Cutting/Extending Seatalk Cables

[robbieg]

I've got an ST4000+ pilot connected to a Navman 5500 via NMEA which gives it postion data. I want to connect the pilot to a Raymarine radar via a seatalk cable. This should allow the radar to get postion/heading data.

Its quite a long cable run between the 2-approx 10 m. What I'm thinking of doing is getting a short seatalk cable with plugs on each end & cutting & extending it. This will make running the cable easier & seems a lot cheaper than buying a long Seatalk cable.

Questions are:

1. Anyone see why this shouldn't work?
2. Any problems with a long cable run-do I need to feed 12v power to it to "refresh" it in view of its length?
3. Is it necessary to use shielded cable to extend-the seatalk cable-I'd like to just use 3 core electrical since cheaper but suspect I'll need to find some sheilded-any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[davidwf]

I hink that at 10m I'd be looking to use shielded cable, although I have used three core on shorter runs with no problems, you could always get some from Maplin which will be cheaper than real Seatalk, there's no need to buy a seatalk cable and cut the ends off to plug into the instruments, just buy small spade connectors and push onto the tags on the rear of the ST4000 cannot remember what the seatalk looks like on the radar but may be able to do same there as well.

No need to feed 12v into the run as neither the Radar or ST4000 will be using that connection to power thenselves.