[CA] [CA11] VHF radio won't interface with NMEA 2000 / MFD's

[OneandAll]

I ended up buying an ICOM 506 which drops in (almost) the same [censored] as the SH GX6000. I plugged in the NMEA 2000 to my SeaTalkng network, powered on and everything worked immediately. Conclusion - it's not my network. It's the SH GX6000 that is not compatible with Raymarine in some way, shape or form. I have since added the Raymarine AIS700 Class B transceiver, which is fabulous.

That leaves me then with a nice expensive door stopper (the GX6000), which I'm going to install in my overhead box as a redundant VHF #2. I intend to have it as a standalone independent AIS (receiving only) with its own AIS Antenna and for VHF use, connected to a Shakespeare switch and the shared VHF Phase III Galaxy antenna. I may try connecting the NMEA 0183 wires to one of my MFD's, just to see if that works - an experimental "test". If it does not I'll have to spend more $$$ for the SH GPS antennna the GX6000 requires in order to get GPS coords to the radio. Ah well.......at least I've got good VHF capabilities, but this has been an absolute pain - and an expensive one at that!