[TG] [TG11] ST50 to ST80

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Sarge,

For depth and speed ST80 used black-box analogue-to-Seatalk interfaces (Speed Pod, Depth Pod). For Wind, there were two different windvane variants: a 'forward-facing wind' which was an analogue wind signal similar to ST50 used (but I believe with larger anemometer cups that meant it would spin faster in the same windspeed) and connected into Seatalk via another black-box interface, and an 'active wind' which was a vertical carbon wand and outputted Seatalk digital wind data down the mast using a dedicated masthead connector and cable. You would need to make sure that the depth/speed/wind pods (or vertical wand and masthead connector and cable) were supplied with the kit and working, and that if you reused your ST50 windvane you may not get accurate wind speed (ST80's software expected its windvane.) You would also need to make sure that the kit included a working Masterview (not Maxiview) display, as the Masterview was required to properly operate the system.

I would really question whether this is worth the effort however: by the time you change all of the Seatalk cabling over from round to flat connectors and worry about the transducers and pods, I really don't think this would be a worthwhile change. Remember that ST80 was retired around 20 years ago, and what other item of (at least) two-decade old electronics would you spend any significant time and money on installing?

Regards,
Tom