B&G System 3fd, Network and elite chartplotter

[Tomtom39]

Hi All
I have a full system of B&G kit on my yacht - 3fd Screens, Network Quad and the horrible Chart plotter Elite Gray scale from around year 2000...The displays work well and I like the 3FD's but wanted to upgrade the chartplotter to a system that I can buy new charts for! Has anyone any experience in this process and what could be suggested - I presume the cables that plug in to my existing plotter wont plug and play with another system but with some plug modifications do you think I will get the current functionality of SOG, Waypoints etc?...
From discussion with someone they have said that the B&G Elite was actually a Garmin product re-badge so wondered if a Garmin 2010C would be good?

Any help would be great otherwise I am looking at a full system replacement which will cost the earth
Thanks

[colemj]

The Network Quad output is NMEA0183, so there should be no problem connecting the speed, depth, wind, GPS to any brand of new chart plotter.

Mark

[Tomtom39]

Thanks ColeMJ-

I presume it would be a case of re configuring the wiring to get it to work - I presume the instruments are all configured through a box of tricks so would be a case of working out what wire does what?

Thanks for all your help

N

[colemj]

I don't know exactly how yours was installed, but on ours the cables ran from the instruments to a breakout box where the NMEA connections were made.

The NMEA communications only uses two wires, so it isn't highly complicated. Find the NMEA output wires from the quad - this will be the "talker", and connect them to the NMEA input of the new chart plotter. The baud rate is 4800.

Mark

[smac999]

B&G zeus 2. nice screens. keep it all bng


connect 183 to new screen

[PeterSailor]

You can also add a Simrad AT-10 or Actisense NGW-1, both bidirectional converter, and start building a N2K network for future upgrade.

[colemj]

I don't think they sell the AT-10 anymore. Get the Actisense regardless if you plan to go this way.

There is no advantage to keeping the entire system B&G since the existing Network components have no relationship to the current B&G gear other than the name (and even that has gone through different ownerships since then).

On the other hand, the Zeus is certainly a very nice plotter.

Mark

[Moontide]

I finally gave up on plotters - expensive to buy and to repair. Now have two cheap laptops with nav software. In the process of linking to my B&G Network instruments.

Final straw was when I was quoted over $700 to replace the bulb that lit up the screen on the plotter (was older and a discontinued model). They wanted 150 just to tell me what the problem was.

Bill

[PeterSailor]

Defender still have AT-10 in stock at $92.


Expensive for a bulb. You can get a B&G Zeus Touch 8 for $800 at Defender.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by PeterSailor

Defender still have AT-10 in stock at $92.

I'm surprised it is still being produced because it uses Simnet connectors, not micro-c. Even Simrad has left Simnet connectors behind, so this product doesn't seem to have a reason for being.

It also has a very poor and limited set implementation of 0183-2000 conversion.

So to use it, one would need to also buy a Simnet-MicroC cable and be content with only a subset of 0183 sentences being converted.

For anyone needing 0183-2000 conversion, I highly recommend NOT getting the AT-10. We have an AT-10, Actisense and Maretron converters. I would rank them Actisense>Maretron>>>>>>>>>>>>AT10.

Mark

[PeterSailor]

Your evaluation of 0183-2000 conversion is right on.


All those Simnet devices still on the market are balance of stock.


If you only want to convert wind & speed data as I did (B&G Hornet4 -> Tinley Hornet4 to NMEA -> AT-10) when I installed my Zeus Touch, the AT-10 is perfect and less expensive ($135 for AT-10 + Simnet-MicroC cable). For other data, like autopilot and AIS, Actisense is the one.