mfd selection

[jack bullock]

I presently have a C120W mfd and a C90W mfd along with an older Furuno radar and an Autohelm 6000. Looking to replace and upgrade. I live aboard my LeComte Fastnet 45 yawl and sail coast of Maine in the summer and Bahamas/Caribbean in the winter. Essentially, lower power consumption of new Raymarine mfd's and quantum radar are very important for me. Present thought is that going with Quantum radar wireless would save me a lot of the installation costs along with price difference of $1000 ($1500 for quantum vs $2500 for HD digital.) Savings on installation and price difference between quantum and HD digital radome gives me around $1500-$2000 to purchase new 12" and 7" mfd. Might be able to add a little more $$$ but not much. Looking at buying refurbished units from Raymarine but need direction/recommendation as to differences between C series, E series, eS series and ??. Last, a couple of other considerations - want to add Weather (sirius xm and GRIB) and AIS (overlay on chart). Would be nice to interface autohelm with navigational mfd but assume none of it would be salvagable to use with new electronics.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Jack,

Q1. Looking at buying refurbished units from Raymarine but need direction/recommendation as to differences between C series, E series, eS series and ??.
A1. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

Q2. Last, a couple of other considerations - want to add Weather (sirius xm and GRIB) and AIS (overlay on chart).
A2. All a/c/e/eS-Series MFDs support SirirusXM weather (via SR150, SR6 (retired), and SR100 (retired)) and Theyr Weather (GRIB).

Q3. Would be nice to interface autohelm with navigational mfd but assume none of it would be salvagable to use with new electronics.
A3. Many owners of a ST6000 autopilot control head often mistakenly refer to the autopilot as an Autohelm 6000. Should the currently installed autopilot have been interfaced to the C120W, then it may instead be adapted to be interfaced to an a/c/e/eS-Series MFD.

[jack bullock]

Budget is driving me to the following configuration if the C120W and C90W can do it given its network limitations.

Presently have C120W, C90W, Autohelm 6000, Horizon VHF Matrix AIS GX2100

Would like to add a RD424HD radome and have it displayed on both of the MFD's. Would also like to interface the AIS with the MFD's so that AIS targets appear on the chart plotters. Would like to be able to track AIS targets on the MFD chart plotters as well as radar overlay so that I can set alarms, etc. Last, would like to add SR100 sirius weather radio and have it also displayed on MFDs, ideally as overlay.

Also have an Autohelm 6000 but don't necessarily need it to be interfaced with the chart plotters.

Is this possible or will I need to upgrade the C120/90W MFDs?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jack,

It is indeed possible to have the C-Series Widescreen MFDs support sharing of radar and Sirius Satellite Weather data. Each C-Series Widescreen MFD features two Ethernet (SeaTalkhs) communications sockets, permitting a pair of C-Series Widescreen MFDs to be interfaced to up to two additional compatible devices which are also designed to communicate via Ethernet (SeaTalkhs) communications. Should more than two compatible devices which are also designed to communicate via Ethernet (SeaTalkhs) communications need to be interfaced, then a HS5 RayNet Network Switch would be required. An appropriate length SeaTalkhs (M) to SeaTalkhs (M) Cable will be used to interface the MFDs to one another. Similarly, an appropriate length of SeaTalkhs (M) to SeaTalkhs (M) Cable will be used to interface the Ethernet socket of either MFD to the SR100. Finally, the Digital or HD Digital Radome will be interfaced to the Ethernet socket of the remaining MFD via an assembly constructed from a Digital Radar Cable (run from radome to the base of the mast) an appropriate length of Digital Radar Cable, and an A80272 RayNet (M) Pins to SThs (M) Socket Adaptor Cable.

The SH GX2100 would be interfaced to one of the NMEA 0183 I/O ports of either MFD. The NMEA 0183 Port Setting of the MFD port which will be receiving AIS data must be configured to "AIS 38400".

Please see my initial response regarding your "Autohelm 6000".