How to plug in new AIS into old system?

[Izar]

Dear Sir,
I would like if any member or Forum adviser can help me out.
I have a Raymarine (Raytheon) Raystar 390 GPS with plotter RAYCHARD 600 connected to a Raytheon R 40X radar screen, they use NMNA 0183 for interconnection, they are old (1996) but go fine at the moment.
The question is: If I buy a new Raymarine AIS650 would I be able to plug in it to my old system and see the receiving images on my old screen?

Has anyone done anything similar? Thank you very much in advance,

JM

[smac999]

I doubt it, That system is too old.

Ais does work at the c80 / c120. Level of plotters. (With software updates). Likly that is the oldest ones

[Sailmonkey]

I’m not 100% sure, but my gut instinct is no, your current gear is not going to display any AIS info.

[BobHorn]

Look at the specsheet on line. It shows what series plotters it interfaces with, yours is not listed.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by Izar

...If I buy a new.Raymarine AIS650 would I be able to plug in it to my old system and see the receiving images on my old screen?

With regard to NMEA-0183, the AIS receiver will send data in the sentence !AIVDM. Check the information for your chart plotter to see if it can handle NMEA-0183 !AIVDM sentences. As others have commented, I suspect it will be unable to do that unless it was extraordinarily well designed and foresaw the rise in use of AIS. Interpreting !AIVDM sentences is really quite a complex process for the recipient to perform, so adding that capability would not be trivial for the chartplotter maker to accomplish.

[whynot929]

I just did this for my C120, but don't know about older models.

[S/V Alchemy]

If you have 22 year old functioning marine electronics, you may have more than one reason to upgrade at this stage. You can get a new small plotter (B&G has some great ones) and a "black box" AIS transceiver (Vesper makes a few) both for under $1000. I would suggest you keep the functional radar and just add those two to get the benefits of AIS on a new plotter. Some backward compatibility, even if achievable, is not worth the effort.

[Izar]

Thank you very much to all the guys who answered my question it has been a lot of information.
I´m going to save money in 2019 and update my electronics.



Happy new year¡¡¡¡

[Martin S]

I have a similar dilemma. I have installed a Vesper XB-8000 which can link via a network to an iPad. I've kept the old Raymarine and use an iPad in a waterproof case that can either be mounted in the cockpit or at the chart table. So far it is standalone AIS and works superbly and was very easy to install. I plan to interface with InavX as a secondary charting method.
The XB-8000 has nmea2000 and nmea0183. There is some suggestion on the Raymarine website that you can get old equipment to talk to nmea0183 but like you I have not been able to definitively confirm this.
My driver was to get the AIS fitted in away that was easily usable and could be later incorporated into an upgraded system. Very happy with the results so far.

[stnick]

Yup Merry Christmas Happy new year , You need to buy your boat new electronics !
You will be amazed at the advancements ! You will soon forget the pain of the price when it all works its magic !

[jacktheflyer]

I've just been through this exercise with a friends boat. Installed the AIS 250 on the NMEA0183 expecting it to show up. It didn't and a detailed perusal of the (RL70) plotter manual showed no AIS options or instructions. I think this is the clue that will confirm lack of compatibility.
Scrubby

[Mr O]

It may be possible to connect your old instruments via the 0183 network with a Vesper xb 8000. I plan to do the same with my old Simrad instruments but have yet to do so. A sailing buddy of mine has successfully done a similar solution. Here is what he did:

"Hardware:

Vesper has GPS receiver and external antenna for its GPS input.
NMEA0183 output of Vesper goes to NMEA input of Raytheon ST60 Multi.
Have not yet connected Vesper NMEA0183 input to ST60 NMEA0183 output.
Raytheon GPS receiver has been disconnected from system and is inoperable.
iPad is connected to Vesper over WiFi.

What happens:

- The Vesper GPS data goes over the NMEA0183 connection to the ST60. This is converted to SeaTalk and forwarded to Raytheon instrument system, so the Vesper is now our GPS source for the Raytheon stuff, eg the two RL70 chartplotters and SOG, etc. The Raytheon GPS is not necessary anymore.

- The Vesper sends AIS information over WiFi, so it can be displayed on the iPad. I've used the Vesper WatchMate app (great anchor alarm), iNavX, SEAiq, iSailor, but we normally use Navionics and that doesn't receive AIS over WiFi.

- The Vesper acts as a converter/bridge between NMEA0183 and WiFi. So I can GoTo a waypoint on iNavX on the iPad, and the waypoint and/or XTE data is sent to the Raytheon autopilot via: iPad -> WiFi -> Vesper -> NME0183 -> ST60 -> SeaTalk -> autopilot.

- For some reason I did not connect the NMEA0183 output of the ST60 to the Vesper input. If I had, I'm sure I could see the ST60 sensor data like depth and windspeed on the iPad apps that support that. The next step!"