C80 waypoint does not show up on ST60 MFD

[wjj]

I have a C80, with 2 ST60+ and 2 large MFD displays, and 2 Autopilot displays.

When I "go to" a waypoint, the C80 shows the distance and bearing to the waypoint. But the waypoint does not show up the on the instrument display/autopilot control head, the BTW is blank. Other data to the instrument displays show up, such as heading, speed, depth, etc.

On the autopilot displays, The autopilot does not read the GPS, when I try to set it to steer to a waypoint it says "no data" and beeps.

When checking with a electrical tester, the yellow wire reads a voltage of about 10, but fluctuates up and down slightly.

How do I troubleshoot the problem, to get the navigational data to read on the instrument displays??

Thanks for any help!

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum wjj,

Raymarine typically reserves the acronym MFD to Raymarine Multifunction Displyas such as your C80. Please examine your equipment and specify the makes and models of each of the instrument and autopilot display as well as the model of autopilot course computer installed on the boat. Finally, please identify the make/model of GPS sensor installed onboard your boat and how it has been interfaced to your system.

[wjj]

The GPS sensor is the ray 130. I have the X30 Smartpilot, which I also cannot get to follow a gps course. It works fine if given a compass heading to follow.

GPS shows up on the C80 OK, and I can navigate on the C80 to a waypoint.

But the waypoints do not show up on the st60+ displays or on the autopilot display.

Thanks for any help.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

wjj,

As the MFD may only be interfaced via SeaTalk to a Raystar 130 GPS sensor and your MFD is receiving GPS data from the Raystar 130 GPS Sensor, your MFD's SeaTalk port would be deemed to be operational. However, it is possible that your equipment has not been properly interfaced. The Raystar 130 GPS Sensor, ST70 Autopilot Control Heads (assumed as the models of these control heads have not yet been supplied) as well as the other SeaTalk devices have not been properly interfaced and/or the course computer, autopilot control heads, and SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter have not been updated with the latest software. The Raystar 130 GPS Sensor, ST70 Autopilot Control Heads, and X30 should each be interfaced as a spur to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng backbone. The MFD (red SeaTalk lead not used) and ST60+ instruments should each be interfaced to an unpowered SeaTalk bus, which in turn will be interfaced to the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter's (part of the SeaTalkng backbone) yellow SeaTalk socket. The SeaTalk bus will be powered from the SeaTalkng backbone via the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter.

Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[wjj]

Hi Chuck,

Thank you for the reply.

My system is not set up with the SeaTalkng backbone. All connections of yellow, red and unshielded wires go to a common buss and distribute out from there, with the power supply coming into the buss. The system did work properly previously, where the ST60 showed bearings to waypoint and the autopilot steered to a waypoint. Because it all worked properly before, I do not understand why, or if it should, all be disconnected and then reconnected using the backbone system.

Is there a way to troubleshoot the wiring, using a multi meter or other device?

Thank you for any information help.

Wayne

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

wjj,

In fact, you do have a SeaTalkng backbone installed onboard ... the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter is essentially a small backbone ... and an incorrectly installed SeaTalkng backbone (coupled with old product software) can cause communications issue which you have reported. As indicated previously, all of the devices having a SeaTalkng communications interface should be updated with the latest product software updates and should be interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone rather directly to the SeaTalk bus. Additionally, the SeaTalk bus must be powered by the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s).

Here's some information from a related FAQ:
SeaTalk instruments, autopilot components, GPS sensors, and chartplotters featuring a 1st generation SeaTalk interface which do not additionally feature a SeaTalkng interface (ex. ST40/60 Instrument Displays, ST6001, S2G, Wireless AP Controller, C80, etc.) should be interfaced to one another, in any order, using standard SeaTalk Cables. SeaTalk Cables can be joined using D244 SeaTalk Junction Blocks, splices, marine grade terminal strips, or R55006 SeaTalk Auxiliary Junction Boxes. SeaTalk Cable is available in 15", 1m, 3m, 5m, and 9m lengths. This method of interfacing is referred to as a SeaTalk bus.

NOTE: Autpilot Course Computer products introduced prior to the Type 150/150G, 400/400G, ST4000+, ST5000+, instrument products introduced prior to the ST50+, as well as chartplotting, fishfinding, and radar products introduced prior to these autopilots and instruments utilize an older version of the SeaTalk communications protocol than did the products which followed them. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter has neither been designed nor tested for use with such products. Correspondingly, it is recommended that any such devices within your present system be disconnected from the SeaTalk bus and that they instead be interfaced to the newly created system via NMEA 0183 communications protocol.

Each SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter will support a SeaTalk bus of up to five SeaTalk devices. Should your present SeaTalk bus consist of more than five SeaTalk devices, then it will need to be divided into smaller busses including no more than five SeaTalk devices. Each bus will in turn be connected to the yellow SeaTalk port of a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converters may be interfaced to one another via appropriate length of SeaTalkng Backbone Cable. The SeaTalk bus will need to be branched or extended and connected to the yellow (SeaTalk) port of an E22158 SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter Kit which has been upgraded with v2.01 or later SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter software.

SeaTalkng devices (ex. SPX/Evolution autopilots, ST70/ST70+ MFIDs and Autopilot Control Heads, i50/i60/i70 Instrument Displays, etc.) will in turn be interfaced to the white SeaTalkng spur ports of the SeaTalkng backbone / SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s) using appropriate length of SeaTalkng Spur Cable. Additional SeaTalk spur ports may be created within the backbone by connecting SeaTalkng 5-Way Connectors and/or SeaTalkng T-Pieces to the SeaTalkng backbone / SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s) using appropriate lengths of SeaTalkng Backbone Cable. Up to three SeaTalkng Devices may be daisy chained to one another using SeaTalkng Spur Cable to create a single spur having a total length of no more than 5m. Daisy chaining SeaTalkng devices rather than connecting each SeaTalkng device individually to the backbone has the advantage of reducing the amount of cable which may otherwise need be chased throughout the boat.

The SeaTalk bus will be to be disconnected from its present power source ... note: this may well be the red terminal of an autopilot course computer's SeaTalk port. As a best practice, the SeaTalk bus will instead be powered via the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter. The SeaTalkng power cable supplied with the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter Kit will be connected to a switched 5A 12VDC power circuit and will be interfaced to the other white SeaTalkng spur ports of a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter at the approximate midpoint of the LEN load of the SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone which is being created.

Finally, the blue SeaTalkng Termination Plugs will need to be installed within in the remaining two blue SeaTalkng backbone ports of the SeaTalkng backbone / SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s).

It is strongly recommended that all devices featuring a SeaTalkng socket be updated with the latest available Raymarine product software updates. Such updates may be performed via a Raymarine MFD featuring a SeaTalkng port which has been interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone. Should the system not include a Raymarine MFD featuring a SeaTalkng port, then the software within your SeaTalkng devices may be updated by a Certified Raymarine Installer, some Raymarine dealers (recommend calling the dealer before visiting), or by the Raymarine Product Repair Center.