Oh Where, Oh Where has Raymarine gone?

[Chris_Stannard]

I have a full outfit of Raymarine kit, instruments, radar, gps and chartplotter. And I have to say it is very good kit.

But I do have some questions. like how much power does the chartplotter take, in some places it suggests 10 watts and in others up to 33 watts. And I would like to know if I can use the ST60 or ST80 keypad with my system.

But it appears that, inspite of my investment, which totals more than I dare tell SWMBO by a factor of about 10, I cannot get an answer out of Raymarine Customer Support by email. I don't want to phone because I always think of the question I should have asked just after I have put the phone down and anyway, as they are only there in the working day it is expensive.

Has anyone alse got a similar experience or is it something I said?

Oh Where or Where can they BE????????

Or perhaps someone who works for them will read this and answer, but I am an incurable optimist.

Chris Stannard

 

[brian_neale]

I have had a couple of contacts with Raymarine recently. I did get answers to my questions placed on their support website, although I have to say that they were not very complete or particularly helpful. However, they did more or less give the information needed. On the other hand, when I rang them to see if they had a showroom where I could have a look at some of their kit, they were very helpful and someone down there spent quite a lot of time with me and was very happy to demonstrate. I do not believe that this was just "we help you until you buy and then forget you", but that they are much better with personal contacts. Not very helpful unless you live near to Portsmouth, though...

 

[pandroid]

I've found the same. I've always had a reply from a post on the support website, although sometimes it takes a couple of days. Automated email replies tell you whats going on. If you want instant service, just ring them up. They've dealt with quite odd stuff over the phone.
P.S. If you get an answer to the power useage, I'm interested. I discovered my laptop plotter's behaviour by measuring current drain, but I havent yet bothered with the Radar, which is claimed to be similar.

 

[JeremyF]

Thats ominous. Ive just mailed them asking how to get NMEA data out of the ST60 log and depth. So I shouldnt expect an answer then!

Does anyone here know the answer. I believe Seatalk is an extension to NMEA, but the manual does not cover this, or to explain what the NMEA out port is.

Jeremy Flynn

 

[chas]

I had a very prompt answer when I sent them an email about my Autohelm. They said they could not help as they did not support my model any more.

 

[bedouin]

I can help you on this one - you can't do it directly.

The basic ST60 instruments do not have NMEA in/out so you need to buy one that does. From memory that is either one called the 'multi' or an Autopilot, but there may be others.

In fact for that sort of question you are much better going to a retailer than back to Raymarine directly

 

[JerryHawkins]

Get the bridge

Have a look at Raymarine's web site, they list a piece of kit called a Seatalk/NMEA bridge which I guess does the translation between the two protocols. Probably a few hundred quid though!!

Cheers,

Jerry

 

[davel]

Re: Get the bridge

Yep,
T'was about £150 quid when I looked last year. Decided I could do withoput it.

Dave L.

 

[pugwash]

I have phoned customer support twice recently and got helpful answers immediately. Perhaps they're just not so happy on the keyboard.

 

[Guest]

Log onto www.raymarine.com, register yourself and you will find that you can access a Customer support area.

I have also telephoned them and found them very helpful.

 

[Chris_Stannard]

From past expereince you need a ST 60 multi repeater which has NMEA inputs and outputs. If you look at the Raymarine website you can download the handbook for this and I believe it tells you the NMEA sentences generated.
The multi can be used at the nav position becasue it repeats all of the systems, wind depth speed etc and give extras such as battery alarms.
Do remember if you are installing extra gear that you only need one power input to the system and that if you have a Raymarine autopilot all of the instruments should be powered from that. If not you have to disconnect the red power line to stop problems. I powered from both ends and blew the fast acting fuse in my autopilot, luckily no other damage.

Chris Stannard

 

[Oldhand]

I believe your options are to install a Raymarine Seatalk to NMEA Bridge (black-box) or install a ST60 Multi, which if I remember correctly, has an NMEA output.