P70s and old ST6000+ Autopilot

[Bob234]

Hi, hope you can help.

I want to upgrade my Raymarine system (Pathfinder radar and Plotters, ST60 Instrument heads) but can't do everything yet.

I would like to fit an a95 or a125 MFD and i70s and p70s instrument heads. I know my pathfinder analogue radar won't talk to the digital MFD so will keep the radar linked to the old RL80C as a standalone for now.

My autopilot has a Type 300 Course Computer talking to a Type 2 Hydraulic Linear Drive, 2005 vintage (and can also switch over to a Rotary drive as a back up).

My questions are:-

1 Can my old Type 300 course computer link to the P70s via converters etc? I have read that you can't link the computer directly via a Seatalk/Seatalk ng converter but must instead make an nmea connection to the mfd. I understand from the forum that perhaps you now can. The comments I read did not relate to a course computer as early as mine though.

2 If the answer is No, and I update now to an Evolution autopilot will it talk to my hydraulic Linear drive? I understand that messages are nmea but my old unit would have been 0183 and I imagine the new ones are nmea 2000.

If I can delay upgrading my autopilot until later I will, but if I need to do it now I would rather not have to change the expensive linear drive as well.

Your advice would be much appreciated!

Many thanks

Bob234

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Bob,

Q1. Can my old Type 300 course computer link to the P70s via converters etc? I have read that you can't link the computer directly via a Seatalk/Seatalk ng converter but must instead make an nmea connection to the mfd. I understand from the forum that perhaps you now can. The comments I read did not relate to a course computer as early as mine though.
A1. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject. The p70/p70S and p70R/p70RS Autopilot control heads may not be interface/used in manner which you have suggested.

Q2. If the answer is No, and I update now to an Evolution autopilot will it talk to my hydraulic Linear drive?
A2. Yes. Should your system feature a hydraulic linear drive, then an ACU400 would be required in addition to the p70S and EV-1 Sensor Core. The currently installed rudder reference transducer may also be retained for use with Evolution ACUs.

[Bob234]

Thanks very much Chuck for the clear reply and also for the link to the FAQ which I had been unable to find.

If I understand correctly I could link the 300 via the nmea connector you described (if still available) to the seatalkng backbone and still be able to use the 70s series of instrument heads and keep my old autopilot for now. Is that correct?

Many thanks.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bob,

Q1. If I understand correctly I could link the 300 via the nmea connector you described (if still available) to the seatalkng backbone and still be able to use the 70s series of instrument heads and keep my old autopilot for now. Is that correct?
A1. Actisense continues to produce the NGW-1-ISO-STNG ... recommend searching the Internet for retailers offering this data bridging device. A p70/p70S/p70R/p70RS would not be used with the currently installed autopilot course computer. Use of such a data bridge would support communications between products (except for the p70S) which have been interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone and the autopilot.

[Bob234]

Thanks again Chuck.

I think it's time to bite the bullet and change the autopilot for the 400 and go with the i70s and p70s heads and an a series MFD. I will defer the radar update.

Thanks for clarifying.

Best regards,

Bob234

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.