[CA] [CA11] interfacing EV-1 to Coastal navigator software

[captainjoez]

I am having an issue trying to get the EV-1 work with Coastal Navigator.
Currently all units are connected to a Vesper XB-8000

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum joez,

I'm not aware of any AIS transceivers which are designed to function as NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 data bridging devices. Accordingly, it would be recommended that Vesper be contacted to determine whether the XB-8000 has any such capabilities. If so, then it would be necessary to capture the NMEA 2000 communications occurring on the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone to determine which NMEA 2000 PGNs were being communicated within the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone when navigation (Go To or Follow Route) has been commanded via the PC navigational application. Historically, Evolution autopilots operating with the latest available Raymarine product software updates have supported Track mode in conjunction with such PC navigational programs, albeit a NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 data bridging device (ex. Actisense NGW-1-ISO-STNG, etc.) was typically employed.

[captainjoez]

According to Vesper, the unit will convert NEMA 0183 to NEMA 2000 and visa-versa. I have my laptop with Rose Point's Coastal Navigator software connected to the Vesper XB-8000 along with the Raymarine autopilot. When I command the nav system to activate route, I get no response from the autopilot.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

joez,

Q. When I command the nav system to activate route, I get no response from the autopilot.
A. Unlike a system featuring a compatible Raymarine MFD supporting the Autopilot Controls feature, one should not expect an Evolution autopilot to automatically enter Track mode in response to navigational commands from a computer based navigational application or any type of MFD or chartplotter other than that which was specified above. In the case where navigation has been commanded by the latter, it would be necessary to command the autopilot into Track mode via the autopilot's control head. Should commanding the MFD into Track mode result in the autopilot responding that it has received no navigation data, then it would be recommended that you verify that the Evolution autopilot components have been updated with the latest available Raymarine product software updates and if not, that they be updated accordingly. Should the problem persist thereafter, then it would be recommended that a NMEA 2000 analyzer (ex. Actisense NGT-1 w/PC running Actisense NMEA Reader software be used to examine and validate the content of the following PGNs required by the autopilot:

● 129026 Course Over Ground (COG) and Speed Over Ground (SOG) rapid update
● 129029 GNSS position data
● 129283 Cross track error
● 129284 Navigation data (for following routes)
• 129285 Active Waypoint data

Should these PGNs be examined and believed to be correct, then please respond with the contents of each (ex. screen snapshots from within the NMEA 2000 analyzer breaking down the contents of each PGN) after navigation has been commanded.