Upgrades to Existing Raymarine System on B35.5

[Tnauck]

Successfully installed new MFD, radar and STng backbone as previously discussed. All operating properly. Now trying to get NMEA 0183 connection established between SPX-5 and Icom vhf to feed GPS data to vhf for distress calls. NMEA 0183 output appears to be transmitting something, but vhf is showing no GPS data received. Cable connection continuity test is good. Any suggestions?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Tnauck,

It is quite possible that the AP NMEA 0183 Talker ID transmitted by the X5 may not be accepted by the autopilot. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject. It is recommended that an E70196 VHF NMEA 0183 to STng Converter Kit be added to the SeaTalkng backbone to support supplying the VHF radio with GPS data.

[Tnauck]

Thanks for the recommendation on the addition of the E70196 VHF NMEA 0183 to SeaTalkng Converter Kit. I plan to install it as shown on the attached diagram. Essentially what I plan to do is extend my existing SeaTalkng network with another backbone cable to accomodate the converter, connect the VHF converter cable in position three, leaving positions two and four blank and terminating at position five. I'll switch the Power and i50 Depth connections on the original 5 point connector strip to balance the additional power load of the converter strip. Please review and comment. Thanks for your help.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Tnauck,

Your diagram appears to be correct.

[Tnauck]

I installed the converter kit as shown in my diagram and everything worked fined for about 5 minutes. Latitude, longitude and time were shown on the DSC VHF, but then the signal was apparently lost. The converter LED started flashing Not Connected/ fault sequence. It was also not listed on the device list under Maintenance/Diagnostics. I connected the MFD directly to the converter block in position 2 and the position and time information were again displayed on the DSC VHF, but now the MFD doesn't recognize the Autopilot. Could the new backbone cable be defective and still transmit power, but not data to the converter? I have updated the software for all instruments, p70 autopilot, SPX5 course computer and MFD to the most current versions. All suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Tnauck,

It is recommended that you verify that your power insertion spur is located at the approximate midpoint of the backbone's LEN load. It is also recommended that you verify that two, and only two, Termination Plugs have been installed within the backbone. These Termination Plugs must be installed within the backbone socket forming the opposite and extreme ends of the backbone. Finally, it is recommended that all spur and backbone socket locking rings be opened, the cable be unplugged, the cable be re-seated, and the socket's locking ring then fully rotated to the locked position. Should this be done, should the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter also have been updated with the latest software, and should the problem persist, then the fault may be rooted within the new backbone cable or within the ST-STng Converter (faulty backbone socket). SeaTalkng Cable failures are relatively rare. For fault isolation purposes, you may want to consider temporally removing the ST-STng Converter from the system and substituting the new backbone cable for another within the system if possible. Should the system communicate properly with the backbone cable installed within another location, then it would be recommended that the ST-STng Converter be returned for replacement.

[Tnauck]

Chuck, thanks for your reply and suggestions. Would anything be gained in terms of testing the ST-STng Converter by removing it from the system, supplying it with its own power, terminating both ends and connecting directly to the MFD and DSC VHF? Would that effectively test the backbone sockets? Thanks for your continued help.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Tnauck,

Q. Would anything be gained in terms of testing the ST-STng Converter by removing it from the system, supplying it with its own power, terminating both ends and connecting directly to the MFD and DSC VHF? Would that effectively test the backbone sockets?
A. Unfortunately, doing as you have suggested would not test the ST-STng Converter's backbone sockets. Such verification may be achieved through connecting an assembly constructed from a SeaTalkng Backbone Cable and a terminated SeaTalkng T-Piece or SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector to each of the ST-STng Converter's two backbone sockets. Then a pair of devices having a SeaTalkng communications interface would be interfaced as spurs to the aforementioned SeaTalkng T-Pieces or SeaTalkng 5-Way Connectors forming opposite ends of the backbone. Should communications between the two devices be verified of between each of these devices and a third device which has been interfaced as a spur to the ST-STng Converter, then the ST-STng Converter would be deemed operational.

[Tnauck]

Chuck, I think I've found the cause of the problem - two broken pins in the backbone connection on the 5 way connector connecting to the converter. They appear to be broken off in the backbone cable plug. I assume the 5 way connector must be replaced. Can the cable be repaired, or is that a replacement too? Thanks again for your help.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Tnauck,

It certainly appears that you have identified the source of the failure. The SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector will need to be replaced, as Raymarine does not service networking components. Should you be able to remove the SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector's pins from the SeaTalkng Backbone Cable's plug without damaging the cable's plug, then it may continue to be used.