NOTE: M1-GBL is LTE, M1-USA is LTE and M1-ROW is 3G only. They all have 2G fallback.
This document describes the steps to ensure you have the optimal cloud connectivity when you are away from the boat. Note that when your vessel is underway (away from a marina, etc.) the cellular connectivity can be so poor that it’s impossible to communicate with the cloud. When away from land it can be normal to not have a cellular signal, even with an external antenna.
To find this view:
Menu >Configuration (Wrench) > Networks > Cloud
The Cloud Network Status
The cloud network status and antenna setting can be found in the Settings > Network > Cloud screen on the handset or apps.
This screen shows the following values:
Cell Status: This shows how the network is currently connected
Carrier: Which cellular network carrier the device is connected to
Signal: None, Poor, Fair, Good, or Excellent. A Good or Excellent signal is ideal
Internet: The connection status of the Cortex to the Internet
Cloud: The connection status to the Vesper Marine cloud servers
ID: The unique cloud ID of the Cortex M1
Connected: How long the device has been connected to the Internet, a reconnection occurs every 12 hours
What is an acceptable cellular signal strength?
The Cloud Signal value should be Good or Excellent. Any other value may cause cloud connection issues.
Ensure your antenna setting is correct In the Handset or App go to the following menu:
Settings > Network > Cloud.
The “Use external antenna” switch should match the following settings:
Off: There is no cellular antenna connected to the Cortex Hub, it will use it’s own internal cellular antenna. See below for placing your Cortex Hub device.
On: A cellular antenna is connected to the “Cloud” SMA connector on the Cortex Hub. See below for selecting and placing the antenna.
Placement of Cortex® without an external antenna
If you do not have an external cellular antenna you should place the Cortex Hub in an acceptable place for best cloud connectivity. These steps are best done where your vessel is usually moored. When moving the Cortex Hub, it may take up-to a minute for the Cloud signal value to change (e.g. from “Fair” to “Good”).
Below are some guidelines on where to place the Cortex Hub on the boat:
In general the higher the Hub is in the cabin, the better the cellular signal
Do not place the Hub inside a metal housing, or near any metal or conductive surface. This includes carbon fiber and thick wooden housings
Do not place the Hub near or below the waterline
If you have tinted or mirrored windows for the cabin, this can significantly reduce the cellular signal
If you still cannot achieve a “Good” or “Excellent” cellular signal, you should try an external antenna, see below.
The guidelines above also apply for the Wi-fi connection to Cortex.
Placement of Cortex Hub with an external antenna
An external antenna can significantly improve the cellular signal quality. This will be the best experience, especially when the vessel is far from shore.
The recommended antenna is a GPA680.
This antenna has a 5m (16ft) cable, it is possible to use a longer cable, but the signal will attenuate if the cable is too long and may cancel out any gains made by using the external antenna.
For best results the antenna should be mounted externally as high as possible and away from other obstructions. You may also be able to mount the antenna inside the vessel with good results.
Using the boat network (coming in future downloadable update)
It is possible for Cortex to use the boat network for its cloud connection. When the boat network is available Cortex will use as a fallback in case Cortex cannot connect to the Internet.
Configure your Cortex Hub to join a Boat Network:
https://support.garmin.com/?faq=dHcC3ZQPLs6yZoYwOBTmN6&searchQuery=configure%20boat%20network