Can I easily connect a Si-Tex Class B AIS & Splitter to my Raymarine system?

[dgpete]

Hi all,
I have a neighbor on a powerboat that just offered to trade me a New in Box, Si-Tex Metadata Class B AIS transceiver and NiB Si-Tex Metadata Antenna Splitter for an oversized, unused Manson anchor that was "extra gear" in a shed when I bought my used Catalina. Since I have only the AIS receiver in the Standard Horizon 2150 I am really hoping that this is an easily doable addition that will net me Class B AIS for FREE!

My 2014 Catalina came with a full compliment of Raymarine gear:
a single Raymarine e125,
Raymarine 4kW 24" HD Color Radome,
a single p70 head for my ACU400 Actuator,
three i70 display heads,
DST200,
EV-1,
iTC5 converter,
one HS5 Switch,
a Raymarine SR150 Sirius WX module,
Fusion MS-AV700i w remote head,
and the Standard Horizon 2150 VHF with receive only AIS
Everything works perfectly together.

So my obvious question is:
can I add the Si-Tex AIS modules into this system with no issues? How?

I spoke to Si-Tex and they recommended using NMEA2000 into the SeaTalk backbone but could not offer specifics as to how. He did say that he had heard that at some point a couple of years back there was a Raymarine software issue that forced using NMEA0183 but he thought had been solved since.
This free gear swap is too good to pass up unless this won't work or be too problematic...
Can you guys help me out here and give me your thoughts on the complexity or more importantly, any issues I might run into?
How To steps would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks very much for any help you can offer!
Doug

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum dgpete,

Q1. Can I add the Si-Tex AIS modules into this system with no issues? How?
A1. Yes. As had been recommended by Si-Tex, it is recommended that the Class B AIS transceiver be interfaced as a spur to your system's SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone. Should your system backbone not presently have an un-utilized spur socket, then please click here to view a FAQ addressing how additional spur sockets may be added to the SeaTalkng backbone. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing how to interface a third party NMEA 2000 device to a SeaTalk/NMEA 2000 backbone which has been constructed from SeaTalkng networking components. As Raymarine MFDs are not designed to control the Silent Mode state of third party AIS transceivers, it is recommended that control of this state be achieved through other means specified by the third party AIS transceiver's manufacturer.

Standard Horizon 2150 VHF radio's AIS receiver should either be configured OFF (see manufacturer's documentation. Alternatively, disconnect the SH 2150's NMEA 0183 output leads from the MFD's NMEA 0183 input leads.

[dgpete]

Thanks very much Chuck,
I appreciate the info!
I'll let you know how it goes ;-)

Doug

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.