B&G Vulcan 7 compatability

[KAL]

I'm looking to replace my existing plotter with one of these, maybe.

The existing system of sensors on board centres around ST50 instruments (depth, wind, log, auto helm) so won't be NMEA2000.

Also, my current plotter has a built-in GPS, which I don't think the Vulcan will, although I have AIS and an older, separate Furuno GPS.

Can anyone advise whether the Vulcan will be able to work with these other instruments, pick up the GPS signal from one of the other systems and still have full functionability with the likes of Sailsteer, etc?

I really can't replace all the instruments right now! Have to do things bit by bit...

Any advice greatly appreciated, especially if you have experience of using this particular plotter. Thanks!

 

[mhouse]

I have a Vulcan 7. It does have a built in GPS. You can get a raymarine seatalkng to seatalkng adapter and then a adapter cable from the Vulcan to the seatalkng Ng.

 

[Cantata]

I looked into buying one of these during the Show, hefty discount at Cactus plus B&G cashback too.
It does have its own internal GPS.
No NMEA0183 port.
Spec is here -http://www.bandg.com/en-GB/Products/Vulcan-7FS/
I decided that if I was going B&G it would have to be the Zeus2 but in the end decided to not buy anything.

 

[bitbaltic]

Can anyone advise whether the Vulcan will be able to work with these other instruments, pick up the GPS signal from one of the other systems and still have full functionability with the likes of Sailsteer, etc?

It has a built-in GPS. Everything new does.

Someone with more raymarine expertise hopefully can answer the connectivity question but I suggest it is likely to be a) complex and b) expensive.

If I am right in thinking that the ST50 is seatalk only then you are going to have to convert it to some intermediary before going to N2K. It might be (as mhouse suggests) that you can convert to the ST50 seatalk to Seatalk NG (Raymarine's proprietary version of N2K) and then just use an adapter cable to convert from the propreitary Raymarine conector type to the (?) micro-C socket of the Vulcan. However I would take proper advice on that because the potential for a cockup between different manufacturers PGNs, especially whe one is at least ostensibly talking a propreitary version of the language, seems considerable.

I looked at the Vulcan when it came out last year but the lack of an 0183 port killed the idea. However most of the modern generation of relatively inexpensive touchscreen MFDs seem to neglect it, so it's buyer beware. I had a Simrad system so installed an NSS7 (Simrad equivalent of a Zeus but without the funky sailsteer stuff).

 

[Neeves]

We did what you are looking at.

We have 20 year old Raymarine but the radar went down and was irreparable, We wanted broadband so went with the NSS7, as bitbaltic (above).

We accepted that we would not be able, or it would be too expensive, to interface the old Raymarine with the new NSS.

We have 2 stand alone systems. The old Raymarine chartplotter with autopilot, wind and boatspeed (depth is a bit iffy). And the NSS with new compass, depth, WiFi to ipad and Radar. As the Raymarine units fail we will replace with B&G - assuming when we come to replace they are still compatible with each other. The NSS has an internal GPS but its not very good in the cabin (so check before you install). Ours is installed such that its on a swing out arm.

I don't think there is an easy way

Jonathan

 

[jwilson]

I have a Vulcan 7. It does have a built in GPS. You can get a raymarine seatalkng to seatalkng adapter and then a adapter cable from the Vulcan to the seatalkng Ng.

Fitted same thing earlier this year. Vulcan 7 and Raymarine Seatalk-SeatalkNG adaptor. Was dubious at the time because some people told me SeatalkNG wasn't EXACTLY the same as NMEA2000 but the supplier assured me it would work and it does seem to. Vulcan definitely has built in GPS.

 

[KAL]

Very useful info chaps. Thank you! Looks like it might be a goer.

jwilson, could I ask if the adaptor was fairly easy to wire and set up? Did you need another cable adaptor to connect the seatalkNG to the Vulcan?

I wonder if you'd be able to send me a parts list when you have a moment?

 

[jwilson]

Very useful info chaps. Thank you! Looks like it might be a goer.

jwilson, could I ask if the adaptor was fairly easy to wire and set up? Did you need another cable adaptor to connect the seatalkNG to the Vulcan?

I wonder if you'd be able to send me a parts list when you have a moment?

The Vulcan instructions were clear enough, the Raymarine adaptor instructions ( http://www.raymarine.co.uk/uploadedImages/Products/Networking/ST1_to_STNG_Converter_Kit[1].1.jpg ) slightly less so. The yellow hole has the Seatalk plug, and the two blue end ones have the blue blanks, one white one goes to the plotter, and the empty white one has a black blanking plug. I don't have the paperwork to hand.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Out of interest if you have a plotter with internal GPS can it be disabled and an external one used or in the case of interfacing it with other instruments that have a different GPS input how does the new plotter cope with that?

 

[Lucky Duck]

There is usually the option to switch the internal GPS off.

 

[KAL]

Out of interest if you have a plotter with internal GPS can it be disabled and an external one used or in the case of interfacing it with other instruments that have a different GPS input how does the new plotter cope with that?

I wouldn't want to do that, as I like to have a few discrete GPS systems to provide redundancy if one fails, rather than all depend on one. Happy to have the plotter with its own!

 

[dk]

As mentioned above you can link the rm instruments to the V7 via a converter, which will allow you to use the Sailsteer functions. However, it won't drive a RM autopilot.

 

[Neeves]

As mentioned above you can link the rm instruments to the V7 via a converter, which will allow you to use the Sailsteer functions. However, it won't drive a RM autopilot.

The information I have gleaned here is that NMEA is not quite as intended (and perhaps marketed). Most inputs from other manufacturers might be displayed on a third party plotter (with varying degrees of difficulty) but manipulating the data to provide something else might fail. The example given, the B&G unit might display course, speed etc but might not drive a Raymarine plotter. Consequently when you buy a display you should look at the other equipment, radar, autopilot as if you want these items in the future you are locked into (or spend money on a new plotter) the extra units compatible with the plotter. Radar and autopilots, and other displays, cost much more than the plotter - so check the autopilot and radar and make sure you like the ones that suit the plotter.

Jonathan

 

[jwilson]

I wouldn't want to do that, as I like to have a few discrete GPS systems to provide redundancy if one fails, rather than all depend on one. Happy to have the plotter with its own!

Same as I set it up: the Vulcan could read the RM GPS, but I set it to use its own internal one, so having two independent GPS displays. They are often .001 mile apart, which is roughly the distance between the two receivers. Bit different to when I started cruising: hearing cows mooing in fog meant I must be getting close to the Devon coast.

 

[vyv_cox]

Out of interest if you have a plotter with internal GPS can it be disabled and an external one used or in the case of interfacing it with other instruments that have a different GPS input how does the new plotter cope with that?

I have a Zeus2 and an external GPS sensor. The external one has to be set up accurately to provide compass directions whereas the internal one is simply a receiver. I don't recall turning anything off, the Zeus seems to have decided by itself which signal to accept as default.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I have a Zeus2 and an external GPS sensor. The external one has to be set up accurately to provide compass directions whereas the internal one is simply a receiver. I don't recall turning anything off, the Zeus seems to have decided by itself which signal to accept as default.

Hi Vyv,
Does that imply that if an external GPS sensor is set up accurately with regard to compass orientation, a heading sensor is not required?
Also, are you referring to a normal, entry level GPS sensor or a more 'highly specced' one?

 

[Shuggy]

I did a write-up of something similar I did earlier this year. This thread might help you:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?495637-Integrating-old-and-new-electronics&highlight=

There is a crude diagram in there showing how it all links up.

Good luck!

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I did a write-up of something similar I did earlier this year. This thread might help you:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?495637-Integrating-old-and-new-electronics&highlight=

There is a crude diagram in there showing how it all links up.

Good luck!

Thanks.

 

[jwilson]

I have a Vulcan 7. It does have a built in GPS. You can get a raymarine seatalkng to seatalkng adapter and then a adapter cable from the Vulcan to the seatalkng Ng.

I have a Vulcan 7 (which as others say has a GPS) interfaced to older Seatalk 1 instruments with one of the Raymarine ST/STng adaptors. As the ST60s setup already included GPS it gave the Vulcan a choice of two GPSs to use - you choose via menu on screen. The inbuilt one on the Vulcan locked on faster than the ancient Raymarine so chose the Vulcan GPS. Year later added a B&G NMEA2000 VHF that had an AIS receiver built in.

 

[pagoda]

If you are determined to keep your older Autohelm you may find there is a way round the problem. It may be possible to add a NMEA2000>NMEA0183 translation device (Actisense?) which will allow your plotter to send NMEA0183 Rudder control messages .And read back into the NMEA2000 network the actual values. On the Vulcan you have extensive control over the sources of data. If there is more than one GPS or mag compass, you can choose which you want.