Broadband & HD Radar Upgrade Guide Broadband Radars HD Pulse Radars. 2 kw, 4 kw, 6 kw, 10 kw and 25 kw Overview Broadband and HD radars occasionally require a software upgrade. This is generally to implement new features or to improve functionality. New software can be downloaded from the Simrad-yachting or B&G web site. Simrad Broadband Radars and Simrad HD Pulse Radars can be easily upgraded in the field from either a Simrad NSO, NSE (8,12), NSS (7,8,12) GB40 or NX(40,45) Multifunction Display (MFD). The different MFD systems use a special upgrade file type depending on the type of display. In addition, the two radar technologies (Broadband and HD radar) requires their own version of upgrade file.(additionally, each model of broadband radar has its own software version) Upgrade File Types. There are two types of upgrade file available depending on the MFD system you are using. The two file types can be identified by the file name extension of the upgrade file (radar.riw and radar.ri2) Radar upgrade file type for NSO, NSE and NSS and B&G Zeus Radar upgrade file type for GB40 or NX40/ NX45 radar.riw Upgrade File Versions radar.ri2 Broadband Radar and HD Radar technologies are quite different and require different software versions. Note: Each model of Broadband radar requires its own version of software. Do not try to upgrade a radar using the worng version of software. All Models of HD radar share the same version. When a radar software version is released it is delivered as compressed.zip file. The zip file will contain two files: radar.riw and radar.ri2. The name of the zip file will identify which radar it will be used to upgrade. Broadband Radar HD Pulse Radars Upgrade files for Broadband radar will be named in the following format For 3G = 3.x.xxx.zip For 4G = 4.x.xxx.zip The two files contained in the zip file are: Upgrade files for all HD pulse radars will be named in the following format NPR 1.x.xxx.zip The two files contained in the zip file are: radar.riw (can be upgraded from NSO,NSE, NSS) radar.ri2 (can be upgraded from GB40 or NX40/45) (4G not supported on an NX40/45) radar.riw (can be upgraded from NSE) radar.ri2 (can be upgraded from GB40 or NX40/45)
Obtaining and installing the latest software for your radar The latest software for Simrad Radars is available for general download from: www.simrad-yachting.com. Download the upgrade file The latest Radar software is available from the Radar Downloads section of the Simrad-Yachting website. If asked to SAVE or RUN select SAVE and save to your hard drive. Choose or create a folder on your hard drive to save the file to. Unzip (extract) the two files. Do not rename the file or change the file extension. The two files are called radar.riw and radar.ri2 Note: A zip file is a compressed file format. Your computer may require a free download of Winzip software in order to manipulate Zip Files. You can find the free WinZip Software from the WinZip Website. http://www.winzip.com/index.htm Copy the two files to a portable drive relevant to your display Once the upgrade files have been downloaded, unzipped and saved to your hard drive, you will need to copy the two files to either an empty SD Card (NSO,NSE, NX only) Micro SD Card (NSS) or empty USB Flash drive (NSE, GB40 only). These will be referred to in this document as a Portable Drive. SD Card (NSO/ NSE, NX only) Micro SD Card (NSS) USB Flash Drive (NSE, GB40 only) SD cards are a popular format of portable data storage, and very commonly used with digital cameras. SD Cards with a capacity from 512 MB up to: 32 GB for NSO / NSE 2 GB for NX can be used. Micro SD cards are a popular format of portable data storage, and very commonly used with mobile phones USB Flash drives are a very common and now a cheap way to store and transport files away from your computer. Any size of USB Flash Drive can be used. Copy the two files from your hard drive to the root of your portable drive. The root of the drive is top most level of the folder structure. Do not place into a folder. Once the files have been copied to your Portable Drive you are now ready to upgrade your radar.
Upgrading your radar using an NSO, NSE, NSS, Zeus DO NOT REMOVE THE PORTABLE DRIVE DURING THE UPGRADE PROCESS. Start your display and wait for the radar to warm up (Pulse radars) then enter Stand-by. Do not start the upgrade when radar is transmitting! Note: Make sure the Portable Drive with the upgrade file is NOT inserted when the NSE, NSO, NSS or Zeus first starts. Insert your Card into the card reader. Make sure the SD Card contacts face downwards before inserting. Insert the card all the way in until it clicks and stays in place. OR Open the Chart Card door to expose the SD Card reader. (NSE)Insert your USB Flash drive into the USB Socket. Note. If there is a USB logo ( ) on the flash drive, make sure this faces downwards. Press the PAGES direct access key along the bottom of the screen. Select Files or press 9 on the alphanumeric keypad. Select the Portable Drive, then press. Select the Radar.riw upgrade file then press. Highlight the Device Radar and press to select. Press then select Start upgrade.
The upgrade process will begin. The update will take about two minutes and display the following messages. After the upgrade has finished. Take the time to verify the upgrade has been successful. Check the radar status page by pressing; >>RADAR> INSTALLATION>RADAR STATUS. Please allow one minute for the Radar to restart
Upgrading Radar using a GB40 DO NOT REMOVE THE PORTABLE DRIVE DURING THE UPGRADE PROCESS. Start your GB40 and wait for the radar to warm up (Pulse radars) and enter Stand-by. Do not start the upgrade when radar is transmitting! If Upgrading from a Master GB40 NavComputer, remove the C-Map chart Licence key. Insert your portable drive into the USB Socket. Note. If there is a USB logo ( ) on the flash drive, make sure this faces downwards. On the OP30 Press the Pages button Select Setup > Installation > Network Module Firmware. Select the Radar from the list of network modules. Select Upgrade, then press The upgrade process will take approximately five minutes. The radar image will automatically appear but may take a few minutes after the upgrade has finished. Upgrading Radar using an NX40 or NX45 NOTE 3G ver 3.0.21 cannot be upgraded from the NX. Please use an NSO, NSE or NSS. 3G radar version 3.0.25 can be upgraded via the display. 3.0.25 is the last version supported by the NX platform 4G Broadband radar will not work when conneced to an NX40/45 DO NOT REMOVE THE SD CARD DURING THE UPGRADE PROCESS. Start your NX display and wait for the radar to warm up (Pulse radars) and enter Standby. Note: Make sure the SD card with the upgrade file is NOT inserted when the display first starts). Open the Chart Card door on your NX to expose the SD Card reader. Insert your SD card into the card reader. Note. The SD card is inserted with it s contacts facing away from the screen Press (Yes) when asked if you wish to upload image Radar RI2 The progress indicator will move up to 100%. Note: Leave for a further 10minutes to ensure the upgrade completes fully. You may think nothing is happening, but it is! The radar could become inoperable if power is removed during this time.