right. Im a bit perplexed to why it is exactly 180? out. It is too 'perfect''. My first thought was that the boys had just gone pushing buttons. I remember screaming into a remote bay behind a 'buddy' boat and wondered why he stopped in 20 metres of water until I realised my depth gage had been changed to feet..... Would you like to know how quick a 47 footer can pull up 
Anyway, thanks for the link FR. I will give that a shot right after I try southaces easier option of changing orientation.
Monday is starting to look real nice for a sail. FR will you be around???
Be interested to know how you get on.
i know that if you put two compasses in close proximity with both needles pointing north the needle of one will spin around to pointing South.
Im not very computer literate but does not your gps show true north not magnetic north and therefore will not reflect the bearing of the magnetic compass albiet the variation being only a few degrees
Bananabenda, I will be sure to let you know the outcome. But as for your post...
Im in the Perth Metro area. Variation here is zero or 1 to 2 degrees at most (you are around 10 in QLD). My magnetic compass is reading correct. My Smart pilot and Plotter are 180? from the compass so something has gone haywire with the smart plotter. My Plotter is connected to the whole ships system through seatalk. If I was to disconnect my plotter to a stand alone system it will face the correct way once underway (GPS does not know which way you face until you are tracking over ground). However, it is getting its information from incorrect (assuming) smart pilot information. What has me stumped is that it is so far out..
And you thought technology was suppose to make life simpler
Southaces suggestion did not work, but FreeRadicals link was just as easy and I managed to realign the smart pilot. Now I am sailing forwards again and not backwards.
I did not 'swing' the compass again to find the variation. When I went into the calibration mode of the unit, the variation was correct, so all I had to do was to slew the heading to match the magnetic compass. Now I should have heading (true/magnetic, my plotter is actually set to magnetic) and CoG or track.
Whist following the link that FR supplied was easy to calibrate the unit, it was not as straight forward as "pressing a few buttons". So I think the kids are off the hook on this one 
Good to hear Toph, I wasn't sure if it would be able to bypass the swing bit first. But in any case, as long as you can point Mikado towards Rottnest Hotel, all will be good (accurate position and depth might be good around the reefs though)!
