[CA] [CA11] ST2000+ remote control by ST 6002 Smart Pilot controller?

[[email protected]]

Hi There,
is it possible to remotely control an ST2000 tiller pilot using an ST 6002 Smart Pilot controller?
cheers
Dave

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Dave,

It is indeed possible to interface a ST2000+ to a ST6002 Autopilot Control Head.

[[email protected]]

Hi Chuck,
I have now purchased an ST6002 Pilot Controller to add to my system to control the ST2000 tilller pilot. The screen on the ST2000 is small and not conveniently located, so the ST6002 makes the autopilot more convenient to operate.

As you advised in the thread “[CA11] ST60+, seatalk1, seatalk NG, ray55e, A70D and ST2000+”:
- I will connect the ST2000 NMEA IN terminals to the NMEA OUT connection on the A70D MFD. This arrangement prevents the ST2000 sending heading data to my seatalk system to prevent duplication heading data. Heading is already on the system, sourced from a third party flux gate compass.
- The Seatalk connection from the ST2000+ will be connected to the ST6002 pilot controller.

1. Studying the manuals, I can see that the ST2000 will receive:
- navigation data using the APB,RMB,BWR and BWC NMEA sentence outputs from the A70D
- speed through the water via the VHW sentence from the A70D.
However the ST2000 only seems to recognize VWR to receive Apparent Wind Angle data. It does not appear that the A70D outputs the VWR sentence.

Q1. Can the ST2000+ receive wind speed and angle data from the A70D via NMEA (to enable wind angle steering)?

2. I am considering connecting the ST6002 NMEA IN port to the NMEA Output of my ST60 Graphic display. See rough sketch attached. The idea of this is to:
- provide a source of wind data for the ST2000
- allow the ST6002 to be useful as a display (e.g. for Heading, COG, SOG, Wind, Depth) when the autopilot is not connected to the system (for example, when racing).

Q2A: Will the ST2000 be able to receive wind data via the ST6002 from the Graphic Display (using NMEA sentence MNV from the Graphic to the ST6002 then via Seatalk from the ST6002 to the ST2000)?

Q2B. Can you confirm that the ST2000 will not receive heading data:
- from the ST60+ Graphic via the ST6002?
- from the A70D via NMEA?

3. I have not been able to discover what NMEA sentences are recognized by the ST6002 NMEA input. Nor can I find detail of what seatalk1 data is shared between the ST2000 and the ST6002.
I am concerned that there may be duplicate sources of some data from the ST60+ Graphic and the A70D to the ST6002 and/or the ST2000.

Specificallly:
Q3A: Will the ST6002 receive NMEA Heading data from the ST 60 Graphic and transmit it on to the ST2000 via Seatalk 1?
Q3B: If the ST2000 does receive a heading input from the ST6002 will ST6002 and/orST2000 be able to choose between the internal and external sources of heading data and steer to one of them?
Q3C: If the ST2000 receives wind data from the A70D via NMEA, will it clash with wind data received from the ST60 Graphic via NMEA to the ST6002 then via seatalk to the ST2000?
Q3D: Do you see any other data duplication or loop issues with the proposed configuration?

Regards
Dave

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Dave,

Unfortunately, the ST6002, ST60 Graphic, and A-Series Classic MFDs have been retired and can no longer be tested to confirm the suggestions. The information provided is based upon the available documentation from these products. It would accordingly be recommended that all connections be performed in a temporary fashion and tested prior to chasing cables.

Q1. Can the ST2000+ receive wind speed and angle data from the A70D via NMEA (to enable wind angle steering)?
A1. It appears not for the reason which you have stated (i.e. A-Series Classic MFDs do not support transmission of the NMEA 0183 sentence MWV for wind data transmission rather than the VWR NMEA 0183 sentence required by the ST2000+). Unfortunately, the ST60+ does not support transmission of the VWR NMEA 0183 sentence either. The following NMEA 0183 output sentences are supported by the ST60+ Graphic:



However, the ST6002 may well be capable of extracting wind data from the MWV sentence transmitted by the ST60+ Graphic. As the ST6002's was primarily designed to support integration with the S1/S2/S3/S1G/S2G/S3G autopilot course computers (which do support MWV sentences) it is believed that the ST6002 will likewise support the MWV sentence.



Accordingly, it would be recommended that:
- the NMEA 0183 output port of the MFD be disconnected from the NMEA 0183 input port of the ST2000+
- the NMEA 0183 output of the ST60+ Graphic be configured to not transmit heading data (HDG, HDM, and VHW) ... see the User Calibration section of the ST60+ Graphic's Installation and Operations Guide
- that the ST60 Graphic's NMEA 0183 output port then be interfaced to the ST6002.

Q2A. Will the ST2000 be able to receive wind data via the ST6002 from the Graphic Display (using NMEA sentence MWV from the Graphic to the ST6002 then via Seatalk from the ST6002 to the ST2000)?
A2A. I believe so ... see opening comments. MWV is a supported output NMEA 0183 sentence of the ST60+ Graphic which in turn will pass this data to the ST6002 which should bridge it to SeaTalk for use by the ST2000+.

Q2B1. Can you confirm that the ST2000 will not receive heading data:
- from the ST60+ Graphic via the ST6002?
- from the A70D via NMEA?
A2B1. See the response to Q1 regarding configuring the NMEA 0183 output of the ST60+ Graphic. The A70D will no longer be interfaced via NMEA 0183 to the autopilot.

Q3A: Will the ST6002 receive NMEA Heading data from the ST 60 Graphic and transmit it on to the ST2000 via Seatalk 1?
A3a. See response to Q1.

Q3B: If the ST2000 does receive a heading input from the ST6002 will ST6002 and/orST2000 be able to choose between the internal and external sources of heading data and steer to one of them?
A3B. N/A if ST60+ Graphic is configured to not transmit heading data

Q3C: If the ST2000 receives wind data from the A70D via NMEA, will it clash with wind data received from the ST60 Graphic via NMEA to the ST6002 then via seatalk to the ST2000?
A3C. N/A reconfigured system will have the ST60+ graphic serve as the sole data input to the autopilot vie the ST6002.

Q3D: Do you see any other data duplication or loop issues with the proposed configuration?
A3D. Not if implemented in the manner which I have described.

[[email protected]]

Hi Chuck.
in the end I connected the ST6002 to the ST2000 by Seatalk 1 (with no power connection - please refer to the last post on thread "[CA11] ST60+, seatalk1, seatalk NG, ray55e, A70D and ST2000+" for full layout details).

It all works fine and displays relevant status and warning messages but I'm finding that some functions don't work as expected.
For example:
- I can no longer use the +10, or -10 buttons (on either the ST200 or the ST6002) to adjust course setting when in Auto, Track or Vane modes.
- I cannot use the ST6002 +10/-10 or +1/-1 buttons to steer the boat with the Autopilot in Stand-by but I can still do this type of steering (non-follow up) directly from the ST2000.
Q1. Do you have any suggestions to enable these functions?

- I've noticed that when the ST2000 is initially connected the heading displayed on the ST60+ Graphic instruments is randomly in error but once I first switch to Auto the correct heading is displayed from then on.
Q2. Do you think there is a problem here? Perhaps it is a problem with power up/connection sequence?
Q3. Should it matter what order things re turned on/connected in?
cheers
Dave

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

The fixed station control units – ST6xxx/ST7xxx/ST8xxx will never operate a pilot in STANDBY mode, the only reason the buttons do on the ST2000+ is so that the arm can be positioned over the tiller pin when first engaging the pilot onto the tiller. Only cockpit pilots allow this behaviour in STANDBY because the drives need to be located onto the tiller pin before AUTO can be selected.

The loss of use of the + or – 10 buttons when in AUTO suggests an issue with the pilot itself.

Any heading related issues are quite possibly the result of two heading sources. Again, this system was not designed perform with multiple sources of any one type of data.