Marine Electronics Forum - RayMarine C80 N2k interfacing

This weekend, I hooked up a RayMarine C80 (with latest 5.04 software) via SeaTalk2, to a NMEA 2000 backbone. The backbone was installed with a Garmin GHP-10 autopilot (had GHC display, compass and power connected). What I did was plug in a Yamaha motor adapter cable into the NMEA 2000 backbone, and then the RayMarine into the backbone by cutting off the other end of a cable and splicing on a N2k connector.

The autopilot sees the Ray and the motor, and the RayMarine sees the motor and the autopilot both, but...

What I am seeing is:
- all motor data shows up and appears to be good and stable (on both units)
-the ground speed and position occasionally lock up, or read dramatically wrong (like 730 mph wrong)
- after plotting a waypoint on RM and engaging a go to, the autopilot does not acknowledge that there is data coming in via N2k (cannot engage GPS route to) - the menu item doesn't even show up


It would appear that the RM is receiving N2k fine, but not outputting anything on the N2k? After playing with it for a while, I did go ahead and hook up the NMEA 0183 output from the RM to the autopilot. After that, the communication appeared to work, and I could engage a go to, though it would overshoot the turn by more than 30 degrees every time.

I called RayMarine, and after 20 minutes on hold, the guy would only say that I had to have some gateway for the Yamaha. I tried to tell him that the motor connection was really the only part that was working fine, but got nowhere. He said that the gateway would protect the motor from the RayMarine - that kinda scares me a little. If I need this, so be it, though I do not see how that will change anything else between the RM and the pilot.

I called Garmin, and all I got was told to update the software, which I am already at the latest for bot the GHP and GHC. Then I was simply told that RM has issues. Yeah, quite as expected.

I hope that is enough information. I feel like I am missing something small. Actually, I hope I am just missing something small!

Robert

Robert,

I don't think its small. I had a discussion with RM about the use of the SeaTalkNG network with a C80 as I was under the impression that SeaTalk2 and SeaTalkNG were both NMEA2000. Turns out SeaTalk2 is only a partial implementation of NMEA2000, just engine stuff. That probably explains why the autopilot is not seeing your raymarine GPS info.



Here is what they sent back to me. Its backward their answer is on the top:


Discussion Thread
Response Via Email (Chuck Anderson) 03/14/2012 03:56 PM
The port labeled SeaTalk2 features limited NMEA 2000 support, principally in support of engine interfacing. The port labeled SeaTalk2 must not be interfaced to SeaTalkng devices as Raymarine has not developed software for the C-Series Classic MFDs to support integration with SeaTalkng products. Per the prior response, you will need to interface the radio, SHS, and MFD to a programmable NMEA 0183 Multiplexer (i.e. one that supports configuration of the BAUD rate of its I/O ports).


Customer By Email () 03/14/2012 03:25 PM
The answer:

> A: Negative. C-Series Classic MFDs do not feature support for SeaTalkng.

> That confuses me. MY C80 has a SeaTalk2 port, isn’t seatalk2 =nmea2000=seatalk ng?
>

Well, that lines up perfectly with what I am seeing.

So, I need to disconnect the RM from the current N2k network, and connect only the motor to the RM ST2 (via its own full independent N2k network). Then I have to use the NMEA in/out for the autopilot connections. I can live with that. Seems like the tech at RM would have just saids so ;?

Thank you.

Robert

I've found I get the most accurate info from them when I email them a question. I guess having it written down makes them think first.