Upgrade or Alternative Solutions

[viben]

My entire electronics package is Raymarine, except for the VHF radio. At the center is an E90W hybrid touch screen, accompanied by radar, autopilot, and the usual wind and tridata for a sailboat – all from when the boat was new, a little more than 10 years ago.

I am now considering my options – upgrade or not – and have several questions:

1) Can I upgrade the chart plotter to any of the new, wifi enabled ones without having to change the rest?

2) Can I install a new AIS transponder (don’t have one now) and make it work with the current system?

3) Can I update the chart platter software to the latest on my current chart plotter, and if so, how do I do that – via CompactFlash?

4) The recent upgrade to Windows 10 made the RayTech navigation software useless. What are my options for similar?

5) Is there a way that I can import routes (waypoints) from the Android Navionics app (.kmz files) to my current chart plotter?

What would your recommendations be?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum viben,

Q1) Can I upgrade the chart plotter to any of the new, wifi enabled ones without having to change the rest?
A1. Should all of the equipment used with the E90W be of the vintage specified, then it may indeed be used with an a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFD. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject. An eS97 would typically be recommended to replace an E90W MFD.

Q2) Can I install a new AIS transponder (don’t have one now) and make it work with the current system?
A2) Yes ... if updated with the latest available Raymarine product software updates. The E-Series Widescreen MFDs were compatible with AIS receivers / transceivers which had NMEA 0183 and/or SeaTalkng communications interfaces. The AIS650 would be recommended for use with and E-Series Widescreen MFD.

Q3) Can I update the chart platter software to the latest on my current chart plotter, and if so, how do I do that – via CompactFlash?
A3. Yes ... via a CF memory card. CF memory cards having capacity of up to 32GB may be used with E-Series Widescreen MFDs. Instructions for performing the update may be accessed via the E-Series Widescreen MFD's software update web page.

Q4) The recent upgrade to Windows 10 made the RayTech navigation software useless. What are my options for similar?
A4) Voyage Planner is recommended for waypoint/route planning. Should your Navionics chart card have nTag file encryption (root level directory of the chart card contains a file titled ntag), then the chart card may be used with Voyage Planner. Voyage Planner also support NOAA raster and NOAA vector charts.

Q5) Is there a way that I can import routes (waypoints) from the Android Navionics app (.kmz files) to my current chart plotter?
A5) The E-Series Widescreen MFDs exclusively supported waypoint/route files formatted with Raymarine's .fsh file format. Voyage Planner supports importing .kmz files. The imported data may then be exported to a CF memory card in .fsh file format.