Instrument Predicament

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Larry,

Q1. I would like to add a raymarine AIS class B transceiver.
A1. The MFD is compatible with AIS receivers/transceivers having either a SeaTalkng or 38400 BAUD NMEA 0183 communications interface. If seeking a Raymarine AIS transceiver, then it is accordingly recommended that an AIS650 be purchased and that it be interfaced to the MFD via a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng backbone.

Q2. and replace the ST60 with an i70s MFD.
A2. the i70S and MFD should each be interfaced as a spur to the aforementioned SeaTalkng backbone. The backbone will additionally need to include an iTC-5 analog instrument transducer converter should the currently installed B744V transducer need to be replaced with an A26043 B744V transducer.

Q3. The autopilot is an Simrad Robertson AP20 which connects via nmea to the C140w.
A3. Noted. Should the autopilot support transmitting the HDM and RSA NMEA 0183 sentences, then you may want to consider interfacing the autopilot's 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 output port to the MFD's NMEA 0183 NMEA input leads to support providing the MFD with heading and rudder angle data. Heading data is required to support the MFD's radar overlay feature.

Q4. I'd like some recommendations on what to do with the Airmar p79 as I'm not sure what that 6-pin connector is, and would like to replace the thru-hull triducer.
A4. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing how to obtain the transducer's part number in order that we may positively identify transducer and the makes/models of products which it had been designed for use with. Any supporting photos of the transducer's identification tag should be attached to you post to this thread.

Q5. Additionally I was wondering if I could leave one of the C140w displays in operation (use the other as a spare) and get a newer display to replace the C140w.
A5. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

Q6. All of the existing Raymarine equipment is directed connected to each other, no real backbone is currently in use. The master has the Radar and nmea connection and a direct connect to the other C140w.
A6. The C-Series Widescreen MFDs were designed to be directly interfaced to one another via an appropriate length of SeaTalkhs (M) to SeaTalkhs (M) Cable or indirectly via a SeaTalkhs Network Switch. The other system components would then have typically been interfaced only to the Data Master MFD or SeaTalkhs Network Switch (for compatible Raymarine devices having a SeaTalkhs communications interface). The MFDs would then share all system data via the SeaTalkhs communications interface.