Does Raymarine C120W Output Full NMEA0183 Data ?

[Cavalier]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of connecting a Digital Yacht iAIS into my current setup and would like all possible instrument data to be available on the WiFi connection.

My current setup has log, depth, wind and autopilot connected through SeatalkNG (prop N2K/CAN) to a C120W.
The iAIS has a 38kbaud NMEA0183 output for AIS data to feed into the C120W. It also has an additional NMEA0183 connection which is used to for all other instrument data. In standard setup any sentences on the "input" are combined with AIS data and transmitted on the WLAN to an iPad/iPhone etc.

What I'm wondering is whether the C120W automatically makes the SeatalkNG data available to its NMEA ports thereby providing a populated NMEA data stream to the Digital Yacht unit?

I've read through the manuals for the C120W but can't seem to find a clear answer regarding the multiplexing.

My concern is that even though the C120W will have complete data (AIS), the WLAN data will only transmit AIS data due to no NMEA output on the C120W

Any answer/ideas on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Yours faithfully,

Phil

[felixqld66]

Hey Phil

Can't help you with your enquiry but wanted to ask how the C120w is going as i am waiting for one to arrive along with other instrumentation for an electronics refit on my boat

Cheers Alex

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by felixqld66

Hey Phil

Can't help you with your enquiry but wanted to ask how the C120w is going as i am waiting for one to arrive along with other instrumentation for an electronics refit on my boat

Cheers Alex

Hi Alex,

I haven't got one yet either! it's still sat in my "shopping basket" with a bunch of other stuff (including the iAIS) waiting for this question to be answered. I have, however, heard good things about the C-wide series. One thing attracting me to it is the Seatalk(HS) network connection, which I know is really just a repackaged version Cat5 Ethernet, which will allow me to connect my laptop to it at the nav station and share charts/waypoints and all instrument data via RaytechRNS.

That's the plan at least - would be interested in hearing how it goes when you receive it.

Regards,

Phil

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Cavalier, when you get your C120W hooked up to your laptop, please let us know how you did it. We havea C120W and a 2000 backbone but the mechanics of hooking of a laptop eludes me. Thanks.

[goboatingnow]

The C120W pdf manual around Page 30 has a section detailing the NMEA sentences ouput ,

APB
• BWC
• BWR
• DBT
• DPT
• GGA
• GLL
• MTW
• MWV
• RMA
• RMB
• RMC
• RSD
• RTE
• TTM
• VHW
• VLW
• WPL
• VTG
• ZDA

Its mainly stuff an autpilot needs. The C-Wide is a very good plooter in my experience, used quite a few now on varous sails

Dave

[richardhula]

The above NMEA sentences mentioned by goboatingnow are the only ones available to be output to the NMEA ports. Each can be turned on or off although I think all are on by default.

Other data input to your C120W via Seatalk can be accessed in NMEA 0183 format using Raymarine Seatalk/NMEA adapter E85001 which also provides a neat way of hooking up your laptop.

[Cavalier]

Thank you all for your feedback!

I had another side by side evaluation of the documentation again, once the sentence list had been highlighted and have come up with the following summary:

Firstly, The SPX10 autopilot, ST70 pilothead, a ST70 instrument, depth and log are all linked via SeatalkNG into the back of a C120W. A digital yacht iAIS feeds AIS data to the C120W. The C120W acts as data master (by default as there's only 1) and is capable (big assumption) of bridging the SeatalkNG data onto the NMEA0183 network so that the following sentences are provided:

APB = Autopilot Sentence "B"
BWC = Bearing and Distance to Waypoint (Great Circle)
BWR = Bearing and Distance to Waypoint (Rhumb Line)
DBT = Depth Below Transducer
DCN = Decca Position
DPT = Depth
GGA = Global Positioning System Fix Data
GLL = Geographic Position, Lat/Long
MTW = Water Temperature
MWV = Wind Velocity and Angle
RMA = Recommend Minimum Specific (Loran:C)
RMB = Recommend Minimum Navigation Information
RMC = Recommend Minimum Specific GPS/TRANSIT Data
RSD = RADAR System Data
RTE = Routes
TTM = Tracked Target Message
VHW = Water Speed and Heading
VLW = Distance Traveled through the Water
WPL = Waypoint Location
ZDA = Time and Date
VTG = Track Made Good and Ground Speed

The only thing i plan to have, for now, on the "output" NMEA0183 bus is the Digital Yacht iAIS (which has a secondary bus separate to the AIS data bus) which writes AIS data into the available data stream and serves it to WLAN - my iPhone/iPad can connect to this and display the availbable NMEA data along with a AIS overlay onto Navionics maps using iNavX.

Looking at the available sentance list above, i can't see that i'd really need anything else if i was either up at the bow for a time, or in the bunk wondering if that last gust meant i was dragging anchor.

Besides, at the end of day - i'm sure all of you would wonder what the big deal is about - but you have to all admit that if you were watching a James Bond movie a decade ago with him on a boat, with a device on his wrist which was not only a phone but also displayed his heading, wind direction and water depth, you'd have laughed at the improbability of the technology.. and in that rests the coolness!

I'll post an update at some point in the future once it is all up and running and explain if it lived up to expectations or not.

Thanks again for the help ,

Phil

[goboatingnow]

Phil not sure why you asked the original question them. The c120 does not output ais data on it's nmea output. So unless the Iais does this itself. I can't see a solution

Dave

[CaptnJohn]

Phil
I'm responding to this thread because I DO have a setup like you are envisioning and am somewhat frustrated by the data bridging capabilities. Maybe someone else can give me some pointers.

First let me say that Raymarine produces some top of the line, bulletproof gear and the C120W (with Radar overlay) and the ST70 controlled SPX-10 Autopilot have already proven their worth to me on a boisterous delivery up the Pacific coast. That said, they are pricy and it doesn't seem like they play well with others. Virtually all of their tech manuals have exhaustive diagrams with "Ray-this" connecting to "Ray-that" (for several hundred more). But their info on connecting to others is virtually non-existant.

The AIS issue seems to be a non-starter without a third-party "MUX". I would strongly recommend Brookhouse, which I had on my former boat and which I may be buying to solve the problems on this one. Even though the C120W can take a feed through a dedicated NMEA 38.4K port, AIS can't be sequenced into ordinary NMEA output data streams without a smart MUX. The C120W seems to be no exception here.

Forget the Ray E85001 mentioned below. I've got one on the boat and all it can do is convert basic St60 data into a serial output for the PC. The Brookhouse can handle multiple NMEA "talkers", sequence full High speed AIS data into the normal NMEA stream without data "collision" problems, can automatically switch to back-up GPS if your primary goes down and can direct separate output streams to multiple "listeners" (Like the PC and the DSC radio).

Also forget the Seatalk HS data network for PC unless you want to spend as much again on Raytech nav software as you probably already have on Nobeltec. although the dedicated Raytech will do some amazing things (like emulate a radar screen), you'll be paying through the nose for all the chart packages. My favorite value PC software is Coastal Navigator. The logic is that when sailing in the really bad sh----, I want the radar overlay on the chartplotter at the helm. The PC is fine for downloading weather charts, route planning and running performance logging software, but running down below to check the radar is a bit cumbersome and downright dangerous when short-handed.

MY frustration, for anyone who read this far, is I can't even get the ST60 sailing data on Seatalk2 to transmit over the ng network to the Chartplotter. I've checked and rechecked the power supply conflicts, rewired the dealer install which powered Seatalk2 off BOTH the Panel and the SPX, and have the bridge cable running from the end of the Seatalk loop to the back of the ST70 controller, like all the pictures, but STILL can't get the data from one Seatalk network to the other.

If anyone has advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. otherwise I'm buying another Brookhouse, ignoring all the fancy stiped wires and going back to running NMEA lines under the floorboards again.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

If anyone has advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. otherwise I'm buying another Brookhouse, ignoring all the fancy stiped wires and going back to running NMEA lines under the floorboards again.

I have advice but I'm not so sure you'll appreciate it

My advice is to only spend $$$ on NMEA-2000 components/sensors. All the rest is obsolete. Buy an AIS unit that does N2K instead of just 0183 (they will do both N2K and 0183). That "ng - next gen ray thing" includes N2K compatibility.

I just started installing our new electronics and it will eliminate 99% of all 0183 wiring while providing so much more that I'm amazed by it all. I use a lot of Maretron, Furuno and Simrad components.

ciao!
Nick.

[goboatingnow]

MY frustration, for anyone who read this far, is I can't even get the ST60 sailing data on Seatalk2 to transmit over the ng network to the Chartplotter. I've checked and rechecked the power supply conflicts, rewired the dealer install which powered Seatalk2 off BOTH the Panel and the SPX, and have the bridge cable running from the end of the Seatalk loop to the back of the ST70 controller, like all the pictures, but STILL can't get the data from one Seatalk network to the other.

You dont provide exact details of how youve wired the ST60s into the system, the C120W can take a seatalk connection directly and thats where the ST60s should run to. Do I take it that you have run them through the SPX autopilot controller, be aware that it only "rebroadcasts" a select number of seatalk data onto seatalkng system, so if your ST60s are seatalk to the SPX and teh SPX is Seatalkng to the C120W , you will not see the ST60 data on the C120W. This is because Ray design decision is the autopilot is primarily a "comsumer" of network data.

Dave

[CaptnJohn]

Thanks for the advice, Dave. Yep, I know I can do that, but hadn't wanted yet another set of wires running to the unit. Since I've already got the NG backbone, thought patching in the old Seatalk at the Nav station was smarter and less clutter. No such luck.
I actually just spoke yesterday to a very helpful tech who informs me the same as you've just pointed out. The SPX units do NOT do unfiltered conversions between systems, and Raymarine has been a little unclear in all of their ST70 diagrams. To do an unfiltered link between Seatalk and Ng, you need an St70 INSTRUMENT, not JUST an ST70 controller. As you said, the ST70 controller filters only the data strings relevant to the autopilot and it does not pass on the rest to the C120W. Therefore, things like apparent wind, depth, boatspeed, etc, get dropped on the floor. Well at least that confirmed I wasn't an idiot in terms of hooking stuff up, I just can't read. I guess that's some consolation.
SO as you say, either back to running more wires directly to the C120W Seatalk harness or buying the latest/greatest...the Seatalk to NG converter, for another $95 bucks, which WILL do what they implied a conversion cable and an ST70 would.

Anyway thanks a ton for taking the time to write...good info.