Raymarine C80 - receiving NMEA0183 but not acting on the information

[superheat6k]

I am feeding NMEA0183 data stream from my new Plotter to a C80 MFD, and the external info on the C80 shows sentences and bytes are being received, but the MFD is not using the data provided to display position nor AIS.

The same set up worked just fine on my last boat with an identical set up with the NMEA0183 providing the C120 in that case with both GPS positional and AIS data.

I have set the baud rate to AIS 38400, and have changed loads of other settings.

I also did a full reset and now the boat thinks its just off the entrance to Miami harbour !

The GPS source is accurately sending the true boat's position.

The C80 has two inputs for NMEA data in - AIS in and NMEA in. I have tried both separately, so should I try both on the same external feed connection ?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Did you update the C80's firmware to the latest version?

 

[superheat6k]

Did you update the C80's firmware to the latest version?

No can you point me to where I learn how to do this please.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Google says: Software Update Information for Raymarine Legacy Multifuction Displays | Marine Electronics by Raymarine

 

[MikeCC]

The C80 has two inputs for NMEA data in - AIS in and NMEA in. I have tried both separately, so should I try both on the same external feed connection ?

The C80 only has one NMEA port with input and output.

What device is the NMEA data coming from?

If you can see the NMEA stream on the data page, is the unit set to show the AIS layer on the display? Are the sentences you see actually position and AIS ones?

 

[superheat6k]

Google says: Software Update Information for Raymarine Legacy Multifuction Displays | Marine Electronics by Raymarine

Thanks - Compact flash card on order.

 

[superheat6k]

The C80 only has one NMEA port with input and output.

What device is the NMEA data coming from?

If you can see the NMEA stream on the data page, is the unit set to show the AIS layer on the display? Are the sentences you see actually position and AIS ones?

It worked on my last boat - same Matsutec HP-1228A tis transponder / plotter to C120 MFD.

Both set to high baud rate (38400), worked as soon as I connected it.

 

[superheat6k]

So interesting discoveries today, and none of it catalogued anywhere in the extensive documentation provided with the boat !

So after yet more chasing different combinations of settings of both the plotter and MFD nothing worked, so I lifted the access to the rear of the MFD with a view to buzzing out the NMEA cable to confirm connections. I then find a seatalk cable unplugged from the MFD and an NMEA0183 cable disappearing somewhere into the panelling.

So it it is almost a certainty the seatalk goes to the non working Raystar 125, however I have found the CR2032 battery so changing this might be an easy fix.

So where does the NMEA0183 cable go ?

I then removed the main instrument panel to observe what abides in the abyss behind the main panel - can't see any sign of the NMEA0183 cable, but instead discover a Raymarine AIS250 unit, which is a passive receive only AIS set.

So why can at least not see AIS signals on the MFD - would this be affected by the non working Raystar ?

Looks like if I can get the AIS250 and Raystar to work it will be simplest to keep my new plotter as a completely separate set up.

What is the likelihood simply replacing the CR2032 battery will resolve the issue of MFD display ?

 

[laika]

So why can at least not see AIS signals on the MFD - would this be affected by the non working Raystar ?

You say there’s another nmea input. Have you got some other gps source you could plug in to see if the AIS springs to life? Without gps the plotter wouldn’t be able to calculate cpa, activate alarms etc. so maybe without it raymarine chose not to display anything at all

 

[superheat6k]

I replaced the CR2032 battery in the Raystar 125 today plugged it all back in - BINGO - GPS Fix and AIS vessels being displayed perfectly on the C80 display.