[LW] [LW11] AIS reciever connection to Multiple MFD's

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome back to the Raymarine Forum E.hatch2086,

General comment: As eS-Series MFDs may be updated with LightHouse 3 software, why not simply connect the two MFDs to one another via Ethernet communications. Doing so will permit much more than the sharing of AIS data. Should the Actisense NGW-1-ISO-AIS be interfaced to the AIS receiver/transceiver and then to a spur socke within the backbone then this data will not only be shared between the MFDs, but should the system feature an i70/i70S MFID, then it too would have access to this data. Alternatively, should the AIS receiver/transceiver be interfaced to the eS-Series MFD's NMEA 0183 communications interface, then this data will be shared with the Axiom MFD alone via the aforementioned Ethernet communications interface.

Q1: Do you think this would work for the AIS on the Axiom?
A1. Yes. This is essentially the configuration utilized by my desk based test station where both MFDs running LightHouse II software and those running LightHouse 3 software are simultaneously interfaced with the same backbone to an AIS transceiver. See the general comment above for the recommended solution to maximize features within the system.

Q2: Would you expect any issue with the AIS feeding to the two MFD'S simultaneously via the NEMA 183 connection ?
A2. Possibly ... if referring to paralleling the 38400 BAUD NMEA 0183 output from AIS transceiver. It has been our experience that such paralleling may adversely affect communications of AIS data within the system. See the recommendations specified within the General Comment above addressing recommended solutions.