Need Help with AIS / DSC / GPS / Chartplotter Integration

[JulieD]

Could somebody help me figure out how to integrate my existing Raymarine C80 chart plotter with my new electronics?

Here is what I have already running on my boat:

Raymarine C80 chartplotter
Garmin 126/128 GPS
Raymarine ST60 instruments for speed, wind and depth
Autohelm 100/300 autopilot
Autopilot ST6000+ control unit

All work great as is.

We are heading offshore and wanted to add AIS and DSC capabilities. We bought a Standard Horizon Matric Series GX 2100. This VHF has an AIS receiver and DSC. I also wanted a back up GPS so I bought a Garmin 441S with an integrated antenna and chartplotter screen.

I also have an Icom M802 SSB that has DSC capability.

Here is what I want to do: I want to use my old, existing GPS run the DSC on the Icom SSB. Done deal, just hook the two together, not a problem.

Here is my problem/issue: I don't understand how to integrate all the other devices that use NMEA 0183. I did a little research on the Raymarine site and it looks like I will need a multiplexer. I bought the Raymarine E55059 multiplexer.

Here is what I want to integrate:
Raymarine C80 chartplotter
ST60 instruments for speed, wind, depth
Autohelm 100/300
Autohelm ST6000+ control unit
Raymarine Multiplexer E55059
Garmin 441S GPS/Chartplotter
SH GX2100 VHF with DSC & AIS

I will leave the ST60 instruments hooked up as is (seatalk). My question is: What is the routing I should take for the rest of the units? I think the signal from the new Garmin 441s GPS should go to the multiplexer (position 1a & 1b) and the VHF with DSC and AIS should go to the multiplexer (position 4a & 4b). Then the Raymarine C80 should be hooked to the Multiplexer in the NMEA out ports. Am I even close? Am I missing anything?

I want to be able to see the AIS information on the C80 screen that is located in my cockpit. The new Garmin 441s gps/chartplotter will be located down below, at the nav station and out of sight.

Also, do I need to upgrade my C80's software?

I would really like to get this hooked up myself. I like to do things myself as I find that it makes it much easier to troubleshoot when/if there are problems down the line.

I called Raymarine and the guy that answered the help line asked me to send an email to tech support. It's been about a week and I haven't heard back from them yet.

[goboatingnow]

The problem is that AIS data is fed in at 34.8 Kbaud.

I'd suggest feeding the GPS signal from the old GPS into both the ICOM and standard radios. Hence both get the GPS feeds they need.

Then set the C80 NMEA to AIS input and run the AIS output from the Standard to the C80. None of this needs multiplexors.

To my knowledge once you set the C80 to 34800 baud it doesnt handle anything else except AIS, Hence you cant multiplex in the spare GPS unit.

Dave

[fairbank56]

That should be 38,400, not 34,800.

Eric

[JulieD]

Dave,
Thanks for the information. When I look at the NMEA wiring for the Ray C80 it shows the following: Brown, NMEA output (-ve) common, Yellow, NMEA Output (+ve), Green, NMEA Input (-ve) common and White, NMEA Input (+ve). Can you, or anyone else, educate me on what these all are?
I'm not at the boat today so I'm not sure what wires are currently in use.

[richardhula]

You want to feed AIS NMEA data to C80, so the its the input wires you need to use on your C80 input lead, white NMEA+ & green NMEA-. You need to set C80 NMEA port to AIS 38400 baud as well.

Just ensure you don't have any other equipment already connected through that lead as it will probably be to feed NMEA at 4800 baud so will no longer work at the higher speed.

In this latter situation you can use Raymarine Seatalk/NMEA adapter which will allow you to re-route any NMEA 4800 baud data to/from the C80 via the Seatalk bus.

[phantomracer]

Brookhouse mux - will integrate Seatalk, NMEA, NMEA HS(ais). It is the only one I found that would work with all 3 protocols.

I have it and integrated my system, which is similar to the OP's
(ST7000 AP, tridata, AIS/DSC vhf(gx2100), plotter, fluxgate) . The only way to integrate it is with a mux.

NMEA Multiplexer with AIS support
or
Diagrams for integration of Raymarine C E series

contact their customer support to see which model you need. THey are very helpful. The after sale support is great too. They will assist in proper wiring, etc.

[goboatingnow]

I dont think a multiplexor helps here at all. Why understanding is that when you activate the C80 NMEA 38K4 baud input , the unit ONLY processes AIS messages, ie you loose the ability for example to send in GPS NMEA messages. Its different on other plotters, my Garmin can handle it.

Dave

[phantomracer]

don't know anything about the c80, but brookhouse has a mux made just for the c series, which is why I mentioned it.

if there is some other limitation of the plotter, then it might not work.

Getting 3+ NMEA devices to talk with each other is hard at best, and usually will lose some functionality. The mux I bought and installed maintains all the functionality and everything talkes with each other nicely.

The second link in my message above points to a C series product. Plus an email sent to Brookhouse would be most useful. No doubt they have run into issues before.

They had all the information with the new lowrance HDS8 and SH GX2100 vhf/ais I installed and the limitation of the GX2100 AIS output being below standard and needed a tiny modification to increase the output so it would work.

They could have a trick up their sleeve with the c80. Can't hurt. I suspect it will work. I don't think the Raymarine mux will integrate it all, but the Brookhouse one may do it, as it is made specifically for the c series.

[richardhula]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I dont think a multiplexor helps here at all. Why understanding is that when you activate the C80 NMEA 38K4 baud input , the unit ONLY processes AIS messages, ie you loose the ability for example to send in GPS NMEA messages. Its different on other plotters, my Garmin can handle it.

Dave

No that's not true. Setting C80 to what is described in menu as "AIS 38400 baud" still allows ANY NMEA 0183 that it can parse to pass in & out.

I have a switch to momentarily upload NMEA routes from my PC chartplotter to C80 @ 38400 baud before reverting to AIS feed. I have similarly received NMEA programmed to be output from C80 to my charplotter @ 38400 baud.

As JulieD has similar equipment setup to myself this diagram may help.



Your requirements may be simpler & probably won't require multiplexer as goboatingnow suggests.

[phantomracer]

If he runs 2 plotters, he may need a mux to strip out redundant gps codes. Not entirely sure what his plans are, or if he has a nmea fluxgate or a seatalk fluxgate (I have a nmea one from kvh). If his system is mostly seatalk, he might get away with not having a mux. I just happen to have a few NMEA talkers and needed a mux for them all to talk with each other. But if he runs 2 gps sources, he needs to strip out the codes for one (or shut off the output or something) so the AP doesn't have problems.

he might get away with it. He might have an issue getting the SH GX2100 to work with the lower than standard output on the AIS feed.

[Mambo]

Richard-
What program did you use to draw that diagram? TIA
-M

[richardhula]

Originally Posted by Mambo

Richard-
What program did you use to draw that diagram? TIA
-M

CorelDRAW X4

[PamlicoTraveler]

This is some pretty high-end advice, and great illustrations! All for free!

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I dont think a multiplexor helps here at all. Why understanding is that when you activate the C80 NMEA 38K4 baud input , the unit ONLY processes AIS messages, ie you loose the ability for example to send in GPS NMEA messages. Its different on other plotters, my Garmin can handle it.

Dave

Just found this. Looks like with a c-series and 2100 you do need a mux

hope that helps. If this issue is still open, an email to Brookhouse will be quite useful to get it working.

http://www.standardhorizon.com/downl...pplication/pdf

[richardhula]

Originally Posted by phantomracer

Just found this. Looks like with a c-series and 2100 you do need a mux

hope that helps. If this issue is still open, an email to Brookhouse will be quite useful to get it working.

http://www.standardhorizon.com/downl...pplication/pdf

No a multiplexer is not necessary to feed AIS from SH GX2100 to C80. However you may then have a problem with any NMEA 0183 @ 4800 baud required to be fed in/out of C80. It depends if its single NMEA socket was in use with such before.

If so one solution is the Raymarine Seatalk/NMEA adaptor, another is the more expensive dual speed Brookhouse multiplexer.

In the SH link you give they are merely showing how you would connect Matrix 2100 to C80 IF you were using the Brookhouse multiplexer.