[CA] [CA11] Wind Speed Data Availability

[taylort100]

We have an e95 networked with an i50 depth display, and i60 wind display, an i70 multifunction, and an ST5000 Plus autohelm. For the past 4 years or so this has all been working fine - critically, the ST5000 would sail to a wind angle, as well as track since its connected via a Seatalk converter.
Just recently, the ST5000 reports that no wind data is available - but it continues to work in Track mode (i.e. it still sees the network). The i70 still shows wind data (speed and angle), implying that wind data is on the network. But, the e95 doesn't show any wind data. I'm at a loss as to how to diagnose this. I've unconnected and reconnected the wind display, but no change.
Thanks to your help, I recently added a data cable from the e95 NMEA output to our DSC enabled radio. The radio is now seeing the GPS data correctly. This change coincided roughly with the wind data issue but I can't believe they are related. I've tried simply turning the radio off - no difference. The data cable is crimp connected - I'm hesitant to undo this (the wires are a little short).

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum taylort100,

I don't suspect that interfacing the MFD's NMEA 0183 port to the VHF radio would be responsible for the reported issue unless it is perhaps looping data back into the system. One may rule out this possibility by simple changing the MFD's NMEA 0183 Port Setting to a BAUD rate which differs from that supported by the VHF radio (ex. if the VHF radio supports 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 communications, then set the MFD's NMEA 0183 Port 1 Setting to "AIS 38400".

While the ST-STng Converter has been designed and tested to support ST4000+/ST5000+ autopilots, this is not so for the ST4000/ST5000 autopilots. That said, should this have worked in the past, then the first thing to verify is that the ST5000 has not been interfaced to the system in a manner which would cause it to backfeed power into the system's SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. Failure to heed this recommendation may result in a ground loop, resulting in intermittent, partial, or no communications between devices on the system's SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

After doing so, communications between the system's Data Master MFD and the system's other devices which have been interfaced to the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone may be verified by examining the Select Devices list of the Data Master MFD. Should the MFD list the devices in question (in this case the iTC-5, i70 MFID, and ST-STng Converter should be listed). The list should also be inspected to ensure that each of these devices has been updated with the latest available Raymarine product software update. Should one of these devices not be listed, then its SeaTalkng spur or backbone cable connections should be unplugged, plugged back in, and then the socket locking rings secured.