[CA] [CA11] Interfacing ST5000+ to MFD c120

[Mason 33 iguana]

Hello!

I tried to connect the control head with a seatalk cable; the only thing that happen is that the autopilot was then power supplied by the seatalk cable. As I already have a separate power supply, I cut the red cable and only keep the bare and the yellow cable. It did not work.

Q1: Do i have a way to interface them to use the track option and stuff like that?

Q2: Do i most use nmea plug on the c120 to do so?

thanks in advance!

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Mason 33 iguana,

Q1. I cut the red cable and only keep the bare and the yellow cable. It did not work.
A1. The C-Series Classic MFD and ST5000+ may be interfaced to one another either via their SeaTalk or their NMEA 0183 communications interfaces. The method described in Q1 is indeed correct and will work if both the MFD and ST5000+ have operational SeaTalk communications interfaces. When so interfaced, one may verify communications by configuring the MFD to display the Heading data item ... if it repeats the heading specified on the ST5000+, then the devices are communicating with one another. To enter Track mode, the navigation (i.e. Go To Waypoint / Cursor or Follow Route) must first be commanded from within the MFD's Chart application. Track mode may then be commanded by steering the boat in the direction of the waypoint/cursor position to be navigated to, and then entering Auto Mode (press Auto button). Next, press Track to command the autopilot into Track mode. The autopilot will either report no navigation (i.e. data associated with Go To or Follow Route) or respond with the heading to be steered. If the ST5000+ responds with the heading to be steered, then press to the Track button a second time to accept the heading to be steered.

Q2. Do i have a way to interface them to use the track option and stuff like that?
A2. See my response to Q1.

Q3. Do i most use nmea plug on the c120 to do so?
A3. Should there appear to be a fault with the SeaTalk communications interface of either the MFD or ST5000+, then these products may instead be interfaced via their respective NMEA 0183 communications interfaces as indicated above. However, when so interface, the MFD will not receive heading data from the autopilot. If seeking to interface the NMEA 0183 communications interface of the MFD to the ST5000+ NMEA 0183 communications interface,
- Connect the MFD NMEA 0183 Cable's NMEA 0183 OUT+ (yellow) lead to the ST5000+'s NMEA 0183 IN+ terminal using a 1/8" female blade connector;
- Connect the MFD NMEA 0183 Cable's NMEA 0183 OUT- (brown) lead to the ST5000+'s NMEA 0183 IN- terminal using a 1/8" female blade connector;
- Configure the MFD's NMEA 0183 Port setting to "NMEA 4800"