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YoBub

I have a Raymarine ST8001 Autopilot that is currently interfaced with E120 Chartplotter.

Can I interface the autopilot with a Garmin 742xs chartplotter, and send waypoint information from the Garmin to control the autopilot? The Garmin supports NMEA 2000 and NMEA0183.

The E120 would stay in place for radar, and as a backup for chartplotting.

***Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator***

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum YoBub,

It is indeed possible to do as you have suggested. In this case, the NMEA 0183 output of the third party chartplotting product may be interfaced to the NMEA 0183 input terminals of the ST8001. As the Raymarine equipment which you have identified is not designed to support more than one source of GPS data, it is recommended that the GPS sensor which is currently supplying GPS data to the Raymarine system be disconnected, to then permit GPS data from the third party chartplotting product to supply GPS data to the system.

YoBub

My thoughts on this configuration have evolved a bit over the winter.

I currently have the following:
E120
92654-S radar array
DSM300 (with unknown transducer - probably B256)
ST8001 Auto Pilot

Newly Acquired, not installed
SR100 Sirius Weather
SeaTalk HS ethernet hub
Garmin 742xs Chartplotter
Standard Horizon GX2200 VHF

Right now the DSM300 is connected directly to the E120 via ethernet. Radar direct to the E120.

The Autopilot is connected to the E120 using a flat seatalk cable (4 wire flat jack), and another seatalk cable out to an unknown location. The autopilot also has a pair of NMEA0183 wires connected, which connect to a junction block with a whole bunch of other wires, so it has seatalk in, seatalk out, and NMEA0183 (I think). Not sure what it all does or where the other seatalk cable goes. I looked but couldn't find any other devices.

Here are my questions:

1) My new Garmin chartplotter has an Ethernet connection. Can I connect it to the SeaTalk HS hub, and share some type of data from the E120, such as depth, water temp, maybe others? I don't expect to share radar or fishfinder info.

2) I have read that the E120 can do some types of protocol translations between NMEA0183 and other protocols. If I can connect the Garmin as outlined in question 1, can I decide whether to use the Garmin or the E120 to drive the autopilot? (turn the function off on one or the other via software)

3) The VHF has a built-in GPS, so it doesn't need a GPS signal from the chartplotters. It has an AIS receiver that I would like to feed out to one of the chartplotters, ideally to both. It only has NMEA0183 output. I've read that I can only have one "talker" on an 0183 network, so can I send that AIS signal through 0183 to the E120? Not sure if that will screw up the auto pilot.

I've been searching and reading all I can about this networking, but still don't have it quite figured out. I feel like I'm getting closer but don't want to screw anything up.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

***Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator***

YoBub,

Q1) My new Garmin chartplotter has an Ethernet connection. Can I connect it to the SeaTalk HS hub, and share some type of data from the E120, such as depth, water temp, maybe others? I don't expect to share radar or fishfinder info.
A1. Negative. Please see my initial response addressing how the third party chartplotter may be interfaced to the autopilot. While it may be possible to interface the third party chartplotter additionally to the NMEA OUT2 port of the autopilot course computer to permit the third party chartplotter to receive some alphanumeric system data from the Raymarine system, this would not be typically be recommended as a NMEA 0183 data loop may be created.

Q2) I have read that the E120 can do some types of protocol translations between NMEA0183 and other protocols. If I can connect the Garmin as outlined in question 1, can I decide whether to use the Garmin or the E120 to drive the autopilot? (turn the function off on one or the other via software)
A2) While either MFD may be used to provide data to the autopilot when the third party autopilot has been interfaced to the autopilot in the manner specified and the Raymarine MFD remains within the system, then it will not be possible to command cancellation of navigation which had initiated on the third party chartplotter via the Raymarine MFD ... and vice versa.

Q3) The VHF has a built-in GPS, so it doesn't need a GPS signal from the chartplotters. It has an AIS receiver that I would like to feed out to one of the chartplotters, ideally to both. It only has NMEA0183 output. I've read that I can only have one "talker" on an 0183 network, so can I send that AIS signal through 0183 to the E120? Not sure if that will screw up the auto pilot.
A3) It is generally recommended that the 38400 BAUD NMEA 0183 output of an AIS transceiver be paralleled to support supplying signal to more than one device. If interfacing the AIS receiver alone to the E120 MFD, one wound need to utilize the MFD's NMEA 0183 interface as is indicated within the FAQ found here.