[CA] [CA11] Integrating VHF and AIS to Classic E MFDs

[folkmeister]

We have E120 at the helm and E80 down below, connected via Ethernet hs. We recently installed an AIS, which is integrated via NMEA 0183 to the E80. This required us to disconnect the VHF radio NMEA connection to the E80, as the E80 has only one NMEA port and it had to be changed from 4800 to 38400 baud.

What is the best way for us to re-establish 4800 baud NMEA connectivity (multiplexer to some other method) from our network to the VHF?

1) can the nmea baud rates be different on each of the plotters, in a data master / slave configuration?

2) Is the NMEA port active on the “slave” MFD?

3) Is the Seatalk1 port active on the “slave” MFD? I believe the answer to this is no...

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome back to the Raymarine Forum folkmeister,

Configuring the MFD's NMEA 0183 Port to 38400 BAUD will cause both its NMEA 0183 IN and OUT ports to be operate at 38400 BAUD. Within systems featuring an A/C/E-Series Classic MFD and an AIS250/350/500/650, the MFD should be interfaced to the AIS receiver/transceiver to support bidirectional 38400 BAUD NMEA 0183 communications between these two devices. Data received from the MFD by the AIS receiver/transceiver (ex. GPS, instrument, navigational data, etc.) will be transmitted from the AIS receiver/transceiver's 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 OUT terminals/leads. Accordingly, the 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 input leads of the DSC VHF radio would be interfaced to the AIS receiver/transceiver's 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 OUT terminals/leads to supply the VHF radio with GPS data.

[folkmeister]

Thanks Chuck,

The AIS referenced in my post is a Vesper XB-8000. Unlike the AIS 650 on my old boat it doesn't have a NMEA 4800 output port. It has a NMEA 2000 port, but I have no other NMEA 2000 on the boat.

So I'm looking for a solution to get the GPS position over NMEA 4800 to the VHF. Can you give guidance on these 2 options, or suggest something altogether different?

Option 1 - I've seen a third party multiplexer that accepts SeaTalk 1 as an input. So I'm considering tapping into the SeaTalk network to feed a multiplexer and get NMEA at 4800 out of that.

Option 2 - Can the NMEA port on the second MFD (the one NOT connected at 38400 to the AIS) be set to 4800, or must the NMEA port settings be the same on both. Note: the MFDs are set up as a Data Master / Slave relationship.

Thanks.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

folkmeister,

Should the third party AIS receiver/transceiver not feature similar multiplexing capabilities to the AIS250/350/500/650 AIS products, then you would indeed have the two options which you have listed provide GPS data to DSC VHF radio. We typically recommended the Actisense NDC-4-USB if seeking to use a multiplexer to produce 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 data from the 38400 BAUD NMEA 0183 output of the MFD which has been interfaced directly to the third party AIS receiver/transceiver. Alternatively, should the system feature one or more additional MFDs, then the NMEA 0183 output port of one of the system's other MFD's may be used for this purpose. Configuration of the NMEA 0183 port of one of the MFDs within a system will have no impact upon the NMEA 0183 port settings of the other MFDs within a system.

[folkmeister]

Chuck -

Can you take a quick look at the attached diagram and see if this is a viable option, it was just suggested to me after your last post. It solves 2 problems - restoring NMEA@4800 to the VHF and getting boat data to the Vesper XB-8000 to be broadcast over WIFI. Summary of the diagram - create a small ST-NG backbone including the E22158 and E70196 converters.

- E22158 converter to accept legacy SeaTalk 1 input from the boat network (MFDs, transducers, etc)
- E22158 outputs NMEA 2000 over a ST-NG to NMEA 2000 converter cable to the AIS
- E70196 converter connected as part of the backbone to the E22158
- E70196 outputs NMEA @4800 to restore GPS data to the DSC VHF

If this is a viable approach, my question is whether this backbone will receive 12v power via the SeaTalk 1 cable, or would I need to provide a separate 12v connection to power the backbone. May be easier to understand from the diagram

Many ways to skin the cat...thanks so much for your guidance.

[folkmeister]

One clarification on the drawing I submitted - the XB8000 AIS is already connected at 38400 baud to an MFD (that connection is not shown on the drawing), I would not be relying on the legacy Seatalk network to carry the AIS data.

The only purpose of the N2K connection to the E22158 converter is to input other nav / boat data to the XB8000 to make it available over WIFI.

Thx

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Folkmeister,

No diagram has been attached to your latest posts.

[folkmeister]

Here is the diagram. As I mentioned the existing NMEA 38400 connection from AIS TO MFD is not shown. Also key question is whether I need to supply power to the STNG backbone or is it will get power from the SeaTalk 1 input to the converter. Thanks!

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Folkmeister,

No diagram has been attached to your latest posts. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing how to add attachments to threads/posts.

Regarding powering a STng / NMEA 2000 backbone, it is considered to be a best practice to power a STng / NMEA 2000 backbone via a power insertion spur located at the approximate midpoint of the backbone's LEN load. The STng / NMEA 2000 backbone would then power any SeaTalk bus(ses) via the ST-STng Converter(s). Accordingly, it is not recommended that one power a STng / NMEA 2000 backbone from a SeaTalk bus via a ST-STng Converter.

[folkmeister]

Chuck,

Trying again with the attachment, I was not clicking "Add Attachment"! - this is a new diagram showing my whole network.

The SeaTalk NG components on the upper left side are the new proposed items.

I went ahead and tried it this weekend (Coverters are not yet permanently installed), and it seems to be working, even though it is receiving power over the SeaTalk 1 bus (maybe due to low power demands connected to the backbone?).

Yes - VHF is getting NMEA 0183 GPS data via the E70196 converter
Yes - Vesper AIS is getting boat data via NMEA 2000 connection to the E22185

It would be simple for me to add a ST-NG power spur, if recommended -- if I do that, are any steps necessary to prevent the converter from receiving 12v over the SeaTalk1 connection?

Thank you.