Evolution auto pilot hooked up to c120

[Kenmurgo]

I have an evolution autopilot system that I had been running with a C140W multifunction screen. I replaced the C140W with a C120 and am not sure how to make the evolution autopilot work with it. The autopilot system had been hooked up via STng network to the C140W. The C120 does not have a STng port, it only has a ST2 or NMEA (in/out) ports available. Without being hooked up to the multifunction the autopilot control head will not power on. Is there a converter I can use to hook up the evolution autopilot to the available ports on the C120? Or is it possible to make the autopilot system function without being hooked up to the multifunction screen?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Ken,

Unlike the C-Series Widescreen MFDs, the C-Series Classic MFDs were not designed to support SeaTalkng communications. However, the C-Series Classic MFDs were designed to support SeaTalk communications and Raymarine offers a product to bridge data data between SeaTalk and SeaTalkng. In this case, the product is the E22158 SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter Kit. The SeaTalkng Converter will be joined to the currently installed SeaTalkng backbone via an appropriate length of SeaTalkng Backbone Cable. The supplied SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter Cable will be connected to a D244 SeaTalk Junction Block. An appropriate length of SeaTalk Cable having press-fit female 3-pin plugs will then be used to interface the MFD's SeaTalk socket to the D244 SeaTalk Junction Block. As the SeaTalkng backbone of a properly installed Evolution autopilot is powered, the SeaTalk Cable connecting the D244 SeaTalk Junction Block to the MFD's SeaTalk port will need to be cut and then spliced back together, leaving its red leads unspliced. The SeaTalk Cable's red leads will be insulated to prevent shorting.

Finally, should the Evolution autopilot have R4 software installed within it, then is will need to be downgraded until the next Evolution autopilot software update is released (currently expected for late Q2 or early Q3 2017). It is recommended that Evolution autopilots which have been interfaced via a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter to a Raymarine chartplotting product be operating with the following software:
- CCU 1.11
- ACU 1.12
- p70 2.17