Getting GPS position data from SeaTalk1 to NMEA 0183 via SeaTalkNG SPX-30

[nixxon]

Hello

We are sailing a 2010 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45 DS that we bought this year. The VHF radio (Standard Horizon GX1600) is not connected to an NMEA 0183 source. Thus it sounds an GPS-fix error alarm a couple of times every time it is powered on. And the DSC distress alert does of course not work as intended.

I need to serve the VHF some position data over NMEA 0183 of type RMC, GLL or GGA .

All the equipment on board is from Raymarine communicating via the SeaTalk1 (ST1) or SeaTalkNG (STNG) protocol. The Chart Plotter is an E90W connected to an external Raystar 125 (or similar) GPS antenna (ST1). The E90W communicates with the SPX-30 course computer via STNG.

I have a E85001 ST1-NMEA interface box that can grab ST1 position data and output GGA (and GLL) on the NMEA out pins.

Now the question is if the ST1 ports on the SPX-30 retransmits the position data it may receive from the E90W. Does anyone know if that is the case?

I have made a drawing of the setup I have planned:

Nixxon

 

[PaulRainbow]

The SPX30 does not output GPS data. The E90W has two NMEA0183 OUT ports, why not just connect the VHF to one of those ?

 

[pvb]

The SPX30 does not output GPS data. The E90W has two NMEA0183 OUT ports, why not just connect the VHF to one of those ?

Agreed, the OP is maybe over-thinking this. And the more direct the route into the radio, the more reliable it should be.

 

[nixxon]

Is any of the data that the XPS-30 receives via STNG translated and retransmitted on the ST1 connectors?

 

[prv]

Paul's answer is probably the best, if you want to use only existing kit. Another alternative would be to connect the E85001 to the ST1 line in the top-left corner of the diagram.

Personally, though, I'd probably buy something like this GPS receiver and make the radio independent of the nav system.

Pete

 

[Baggywrinkle]

The OP has a ST1 to NMEA Gateway, so while no Raymarine equipment (Plotter or Autopilot) will output GGA and GLL on NMEA0183, they are available on ST1, and the E85001 will output that on NMEA0183.

Page 9 of the E85001 Manual, NMEA Outputs ...



I think it will work as drawn. ? ... but Paul has done many more installations than me.

Edit: Strikethrough info was false.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Is any of the data that the XPS-30 receives via STNG translated and retransmitted on the ST1 connectors?

Yes, I think so, because you can string all the old SeatTalk1 Instruments, even an Autopilot control head off it. P34/35 of the SPX-30 manual, I checked.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Just dug deeper into the E90W manual and there is a setting to turn GGA and GLL on/off on the E90W NMEA0183 Output ports ... so the E90W could be connected directly to the GX1600 without the E85001,



As Paul suggested.

 

[laika]

the E90W could be connected directly to the GX1600 without the E85001

..and the E85001 could be flogged on ebay for up to £50 to someone who thinks they need it...

 

[nixxon]

The SPX30 does not output GPS data. The E90W has two NMEA0183 OUT ports, why not just connect the VHF to one of those ?

Thanky you for your suggestion. It seems that there are actually three NMEA0183 OUT ports on the E90W. They are all located in the same multi-pin connector (#2) that may be connected to either the "Power and data cable" or to the "Multi-cable". <-- EDIT: This is the very same 19-way cable

To make NMEA connections it seems that you have to use the connector for the "Power and data cable". Today the connector is however occupied by a different SeaTalk1 connector ("multi-cable") that is used for the SeaTalk1 input from the GPS antenna. The two different connectors and their respective cables have wires with totally different color coding. This made med think that it is not possible to mix NMEA and SeaTalk signals from the same connector #2. I was hoping for a while that the GPS mushroom antenna was communication in the NMEA language (indicated by a GPS LED flash every 2 seconds), but unfotunately it is speaking SeaTalk1 (indicated by a GPS LED flash every 4 seconds).

 

[nixxon]

This post was deleted because I wrote something wrong...

 

[nixxon]

Agreed, the OP is maybe over-thinking this. And the more direct the route into the radio, the more reliable it should be.

The cable routing between the E90W and the VHF radio is relatively long and not easily accessible.
The cable routing between the SPX-30 and the VHF radio is relatively short and easily accessible. This is one of the reasons I was aiming for using an output from the SPX-30 to feed the VHF with position data.

 

[nixxon]

Just dug deeper into the E90W manual and there is a setting to turn GGA and GLL on/off on the E90W NMEA0183 Output ports ... so the E90W could be connected directly to the GX1600 without the E85001,

View attachment 98052

As Paul suggested.

If it is possible to connect the E90W output directly to the VHF, I could even activate the RMC sentence which is the preferred NMEA0183 sentence according to the GX1600 VHF manual . RMC is not an option using the old E85001 interface.

 

[nixxon]

Yes, I think so, because you can string all the old SeatTalk1 Instruments, even an Autopilot control head off it. P34/35 of the SPX-30 manual, I checked.

View attachment 98050

View attachment 98049

I am not shure I follow you here. Probably my bad. But what makes you think that if the SPX-30 allows you to "string all the old SeatTalk1 Instruments", then the SPX-30 shares information between the SeaTalkNG and the SeaTalk1 buses?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanky you for your suggestion. It seems that there are actually three NMEA0183 OUT ports on the E90W. They are all located in the same multi-pin connector (#2) that may be connected to either the "Power and data cable" or to the "Multi-cable".

The "Power and data cable" and the "Multi-cable" are one and the same cable, not two different cables. All of the NMEA and Seatalk wires are in his one cable.

The SPX does not output GPS data over NMEA.

It might output it over Seatalk 1, i'm not certain. If it does, your E85001 should convert to NMEA and pass GPS data to the VHF. I will be a little surprised if the SPX converts all of the STMG network to Seatalk 1 though (be interested to hear if it does). But, converting STG to Seatalk 1 then converting that to NMEA for the VHF isn't how i would want to do it. I would connect to the plotter, or if that was too difficult the separate GPS that Pete inked to in post #5 would be my second choice.

 

[PaulRainbow]

If it is possible to connect the E90W output directly to the VHF, I could even activate the RMC sentence which is the preferred NMEA0183 sentence according to the GX1600 VHF manual . RMC is not an option using the old E85001 interface.

You absolutely can connect the E90W to the VHF directly using NMEA.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

The cable routing between the E90W and the VHF radio is relatively long and not easily accessible.
The cable routing between the SPX-30 and the VHF radio is relatively short and easily accessible. This is one of the reasons I was aiming for using an output from the SPX-30 to feed the VHF with position data.

I run NMEA0183 from the helm position to the chart table in my boat ... the cabling is over 5m ... If you already have the E8501 then wire it up and see if the data is there, otherwise the E90W will work and is the most robust solution (apart from giving the radio its own NMEA0183 GPS Smart Antenna) as the function is safety relevant so it's a good idea to reduce the number of potential failure points in the signal chain - and you get the RMC sentence. On my boat the VHF gets its GPS info from the plotter too.

My system looks like this ... the blue bits will be completed when I next get to the boat.



My point about the instruments hanging off the XPS-30 is that Seatalk1 used a daisy-chain arrangement between displays, and you could buy ST1 multi-function dispalys AFAIK so the GPS info is probably propogated on ST1.

PS: Anyone spot any mistakes I'd be very grateful for feedback.

 

[nixxon]

The "Power and data cable" and the "Multi-cable" are one and the same cable, not two different cables. All of the NMEA and Seatalk wires are in his one cable.

The SPX does not output GPS data over NMEA.

It might output it over Seatalk 1, i'm not certain. If it does, your E85001 should convert to NMEA and pass GPS data to the VHF. I will be a little surprised if the SPX converts all of the STMG network to Seatalk 1 though (be interested to hear if it does). But, converting STG to Seatalk 1 then converting that to NMEA for the VHF isn't how i would want to do it. I would connect to the plotter, or if that was too difficult the separate GPS that Pete inked to in post #5 would be my second choice.

Thank you for pointing out that "The 'Power and data cable' and the 'Multi-cable' are one and the same cable, not two different cables. All of the NMEA and Seatalk wires are in his one cable." Awesome! Now we talk
I got fooled by the different descriptions of the same cable in the E-series Installation Instructions , and was not paying attention to the color coding on the real wires coming out of the E90W cable harness in my boat. When I check the photos I have taken of the individual wires coming out of the big #2 connector there are indeed both dual colored SeaTalk wires and single colored wires for NMEA and other stuff.

 

[nixxon]

Thank you all for helping me out with a lot of useful information and tips ?

And, Baggywrinkle, you have an awesome system setup in your boat. Some time next year I will look into aquiring digital engine data from my analog Yanmar 4JH4-TE.

 

[Keith-i]

Baggywrinkle, nixxon, what software are you using to produce those diagrams of your installations? They're very neat and well labelled.