Possible to output GPS data from Raymarine AIS700 using NMEA 0183?

[fxykty]

We’ve replaced our iCOM MA-500 AIS unit with a Raymarine AIS700, primarily for the B+ transmission. We have an iCOM M-423 DSC VHF radio that requires GPS input and DSC output via NMEA 0183. This worked fine at 4800 baud with the MA-500.

The AIS700 does have 2 ports for NMEA 0183 input/output, but the manual strongly states to not output GPS data, but if you do it can only output at 38400 baud. Separate calls to Raymarine tech support yielded conflicting information whether this can be done at all (no) and that GPS data can be output at 4800 baud.

I’ve wired it up using the 4800 baud wires, and still nothing on the radio. The diagnostics on the AIS700 shows GPS data in its output stream. At this point I’m ready to re-install an old multiplexer to feed data to the radio and ignore the AIS700.

Has anyone successfully connected their AIS700 to a VHF radio using NMEA 0183?

[smac999]

have you connected to with with a laptop yet? you can likly change the baud rate and also select wether it outputs gps pos or not.

on the emtrack ais you have to manually choose to output gps pos. you can also select the baud rate of both ports.

it's been awhile since I connected to a raymarine one.

it probably uses proais 2 software unless raymarine has their own.

I feed GPS data from ais to vhf quite commonly on installs.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by smac999

have you connected to with with a laptop yet? you can likly change the baud rate and also select wether it outputs gps pos or not.

on the emtrack ais you have to manually choose to output gps pos. you can also select the baud rate of both ports.

it's been awhile since I connected to a raymarine one.

it probably uses proais 2 software unless raymarine has their own.

I feed GPS data from ais to vhf quite commonly on installs.

Yes, I’ve spent hours in the ProAIS application connected to the AIS700 and set up all the configuration as it should be. Then connected the port2 (set to 4800 baud, as the VHF requires) talker +ve and talker -ve wires to the VHF’s listener +ve and listener -ve wires. This was a copy of what we did with the previous MA-500TR AIS. Not working.

But the manual description of what can be output at what baud rate is complicated - it seems that GPS cannot be output at 4800 baud. But the manual also says that you should not output GPS sentences either. So I called Raymarine tech support, several times. While the tech support I spoke with were all very friendly they didn’t end up helping.

I’ve given up and will set up a separate multiplexer to feed NMEA0183 from my SeatalkNG network to the VHF. Sigh.

[smac999]

did you turn on the "output gnss sentances" ? I would turn on rcm, gga, and gll

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by smac999

did you turn on the "output gnss sentances" ? I would turn on rcm, gga, and gll

Yes, I did. The data stream confirmed that the GNSS sentences were being output. Just nothing was getting to the VHF. Hence my original question as to whether anyone had been successful in connecting this specific Raymarine unit to a NMEA0183-dependent VHF radio.

[Sea-TechSystems]

Just as a levelset..

The AIS to VHF connections should be as follows..

AIS700 purple (+) to M423 Yellow
AIS700 pink (-) to M423 Green

On AIS700, NMEA2 Baud = 4800
Output GNSS should have at least one of the following: GGA, GLL, RMC

In the data stream did you actually see the GPRCM, GPGGA, and GPGLL sentences?

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

Just as a levelset..

The AIS to VHF connections should be as follows..

AIS700 purple (+) to M423 Yellow
AIS700 pink (-) to M423 Green

On AIS700, NMEA2 Baud = 4800
Output GNSS should have at least one of the following: GGA, GLL, RMC

In the data stream did you actually see the GPRCM, GPGGA, and GPGLL sentences?

Yes to all and not working. Hence my post.

[Tin Tin]

When looking for alternative GPS sources consider the autopilot computer NMEA output if it has one.

[smac999]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Yes to all and not working. Hence my post.

hook it up to a computer serial port and read the raw data. then you'll know what you are getting.

[Pizzazz]

Raymarine equipment has various limitations for now particular reason. First suggestion is to set the 4800 port to only output RMC, nothing else, then feed it to the radio. If the radio does not get it, it is most likely that the two characters before the RMC are throwing it off. You can feed this source into another device (autopilot head, chart plotter, laptop) to see if you will get positioning date this way but it will not help you with the radio.

For the radio you need to get GPS from another source, either from a chart plotter or a stand alone GPS unit. You do not need an expensive GPS unit. There are these ublox modules, they cost $12 on Amazon, same chip as used in the Raymarine chart plotters, easy to configure, including replacing the initial two characters and you can use that to feed your radio.

[Tupaia]

It might be simpler to use a multiplexor, check out Quark-Elec, it will take in various source and baud rates and combine them into a single stream. A wifi version will also give you access to data on other equipment.

[fxykty]

I’ve got an Actisence NGW-1 ISO NMEA converter that I had configured to 38400 baud to output AIS data from my old AIS unit to our SeatalkNG network. That AIS also had NMEA 0183 output at 4800 baud that provided GPS data to the radio. Both units date from 2014 and handle NMEA 0183 well. This new Raymarine AIS doesn’t seem to play well at all with NMEA 0183.

So I’m going to reconfigure the NGW-1 to 4800 baud and connect it to the radio and SeatalkNG network.

Oh well, it would have been nice to use the new unit’s output wires, but it just doesn’t seem to work.

[EdenRose]

Did that solution work out? I also am trying to get location data to an ICOM Marine SSB radio. I tried the pink and blue output from AIS700 and the voltage is not right and it is not fluctuating (3 volts should be 5 volts and a neon light connected does not flicker as it should with data signals).

I have not played with the Raymarine programing software connected to AIS700 yet.

Originally Posted by fxykty

I’ve got an Actisence NGW-1 ISO NMEA converter that I had configured to 38400 baud to output AIS data from my old AIS unit to our SeatalkNG network. That AIS also had NMEA 0183 output at 4800 baud that provided GPS data to the radio. Both units date from 2014 and handle NMEA 0183 well. This new Raymarine AIS doesn’t seem to play well at all with NMEA 0183.

So I’m going to reconfigure the NGW-1 to 4800 baud and connect it to the radio and SeatalkNG network.

Oh well, it would have been nice to use the new unit’s output wires, but it just doesn’t seem to work.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by EdenRose

Did that solution work out? I also am trying to get location data to an ICOM Marine SSB radio. I tried the pink and blue output from AIS700 and the voltage is not right and it is not fluctuating (3 volts should be 5 volts and a neon light connected does not flicker as it should with data signals).



I have not played with the Raymarine programing software connected to AIS700 yet.

Yes, the NGW-1 works as it should - the VHF radio has got GPS data from the network and can send/receive DSC data. The AIS700 NMEA connections just don’t seem fit for any purpose - are they only there for troubleshooting the unit? I note that the manual recommends that the NMEA outputs should be deselected.

We also have a M802 that needs the data, so either we buy another NGW-1, or a multiplexer that can feed both radios. Or we get rid of the SSB and don’t worry about it - we haven’t used the SSB once since we got reliable satellite comms 5 years ago.

[EdenRose]

Thank you for the update. I was wondering if the Raymarine NMEA adapter would work for this. My VHF has its own GPS so just need it for the ICOM M803SSB. It is a new install so I am trying to use it even though satellite is an option. With the Raymarine adapter you just plug into the Raymarine NG backbone to get the signal adpated. I already have wires running from the AIS to the ICOM SSB location, so I might as well get things hooked up. The SSB does have a little GPS antenna that you can run up to a skylight but that is awkward. I tested the NMEA 0183 outputs on the AIS700 and the voltage was only 3 volts and not pulsating as it should. I have not messed with the software for the AIS700 yet but it sounds like you did not get anywhere with it.

Originally Posted by fxykty

Yes, the NGW-1 works as it should - the VHF radio has got GPS data from the network and can send/receive DSC data. The AIS700 NMEA connections just don’t seem fit for any purpose - are they only there for troubleshooting the unit? I note that the manual recommends that the NMEA outputs should be deselected.

We also have a M802 that needs the data, so either we buy another NGW-1, or a multiplexer that can feed both radios. Or we get rid of the SSB and don’t worry about it - we haven’t used the SSB once since we got reliable satellite comms 5 years ago.