[DG] [DG11] splice Seatalk to NMEA?

[Pat T]

I added an Axiom MFD to my helm station to replace an old Navcenter in the main cabin. I installed the Axiom while the Navcenter was still in place. I want to now remove the Navcenter but when I disconnected the cables ( NMEA and Seatalk) from the rear of the Navcenter the other gauges at my helm (speed,wind,depth) went dead. Apparently the data and or power goes through the Navcenter to my other gauges, even though there is no power to the Navcenter. I am guessing I should be able to splice these 2 cables together and then be free to remove the Navcenter? But the NMEA is a 5 wire connector and if I remember the Seatalk is 3 wires. How would I do this? I have not removed the outer black casing of the cables so I can't tell you any colors

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi Pat T

Thank you for your enquiry.

The ST50 Navcenter was a very early SeaTalk based product which also output and received NMEA0183. SeaTalk and NMEA0183 are two very different protocols and cannot be connected together.

When the NC500 is removed from the system, connect the red and the screen(shield or bare wire) from the SeaTalk system to the instruments to 12v, red to +12v and screen to 0v, the red wire will need to be fused and this will power up the original SeaTalk instruments.

You will need to find out what the NMEA0183 was connected to and this should be routed to an alternative input or output of NMEA0183, possibly use an ACTISENSE NMEA2000 to NMEA0183 interface?
Regards
Derek