Simrad RD68 VHF and NMEA 2000 ??

[jwilson]

A quick query in the hope someone else has already hit this question...

I am replacing an elderly Raymarine C70 chartplotter that has ceased to read chart CF cards. This old plotter has an NMEA 1983 output that feeds a Simrad RD68 VHF. I have bought a new B&G Vulcan 7 plotter and a Raymarine SeaTalk1 to SeaTalkng converter kit to link this to existing ST60 Seatalk 1 instruments - I am told this will work.

The new plotter thus only has NMEA 2000 - can either this or the old Seatalk 1 be used to feed the Simrad RD68, or am I going to have to also fit a new NMEA2000 compatible radio?

 

[prv]

You could fit a standalone GPS receiver "puck" for the radio.

Pete

 

[PaulRainbow]

N2K won't talk to your VHF without some form of convertor/adapter.
I'm not sure if the SeaTalk converter will work. If it won't, you could :

1) Get a N2K to NMEA 0183 adapter, expensive option for this job though.
2 Fit a NMEA 0183 GPS receiver, such as one of the Evermore units.
3) Fit a new N2K compatible VHF.

I'd go for option 3, especially if you have AIS. You'll recover some of the cost by selling the old radio.

 

[jwilson]

Thanks for the comments. You have confirmed what I suspected. It was not until I had removed the old C70 yesterday afternoon that I noticed that it was feeding the VHF with position via it's NMEA 1983 socket. Planning to buy and fit a new VHF as well now.