Seatalk NMEA Bridge Connections

[boatclassic]

First time that I've posted here but I've been lurking for a while and I have both enjoyed and learnt a lot from the wealth of experience here.

I have just aquired a raymarine seatalk-nmea 0183 bridge so that I can connect my seatalk system to my board computer using an rs232 9 pin connector.The diagrams in the manual are not very specific.The rs232 connections on the board show + and - but the designated rs232 pins are receive,trasmit and ground.How are receive and transmit connected and what do I do with the ground?
I tried posting on the Raymarine forum but its appears to be discontinued, Any advice would be appreciated before I screw up

[Greggegner]

Wow, poor documentation. I would try the ground on the seatalk cable if there isn't a ground post on the device. The wire without insulation on it. If data doesn't flow. Use something like WinTerm to check communications.


Greg S/V Sweet Dreams
Pearson P385 out of Racine Wisconsin

[RONDO]

hi if you wish to use a db 9 pin connector then simply
connect the + to pin#2
connect the - to pin#5
the output from the convertor is one way only so
no connection to pin#3
cheers R

[boatclassic]

Thanks Rondo but this is meant for 2 way communication both receive and transmit.I've added a link to the pdf manual.Don't know if it works
https://www.google.at/url?sa=t&rct=j...SZRLSAWl25T_0Q

[RONDO]

after reading the manual i am sure that my post is correct for receiving data from the device on your pc and to send nmea sentences for steering etc simply connect from your db9
pin#3 to nmea+ in
pin#5 to nmea - in
that should do it...
R

[bstreep]

I've recently used the Raymarine forum with great results. Telephone support is great too.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Denman180]

Go to the Raymarine Technical Forum Raymarine forum and join it you will be talking to actual Raymarine technical people I have received a lot of help from them with out dated equipment.

[out42]

I gave up in the end and took the easy route by buying a multiplexer. Very clear instructions and accepts all sorts of inputs happily and puts it out as wifi or a USB feed in NMEA sentences. Really does make life easy and has been very robust over the last two years

[Horus]

Just check your cable and try the connecting possibilities. Cable with RS 232 connector at one side and the other side 3 wires to pin 2/3 and 5 (check the numbers at the connector)
Then try cable/pin 2 connected with + together with 5 to -. No signal on your PC? (do you have a correct installed and operating RS232 port on your PC? Must be set to available in the BIOS!).
Based on a correct RS232 port on your PC, you can try for second to connect wire/pin3 to+ and wire/pin5 to -. Stil no signal; then connect wire/pin2 to + and wire/pin3 to minus. Stil no signal connect same wires opposite. Now you tried all possibilities; stil no signal, then there is no signal coming in to the bridge (wires at the inside correct connected? / SeaTalk system turned power on? Stil not oke? Try another PC with an operating RS232 port.
Stil not operating?, defect on the bridge! Buy a 'Shipmodul Miniplex" for instance with RS232 out and also Wi/Fi out. Realy great!
RS232 continue connected to main PC, and another mobile computer (tablet or something) connected at the same time via Wi/Fi. It's great!

[dietervoegeli]

You will probably use NMEA on your PC.
Most programs for navigation use NMEA.
Connect NMEA OUT + on pin 2 and the NMEA IN + pin 3 and the pin 5 negative NMEA.
See the program help the way to configure COM port.

[AndreBruijntjes]

I'am also struggling to connect Seatalk, NMEA and AIS information to my computer.
The solution Dieter gives works. Connect the send and receive pins, 2=instruments to PC and 3 PC to instruments, to the NMEA in + and NMEA out +, use the 5 pin for the NMEA - on both in and out.
This will present information from the Seatalk network to the computet and computer info, for example waypointinformation, to the Seatalk network.
Be aware that if this information is allready present, for example when a external GPS is connected, the Seatalk network will use this information first.

My problem is to get the AIS information on my computer. I found out that this cannot be done through my S3 Autopilot, on the S3 the NMEA in does not bridge information to the NMEA out. If I connect my AIS to the Multiplexer it uses the NMEA in position that I would like to use for information from Computer to Seatalk. The connection works, however it took me some study to find out that AIS information can only be received by a dedicated COM port set at 38400 baut.

I would like to get into contact with sailors who have the same problems.

Next post I shall present a scheme of my solution.

Must say that I think it is a shame that Raymarine is very unclear about connection methods, as if they aim to discourage do it yourself sailors.

[boatclassic]

Originally Posted by AndreBruijntjes

I'am also struggling to connect Seatalk, NMEA and AIS information to my computer.
The solution Dieter gives works. Connect the send and receive pins, 2=instruments to PC and 3 PC to instruments, to the NMEA in + and NMEA out +, use the 5 pin for the NMEA - on both in and out.
This will present information from the Seatalk network to the computet and computer info, for example waypointinformation, to the Seatalk network.
Be aware that if this information is allready present, for example when a external GPS is connected, the Seatalk network will use this information first.

My problem is to get the AIS information on my computer. I found out that this cannot be done through my S3 Autopilot, on the S3 the NMEA in does not bridge information to the NMEA out. If I connect my AIS to the Multiplexer it uses the NMEA in position that I would like to use for information from Computer to Seatalk. The connection works, however it took me some study to find out that AIS information can only be received by a dedicated COM port set at 38400 baut.

I would like to get into contact with sailors who have the same problems.

Next post I shall present a scheme of my solution.

Must say that I think it is a shame that Raymarine is very unclear about connection methods, as if they aim to discourage do it yourself sailors.

Thanks Andre,I will try that. Who is Dieter? a forum member or do I google him

[boatclassic]

Originally Posted by dietervoegeli

You will probably use NMEA on your PC.
Most programs for navigation use NMEA.
Connect NMEA OUT + on pin 2 and the NMEA IN + pin 3 and the pin 5 negative NMEA.
See the program help the way to configure COM port.

Thanks Dieter,I just asked Andre who you were as I missed your post.I will try that

[boatclassic]

following our discussion I thought I should post this message I received from Raymarine Forum.

The Raymarine Technical Community Forum is CLOSED - Announcement of New Raymarine Forum With the goal of continuing to provide Raymarine customers and prospective Raymarine customers world class pre-sales, installation, operation, and troubleshooting support, Raymarine has designed a new Raymarine Forum (Raymarine forum) (Raymarine forum ) to replace the Raymarine Technical Community Forum (raymarine.ning.com/forum). Users of the new Raymarine Forum will find it easier to search for threads containing pertinent product selection assistance, system diagrams, feature suggestions, and technical tips. Like the retired Raymarine Technical Community Forum, users may create a user account, permitting them to afterwards create threads and responses to threads within the new Raymarine Forum. Like the Raymarine Technical Community Forum, customers also will find that the new Raymarine Forum features categories cover each of Raymarine’s major product lines (ex. Autopilots, Instruments, Multifunction Displays, Radar, Thermal Cameras, etc.) as well as categories for product selection assistance, system diagrams, feature suggestions, and technical tips. On February 16th, the Raymarine Technical Community Forum was retired, closing it to new user accounts, discussions, and responses. At that time, Raymarine’s web site and the Raymarine Technical Community Forum will direct customers to the new Raymarine Forum. Account s from the Raymarine Technical Community Forum will not be ported to the new Raymarine Forum. To register for an account within the new Raymarine Forum: Attachments: (http://raymarine.ning.com/forum/atta...dFile%3A340559) New Raymarine Forum Announcement.pdf (http://raymarine.ning.com/forum/atta...dFile%3A340559)