Hardware connection Navico to OpenCPN NMEA 2000/0183

[Franziska]

Hi,

we finally made it to the boat & I am about to install the radar.

We got the B&G 4G Radome and will only use it with OpenCPN on a laptop (we have a redundant one as spare).
No other B&G instruments or plotter on board.

Our instruments communicate with OpenCPN through NMEA 0183 via a Shipmodul Miniplex 3-USB-N2K interface box. We have currently no NMEA 2000 system on board.

As I understand I also need a heading sensor.
I'm looking at the Quark-Elec QK-AS08 156.50€ or QK-AS08-N2K 184.44€.
Both deliver heading info via USB and NMEA 0183, the N2K version additionally as NMEA 2000.

Question:
1)
Can we get by with the NMEA 0183 heading sensor version and just connect it via USB into our PC USB hub?
a)
This would mean we ignore the heading sensor connector on the Navico Ri10 N2K interface box and connect the heading sensor directly to the PC.
b)
Alternatively connect the heading sensor via the Miniplex NMEA 0183 to the PC.

2)
The radar comes already with a RJ45 connector at the cable end (see photo).
a) Can we ignore the Ri 10 interface box completely and plug the cables RJ45 connector directly into the computer?
b) Do we lose any functionality this way?
This leaves the 4 additional wires to be dealt with. The Red and Thick Black ones are the power supply.
The thin Black is shield/ground.
c) Where do we attach the shield & what do we do with the thin yellow one?
I suspect Yellow gets connected with Red and shield stays unconnected.
As per the Navico manual for Lowrance 3G USA. See attached last image.
c)
Can we put a circuit breaker switch into the power supply line to stop the radome?

3)
I do assume that plugging the radar cables N2K cable into the Miniplex might not work, because the radars data cable would then be transferred via USB to the PC which is unlikely to have enough power.

Attached some more info. Thanks for your advice. I numbered the questions for easier replies.

Attachment 257038