A128 Transducer Question

[scottor]

I am upgrading my vessels electronics by swapping out my C90W to an A128 (E70237LNC) w/ Chirp and need some help identifying the type of transducer I need. My vessel is a 2012, 250 EX admiral defiance fiberglass pilot house with a pair of outboards. My current equipment list is as follows before installing the new A128:
*Raymarine C90W (E62111-US)
*Raymarine DSM 300 (E63069G)
*Raymarine Digital dome (E922130 18” )
*Simrad AP-24 auto pilot
*Simrad AC 12 computer and a RC42 compass.
*Airmar 20 degree tilt transducer
*IC- M412 VHS radio w/ MMSI
The current Airmar transducer could be swapped out for a chirp version B175? Which is a low profile but I want to know if I would get better performance from a B265 - 1 KW? In the future I may swap out the original airmar 20-degree location low profile for a side vision transducer.
I assume in my studies for this swap that I do not need the DSM 300? If I do decide to add the side vision feature will I need some other type of sonar modular? CP-200?
Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Scott in Charleston, Oregon

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Scott,

Q1. The current Airmar transducer could be swapped out for a chirp version B175? Which is a low profile but I want to know if I would get better performance from a B265 - 1 KW? In the future I may swap out the original airmar 20-degree location low profile for a side vision transducer.
A1. Your suggestion to use the MFD's internal CHIRP/DownVision fishfinder circuitry in conjunction with the CHIRP transducers specified is incorrect. The CHIRP transducers which you have referenced are designed for use with a CP470/CP570 CHIRP Sounder Module which may in turn be interfaced to any model of a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFD. CP470/CP570 compatible CHIRP transducers may be found here. The transducer socket of an ax8 MFD, eSx8 MFD, or CP100 is exclusively designed to be mated to the fishfinder transducers found here and will support operation in depths up to 600'.

Q2. I assume in my studies for this swap that I do not need the DSM 300? If I do decide to add the side vision feature will I need some other type of sonar modular? CP-200?
A2. The DSM300 is indeed compatible with a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs and you may want to consider using with the new system as an additional Fishfinder sounder source. Addition of SideVision to the system would require installation of a CP200 SideVision Sounder Module and CPT-200 transducer.

[scottor]

Thank you for your knowledgeable response.
I fish the bottom between 250 – 450 feet and chase albacore tuna at 7 knots targeting to locater tuna at depth less than 150 feet.
Can I use the DSM 300 I have between my A128 and a chirp transducer?
What would give me the best performance searching the bottom at the depth I noted above?
• Use the CPT 120 direct to the A1128? OR
• Add a CP370 and a 600 to 1000 watt chirp transducer?
I am also strongly considering to retain the DSM 300 and the current Airmar transducer connected to my new A128 for use as a straight sonar view.
Thank you for your feedback.
Scott

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Scott,

Q1. Can I use the DSM 300 I have between my A128 and a chirp transducer?
A1. Negative. The DSM300, DSM30, CP300, and CP370 are exclusively designed for use with compatible fixed frequency 50/200 kHz transducers such as those found here ... they cannot be interfaced to CHIRP transducers.

Q2. What would give me the best performance searching the bottom at the depth I noted above?
• Use the CPT 120 direct to the A1128? OR
• Add a CP370 and a 600 to 1000 watt chirp transducer?
I am also strongly considering to retain the DSM 300 and the current Airmar transducer connected to my new A128 for use as a straight sonar view.
A2. For this application, is recommended that the CPT-120 be used and that it be directly mated to the ax8 MFD's transducer socket.

[scottor]

Follow up questions: I have purchased the CPT 120 for use with my new A128 and will connect my CPT 120 directly to the A128 as noted. I have decided to retain my existing C90W as a second sonar and backup navigation so my question is; can I leave the C90W plugged into the raymarine connector (photo included) and that leaves me with one spare connector for the A128 to get radar and auto pilot information?

Thank you, Scott

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Scott,

The hardware component shown within your attached photo is not a Raymarine networking component. I suspect that it may be part of a third party NMEA 2000 network backbone. If so, then the a128 MFD may be interfaced to the backbone in addition to your C-Series Widescreen MFD. However, it is not possible for a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs to share cartography, fishfinder imagery, radar, satellite marine weather, Satellite radio, IP camera video, or thermal camera control with a C-Series Widescreen MFD. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[scottor]

Does the C90W have an internal GPS, where if I separate it from the backbone that it will provide navigation and run sonar (connect it thru the DSM 300 to the existing transducer) as a backup to my new A128 system? Which I will plug into my backbone as it will be my new primary system.

Thanks, Scott

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Scott,

The C-Series Widescreen MFDs feature an internal GPS sensor. Should the MFD be installed in a location which does not afford it an unobstructed view of the skies overhead, then its internal GPS receiver may not receive sufficient GPS signal strength, necessitating that the MFD be interfaced to an external GPS sensor supporting SeaTalk, NMEA 0183, or SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 communications.

[scottor]

currently I have no external GPS unless that function is provide thru the 18" digital dome.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Scott,

Radomes and open array pedestals are exclusively designed to support a MFD's radar functions and as such would have no capacity to supply a system with GPS data.