Raymarine A50 (seatalk Ng) upgrade path from radar

[gauvins]

Planning return to foggy Canada in a couple of years. We've spent the past 15 on the Med where there's no need for a radar.

We have an A50 MFD connected to an inboard autopilot (X-30) on a seatalk Ng network. Our MFD has European charts.

What's the least cost, and the most cost effective (i.e. maybe more expensive but really really worth the difference) upgrade path in order to get radar imaging on the MFD.

1. We are satisfied with the diminutive screen size.
2. I understand that MFDs often come with pre-loaded charts. Is it possible to purchase a current generation MFD and move our Europe set to it?
3. Quick search seemed to suggest that radars communicate with the MFD thru wireless. Instinctively not fan. I'd rather run a cable. What's the verdict?

[svmobert]

You need to replace the MFD along with the Radar. So the least cost option is the least cost MFD and Radar combination you can buy on the market, and it should be Raymarine because then you have the capability to control your existing X-30 autopilot without replacing that too.

Now you mention that your autopilot is on SeaTalkNG, how are your other instruments (wind, depth, speed, etc) connected? Are they SeaTalkNG also? Or are they older SeaTalk1?

For anything older, like SeaTalk1, you will likely need to add a SeaTalk1 to SeaTalkNG or SeaTalk1 to NMEA2000 converter. But we'd need to know more about all of the components and how they are all connected. Ideally a wiring diagram showing how each component is connected would be drawn up and then a pretty simple solution can be made from that.

In any case, a small Raymarine Axiom and any Raymarine Radome is the starting point. The rest is just a few components for interconnecting what you have on the boat with the new MFD.