[C320-list] AIS

[Graeme Clark]

To add to what Doug has said, if you don't want to go the whole hog and replace everything then my experience may be useful

 I use an Actisense converter and for under $100 it is a bargain, simple to install and works without any input from me.

If you have several 0183 signals to convert you can buy an NMEA0183 multiplexer (raymarine or Actisense do these) which greatly simplifies things

Looking to save a few bucks  I made my own by   programming a small Arduino processor to read in the 0183 signals (sentences) from the various pieces of 0183 kit and then output them in a single  sentence to the Actisense.

When i say “I” I mean that i co-opted a clever friend who understands electronics and  programming microprocessors!  Not sure I could do it on my own, even second time around.

All this was necessary because of installing a new Evo below deck a/p. (which is 2k). I got over the problem of too many wires in the pedestal tubes by buying a multicore cable (30 cores if I recall correctly) and then making the necessary connections to each end of that in the instrument pod and in a waterproof connection box I mounter on the rear of the aft cabin bulkhead (i.e just in front of the rudder post) The only other wires I had to run up the tubes was the 2k backbone cable and power supply cabling so there was plenty of room.  I have had  no ‘cross-talk’ problems at all from one signal wire to the other but I know some people have used Cat6 network cable or telephone cable which has twisted pairs inside it - supposedly these reduce interference.

Hope that helps

Graeme 

1996, #366




> On 9 Jan 2021, at 01:38, Doug Treff <doug at treff.us> wrote:
> 
> And the problems below outlined by Troy are part of the reason I did my entire suite over from scratch. Most of my gear was vintage 1996 and I wanted all new anyway, and didn't want to piece-meal it because of compatibility issues between 0183 and 2K, and I also didn't want to deal with running wires in my pedestal guard tubes more than once. So I ripped out all the old devices and wiring, and did the entire project at once.
> 
> Actisense does make a gateway that will translate between the two protocols, but I viewed that as an intermediate step and ultimately decided that the money would be better spent on going all 2K at once.
> https://actisense.com/products/nmea-2000-gateway-ngw-1/
> 
> It was a lot of work, kind of expensive, but I'm really glad I did it this way. Any new devices I add now will be easy to add to the 2K backbone. Lots of decisions for you. There are quite a few folks who have done similar projects. If you're handy at all, it's not too difficult.
> 
> --
> Doug Treff
> doug at treff.us
> 
> On Fri, Jan 8, 2021, at 6:26 PM, Troy Dunn wrote:
> 
>> In general when I think NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000, I'm usually thinking about
>> how to get an old standard data source onto the new standard backbone.
>> Generally speaking the MFD will be the new standard and the data sources
>> will be a combination of new and older standard data sources with an
>> electronic translator (it's not a simple matter of wiring) to get from the
>> older standard to the newer.   In your case you are talking about
>> purchasing a new data source and wiring it to the old standard backbone.
>> I think that's probably not a good idea.   It would be better to purchase a
>> data source that is backward compatible with NMEA0183 and wiring using the
>> 0183 port on that device.  If it is possible to somehow get the new
>> standard device wired to the old backbone using the NMEA2000 port would be
>> more expensive because you would have to purchase a 2000 to 0183
>> conveter...again...if that exists...i'm not sure.