Raymarine C-Series Waypoint and Route Import + Export

[scotte]

Have you ever wanted to transfer waypoints+routes between your Raymarine chartplotter and Windows navigation programs other than Raymarine RayTech Navigator? It can be done - it's a bit clunky, but here's how to do it in the hopes that helps other people.

I use this method on my C-70. It should work the same on any C-Series, and may extend to E-Series and other units using similar methods, but you'll just have to try it out to know.

The C-Series uses a proprietary data format with no known tools that can operate on it aside from Raymarine RayTech Navigator. Fortunately RayTech Navigator can import and export in a format that we can use as an intermediate format to just about any navigation program, or even something like GoogleEarth.

You'll need to install the free version of RayTech Navigator from Raymarine. It's sometimes also called RayTech Planner or RayTech RNS, but the free "Planner" version is all you need. I think I had to register with Raymarine to download it, but this is necessary as an intermediate converter.

You'll also need to install GPSBabel from GPSBabel: convert, upload, download data from GPS and Map programs. This is also a free download. Install a package that includes the GPSBabelGUI for these instructions, although there's no reason why you can't convert it from the command line (or write a script to do so) once you figure out the right options (which the GUI will give you).

A couple of caveats: This works for waypoints and routes, but will not work with tracks. You'll also need an available CF datacard and a card reader. I'm using an old 64MB card I had laying around and I would personally NOT use a card that contains chart data.

First, let's transfer data from the C-Series to some other format. Here's the steps.

Archive the data from C-Series onto the CF card:

1. Insert CF card into the C-Series
2. Hit DATA button
3. Push ARCHIVE AND TRANSFER softkey
4. Push SAVE TO CARD softkey
5. From SELECT LIST select WPT or RTE
6. Push SAVE ALL softkey (or group if you want)
7. Repeat steps 5+6 for other SELECT types
8. Eject the card from the menu

Next, we need to import this from the .fsh file into RayTech:

1. Mount the card up on Windows
2. Start up RayTech Navigator
3. Select File->Import/Export Routes And Waypoints
4. Select Import Routes and Waypoints
5. Select Import From Removable Card
6. Select Import From C/E-Series or A65 Card
7. Select appropriate file from list (whatever device has the CF card)
8. Click OK

Even though we've imported the data, nothing shows on the screen! Let's fix that:

1. Click the WAYPT button on the side of the screen
2. Select 'Manage Waypoints' from the buttons on the bottom
3. For each group exported ("My Waypoints" is the default), right-click and select Show On Chart.
4. Click OK

Now, let's export this as a .rwf file:

1. Select File->Import/Export Routes And Waypoints
2. Select Export Routes and Waypoints
3. Select Export To File
4. Select Export To Raymarine Waypoint File
5. Select Export All Routes and Waypoints (or select the ones you want)
6. Select a file from the given choices. Unfortunately you can't save to any arbitrary filename! I always just save it to "C:\program files\Raymarine\Raymarine RayTech Navigator\Archive" since that's the directory we'll have to use to reimport data anyway. The filename will always be "RTWptRte.RWF", so save it off if you don't want it to get overwritten!

Next, we'll convert this to some format we can actually use!

1. Start GPSBabelGUI
2. Select an input format of Raymarine Waypoint File (.rwf)
3. Select an input file of "C:\program files\Raymarine\Raymarine RayTech Navigator\Archive\RTWptRte.RWF"
4. Select an appropriate output format (this needs to be something your software can read - since it varies by program you'll have to figure out what will work. GPX is fairly universal though)
5. Select an appropriate output filename
6. Check Waypoints and Routes boxes
7. Click "let's go"

Now you can open up the output file in your program of choice. If you are using SeaClear II, then one other step is required (arghh). For SeaClear II, save the file as a GPX file, then go download G7towin from G7ToWin and use it to convert the file to a .g7t file, which SeaClear II can import.

So that covers getting data from the C-Series to your program of choice. Now how do you go the other way? Well it's pretty much the same steps in reverse. If using SeaClear II, you can bypass the G7towin step, as GPSBabel can convert directly from .g7t to .rwf (just not the other way).

So now we convert from our format of choice back to .rwf:

1. Save/Export from your nav program into one of the formats GPSBabel groks.
2. Fire up GPSBabelGUI
3. Select an appropriate input format
4. Select the file from step 1 as input file
5. Select an output format of Raymarine Waypoint File (.rwf)
6. The output file MUST be in the directory "C:\program files\Raymarine\Raymarine RayTech Navigator\Archive" but you can name it anything you want.
7. Check Waypoints and Routes boxes
8. Click "let's go"

OK, now we have to import this back into RayTech Navigator:

1. Start RayTech Navigator
2. Select File->Import/Export Routes And Waypoints
3. Select Import Routes and Waypoints
4. Select Import From File
5. Select Import From Raymarine Waypoint File
6. From the resulting list, select the file you saved in the previous section
7. Click OK

Don't forget to make it visible, as needed. OK, now we need to export this data back to the CF card:

1. Mount the card up on Windows
2. Select File->Import/Export Routes And Waypoints
3. Select Export Routes and Waypoints
4. Select Export To Removable Card
5. Select Export To C/E-Series or A65 CF Card
6. Select Export All Routes And Waypoints (or select the ones you want)
7. Select the appropriate device for your CF card reader
8. Click OK

Now for the final step of importing the data back onto the C-Series:

1. Insert the CF card into the C70
2. Hit DATA button
3. Push ARCHIVE AND TRANSFER softkey
4. Push RETRIEVE FROM CARD softkey
5. From SELECT LIST select WPT or RTE
6. Push RETRIEVE ALL softkey (or group if you want)
7. Repeat steps 5+6 for other SELECT types
8. You'll have to resolve any conflicts for data that already exists on the chartplotter (by overwriting, ignoring, or adding a dupe)
9. Have a cold drink

Hopefully this helps somebody out there who wants to do the same sort of thing. While a bit painful, it only takes a few minutes once you've gone through it a couple of times - but it's worth it, at least to me since I have a bunch of different programs I like to use and with this technique I can finally get data back and forth to the C-Series.

[AnchorageGuy]

I really have to ask if this is all worth it?

[S/V Antares]

Thanks Scotte! I use Nobletec and would like to load the waypoints to my C120 someday. Your solution looks like a lot of work but it is just because you detail each step so well.

[Vasco]

Why all this work to transfer waypoints? I just enter them when I'm planning the next leg. Eventually all the ones you had in your old gps or chartplotter will be in the new one. Actually this is a better method as you get to look at the paper charts and refresh your memory.

[scotte]

That's pretty much the whole point... Why manually enter them when you can transfer the whole lot of them in minutes?

At any rate, I provided the instructions for anyone else who needed or wanted to do the same. There are lots of different ways to do things, this is just one way, and there's nothing wrong with it. If it's useful info to you, great - if it's not, that's great too - feel free to move on to the next thread .

[JiffyLube]

I know this is a Raymarine conversation, but I'm wondering if you have the ability do what I can with my Garmin and Maptech on my PC. I have a powered adapter that I can plug into my PC, and into my plotter. All my way points and routes will transfer in seconds, and if I use another non-powered adapter I transfer the same data to my hand held GPS. There must be an adapter that would let you do that with a Raymarine.

[Solstice]

I really appreciate this, Scotte. Thanks!

[richardhula]

Has nobody used a direct NMEA transfer? I regularly plan routes on my PC based chartplotter as it's so much quicker. When I'm satisfied with the route I send it to my C80 as NMEA sentences. On my Euronav Seapro chartplotter I have a function to export routes this way. As it's not rocket science I assume that other PC based chartplotters have this function. Monitoring the output I see that NMEA sentences with WPL prefix are sent first, each one corresponding to a waypoint on the route. This is followed by the RTE sentence which contains route name & number of waypoints etc.

On the C80 press Data/Archive & Transfer/Transfer on NMEA/Receive on NMEA. Make sure your C80 NMEA input is hooked up to your PC chartplotter & tell it to send the data. My C80 accepts this data asking where necessary if I want to overwrite existing waypoints with the same name, then saves the whole route under the name I gave it on my PC chartplotter. This is sometimes shortened though as there is a max route name length. The whole process take a few seconds & is as simple as that.

Although I haven't tried it, you should be able to send routes from the C80 in the same way. I can't believe anyone wanting to go the other route (pun?) when this is possible.

Note that Raymarine offer a small free application which will convert C80 waypoints stored on the CF card to MS Office Excel format & vice versa. Get it here: https://raymarine.custhelp.com/cgi-b...i=&p_topview=1

[RBEmerson]

Uh, yeah. The NMEA 0183 WPL sentence should do the trick for moving a route from a NMEA talker (e.g., GPS, PC running a nav pgm) to the chart plotter. It's always possible that that's deliberately blocked, of course, but I'd look into whether or not WPL is supported by the C-70.

[richardhula]

Originally Posted by RBEmerson

Uh, yeah. The NMEA 0183 WPL sentence should do the trick for moving a route from a NMEA talker (e.g., GPS, PC running a nav pgm) to the chart plotter. It's always possible that that's deliberately blocked, of course, but I'd look into whether or not WPL is supported by the C-70.

I assure you that the WPL & RTE sentences are not blocked in the C & E series MFD's. In fact Raymarine recommend this method see here: Answer

[RBEmerson]

Calma, amigo, calma...

I think I said I expected WPL (and RTE, although I blanked on the sentence ID when posting earlier) to work. However, life with Raytheon and Raymarine have taught me, more than once, not to expect the obvious to always be the case. Not having a C or E unit to work with, all I could (and can) suggest is to check in the documentation that these sentences are supported. And I'd say you pretty well nailed down that they do work. [/two thumbs up]

[SelkirkWind]

Originally Posted by richardhula

Has nobody used a direct NMEA transfer? I regularly plan routes on my PC based chartplotter as it's so much quicker. When I'm satisfied with the route I send it to my C80 as NMEA sentences. On my Euronav Seapro chartplotter I have a function to export routes this way. As it's not rocket science I assume that other PC based chartplotters have this function.

In order to do this, you have to have an E85001 installed I thought. Without an NMEA direct interface, Scotte is simply doing sneaker net. Good idea for a charter boat actually!

[RBEmerson]

The E85001 converts SeaTalk to NMEA 0183 and vice versa.

Scanning the C-70 documentation quickly, Raymarine seems to recommend tying a laptop/PC to SeaTalk (E85001) instead of using the NMEA port, which is either intended for AIS or fast heading data from the gyro package (note there is a very real conflict here, requiring a multiplexer to resolve data rate issues, to say nothing of merging NMEA data streams).

Long story short, it appears the best approach to the problem is to pass routes via SeaTalk (RTE and WPL sent to the converter).

Manuals access point start here

[SelkirkWind]

Originally Posted by RBEmerson

The E85001 converts SeaTalk to NMEA 0183 and vice versa.

(note there is a very real conflict here, requiring a multiplexer to resolve data rate issues, to say nothing of merging NMEA data streams).

Long story short, it appears the best approach to the problem is to pass routes via SeaTalk (RTE and WPL sent to the converter).

Manuals access point start here

Ok, my thought is this, the E85001 is a bridge. NMEA in and out on the PC side and Seatalk on the host side (if I remember correctly). In my system my E80 is sending all of the higher data rate data by Seatalk II (aka Ethernet). Only slow data, GPS position, depth, maybe windspeed and boat speed are on the Seatalk I bus (RS232). So..... I would think that a multiplexer is not needed unless you have multiple non-ethernet devices. Correct me if I am wrong (it happens).

[scotte]

Actually I've got my C70 all networked in via NMEA as well, but wanted to provide the alternative for anyone who needed it - plus NMEA waypoint+route transfer is pretty limited compared to the sneaker net method - only the basic information is transferred via NMEA, the vital portions, but only the basic ones.

I started on a gpsbabel module that would handle the import/export directly between flash card and whatever format you actually need, but never got around to finishing it - although I've got most of the important bits of Raymarine FSH format worked out.

As far as NMEA and SeaTalk integration, the approach I went with is a Brookhouse AIS-C Multiplexer. It handles speed conversion so that you can integrate AIS and C-Series at 38400bps but still retain 4800bps NMEA functionality both in and out. Without this MUX feature, the C-Series can only do 4800bps NMEA or 38400bps AIS, not both. The Brookhouse MUX even has a SeaTalk input, however this has to be disabled if the C70 is in the loop due to some bugs in the C-Series software if it gets SeaTalk data both from SeaTalk and from NMEA - Raymarine will not resolve the issue, although they do acknowledge it's a problem. Brookhouse is working on some filtering updates to the MUX which should fully solve it.

I can't say enough good things about the Brookhouse MUXes and Wout over at Brookhouse - great product, and fantastic support and help. These things can do all sorts of on-the-fly filtering and sentence rewriting, and some other nifty features. Brookhouse home for NMEA products