[DG] [DG11] Micro-Talk or T122, which do I need?

[Taillevent]

Hi,

My boat is currently equipped with a T-101 package for the wind (T120 wind transducer+T112 display), and a Simrad TP32 as autopilot, which only have NMEA0183 entry. In the future, the autopilot should be changed for an EV-200 package (either in 6 months or in 1.5 year). The TP32 will be kept as backup. There is no GPS with NMEA output at the moment.

To feed the autopilot with the wind information, should I get
a/a T122, and then later once the ACU-200 is mounted, an NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 adapter, or
b/a Micro Talk and an NMEA2000 to NMEA0183 adapter for the TP32 to have the wind information? I don't know how old is the T-101 package, will a Micro Talk work even with an old T120/T112?

Second solution sounds more open for futur evolution, and the Micro Talk is a bit cheaper than the T122. I guess networking is the same procedure in both case. I also guess my T112 is the "master display" of the network currently composed by said T112 and the T120.
But, are there other factors to take into consideration that might have eluded me? (like, addition of a GPS in the futur...)

Additional question, why don't the currently produced ST1000 and ST2000 have an NMEA2000 entry but NMEA0183 instead?

Thanks for your enlightenment.

Regards

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi Taillevent

Thank you for your enquiry.

The future-proof route is to add a microtalk puck gateway to the network, this will work with the older TackTick Wireless equipment and provide a bridge to the STng network that the EV200 system will use.

STng/ NMEA2000 is the current industry standard and so it is better to go that route, the NMEA2000 to NMEA0183 interface can still be used with the older autopilots.

The ST1000/ ST2000 tiller pilots are very basic self contained units and so have not been developed to incorporate NMEA2000 due to the additional cost this redesign would add.

Regards
Derek