[CA] Basci question re: i50/i60 wiring

[slavanway]

I am upgrading to an i50/i60 depth, speed, wind package, a Quantum chirp radar, and Axiom MFD at the nav station and helm. I plan on using the 'Basic Seatalk Retrofit' diagram that I find here
http://api.ning.com/files/rRUWEC*XQHwlVF...trofit.pdf

Two questions, I can't find a definitive answer for.

1. If I connect the transducers to the i50 and i60 displays and then connect them to an ng backbone dows the depth, speed, and wind repeat on the ng backbone so I can see the data on the MFDs and the Evo autopilot.

2. Can the Axiom act as a datamaster (like the i70) if I wanted to go 100% ng backbone and use an ITC or do I still need an i70 some place.

TIA for any help,

Sam

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Sam,

Q1 - I am upgrading to an i50/i60 depth, speed, wind package, a Quantum chirp radar, and Axiom MFD at the nav station and helm. I plan on using the 'Basic Seatalk Retrofit' diagram that I find here http://api.ning.com/files/rRUWEC*XQHwlVF...trofit.pdf .
A1 - Unless the system also includes older devices having a SeaTalk communications interface, it would not be recommended that you do as you have suggested. Instead, the Axiom MFD and Evolution autopilot components would each be interfaced as spurs to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. Ideally, this backbone would include sufficient spur sockets to additionally permit the i50/i60 instruments to each be interfaced as a spur to the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. Alternatively, as the i50/i60 instrument displays each feature a pair of SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 communications interfaces, up to three of these instruments may be daisy chained together to create a single spur (the total length of SeaTalkng Spur Cable used to created such spurs cannot exceed 6m).

Q2. If I connect the transducers to the i50 and i60 displays and then connect them to an ng backbone dows the depth, speed, and wind repeat on the ng backbone so I can see the data on the MFDs and the Evo autopilot.
A2. Yes. See the response to Q1 addressing how to interface the i50/i60 instruments to your system.

Q3. Can the Axiom act as a datamaster (like the i70) if I wanted to go 100% ng backbone and use an ITC or do I still need an i70 some place.
A3. Negative. The LightHouse 3 software used by Axiom / Axiom Pro MFDs does not feature support for calibration of instrument transducers which have been interfaced to an iTC-5. Accordingly, should an iTC-5 be installed onboard, then an i70S MFID would be required to calibrate the instrument transducers which have been interfaced to the iTC-5.