NMEA output from ST4000 Compass?

[FullCircle]

I am trying to get an NMEA Heading reading into my Radar, and I have an ST4000 Wheelpilot with Fluxgate compass.
It obviously feeds the pilot head with Seatalk.
Is there any way of getting the compass to output NMEA data?

Thanks

 

[philip_stevens]

If it only outputs Seatalk, you will need an Interface box to convert it to NMEA. They cost between £100 and £120 depending on where you get it from (example price). On Ebay, you could possibly get one for about £80 or so - if your bid is successful.

A friend of mine has a brand new one for sale.

 

[Piddy]

There was a NMEA output cable adaptor for ST50 steering compass, which uses the same fluxgate transducer. Other than that it's an interface box I'm afraid.

 

[Danny]

[ QUOTE ]
It obviously feeds the pilot head with Seatalk.

[/ QUOTE ]Are you sure? I thought it used a special, 4 wire interface between the fluxgate transducer and the a/p control head. Not Seatalk or NMEA.

 

[FullCircle]

You get a prize for that Danny, of course, but I didnt know its not NMEA or Seatalk. So how do we translate it into NMEA then?

 

[Danny]

I suspect it would need some extensive interfacing and signal processing to get from the fluxgate transducer signals to NMEA. However, it's possible that the autopilot control head might do the conversion to Seatalk. If it does indeed add heading information to the Seatalk bus then the Seatalk/NMEA bridge already mentioned should be able to translate this into the appropriate NMEA sentence.

Unfortunately that's all speculation on my part. Has anyone actually done this?

 

[jfkal]

The ST4000 only transmitta heading data via Seatalk. Trying to get NMEA out oif the fluxgate wont work. So the only two options are:

The NMEA_SEATALK converter box from Raymarine (expensive) a used one via Ebay
or on eof the DIY converters out there. Just Google for NMEA-Seatalk Interface or Conversion and there will be something out there.

Cheers